Page 2 of The Make-Believe Marriage

“Gotcha.” Tom looks at his phone when it pings. I scan his face while he’s busy reading whatever is causing that worry line on his forehead to form.

The man is pale with dark circles under his eyes. He looks like he’s been burning the candle at both ends. “This isn’t good,” he mutters under his breath.

“What is it?” I ask.

“It’s nothing.” He takes another sip of his tea and puts the phone down.

“You can tell me. I dumped all my problems on you,” I say, picking up my own coffee. It’s cooling down quickly, and I drink it up greedily. With the way things are going, it may be my last caffeine fix for a while.

“Why don’t you go stay with your folks for the holidays? I’m sure something will open up the first of the year,” he says, ignoring my suggestion.

I almost spit out my coffee. “Right.”

“Not an option?” he asks, looking concerned.

“Not really. There isn’t anyone I could stay with ... Except my dad.”

“And that’s not somewhere you want to go?”

I shake my head. “He’s busy celebrating Christmas with his second attempt at the whole marriage-and-kids thing. I’m only in the way.” As much as I hate to admit it, the man has a point. Staying with Dad might be my only viable option.

We both sit there in silence, stewing in our respective problems. Not that I have any clue what his is.

I look up when he clears his throat. His eyes are fixed on me.

“I might have an idea. It’s a little out there, though. I guess you could call it a proposal.”

Chapter 2

Tom

“Move in with you? We haven’t even been on a date yet,” Kyrsten blurts out, the moment I suggest it. Her hand flies to her mouth and clamps over it. That adorable blush I noticed when she rose from under the table is back.

“You didn’t let me finish.” I sit back and watch her. She’s cute in a girl-next-door kind of way. My soon-to-be-ex-neighbor looks nothing like my definitely-ex-fiancée and that’s fine by me.

Krysten lowers her hand but doesn’t say a word.

“I propose that you move in with me through the first of the year. You’re welcome to stay longer if you need more time finding your own place.”

Her mouth opens. I hold up my hand. I need to get this whole crazy idea out before I answer any more questions or risk having her run out on me. Apparently, that’s a thing with me and women now. I push any thoughts of Mindy aside and grasp for my train of thought.

“In exchange, I want you to pretend to be my wife. No funny business, of course. You’ll have your own bedroom and stuff.” Iscan her face to see how she’s taken this so far. She’s confused but curious or desperate enough to at least hear me out.

“All I need you to do is help me decorate the house for Christmas and throw a dinner party for my boss and his wife and pretend to be married to me for the evening. There might be a kiss to sell the whole marriage thing, but that’s it.”

“Okay.” She didn’t back off at the mention of the kiss, and it does something to me. Not that I’m ready to think about anyone that way. Probably not ever again. “Why?” she asks.

“Why what?” I play dumb.

“Why do you need a wife so desperately that you’re willing to offer me a place to stay?” she asks.

“Free room and board,” I clarify. “It’s a long story, but the gist of it is that I’m up for a big promotion at work, and my boss thinks I’m married. I’d like to keep up that illusion until I have it. He’s pretty old-fashioned.”

“That’s a little deceptive, isn’t it?” Krysten asks.

“It’s not nearly as bad as it sounds.” I sigh. “It didn’t work out, and I never cleared that up at work. I’d rather not have to fess up until after I have the position.” The truth was that I’d been too embarrassed to admit I’d called it off. Instead, I’d hidden out at home for the week I was supposed to be away on my honeymoon and then gone into work accepting congratulations and left it at that.

“To clarify, I help get your house ready for Christmas, host a party, pretend to be your wife during said party, and I have a place to stay until I find something of my own?” she asks.

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