Page 23 of His Fake Wife

She took a sip from her glass and grimaced.

“I don’t get what that has to do with us.”

“I’ve always vowed to never end up like them, miserable and stuck with someone.”

“I hate to break it to you, but that’s where you’ve ended up.” She stared down into her glass forlornly.

“We don’t have to be like them.”

“We’re not exactly head over heels for each other.”

“But we can be...friends.”

“Come on, Adam. What fun would that be? You and I argue, that’s our thing.” Her eyes gleamed with humor.

I found myself smiling from ear to ear and I had to wonder what was happening between us. Whatever it was, we weren’t looking at each other the way my parents looked at each other. So, I’d take it.

“I’ve just always hated seeing them force something that isn’t there because of money and public opinion.”

“I’m sorry you had to see that but our situation is different from your parents’, and we’re only in this for two years.”

I exhaled and savored the liquor burning its way down my throat. She was right and maybe I was overreacting. “Still, two years is a long time if we’re absolutely miserable.”

“We can be friends,” she shrugged. “It can’t be that hard. Right?”

I laughed because it was harder for us to be friends than most. With so many years of not getting along, resenting each other almost came naturally.

“I can’t even remember what happened between us to cause the hostility.”

Beth’s laughter tickled me and I had to fight back a smile.

“I was only five but I remember very well. It wasn’t long after our father’s met and my family was invited to your house for dinner. I saw you stealing cookies after your mother told you they were for after dinner.” She pursed her lips, eyes dancing with merriment and cheeks pink. “I ratted you out.”

I threw my head back and had a good laugh. “Ah, you tattled. I never liked a tattletale.”

“Because you were a mischievous little devil. I was a stickler for rules so we never meshed from the start. After that we just couldn’t stop rubbing each other the wrong way.”

I shook my head. “Years of resentment over a few cookies. Incredible.”

“Plenty more things happened along the way. It wasn’t just the cookies.” She turned to me with a teasing smile. “Apologizing for ratting you out would be a good start to becoming friends though. I’m sorry.”

I chuckled and held my glass up to hers. “You’re forgiven.”

After we clinked glasses and the humor of the conjured memory dampened, I sighed.

“If I apologize for my behavior the other night, we’d have an even better start.”

Beth’s foot began tapping on the carpet and she had that look again. As if she wanted to run away. “You were right. We don’t need to discuss it.”

“I thought you were right. We should have talked about it.”

“Please, don’t bring it up. I was embarrassed enough as it was.”

I shouldn’t have touched her. Laying even one finger on her was dangerous. But, I laid a hand on her thigh to keep her leg still. Her nervous tapping was making me edgy..

“Just let me get this out. I’m sorry for being an ass and dismissing the whole thing. It wasn’t just about me being skeptical about being your first.”

She moaned and hung her head. “The humiliation continues.”

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