Page 4 of The Ex-Girlfriend Agreement

Friends.The word is a knife between my ribs. We were never just friends. From the moment I saw her, I was done for.

"You've got plenty of friends in New York." I push off the truck, pacing now. "Find some suit-wearing investment banker to play your boyfriend."

"It wouldn't work." Her voice is small. "My family knows you, Dean. They'd see through anyone else in a heartbeat."

I laugh without humor. "So I'm uniquely qualified because your family already thinks I'm in love with you."

"Are you saying no?" She sounds like she might cry, and damn it, that still gets to me.

I should. I should say no and hang up and go back to my life. Back to trying to forget her. Back to pretending I have.

Instead, I sigh, heavy and long. "When's the flight?"

The hope in her voice is almost painful to hear. "You'll do it? Really?"

"I'm not saying yes yet." I'm lying, and I know it. I've already decided, had probably decided the moment I saw her name on my screen. "Tell me the details first."

"It's eighteen days from now. We'd fly to Maui. The wedding's at this beautiful resort on the beach. It's a whole week of events—welcome dinner, rehearsal, the ceremony, a farewell brunch."

"A week." I rub my face. "You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend for a whole week."

"Yes." She pauses. "I know it's a lot to ask."

It is. It's too much. I've spent two years trying to get over her, trying to build something new out of the ashes she left behind. Going back now, pretending—it'll undo all of that. And yet...

"What about the ranch?" I ask, already knowing I'll figure it out.

"Can your foreman handle things? Just for a week?"

I think of Mike, who's been with me since I bought this place. "Yeah, he could manage."

"So…will you do it?" Her voice is tentative, like she's afraid to hope.

I let the silence stretch, making her wait. Let her feel a fraction of the anticipation I'm feeling at the thought of seeing her again.

"Dean?" she prompts.

"Fine." I finally say, the single word feeling like surrender. "I'll do it."

Her relief is audible, a soft exhale that travels across the miles between us. "Thank you. Thank you so much, Dean. I—I don't know how to repay you."

"Don't thank me yet." I start walking toward the house, suddenly needing a shower, a drink, something to clear my head. "We need ground rules."

"Of course, anything you want."

"We're not sharing a room." The thought of being that close to her, night after night—I couldn't handle it.

"Agreed."

"And I'm not paying for anything. If you want this charade, it's on your dime."

"That's fair." She sounds like she'd agree to anything right now.

"One more thing." I stop on my porch, looking out over the mountains where the sun has started its descent. "When this is over, we're done. For good. No more calls, no more favors. I deserve to move on with my life, Brooke."

The silence that follows is heavy, loaded with all the things we're not saying. When she finally speaks, her voice is so soft I barely hear it.

"Okay."

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