“And you don’t think Dr. Dicknose is going to get suspicious that we’ve had a rivalry for years, and, as far as he knows, I hate everything about you, yet we’re suddenly in love enough to get married?”
“As far as he knows, you paid two grand to go out on a date with me. And I think you’re underestimating the power of my sex appeal.”
“I need you not to be a pig right now.”
His eyes danced as he chuckled, the sound low and smooth, sending a shiver through me. “I’m not trying to be. You’re giving him way too much credit. He’s the exact kind of douchebag who’d think this is all his doing. You finally took his advice…put on some lipstick…and nailed down a husband.”
“You’re seriously serious.”
“I seriously am.” He lifted a brow, his voice taking on a taunting lilt. “But thisisout of your weekly schedule, so it might be too spontaneous for you to consider. And I get it. You’re probably worried you’d fall in love with me if we went through with this.”
I scoffed. “I wouldnotfall in love with you.”
He raised a brow. “Then what’s the problem?”
The problem was, this was deceitful. It was taking the easy way out—although God knew being married to Ford, real or not, wouldn’t be easy. But fuck, I’d been struggling along the “right”path, theharderpath, my entire life, watching as others skated by and got ahead while I worked myself to the bone and came up short.
It’d happened in high school with my AP classes and being booted for valedictorian because Ford had snuck by with an easier course load. It’d happened numerous times in med school when I’d thoroughly busted my ass doing things exactly as they were supposed to be done, while others took the shortcut. Hell, it happened when I had agreed to come back and help Dr. Dicknose to right this sinking ship instead of standing in the shadows and waiting for it to implode before sweeping in and playing the savior. And look where those had gotten me… Angry, resentful, and no closer to achieving my parents’ love or respect.
So why the hell wasn’t I taking those shortcuts too?
Would it really be so bad to be married to Ford for a brief stint of time when it would end with me realizing my lifelong dream of owning my own clinic? When I could finally prove to my parents—prove to everyone—who didn’t think I’d make anything of myself that I had?
“So, what?” I asked. “You’d marry me so I could buy the practice? And I’d just have to go with you to Chelsea’s wedding? That’s it?”
“Well, we’ll have to be a devoted couple for a while to pull this off. How long do you think it would take to convince him?”
“I would like to say it wouldn’t take anything to convince him because he told me this was his stipulation, but I’ve known him long enough to know that he’s not going to roll over that easily.”
“Think you can get it done in a couple months?”
“Maybe? Probably…”
Ford pulled out the napkin from under his drink. “Got a pen?”
I dug around in my purse and handed one over to him. He immediately started writing on the napkin, then he pulled out his phone and thumbed to something before writing a date.
He turned the makeshift contract around to face me, pressing his finger just over the date. “You’ve got eight weeks to convince him to sell it to you as a married woman.”
“And then what?”
“Then we get a divorce or an annulment and go about the rest of our lives. Easy peasy.”
Somehow, I didn’t think it would be quite soeasy peasy. But…my knee-jerk reaction wasn’t a no. I stared down at the napkin, where Ford had written “no take backs” and signed his name below it, leaving space for mine.
I didn’t know if it was the culmination of my time here in Starlight Cove, or listening to Dr. Dicknose berate me day in and day out, or the fact that I was two drinks in, or that Ford was turning out to be someone other than who I’d thought he was, but I found myself agreeing before I could stop myself. For once, taking the easy way out.
I grabbed the pen from him and signed my name below his. “I’m in. Let’s get married.”
CHAPTERELEVEN
FORD
I couldn’t believeQuinn had actually said yes.
Nothing about her would’ve led me to believe she would. She didn’t jump into things like this lightly—hell, she didn’t jump intoanythinglightly. She and I were complete opposites in that, her preferring a detailed map before she took a single step, and me preferring to just start and figure it out along the way. Which was why, when I’d seen an opportunity—atemptingopportunity to sate my interest in her once and for all, while also getting back at my ex—I’d taken it. Without thought.
And even though I’d had two days to get used to the idea, I was still shell-shocked. But considering I’d just come off a twenty-four-hour shift at the firehouse and then headed straight to One Night Stan’s, I hadn’t really had time to dwell on what Quinn and I would be doing tomorrow.
