Page 25 of Trust Me With Forever

She took my hand. “Abby, trust me. I’m probably the most cautious person you know, right?” I nodded, and she added, “Maybe I can find something to help Rafe. But let me at least try.”

At the pleading look in her eye, I finally nodded. “Fine. But that, and my pretend marriage, needs to remain a secret from everyone, Amber. Even Katie and Emmy.”

“I know. Emmy is going to be the hardest, though.”

“I’ll eventually tell her, I promise. But until West and Rafe make some kind of truce, I don’t want this to ruin any progress Emmy has made with her brother.”

“I’ll help when I can. But Abby?”

“Yes?”

“Remember, you can talk to me anytime. Pretending for a year will be hard enough without having someone to vent to. No doubt Rafe will irritate you or make you mad at some point.”

I blinked. “Irritate me? What are you talking about?”

“Well, for example, Jay always leaves the toilet seat up. Or he seems to save his farts for right after he gets under the covers. That kind of stuff.”

“Well, if anything comes up, you’re my go-to. But only if you promise to vent to me, too.”

She bit her bottom lip and then nodded. “Okay. Although I try not to complain, if I can help it.”

“Everyone needs to complain sometimes, Amber. When it comes to best friends, it’s okay not to be perfect.”

After giving me a quick hug, she said, “Thanks, Abby. After so many years of trying to be perfect for my stepmother, it’s hard to change, but I’ll try.”

“Wait, I know your stepmother can be critical, but this sounds like more than that. What haven’t you told me?”

She shook her head. “Maybe later. If I don’t get back downstairs soon, Sofia will kill me. And given how she’s the reason I got into the true crime stuff, she’d get away with it too.”

Amber winked, and I laughed. But I mentally made a note to ask Amber about her stepmother later. Just imagining my friend suffering over the years and never saying anything made guilt swirl in my stomach.

I’ll do better.They’d all been there for me over the last year or so, and now it was my turn to step up.

The alarm on my phone went off, and I disabled it. “Well, that’s my cue to go, too. Rafe’s going to show me around the tutoring center.”

Amber hugged me harder this time, and I hugged her back. She said, “Good luck, Abby.”

She whispered something I didn’t quite catch, but it sounded like, “I hope it works out for you.”

Not wanting to think about fairy tales or Rafe being a man I could actually trust, I said my goodbyes, headed to my car, and drove to the old horse farm.

Chapter Eleven

Abby

Rafe:Make sure to wear your wedding ring. My business partner knows we’re together.

Me:Knows what, exactly?

Rafe:That we’re married, but not about the agreement.

Me:What about me working for you?

Rafe:I told him, but try to impress him when you get here since I should’ve talked with him first.

Me:Who’s your partner?

Rafe:Mark Shelton.

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