Page 127 of Fake Married to the Grumps

“What look?”

“The kind that says you’re guilty of something? I’ve known you a long time, Hawkins. I know what you look like when you’ve done something stupid. So, tell me, did you do something stupid?”

I lift a hand to rub the back of my neck as he eyes me suspiciously with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Jace will definitely not take this in good stride.But he needs to know.

“I need Gracie’s help, Jace, and I think you should know about it.”

Jace leans back in his chair, lifting his shoulders in a carefree shrug. “What do you need Gracie for?”

It takes a second, but I summon the courage to tell my friend the truth. “I asked her to marry me,” I announce, then hold my breath and wait for Jace’s reaction.

“You did what?” he shouts as he jumps up. His anger is evident as his expression hardens.

“I need her to be my wife, Jace, but only until this media frenzy blows over.”

As expected, Jace loses his cool at that moment and is about to swing his fist at me when Gracie yells from the corner of the café in a shrill voice. “Stop it!”

She gets everyone’s attention, and we both turn around to look at her. Gracie is livid, her eyes round, her full lips in a tight lineas she adds through clenched teeth. “I need to speak to both of you. Right now!”

Chapter 7

Gracie

They both turn to me, their eyes wide with shock. My chest heaves, and I nearly forget to breathe when Trevor’s eyes find mine.

“You!” I continue, sucking in a deep breath. I point at Trevor and don’t bother hiding the grimace on my face. “You know there’s no way I’m getting married to you. Keep your proposal.” I face Jace next and wag a finger at him. “Come with me.”

Jace follows me into Espresso Books' inner office. He slams the door and levels me with a furious look.

“What are you thinking, Gracie?” Jace questions as he closes the distance between us in quick strides. “You know Trevor. He’s not the kind to ever take anything seriously. I love him, but we bothknow he’s crazy sometimes, and a fake marriage with him will only end in disaster for you. So, what are you thinking?”

My brother’s brows furrow together in worry. I can’t think of the best way to explain to him that I’m not considering Trevor’s proposal because the truth is … that I am.

Trevor might be a lot of things, but the one thing I know is that he’s not a total jerk. Unlike the sides of him everyone else knows, I know he has a good heart, and he hides behind his hard exterior to protect himself.

Trevor and I have had our moments.Both sweet and annoying.I usually choose to remember the annoying moments because that way I can keep my heart from bursting in two anytime he’s near.

“Gracie …” Jace pulls me out of my thoughts.

“I know, I know,” I chant. “I’m not accepting his proposal, Jace. It’s a stupid one,” I say with a laugh. “I’d be crazy to think I can fool anyone into believing Trevor is in love with me. The man’s a known playboy. He has the attention of like a million women all at once, and every week, there’s a new scandal of his in the papers with some new model or female sports player. He’s not going to fool anyone.”

My eyes flicker over to the doorway as I speak, and I spot Trevor standing there, his eyes wide as he stares at me and Jace.

“Why? Because I’m damaged goods?” Trevor asks in a shaky voice that instantly makes me feel the whiplash of guilt.

“Trevor,” Jace and I chorus, moving towards the door at the same time.

“You believe those articles about me? You really think the media cares about the truth when they write those articles? You really think it’d be so terrible to convince anyone that I’m a good guy simply because I don’t believe in the concept of love and fairytale romances?”

Jace shrugs a little and I shove my elbow into his side to keep him from saying anything stupid.

Trevor scoffs, and the pained look in his eyes intensifies before he shakes his head.

“That’s not what we meant, Trevor,” I whisper as he enters and shuts the office door.

“I need this, Gracie, no matter what you two think of me. I need to make sure I get my spot back on my team and play in the playoffs. This is about my career and not what anyone thinks about me. I don’t believe in love, that’s true. I think it’s a foolish concept made up by high school kids, and it never lasts. But everyone else seems to think otherwise, and I can’t control what they think, but I can control my fate on the team.”

Trevor closes the distance between us, and his nearness makes me forget my brother is in the room. I inhale his scent and tremble.

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