Page 16 of Rafferty

My mom is the type I can tell anything to and always has been. It’s with no trepidation that I launch into the story. “We have some company coming over in a bit.”

Her eyebrows lift in surprise. “Oh? Who might that be?”

“Do you remember that guy I told you about last week? The one who kissed me at the grocery store?”

Natalie Martin laughs, a sound that hasn’t come out of her much in the last several weeks. “That was an epic story. Is he the one coming over?”

“Him and a few others,” I murmur, taking a quick sip of water. “Okay, this is a bit of a story, so buckle up.”

Adjusting her wheelchair, she angles toward me so I have her full attention. “Lay it on me.”

“So the guy, Rafferty, came back to the store the next day—”

“To ask you on a date,” she exclaims with sparkling eyes. Hands clasped to her heart, she croons, “So romantic.”

“Not really,” I deadpan. “Turns out, he needed my continued help to convince this crazy woman who won’t leave him alone that I’m truly his girlfriend. He asked me to go to a photo shoot with him, and that’s where I went after I took you to your doctor’s appointment on Monday.”

My mom’s face scrunches up. “Photo shoot? I’m confused.”

“Rafferty, well… he’s a professional hockey player with the Pittsburgh Titans.”

I didn’t know a person’s eyes could go so big and wide, nearly threatening to pop out of her head. “No way.”

“Way,” I agree with a smirk. “I went to the shoot and it didn’t work. So he asked me to continue to be his fake girlfriend and I’m going with him to a wedding for one of his teammates day after tomorrow.”

I can see the wheels turning behind her green eyes. “So it’s a date?”

“No, it’s fake,” I assure her. “And he’s paying me too. I got a thousand dollars for going to the photo shoot and I’ll get another five after a few weeks of fake girlfriending it.”

Yup. Eyes can get bigger. “He’s paying you?”

“It’s a job, Mom. Nothing more, and we need that money. Rafferty’s in a tough spot. This woman—he slept with her once without knowing she was related to the owner of his team, and now she’s making his life miserable. She even threatened to go to his boss if he doesn’t play along with her. I’m doing him a solid and he’s paying me for it, and that will in turn alleviate some financial stress.”

Her expression crumbles, mouth turning downward. “I’m so sorry that all this burden has fallen on you.”

“No, Mom!” I push up out of my chair, bending right over her to give her a quick hug. “You have nothing to apologize for. None of this is your fault, and we’re getting through it like we always do… as a family.”

“But you had to drop out of school—”

“I’m going back.”

“But we have to eat boxed mac and cheese as Cooper insists on helping to feed us,” she whines.

I burst out laughing and hug her again. Her arms go around me for a squeeze, the Velcro on her wrist braces scratching my neck. When she releases me, I plop back down in my chair. “At any rate, this woman will be at the teammate’s wedding and we’re going to put on a big show to convince her our relationship is real and that she needs to drop it. His closest friends are in on the ruse, so they’re all coming over to meet me so we can act authentic.”

“This is crazy,” my mom murmurs as she shakes her head in amusement. “Only you, Tempe.”

“It’s an adventure and it just so happens to pay well.” I laugh. “Plus, they volunteered to put up the mobility rails in the bathroom. I’m also going to use their muscles to rearrange some furniture while we’re at it to give you a bit more room to maneuver.”

“And you’re personally okay with this charade?” she asks, a mother’s concern now in her tone. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

I pause, considering. The truth is, Rafferty’s easy to be around, more than I expected.

Actually… he’s quite fun and well, add in that he’s hot and kisses like a fiend and I’m more than good. “It’ll be fine. It’s just for a short while longer. Plus, the money he’s offering will really help out with bills and maybe even give us some breathing room for once.”

Mom reaches across the table, her hand brushing mine. “I just want to make sure you’re not getting in over your head, sweetheart.”

“I’m not, Mom. I promise.” I squeeze her hand, grateful for her concern but also for her trust. “And you’ll get to meet him and his friends soon. Rafferty’s good people, so I’m going to assume they are too.”

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