“But I figured you wouldn’t like that idea,” I continue, “so I was thinking something small at the vineyard. Nothing flashy. If we want Grady to believe this is real, we should do something other than a quickie wedding at some cheesy chapel.”

“Agreed. Plus, if I’m only going to have one wedding, it may as well be something I can enjoy.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Why would you only have one wedding? If all goes according to plan, you’ll be free of me in around nine months. If Grady still doesn’t want to sell to me even after we’re married, you can be free of me in just a few weeks.”

The idea makes my stomach twist, but I remind myself it’s for the best. I may have convinced Haley to marry me, but it’s a marriage in name only. Nothing more. Hell, I keep waiting for her father to show up and remind me I’m not good enough for his daughter. That I’ll ruin her life.

Then again, he’d have to actually care about her.

I doubt he ever has.

“Most guys my age are looking to start their own family. Not have to settle for a used model, so to speak.”

“Guys your age are fucking idiots.”

“You’re my age,” she reminds me.

“Exactly. I’m a fucking idiot.”

“They say admitting it is the first step.” She winks.

“Then I’m on my way to recovery.”

A brief silence falls over the table, and I hesitate before asking the question that’s been on my mind since she accepted my offer.

“Have you told your parents?”

“No.”

“Are you going to?”

“Eventually. Maybe. I don’t know.”

“Don’t you think they’ll find out? It’s a small town.”

“They don’t live here. They’re in their own privileged world in Tahoe. Plus, I don’t really talk to them much. Apparently, having an unwed mother for a daughter looks bad on them, even though I was twenty-seven when I got pregnant. It’s not like I was fifteen or something. Still, they kept going on and on about what everyone would think, not even caring about what I was going through. All they cared about was how it might affect them.”

“Well, your parents are fucking idiots, too.”

This earns me a small laugh.

“What about your mom?” she asks after taking a sip of her wine. “And your brothers and sister?”

“What about them?”

“Do they know this isn’t real?”

“No. And they won’t. Except Jude. He knows.”

“And Parker’s the only one I told.”

“We should probably keep it that way. The fewer people who know, the better, especially with the way the gossip mill in this town works.”

“And you’re okay lying to your mom?” she asks. “Making her think this is real?”

“I don’t love it, but at least she’ll finally stop attempting to set me up with every woman who comes into the salon.”

Something flickers in Haley’s eyes, her mouth forming a tight line, but in only lasts a second before she fixes her expression once more.