Page 25 of After the Vows

“Was she a cheerleader? Holly sounds like a cheerleader.”

“She was,” I admit.

“We don’t approve of cheerleaders. Nova tried out to be one and the entire cheerleading squad was mean to her. Sure, she accidentally tripped a few of them, but an accident is not an excuse to say she’s banned from cheerleading for life.”

I can’t help smiling. Chloe is a hoot. She’s crazy. But she’s a hoot.

“Holly, the cheerleader, wants to try again.”

“To try what again? To be a decent human being? I think that ship has sailed off the edge of the ocean and sunk in a black hole never to be located again.”

She’s not wrong.

“Try to be with me. To be a family,” I explain.

“Aren’t you divorced?”

“Holly left us two years ago. I filed for divorce immediately.”

“Maybe she’s bluffing. She was probably mad you wouldn’t give her another chance – I know I would be – and she threatened you to try and get what she wants.”

Chloe would be mad if I didn’t give her a chance? Is she mad at me now? I did ignore all of her not so subtle overtures at seducing me. Ignored but definitely noticed.

“I can’t chance it,” I admit. “I can’t chance losing my little girl.”

“I get it. I wouldn’t chance losing Natalia either. She’s precious.”

Warmth fills me at her words. Holly never thought Natalia was precious and she’s the woman who birthed her.

“Which is why I think we should get married.”

She pretends to clean out her ear. “I think I’m hearing things. I might be hallucinating. Probably since the moment Natalia said you wanted to marry me. Maybe her announcement caused me to have a stroke. I’ve heard you can have super realistic dreams while you’re in a coma.”

I clasp her hands and electricity sparks between us. My cock presses against my zipper. It’s hard and heavy and ready to sink into Chloe. I breathe through my nose until the sharp edge of desire softens a bit.

It’s not gone. It’s never gone when I’m around this woman.

“You’re not in a coma.”

“Are you sure? Real life Lucas doesn’t touch real life Chloe. He prefers to reject her.”

The pain in her voice whips at me and slices me open. I never meant to cause her any pain. I don’t want her to hurt. But my attention needs to be on Natalia. I can’t lose her. I can’t let my ex get her greedy hands on her.

“I’m not rejecting you now. I’m asking you to marry me.”

She snorts. “As some sort of marriage of convenience.”

“I know this isn’t ideal. You probably want a man who matches you to marry you.” I swallow a growl at the idea of her marrying any man other than me. “But I need help and you’ve been kind to Natalia. She knows you. She trusts you.”

“Because I’m pretty awesome.”

Her eyes flare and I realize I’m stroking her wrist with my thumbs. I pull my hands away. I don’t want Chloe to get the wrong idea. This marriage will be in name only.

“This wouldn’t be a real marriage. But you would need to move into my house to convince a judge it is real. I can’t think of any other way to keep custody of Natalia.”

Her nose wrinkles. “I prefer to stay in my own house, but I understand why I’d need to live with you.”

“There are plenty of bedrooms. We wouldn’t have to share.”

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