Page 5 of Perfectly Wedded

“Um,Sloan?” I murmur.

“What?”

“He’s headed this way. What do you want me to do?”

“I don’t know. Pretend we’re talking?”

I glance over my shoulder. “It’s not stopping him.”

“Got any other ideas?”

“Other than punch him in the face?” I ask.

She points at me. “Under no circumstances can you do that,” she warns. “Even if that’s the girl he cheated on me with.”

“Wait, he cheated on you?”I growl as my fingers curl into fists.

“It happened right after the accident. He said it was because he was lonely and sad.”

I grip my fork like a weapon. “You know what will make him sad? If I shove this in his eyeball.”

Sloan puts her hand on mine. “Lower the fork, Kevin Costner. I need you to stay civil.”

“After what he did?” I ask. “He did not deserve you. Do you want me to make sure he doesn’t get to you? Because I know how to play defense.”

“I’m not a hockey puck, Vale,” she says.

“You’re not, but you are mine to take care of this weekend. And I’ll do anything to keep that man away from you, even if I have to pretend to be your boyfriend.”

The truth is, I’d do it for real in a heartbeat, but I can’t let her know that.

Her eyes widen. “You wouldn’t,” she dares.

I smile wickedly. “Just watch me.”

THREE

Sloan

Ilet those words sink in... and then I panic.Vale is pretending to be my boyfriend?How am I supposed to keep it together when just looking at him does funny things to me?

Anthony saunters to our table while I decide whether to cry or throw up or launch myself onto Vale’s lap.

“If it isn’t Sloan Summers, the comeback kid,” Anthony says with his usual thick Southern drawl. This might sound like a compliment, but coming from Anthony, it’s meant as a childish jab.

“Hello, Anthony,” I deadpan. “Did you come to show off your new girlfriend, or do you just enjoy being a nuisance?”

Anthony laughs that stupid chuckle of his. “I’m glad to see you still have your sense of humor.”

Another jab. As if my brain injury has taken away everything else. “Yes, I still have my humor, the one thing I conveniently kept after my accident. Unfortunately, I lost the filter over my mouth, so you might want to leave before I accidentally blurt out what I think about you.”

Anthony’s smile freezes. For a second, he looks nervous.

From his barstool, Vale loops his arm around my waist. My whole body zings in response, and I struggle to keep my expressionneutral. My heart’s knocking against my rib cage, but I can’t let him know that. I’m supposed to look like this iscompletely normal—like his touch doesn’t affect me at all.

Vale shoots me a proud smile. “That’s my girl.”

My girl.I love how those two words make me feel like I’m all his. But I can’t get used to Vale treating me this way. Not when it’s only an act for tonight.

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