Page 18 of Faking It With the Single Dad

“Yeah.” She lets out a humorless laugh. “When I told him it was out of my budget, he was rude and dismissive.”

“That’s ridiculous.” I shake my head. “You’re not taking that place.”

“I don’t have much choice, Ryan,” she says, crossing her arms. “It’s either that or wait indefinitely for something better, which isn’t a feasible solution.”

I drum my fingers on the table, thinking. “What if I covered it?”

Her head snaps up, her eyes narrowed. “No.”

“Why not?” I counter. “Bella, you’re pretending to be my fiancée. If we’re keeping up appearances, you should be in a place that reflects that.”

She shakes her head. “Ryan, I’m not letting you pay my rent. That’s way too much.”

I lean back in my chair, studying her. “Okay, how about this: I’ll cover the rent, but we find something better. Something that’s actually worth the money.”

“Ryan—”

“Think about it,” I interrupt, holding up a hand. “What looks better for my image? My fiancée struggling in some overpriced hovel, or living comfortably in a nice place? People are watching us, Bella, especially since we’re doing this whole ‘engaged’ charade. The least I can do is make sure the story holds up.”

She still looks unconvinced, so I press on. “And I’m not just throwing money at you for no reason. It’s more convenient for me. I’ll be around for a while, so we can ‘cohabitate’ a little when we need to make this more believable. If we’re pretending to be engaged, it’s not a bad idea to have a base of operations. Besides, Cedar Ridge is nice. Quiet. It’s not the city, but I could use the change of pace.”

She blinks at me, her defenses softening just slightly. “You’d really do that?”

“Yeah, I would,” I say firmly. “We need to get you and Luke into a better place. Let me help, Bella. Not because I think you need saving, but because this arrangement works better for both of us if you’re not stressing over rent.”

She leans back, crossing her arms, and eyes me warily. “It’s not that simple, Ryan. Letting you do this—it feels…I don’t know. Like I’m losing control.”

“Bella,” I say, my tone softening. “You’re not losing control. You’re letting someone help you for once. You’ve been doing thisall on your own for so long, but I can finally help you. I’m here. Let me do this for you and Luke.”

Her shoulders sag just a little, and I can see the internal battle playing out in her head. “And you really think this is necessary?”

“Yes.” I grin. “Besides, if we’re living close, it’ll make this whole fake engagement thing way easier. You won’t be able to avoid me. I’ll just show up uninvited like an annoying neighbor.”

That earns a faint smile, though she tries to hide it. “You’re already annoying enough without living close by.”

“Then you’ve got nothing to lose.”

She sighs and rubs her temple. “Okay. Fine. But only because it makes sense for the arrangement. And we’re finding something reasonable, not extravagant.”

“Deal,” I say, already pulling out my phone to start looking up listings. Since I just moved into my new place, I have a good idea of what’s available.

As I scroll, she mutters, “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this.”

I glance up at her, grinning. “You’ll get used to it. Besides, I have a feeling you’ll like what I find. I’ve got good taste, remember?”

She rolls her eyes but doesn’t argue further, and I catch her letting out a sigh of relief.

***

The moving truck rumbles down the quiet streets of Cedar Ridge, and I park my car in front of Bella’s new house—a charming white cottage-style home with a wraparound porch and a small garden in the front yard. It’s nothing flashy, but it certainly gives off a warm and inviting aura.

I step out, stretching my legs. Bella follows suit. She looks overwhelmed, standing there with her arms crossed, surveying the house like it’s a wild animal she doesn’t quite trust.

“Second thoughts already?” I call out, grinning as I walk toward her.

She rolls her eyes but can’t quite hide the smile tugging at her lips. “I just…can’t believe this is happening. It feels too good to be true.”

“It’s real,” I say, stopping beside her and gesturing toward the house. “And it’s yours. Well, yours and Luke’s.”

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