Page 15 of My Fair Player

“Each tract here is five or ten acres. It’s not very heavily populated – and I’ve seen bears, deer, a wolf, and even a moose. I always take a rifle with me.”

“Are you serious?” he started, moving back toward the house, glancing over his shoulder briefly as he headed her way.

“Yes.”

“That’s so cool,” he grinned, jogging the last bit to join her. “I grew up outside of Houston, and we’ve never had anything like that. Do you put out corn or something to bait them?”

“Bait them?” she gaped, staring at him. “No. I don’t want them here. I mean, I know they live in the woods, but bears can be destructive, moose can be mean if they feel threatened, and I’m not exactly a fan of wildlife.”

“Maybe I can see them from the back door,” he paused and gave her another easy smile, looking at the house. “What if we put a large deck on the back of the house? Then we could sit out there and enjoy coffee together or…”

She must have had a look on her face echoing her thoughts. Frankly, she was stunned he was mentioning adding a deck to the tiny house, talking like they had a future; like he was planning on staying.

“Sorry,” he whispered, his smile fading. “It’s a really nice place, and it was natural to think about ways to enjoy this breathtaking view a little more. I didn’t mean to intrude or imply something was wrong with your home.”

“No,” she hesitated, tying her robe once more, realizing she was standing out here with him – barefoot and in her pajamas. “I’ve always wanted to make a seating area outdoors to enjoy it a little more, but…”

“But we need to see where we are at in this marriage in ninety days,” he finished when her voice trailed off, looking at her.

“I don’t mean to dissuade your ideas…”

“I wasn’t intending to push myself into your life – any more than what I’ve already done…”

The air around them pulsed with nervous energy, that strange, awkward dance they kept doing every time they were around each other. Apologizing, pulling back, circling – married yet not – strangers circling. Every word they exchanged was layered with so much hesitation, worry, and anxiety that it was wearing her down.

This wasn’t how she imagined any of this. It wasn’t supposed to feel like walking on eggshells. She did that enough at work but not here. This was home. He’d talked about friendship in their fake marriage. Home was supposed to be a refuge, the one place she didn’t have to wear a mask, perform, or brace herself against whatever came next. Home should still feel like a comfort that she sharedwith a friend for the next three months – but not like this.

Not with the apologies, the awkward silences, the carefully phrased sentences between them. She was on edge, worried, and… and… it wasn’t good for either of them.

“Liam, relax and just stop,” she began, her voice softer than she had intended. There was a weariness because she’d just gotten up, and the tension was already blooming between them. “Look, I have a stressful job, and home is where I unwind, escape, or relax… but if I come home to you… the last thing I want is you apologizing for existing in the same space as me or trying to make our experience together something better, something nice.”

She could see it there in his eyes, the ache to make her comfortable with him, to make her happy, but what she didn’t need was perfection. She needed to feel real, comfortable, a part of a friendship she hadn’t anticipated – and saw him nod in agreement.

“I want you to enjoy our time together.”

“Then just be yourself around me and let me get to know you,” she whispered, her voice pleading. “Your tension is putting me on edge. We both have to stop worrying, putting our guards up, and relax. We made a temporary pact, you mentioned friendship, and whatever this is…”

“Ashley?”

Liam’s voice cutthroughherthoughts.Not sharply, but gentle enough to pull her out of any spiral as she tried to define whatever this fake marriage was between them. He smiled softly, a little sheepish, and in that moment, the morning sunlight was edging over the trees to burn off the mist.

“I made coffee. Would you like to have a cup together, and Icould try to whip up something for breakfast – if you show me where the pantry is.”

The breath she hadn’t realized she was holding escaped in a small laugh. She met his smile, warm and genuine, as something loosened within her chest. He was there, trying and offering an olive branch between them that shouldn’t have been necessary, but it was there and welcome.

“I would love some coffee – and breakfast,” she replied, nodding and letting herself lean into the beginning of a strange friendship blossoming between them as she shared her life and home with Liam.

“Perfect,” he replied, nodding, smiling at her as he extended his arm like some gentleman at an event – and she a lady. She tucked her hand on his arm, despite wearing a bathrobe, and nodded, looking up into his eyes and ignoring that wobbly, fluttering feeling in her chest.

“Lead the way, my friend.”

6

LIAM

Liam steppedinto the Wolverine’s arena with a mixture of awe and tension humming beneath his skin, the cold air inside a sharp contrast to the warmth pressing against his chest. His heartbeat was erratic—thudding like a drumline—as nerves tangled with a heady dose of anticipation. This moment, it wasn’t just another day. It was the first page of a new chapter—a new beginning.

He paused just past the threshold, taking a deep breath as the enormity of it all settled on his shoulders. He was here. Really here. About to meet his new team—at least whoever had arrived early. He’d see the gym and the locker room, get a feel for the place and maybe get a sense of whether or not this would feel like home.

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