Page 30 of The Guy Who Fake Dated Me

If she ever offers me a smoothie with kale in it, run away.

She can’t be wealthier than I am.

No lies or secrets between us. Transparency is key.

Which led to the last and most important thing on my list, which I hadn’t written down because it had been seared into my brain like a brand on a hide: She MUST say “I love you” without being prompted.

Courtney had left my heart in pieces and my life a wreck. Despite that, there was still a part of me that wondered about her every day.

My body was on autopilot. We went through the doors and into the hotel where warm air and the faint scent of sage filled the lobby. I’d seen less ornate places in Vegas earlier in the week and wondered just how much it cost to have a wedding here.

If Courtney’s family was involved, then it would be more money than some people saw in a lifetime.

“Thanks for letting me put my bag in your room,” I said.

“No problem.”

We made our way over to the elevator, then waited after Victoria hit the up arrow. She stood close, her arm brushing my side sending warmth everywhere.

The elevator light indicated it was going up before coming back down, and I sighed.

“So, give me the two-sentence version,” Victoria said quietly.

How could I boil down what had happened between Courtney and me into two sentences? I stared at a twisty brass wall sconce as I thought about it. Courtney had strung me along for three years, then dumped me to go back to her super-rich men. She’d ripped my heart out and jumped up and down on it in her stiletto heels until it had stopped beating. I’d vowed to never get that close to a woman again because it had hurt so much.

It wasn’t so much the summary of events that I wanted to avoid, it was the deep and cutting feelings that went along with it.

“You can push it to three sentences if you need to,” Victoria said helpfully.

I decided to keep it simple. “We dated for three years, and I thought she loved me. Turns out she never did.”

“Ouch,” Victoria said.

“Yeah.”

“Well, if it makes you feel better, I got a pretty hefty glare from her as we walked away.”

“You did?” I found Victoria smiling up at me.

“I’m thinking she’s jealous.”

That’s not what I needed to hear.

“Headed up to your room?” a voice asked from behind us.

I inwardly groaned. Courtney had finished checking in—likely the staff had fallen all over themselves to be quick about it—and she and her brother had arrived at the elevator.

Victoria smiled. “We are.”

“We’re in the suite.” Courtney’s words held some bite.

Of course they were.

“Sounds nice.” Victoria spoke in a friendly tone.

“It’s adequate,” William said.

William had always been hard to impress. Which made sense when you grew up with mountains of money and parents who were willing to throw it around to get whatever they wanted.

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