Page 78 of The Puck Decoy

“You mean Jockstrap Jerkoff,” her mom nods, and I snort a laugh as Hallie huffs, but I don’t know why, the only person who could have told Beth that nickname was her.

“Yes, well, Josh broke his arm back when I graduated high school, it’s why I never heard from him again,” she tells them, like a total little narc.

“He’s lucky that’s all I did,” I tell her carefully, before flicking my stare to Jeremy’s as I explain, “He was talking shit about her to his dumb friends.”

Jer barely even pauses as he holds his hand out for me to fist bump. “That’s my boy.”

When I look back at Hallie she huffs again, as she mutters, “You’re such an asshole.”

I ensure my smile is sweet as I respond, “And you’re such a brat.”

I feel her parents watching us, flicking their stare between us and each other, and I kick myself internally after what Hallie said outside. Although I’m not sure I can hide how much I enjoy being married to their daughter, I remind myself to try and not act like this thing is real.

Even if I think it is.

By the time we’ve had dinner, Hallie has argued with me no less than thirty times, much to her parents' amusement, and when they keep agreeing with me, she only gets angrier. I excuse myself to help her mom with the dishes, leaving Hals and Jer to talk business with one another, yet still I can’t help my eyes from flicking over to her every few seconds.

“Being married suits you,” her mother comments from my side, and my gaze snaps from her daughter to her, to find her already watching me. “For the first time since I have known you, that darkness that surrounds you seems a little less black.”

I ensure my voice remains calm and steady as I reply, “Your daughter just has that effect on people I guess, she’s like a ball of sunshine.”

Beth watches me and I try my best to keep my face blank, but still she offers me a knowing smile as she passes me another dish to dry. “That ball of sunshine is happier than I have ever seen her,” she whispers, flicking her stare over to her daughter, and I can’t help but do the same.

Hallie is reading over a file with her dad, pointing stuff out and talking animatedly about what she would do if she were to invest in them, and I swear I have never seen her look more comfortable or at ease. Gone are the anxiety and nerves she had on the way over here, and Beth is right, for once, she looks completely and truly happy.

Could this thing between us actually work?

Is there a world where I can take down my father and still keep her?

Could we forget the deal we made, rip up that list of rules, and just continue on as we have been, but no longer faking it?

I guess there is only one way to find out. First I have to take my father down, and then ask my wife if I can keep her.

The week between Christmas and New Year passes in a blur, and the more phone calls Josh excuses himself to take with Lincoln, the more on edge I become. Apparently the downfall of his father will start as soon as we ring in the new year, and I have never felt more afraid in my life. Josh hasn’t given me any indication of wanting this thing between us to end, yet still I live in limbo wondering when the walls of this fake marriage will come crashing down.

Tonight is New Year’s Eve, and Hugo is throwing a huge party to celebrate not only the new year, but our wedding too. Which means not only has he invited half the town, but also all of Josh’s teammates. When Josh got wind of it, he went crazy, frantically calling Lincoln to work out if this is some kind of ploy on his father’s end, but I wasn’t surprised. Mayor Hugo Petersonly ever does things to make himself look good, and he couldn’t exactly throw a party for his son and not invite his team.

I’m standing in front of the mirror in Josh’s room, staring at myself in the short white dress I picked out for the evening. The material is silky and sheen, hugging tight around my torso, with pearls encrusted across the chest, and flared out with a pop at my waist. My hair is twisted up into an elaborate bun, with a couple of my curls framing my face, and I went heavy on my makeup as always, giving myself a silver smokey eye and a soft pink lip. For any wedding party I look perfect, for my own wedding party I look like a fraud.

A sound at the door draws my attention, and I flick my eyes up to meet Josh’s in the mirror. He is leaning on the doorframe looking even more handsome than usual in his dark tuxedo, and it’s all I can do not to drool. Especially when he pushes off the door and stalks towards me until his chest is pressed against my back, his lips dropping to the bare skin of my shoulder.

“How the hell did I land a wife so beautiful?” he asks, kissing up my neck and pulling me in by my hips.

I try not to let the butterflies in my stomach affect me as I tip my neck to the side and softly reply, “You got on your knees and begged me to marry you.”

His smile is instant, as if remembering the moment as well as I do, before moving to stand in front of me, and tucking one of my face-framing curls behind my ear. “And I’d do it again in an instant,” he tells me firmly, not a speck of dishonesty in his tone. “You look beautiful, Mrs. Peters,” he adds, dropping a gentle kiss to the side of my mouth.

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I manage to choke out, making him smirk.

“Come on, we need to leave, because if you keep looking at me like that, I’m going to ruin your dress, makeup, hair, and pussy, and I know you spent a long time getting ready.”His words make me blush, his hands never leaving my skin as he guides me towards the door, and I half wonder how much damage he could really do if I let him bend me over the bed before we leave.

Unfortunately we really do have to go, and by the time we make it downstairs hand in hand, the rest of the house is already waiting. All dressed in some form of suit or tuxedo of their own, Daemon, Levi, and Landon, are all idling by the door for us, ready to go.

When they hear our footsteps their eyes all flick towards us, but Levi is the first to break the silence as he blurts, “Wow, Hals, you look beautiful.”

My blush only deepens as I feel Josh’s hand flex in mine. “Eyes off my wife, Jones, I don’t want to have to get your blood on her pretty dress.”

For a second Levi looks as if he is going to say something, but his eyes flick between the two of us then quickly meet the floor, and the tension in the air is thick so I quickly rush out, “Are we ready to go?” The guys all nod, and we head out to make our way to the Mayor’s mansion.

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