Page 45 of The Best Friend Power Play

Equally hot, because why choose?

He went for a classic dark shade, sharp charcoal, and the crisp lines of the suit jacket accentuate his broad shoulders.

I opted for a midi-length muted blush-pink dress I bought online a few months ago because it was on sale but haven't had the chance to wear yet.

"My friends are probably wanting to know how my hot girl summer is going."

His dark brows knit together. "I'm so sor?—"

"Don't apologize," I cut in. "I'm marrying a super-hot NHL player who has cooked me a divine meal of heavenly carby goodness every night for the last two weeks, cleaned my house, done my laundry, fixed my broken porch step, given me foot rubs I don't know how I'm going to be able to live without once the summer is over, and binge-watched our secret show with me. Do you know how many women would kill to be in my shoes?"

His lips curl into a faint smile. "What are you going to tell your friends?"

"Absolutely nothing," I say, checking my rearview mirror as I merge onto the I-5.

I've never told my friends about my feelings for Culver because what would be the point? Nothing can ever come of them, so I'd rather field their not-so-subtle digs about our friendship from time to time than open my heart and reveal the true extent of my one-sided feelings.

And there's no way I'm telling them about this fake wedding. Can you imagine the ribbing Beth and Amiel in particular would give me?

Culver shifts in his seat.

"Are you in pain?" I ask.

"A little. It's fine."

"Want me to pull over so you can stretch your legs?"

"Not just yet. Maybe later if it gets worse?"

"Okay. Tell me if it does."

"I will." I feel his gaze land on me. "So how come you're not telling your friends about this?" he asks.

"Didn't your dad tell us not to tell anyone?"

"Yeah, but your friends are more like family, aren't they?"

"They are. But you know how sometimes no one in the world teases you more than your siblings?"

He smiles, his cute dimples making an appearance this time. "I may know a thing or two about that."

"Well, that's what it's like with my girls. Especially since?—"

I snap my mouth shut, but it's too late. He heard.

"Oh, no. You can't stop there. You were just getting to the juicy bit."

I sigh.

I suppose I could trot out the old 'because they'll think we're really a couple' line, but no. It's Culver, and we don't keep things from each other.

No matter how ridiculous.

"I was going to say, especially since they teased me about this very thing happening."

His thick eyebrows shoot up. "They predicted us getting fake married?"

"It's called a marriage of convenience in romance novel terms, and yes, they did."

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