Page 4 of Fake Married to the Grumps

The Nelly I remember was beautiful, but this one is stunning. The navy blue dress she’s wearing flatters her curves and stresses her hips in the right way. I love how it rides slightly above her knees, accentuating her long legs.

Her lips are painted a rosy red shade. It’s sultry, and the look suits her creamy skin, and those brown, alluring eyes make her look captivating. Another shudder sparks through me, but Tom’s hand on my shoulder pulls me out of my thoughts.

“What’s this all about? Last time I checked, you wanted nothing to do with love, let alone getting married.”

I scoff and face my best friend. “Trust me, if I had my way, I wouldn’t get married, ever, but Grandpops thinks I need to get more serious with life and give him an heir.”

“Isn’t that a bit old-fashioned?” Nelly folds her arms over her chest. “Forcing your kid to marry if they’re going to inherit your wealth? This isn’t the Middle Ages.”

“That’s what I said too, but you met my grandpops. The man thinks his way is right all the time. He never bends for anything and he always gets what he wants.”

“Now, I’m his target. He wants me to find a woman to marry, settle down, love her, and do the right thing, or I lose my shot at being the CEO of the company, and he gives the seat to someone who has served him loyally for many years, keeping me as a manager in the company. How do I help Sunny Aerospace if that happens?”

“Those are just threats,” Nelly interrupts. “He won’t really do that, would he?”

“Grandpops will, if he thinks I’m out of control.”

Tom releases a frustrated growl and turns away from us. He mumbles something under his breath, and I can tell they’re both tense.

“So, get a wife? Why rope me in?” Nelly asks and makes a tiny hand gesture. “Because if you help me, I’ll be indebted to you, right?”

“No, because you’re the best person for the job.”

“Job?”

“Come on, Nelly, you know what I mean. It’s going to be a contract marriage, strictly on paper, and Grandpops will believeit because you’re like family. If I tell him I’ve had a thing for you for years, it will sit right because we’ve known each other a long time.”

She inhales sharply, and I see a blush creep up her neck to her cheeks. There’s something delectable about watching her now. In the past, I paid little attention to Nelly because she was off-limits.

Once or twice, I noticed how beautiful she was, but I never let my thoughts go down that trail.Ever.

“Your grandpops would see through that pretense in an instant. He knows you—I know you. Everyone who knows you also knows you’re not the kind of guy to settle down and marry anyone.”

Nelly tilts her head to one side and adds in a stiff tone. “Besides, how do we sell it to your media-hungry fans? And the models you’re so used to having around you? You’ve got quite the reputation, Casanova.”

Her use of the media nickname stings a little. “Ouch,” I reply and put a hand on my chest to show my hurt. “You wound me, Nelly.”

She arches a brow, and I sigh. “The media’s not a problem. They believe what I sell to them. I just need us to agree … All three of us …”

I turn to Tom, and his cautious eyes are on me. Tommy Sinclair, skilled prosecutor at the district attorney’s office, always gives nothing away with his expression.

His gaze is stern and I fear he’ll disapprove of my request.

“I don’t want to strong-arm you.” I lift both hands in surrender before adjusting the lapel of my Armani suit. “If you don’t want to do this, I’ll find someone else to help and pay them off, but it might not work because Grandpops will see right through it.”

“He wants me to do it the right way and quickly, too. He said, ‘Meet a woman, take her out to dinner and dates and whatever, and find things in common to build a family.’ You two know me. I don’t fancy all those kinds of conversations. With women, it has to be simple and mutual every time.”

“And that’s the problem right there,” Nelly says. “You’re not capable of loving anyone.”

Her words are like a punch to the face and I inhale sharply once they are out of her lips.

Nelly pales and her eyes widen. “Oh, my goodness, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way, I just … I meant to say that …,” she rambles quickly and steps towards me.

Once again, her words sting a little. Five years ago, I avoided her when I realized my feelings for her were growing more intense. The second I realized it, I began dating some blonde woman I met during one of my trips to NYC to see Tom.

I left L.A. for Germany shortly after, so it was easier to stay away from her. Back then, avoiding Nelly was the safest way out of my dilemma. We shared a wonderful summer before I left for Germany, and our time together gradually became something to look forward to. Nelly told me about her dreams and how hard she worked to please her parents.

I began to admire her, and that admiration grew into something else.

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