Page 47 of Accidental Fiancé

“Get over yourself and go get your girl or be complicated and miserable. The choice is up to you. But no more lying in my gym.”

“Since when are you my therapist?”

Another laugh. He pointed at the diploma on the wall. “Since you walked through my door six years ago. Remember?”

“You’re not playing fair. I forgot you’re a therapist.”

He grinned. “Never said I played fair. I play to win.”

“So do I.” I marched off the stair climber past him to the locker room.

“Where are you going?”

“To fix this.”

Chapter 17

Maggie

The next time Julian decided to come home early he texted first to make sure I was there. Oh, goody. Just what I needed. More of him.

Piper was in the back with her swim coach so at least she wouldn’t hear us fighting. If it even came to that. I didn't know what he was coming home for. Another arrangement? Another fuck? His emotions felt like a moving target. It wasn't fair.

None of this was fair.

Things with Jules had somehow become complicated. I never knew where I stood with him. We talked my first day but since then, there hasn't really been much of a connection. With Piper around, it seems like we can't talk to each other in the way we want to.

I imagined that was how most parents normally felt. Happy to have their kids but also stifled when it came to interacting with their partner. I felt like I owed my parents an apology for existing.

I didn't want to talk to him. Not after he made me an employee. No, wait, not an employee.That's a different tax form. God, I couldn’t believe he said that. I swore sometimes I did not understand what was going through a man's head.

While waiting for Julian to show up, I texted Nora. “Drinks?”

“When and where?”

I suggested a bar to meet at so I could give her the full dish, and she promised she’d show up, but I had my doubts. With her schedule being what it was, I didn't know whether or not I could count on her. All I knew was that I would be there. I needed a freaking drink. And since I still had Julian's credit card, it would be on him.

A fleeting thought hit me. What if she never showed but I met a guy there? I'd be well within my rights to hook up with someone. Not that I had ever done that kind of thing. My first one-night stand was with Julian and look how that turned out.

Maybe I just wasn't cut out for a one-night stand. Whenever I hooked up with somebody, we'd seen each other at least a couple of times. Sex was always something that I considered personal and private. I was careful about my heart. I never wanted to get too attached too soon. Attachment was supposed to grow over time, not in minutes or days.

I wondered if I should bail on the situation entirely. Maybe all of it was just too complicated for me.

But then Julian walked in, and my stupid hormones kicked up, nearly choking the words out of my brain. I blurted, “Glad you're home. Are you staying this time? Because I'm going to go get drinks with Nora.”

“Piper in the pool?”

“Yep.”

“Good. I was hoping to talk to you.”

“Two talks in one day? I'm a lucky girl.”

He sighed loudly. “Maggie. We knew from the start what this was. The moment you told Chloe that we were engaged, you knew what this was. The moment you agreed to be my date for the party and stay here you knew what it was. You made therules. I wanted to come up with a way to pay you for your time. A new wardrobe is not enough for what you're dealing with.”

I laughed bitterly. “No shit, Sherlock.”

“So this is better, right? Drawing clear lines and solid boundaries? I can't help but think that this is the way to go about all of this. It keeps us on a level playing ground.”

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