Page 105 of Forever Fake

I just… I thought the idea was more of a dream than a reality. Until now.

“This is really happening. We’re moving to Paris so I can go to school?”

Blake draws me in for a sensual, unhurried kiss. “Of course we are.”

“That’s a dream come true.”

“I want to make all your dreams a reality. You deserve every single one of them.”

I melt against him, happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life. Our relationship may have started as fake, but what we have together now is the most real thing I’ve ever experienced. I want it forever. I wantusforever.

Epilogue

GINEVRA

“Happy birthday!” We shout, and I can tell from the murderous expression on Blake’s face that we managed to surprise him. I told Arianna a surprise party might not be the best idea, but she assured me it would be fine. I made sure Blake came here unarmed, just in case.

“Magpie,” he growls.

I shake my head. “This is not my fault. Blame Arianna, it was her idea.”

Dimitri must have overheard me. “If you lay a finger on my wife, Baron, I’ll have your head decorating my Christmas tree next month.”

Blake stares at him, unfazed.

“Okay…” I drag him away from my sister’s husband so he can mingle with the rest of our guests. “Happy thirty-fifth birthday, old man.” Lifting to my tip-toes, I kiss him.

“Old man?”

“Yep. It’s official now.”

He swats my ass. “Once all of these fucking people are out of our house, I’m going to show you what it’s like to be punished by an old man.”

I giggle. Honestly, I can’t wait, and we both know it. By the time we have our house to ourselves, I’ll be begging for his flavor of wrath.

“Look, there’s Sophia and Roman. Let’s go say hello.” We weave our way through the crowd. Arianna must have invited half of Manhattan to this party.

Sophia hugs me as soon as we approach. “I heard you were accepted into Le Cordon Bleu. In Paris!”

“Arianna must have told you.”

She nods. “When are you leaving us to go live in Paris, lucky girl?”

“Not until late spring. We’re going to find a house, then school starts in August.”

“That’s wonderful. I can’t wait to be done with college. Three and half more years.” She groans. “Then I can live and work anywhere I want, too.”

“You could always transfer,” Roman points out.

“No. I want to finish here. But maybe after graduation, I’ll get a museum curator job in Paris. What do you think?” Sophia gazes hopefully up at her husband.

“Anything for you,principessa.”

I’ve always been envious of my oldest sister’s blissful marriage. Now I’m glad to finally know what it's like to be loved, cherished, and adored. I entwine my fingers with Blake’s. He gazes down at me, his eyes softening. I love the way he looks at me.

Arianna and Dimitri join our circle. Even though I know they are also happily married, seeing them together is still jarring at times. She’s so perfectly put together, a good girl with a strand ofpearls around her neck. While he’s a tatted uppakhanwho oozes bad boy vibes. They couldn’t be more opposite if they tried.

“I hope the party’s to your liking,” Arianna says, glancing from me to Blake.

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