Page 52 of Love in Fine Print

It also meant I was going to have to lie to Bailey. I’d told her about meeting Ben when she and Birdie had come over for dinner, but I’d downplayed my attraction to him, because of the whole rom-com meet-cute thing. Now, I was going to have to really lean into it.

She wasn’t the only person I’d have to lie to. If I was having a real wedding, I was going to have to ask Uncle Mort to walk me down the aisle. He wasn’t my blood relative, but he and mydad had been best friends since they were five, just like me and Bailey.

He was the closest thing to family I had.

Speaking of family, I should probably let my mother know I was getting married. Last time I spoke to her she was in Greece with husband number thirteen. He was a billionaire who had made his fortune in textiles. I doubted she would come back to the States for the wedding, but I was going to have to tell her.

I started making a list of all the things I needed to do and realized that I hadn’t addressed our living situation with Ben yet. Never one to sit on a problem, I picked up my cell phone, scrolled through, and pressed Ben’s number. I had saved it in my phone as Dolly’s Dad but Trevor had changed it to Arm Porn Daddy.

I was making a mental note to change it back when he picked up on the second ring. “Having cold feet already?” he asked.

I could hear the teasing tone in his voice, but I wondered if there was some truth beneath the joke. Like maybe he was the one with chilly toes. “No. Are you?”

As I waited for his response, I found myself holding my breath. Part of me wanted him to be the one to back out of this crazy arrangement. Then, at least, I could tell myself I’d done everything I possibly could to secure the partnership.

“My feet are warm and toasty,” he replied.

“Good. Okay, um, I realized we need to discuss our backstory, timelines, first date, things like that in case people ask so our stories match. And we also need to address some logistical concerns that have just been brought to my attention. I was wondering if you were free tonight. I could make you dinner.” I heard my voice shake as I made the suggestion.

I felt like I was a teenager talking to my high school crush, not the man who had just agreed to legally be my husband for a year.

There was a pause before he said, “Um, actually, tonight I had plans to meet a friend for dinner.”

I don’t know what it was, but my gut told me that this ‘friend’ was a female. He’d said that he was going to abstain from sex for a year, and I believed him. But the way the contract was worded, it didn’t go into effect until after we were man and wife.

The thought of him kissing another woman, having sex with someone else brought up emotions in me that were emotions I’d only ever felt in a professional setting. It was jealousy. I’d never been jealous in a romantic relationship before.

Not that this was romantic. It wasn’t.

“But I can cancel,” he offered.

“No, don’t,” I replied firmly, hoping to disguise how much the thought of him being with someone else bothered me. “I’ll look at my schedule and text you times and dates I’m free so we can set something up.”

“Are you sure? I really don’t mind.”

No, I’m not sure. I don’t want you going out with another woman.

“It’s fine. We’ll talk soon.”

I hung up the phone and told myself that my reaction was a natural one considering the agreement we’d just made. But deep down, I knew the truth. If I’d entered into this contract with Neil or Levi, I wouldn’t have cared less if they saw a woman tonight.

Which meant this next year I would be skating on very thin emotional ice. One wrong move and I feared I would go under. I needed to remember that this was not real. No matter how much my hormones, and maybe even my heart wished it was.

22

BEN

I staredat the digital clock on the stove as the numbers kept clicking by. I was supposed to meet Kelly in two hours, but I had no desire to go. I didn’t want to be a dick and cancel last minute, but I also didn’t want to waste her time.

“Fuck it.”

I picked up my phone, scrolled to her number, and hit the tiny phone icon next to her name. It didn’t ring; it went straight to voicemail.

She was probably flying or at the airport and had her phone turned off.

Should I leave a voicemail or text? I decided to do a voicemail. It was more personal.

I called her phone again, and after the beep, I realized then I hadn’t planned out what I was going to say. I panicked. “Hey, Kelly. Listen, something came up, and I won’t be able to make it tonight. Sorry to bail.”

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