My chest squeezed.
“I just puked in my mouth. I can hear him using that baby voice when he talks to you,” Finn grumped from behind me, and I moved to my feet and stared down at my phone as I continued reading.
Carl
I miss you. I’ve tried not to. I want to give my new relationship a try. Your leaving really hurt me, Reese. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m struggling. I thought dating someone else would help me get over you.
Carl
How serious is this with you and Finn? You know he’s not really a relationship guy. Jessica Carson is living proof of that. Even you said that he would probably never settle down. Why go there?
Carl
Can we have lunch when you get home? I think we should at least talk. You know, for closure and all that. We were engaged, after all. We’d be married by now if you hadn’t left.
A tear ran down my cheek, and I swiped it away.
“What is that dick-nugget saying now?”
“He misses me. We would have been married by now, Chewy. He wants to know how serious this is between us.” My fingers hovered over the keyboard to text him back and tell him that it was all a big misunderstanding.
But I stopped myself.
My head snapped up to meet Finn’s gray gaze.
He raised a brow. “What? I know that look. Let me guess. You’re desperate to get home now and win him back.”
“Don’t be a hater.”
“Fine. Tell me.”
I dropped my phone onto the nightstand and moved to sit beside him on my bed. “Just hear me out.”
“All right.”
“You said Angelique wants you to date someone, right?”
“Correct. What’s your point?” He eyed me suspiciously.
“Well, you already planted the seed.”
“Are you referencing my sperm? It hasn’t been planted anywhere, Miney. I keep that shit wrapped up at all times.” He smirked.
I waved my hand and feigned disgust, although I had to fight the urge to look down and see if his erection was still there. “Don’t be gross. I’m talking about the seed that the driver planted. Painting the picture of a man who couldn’t get to his girl fast enough. That’s what they’re saying, right?”
“Planting seeds and now we’re painting? What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about us. Let’s go with it. Pretend that we’re dating. It’s a win-win.”
“How is it a win-win? Will we be having sex in this scenario?”
My mouth fell open. “Of course not. We stick to the pact at all costs. I’m offering you the chance to fake date me.”
“Why would I want to do that?”
“Well, your fans will see you as a relationship guy and not some bed-hopping whore.”
He barked out a laugh. “Did you just call me a whore?”
“I mean, you aren’t one, but Jessica has painted that picture. A whore. A womanizing bastard. A selfish prick who chases his own pleasure,” I said as I tried to really bring it home.
“Who said anything about me chasing my own pleasure? I haven’t even gotten laid in a year outside of the whole tip disaster, which doesn’t even count. I’m practically a celibate monk.”
“A celibate monk who needs a girlfriend. And clearly, Carl can’t stand the idea of you and me being together, because now he wants to meet up for ‘closure,’” I said, making air quotes around the last word.
Closure, my ass.
The man was jealous, and I was here for it. We’d been together so long that we’d lost all the excitement. That was part of the reason that I’d wanted to take this job in London. Life had grown stale and boring, but that didn’t mean I still didn’t want to marry him and have a family. Maybe this time apart would actually be good for us in the long run.
Aside from the fact that he really was dating someone else, and my relationship was fake.
“So, you want to use me?”
“Totally,” I said over a fit of laughter. Hell, this was the best I’d felt in days. Finn’s showing up had lifted my spirits, and now I actually felt hopeful. “You said you haven’t felt like going out anyway. You asked me to move in with you, so outside appearances will look like we’re a real couple. Everyone’s always suspected it back home anyway. Let’s go with it.”
“You really think that we can pull it off, Miney?” He raised a brow in question.
“You’re the best actor I know. People will eat this up. Childhood besties-turned-lovers!” I squealed as I fell back on the bed. “Hell, your cousin Ashlan could sell this story, and it would be a bestseller. Carl is going to shit himself and beg me to take him back.” Honestly, I still hadn’t gotten over how quickly he’d replaced me, and with her, of all people. So, I wouldn’t mind making him sweat a little bit if, in the end, we found our way back to one another.