Page 53 of Fake Engaged to the Enemy

She doesn’t know me. Not any more than I know her.

It’s nice but nice is all it is.

If the job is offered to me, I’m taking it. I’ll leave Sandburrow. Maybe I’ll find a way to convince Grandma to move with me so I can look after her.

Or maybe hire a local to do it, so Grandma doesn’t have to leave her home.

With any luck, I’ll have the flexibility that sometimes I can work remotely. Then I can visit more often as Grandma gets older.

But Sandburrow isn’t my home.

I can’t stay here.

It’s just not in the cards for me.

Chapter fifteen

George

I put the old wicker chair on the porch of my new beach house. I spied the chair on the side of the road with a ‘free’ sign attached to it on the way home.

It looks awful.

But it’s mine.

I grin, sitting in the chair as I look out over my property. Oh, it needs so much work but it’s the sort of work I look forward to.

Catherine’s little sporty car turns into my driveway.

She jumps out and waves to me.

“Mind if I bug you for a bit?” she calls.

Her hair is loose around her, a little messy as though she’s been running her fingers through it. And the casualness of her appearance makes my heart skip a bit.

Catherine’s the type of woman who is beautiful all the time. The fact that she doesn’t realize how beautiful she is causes a pang to hit my stomach.

She comes up the porch and tests the stability of the railing before she leans against it.

“This is a pretty spot,” she says.

“Almost makes you wish it was real, huh?” I joke.

Catherine doesn’t answer, only keeps looking over the property.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“Yeah. I’m going up to the city in a couple of days to look at some apartments.” Her hands tighten on the railing. “Two more companies have contacted me, asking for interviews. So I need to start the apartment hunting so I can move back as soon as I get a job.”

Already?

Yeah, she’s been here for a while now, but it just feels like time has flown by.

My heart starts to pound. Can I really let her leave without telling her that I’ve fallen for her?

I’ll have another chance, right? I shouldn’t blurt it out right here. I need time for the right words. To set up the right scenario.

Flowers.

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