Page 112 of The Guy Who Fake Dated Me

“Victoria got a picture of it from someone named Courtney.”

“How?” I ran a hand through my hair. If Victoria had really seen the list, it was no wonder she’d said she wanted some time.

Rachel flexed her fingers. “Hand it over.”

“It’s kind of private,” I said.

“Don’t make me ask Victoria for it.”

“She didn’t send it to you already?” Could this be a bluff?

Rachel made a face. “She told Brooke about it, who told me to come to you. Neither of us have seen it.”

Shane held a hand up in Rachel’s direction, stalling her anger, and met my gaze. “Why don’t you tell us about it?”

I obviously wasn’t getting out of this, so I sighed and shifted in my seat. The fake leather creaked under me. “The list is something I started because I didn’t want to marry anyone like my mom or Crystal. Literally the first two things on it are that the woman I marry can’t have an annoying laugh, and she can’t be blonde.” I stopped Rachel’s protest with an uplifted finger. “I crossed that second one out during college.”

Rachel’s jaw hinged shut, and she waved for me to continue.

“Crystal’s tier system didn’t just affect you. Girls only went out with me because I was top-tier. I could get a date with anyone in town without trying, and I quickly noticed qualities I did and didn’t want in a spouse.

Shane nodded. “We all do that.”

“Sure, but I wrote mine down.”

“Why?” Rachel asked.

“So I wouldn’t forget. I added more through the years, and now it’s pretty robust.”

“You’re looking for the perfect woman?” Rachel asked.

“The perfect woman for me.” I closed my eyes and thought about the moment Courtney had walked out on me. It had felt like someone had ripped my insides out and left them on the road to rot. I’d never wanted to go through that again. They didn’t know about her. Maybe it was time they did.

When I opened my eyes, I found my friends waiting. “I dated a girl in college. Courtney. I brought her to Big Bear once but kept it pretty quiet. You guys were away at your own universities, so you never met her. I was head over heels for her. We went out for three years, and during my fourth trip back east to visit her family, she finally revealed that she was filthy rich. I’d known her family had money, but I had no idea it was the type of cash that could buy a private jet on a whim. I didn’t think it would matter. We were in love. So I waited until we were with her family at dinner before I proposed.”

Rachel’s hand flew to her lips, and she let out a gasp.

My throat grew thick with the memory, and I had to clear it before I could go on. “She stared at me like I was nothing. She told me, in front of the entire restaurant, that she didn’t love me. I hadn’t been anything more than a boy toy for her to play with during college, and now that we were about to graduate, the two of us were done.” Tears gathered in my eyes, and I didn’t try to stop them.

“I added several things to the list after Courtney, and it was then that I vowed I’d never date another outsider. I’d already sworn off any girls from here, so I figured I’d be a disappointment to my mom and grow old with Sky.”

At the mention of his name, my dog padded over and sat next to me, leaning into my leg as if he knew I needed moral support.

“I’m sorry, man, I didn’t know,” Shane said.

“I didn’t tell anyone. My parents had no idea how serious we were, and Crystal was gone when I brought Courtney here, so she didn’t know either.”

“Did you send Victoria your list?” Rachel asked.

“No. I never mentioned it, and she never said anything about it.”

Rachel spoke in a soft voice. “Can I see it?”

May as well get it out in the open. I didn’t need it anymore anyway. Victoria was my forever person, even if she still hadn’t said she loved me. I should make a new list of all the reasons I loved her and all the ways she was right for me. My wallet felt heavy as I plunked it on the desk. I pulled the frayed piece of paper out and handed it to Rachel.

It crinkled as she unfolded it.

Shane leaned over so he could see.

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