Page 34 of The Love Audit
“Yeah, he would’ve,” Derek agreed with a chuckle and rested his palm on my knee. My heart momentarily skipped a beat, but I let it remain, feeling the warmth and the weight of his palm on my bare skin.
“You know”—my voice was softer than usual—“this wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be.”
“You mean spending the day with me or pretending to be married?” he asked, his tone light but his eyes searching.
“Both,” I admitted, surprising even myself. There was something disarming about the way he looked at me just then, like he wasn’t sure if I was joking or not.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He leaned back against the bench.
We sat in a comfortable silence, the hum of crickets and distant chatter filling the gaps. For a rare moment since this whole undercover charade started, I wasn’t thinking about MasonCorp, our families, or how infuriating Derek could be. I was just… here, enjoying the moment.
“Derek?” The question was on the tip of my tongue before I even knew what it was.
“Yeah?”
I hesitated, then shook my head. “Nothing. Never mind.”
He gave me a curious look but didn’t press. Instead, we just sat there, the quiet stretching comfortably between us. And for the first time, I wondered if maybe, just maybe, this fake marriage wasn’t as fake as it seemed.
The next morning, I slipped into my running gear, pulling on a pair of well-worn sneakers and tying my hair into a loose ponytail. When I opened my bedroom door, the sight that greeted me stopped me in my tracks. Derek was still fast asleep on the sofa, his body twisted into a position that looked anything but restful. One arm was draped over his face, the other hung off the edge of the couch, and his legs—well, let’s just say they were in a position that could only be described as yoga-adjacent. His soft snores filled the room, punctuated occasionally by a mumble that sounded suspiciously like “no pickles.”
I stared at him for a moment, torn between amusement and disbelief. How could anyone sleep like that? And more importantly, how could anyone wake up from that without needing a chiropractor? I felt a familiar pang of pity knowing he had weeks of this ahead of him. But not enough pity to consider switching rooms.
Nope.
Not happening.
If he had won the coin toss, would he have considered switching with me? Probably not. Derek was competitive to the core, and I had won that coin toss fair and square. Still, the small voice in the back of my head—the one that sounded annoyingly like Cassie—whispered,Are you sure he didn’t throw the coin toss on purpose?
I shook my head at the thought, but it lingered. Was it possible that Derek had let me win so I wouldn’t have to sleep on the couch? It was definitely something the old Derek would have done. The Derek who used to sneak me extra marshmallows formy hot chocolate when no one was looking. The Derek who went to my high school prom with me because my date backed out at the last minute. But this new Derek? The one who accused me of stealing and constantly got under my skin? I wasn’t so sure. The more time I spent with him, the less I felt like I knew him.
While I stood there overanalyzing the situation like it was a final exam, Tora decided to take matters into his own… paws. He trotted over, his nails clicking against the hardwood, and began nudging me insistently toward the door. His tail wagged so hard it was practically a blur, and his big, hopeful eyes pleaded with me in a way only a dog’s could.
“Tora, it’s overcast,” I said, as if he could understand meteorological excuses. “A walk probably isn’t the best idea right now.”
He tilted his head and gave me an expression so heartbreakingly earnest it could have sold greeting cards. I sighed, glancing back at Derek, who was now clutching a throw pillow like it was a life raft. He muttered something unintelligible and shifted slightly, which only made his position look more uncomfortable.Wilbur fromCharlotte’s Web, I thought with a smirk. All he needed was a little “Some Pig” sign hanging above him.
Then there was Tora, still staring up at me with those imploring eyes and wagging his tail with the fervor of someone who knew he was close to victory. Finally, I remembered why I’d gotten out of bed in the first place: to clear my head and get some exercise before the day’s inevitable chaos began. And if there was one thing I needed right now, it was to clear my mind—preferably with some fresh air and a brisk pace.
“Fine,” I muttered, grabbing the leash. Tora barked triumphantlyand danced in circles as if he’d just won the lottery. “But this better be worth it.”
Tora and I hadn’t gotten far from the apartment when my phone buzzed in the pocket of my leggings. I groaned when I saw who was calling. Of all the things I needed to deal with right now, a conversation with my mother ranked somewhere between a root canal and doing my taxes. But, like the dutiful daughter I was, I accepted the call.
“Hey, Mom,” I answered, trying to inject some cheer into my tone as Tora tugged impatiently at the leash.
“Hello, sweetheart!” she chirped. “How are you? I thought you would have called me to let me know you arrived safely, but I haven’t heard from you.”
“I’m fine. Everything is fine,” I assured her, keeping one eye on Tora, who was determined to sniff every square inch of the sidewalk. I didn’t want to stray too far from the apartment because the ominous gray clouds above made it clear rain was imminent.
We reached the large, fenced-in park behind the library, and I decided it was a good spot to stop. There was only one way in or out, and the park was lined with thick bushes. A nearby bench offered a vantage point that covered the entire area. It seemed harmless enough to let Tora off the leash for a bit, so I unlatched the hook from his collar, hovering nearby just to be safe.
Tora meandered around the park, his nose glued to the ground as he inspected every blade of grass, every rock, and every fallen leaf with the thoroughness of a forensic scientist. Confident I could keep an eye on him while holding a conversation, I sat on the bench and pressed the phone back to my ear.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call,” I said, hoping to appease her. “It’s been a bit of a whirlwind the last couple of days—in a good way—but I’m glad you called. How are you and Dad doing?”
“Well, thank you for asking,” she replied, her voice dripping with the satisfaction of a mother whose child finally remembered their manners. “Your father and I are fine. Wink, Blink, and Nod, on the other hand, are driving me crazy. Who knew three of the tiniest little things could cause so much trouble?”
I wanted to say,Anyone, Mom. Anyone in the world could have told you that taking care of three Pomeranians would be a lot of work, but I bit my tongue and listened as she launched into a detailed account of their latest escapades. Meanwhile, Tora was prowling along the edge of the park, pausing every few feet to inspect a random branch or leaf like it held the secrets of the universe.
