Page 66 of Just My Fake Husband

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say as I roll my eyes at Milo.

Milo. The only one in my family who knows the truth about my marriage to River. The same guy who feels it’s suddenly his duty to preach to me about what I am and am not feeling. River went for a walk and isn’t here to listen to this, thankfully.

“I saw it. You were into that kiss.” He gives a low whistle, his lazy smile wolfish as he leans back on the banquette in my kitchen.

“Can we talk about the non-profit, please?” That was why he came, so we could hash out some ideas about starting a charity that offers scholarships to group homes and long-term care centers. He wasn’t supposed to be here analyzing my actions of the night before. “I am a guy.Shestarted kissingme. I had toplay along, and I guarantee anyone in my shoes would have, too. And wouldn’t have hated it.”

He peers at me intently. “I get it. It’s hard to admit your feelings.” At my resistance, he holds up his hands. “And you don’t have to. I see that you’re not ready to talk about this right now. But, for what it’s worth, I think it’s cool.”

“You’re twenty-four years old, Milo. You don’t know anything about relationships. College dating is nothing like the real world.”

Not that this fake marriage is necessarily the real world, but that’s neither here nor there.

“Like I said, we don’t need to talk about this until you’re ready,” he says. “But I know what I saw.”

“What you saw was a touch of frustration that she was paying so much attention to that Antonio guy. I don’t care. I just can’t give Dad any reason not to believe this marriage is going to change me.”

Milo smirks like he wants to kiss his fingertips and pat my forehead, like “Whatever you say.”I may or may not have done that to him a time or two growing up.

“And how long has she known that guy?” he asks. “Because yeah, maybe he’s sad she’s married, but who knows if she likes him or not?”

“You weren’t there when he came,” I say.

“Yeah, I was. I saw when you three were talking. I was there when he said goodbye to her. He doesn’t like that she’s married. The jury’s still out on how she feels about him.”

My head begins to ache. “You saidwewere into each other . . . that you could tell from our kiss.”

His tone is chiding. “Maybe she hasn’t made up her mind on who she wants yet.”

Hot rage manifests in a throb in my temple. I can’t think of a single thing to say that wouldn’t sound immature.

“Anyway,” Milo says. “I don’t blame you for feeling the way you’re feeling, and I don’t think you should fight it.”

“Thanks for the unsolicited advice, Milo. Can we please focus on the task at hand?”

I don’t mention how it felt to have River call our mother “Mom.” I know it sort of just came out; River looked as shocked as I was. But I liked it.

Milo’s still smiling like the Cheshire cat when, a few minutes later, he leaves me to my work, pulling out several novels from his shoulder bag.

“A stack of books?”

He lifts both shoulders. “I have to bring all the ones I’m reading because I never know what I’ll be in the mood for.”

“You’ve started reading all of those?”

He looks at me like I have two heads. “I can’t read one book at a time. How boring.”

Personally, I couldn’t keep the storylines all straight if I read so many at once. But Milo’s a smart guy, I’m sure he’s fine.

He looks through the stack and selects a thriller.

After a few minutes of reading, he returns the books to his bag, stands from the banquette, and goes over to the outer living room wall. “One more thing.” He kicks a small corner of the air mattress, something I’d hastily deflated and shoved behind the sofa when I heard he was coming over.

Shoot. He wasn’t supposed to see that. “You better get rid of this before anyone else in the family stops by. I heard Stella wants to bring you guys dinner.”

“Hey, speaking of Stella. What did you say to her?”

“About what?”

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