“You’d be okay with that?”
He flashes that easy smile. “Of course I’d be okay with that. I have three guest bedrooms. You can take whichever one you want.”
“Okay, well, what about PDA? If we’re married, people will expect us to be affectionate with each other.” I swallow, nervous at the thought. “But, um, I don’t want to, like, make out in public…”
“That’s okay. We don’t need to take things that far. What are you comfortable with?”
My nerves ease at how he’s letting me call the shots on this.
“Hugging and hand-holding are good with me,” I say. “How about you?”
He grins. “You know I’m a hugger. And I’m good with hand-holding.”
“I’m okay with kissing on the lips. Just, um, no making out.”
“That’s okay with me too.”
I look at him. “Really?”
He nods, that easy smile still on his face. “Of course I am.”
I’m surprised at how easily this is all coming together.
He chuckles. “Do you not believe me?”
I shake my head. “It’s not that. I just don’t want to feel like you’re doing all this to appease me.”
His expression turns warm. “I promise I’m not. But you know me. I’m an easy-going guy. I’m okay with anything as long as you’re good with it.”
Comfort swoops through my chest at just how amazing my best friend is.
I’m quiet for a second. “What about seeing other people?”
His smile fades. “What do you mean?”
“Do you want to see other people while we’re married? We won’t actually be in a romantic relationship, so if you happen to meet someone that you have a genuine connection with or feel attracted to, I’d feel bad if you couldn’t pursue anything with them because you’re married to me.”
“Oh.” His eyebrows knit together like he’s bothered by the thought of that. He shakes his head. “Ellie, I’m not interested in being with anyone else while I’m with you.”
Tingles scatters through my chest at the conviction in his tone. It sounds like he really likes me.
As a friend. He’s helping you out as a friend.
That tingly feeling fades at that quiet reminder.
“I won’t date anyone while we’re married either,” I say.
A soft smile plays on his lips. “Okay. Good.” He almost looks relieved. I’m probably reading too much into it.
I take a moment to mull it all over. If we do this, if we actually get married, it can’t be for long. I don’t want to be fake married to Camden any longer than I have to be. It would feel like I’m taking advantage of him, and just thinking about that makes me want to crawl out of my skin.
“We stay married for one year. That’ll give me enough time to start paying down my medical debt and save some money fora place of my own. And maybe even start my own pet sitting business,” I say. “And by then, you’ll be alternate captain after showing your team and coaches how much you’ve changed.”
“So we’ll get divorced after a year?” Camden says.
I nod. “But it’ll be amicable. We’ll stay friends.”
The smile he gives me is warm. “Of course we will.”
