“Speaking of your brother, where is he?”
“Last I saw him, he was in the hall talking to Caden and a couple of the guys. I don’t think he knows you’re here yet.” She pats me on the arm as she sets me free. “Go find your man.”
Ruby’s encouragement is almost enough to erase the seeds of doubt Hillary was so set on planting.
Almost.
Because when I find Marshall, he’s holding court in the hall. I see Caden, a couple of other volunteer firefighters, and one guy I don’t recognize who looks a little wobbly on his feet. My urge to run straight into Marshall’s arms and kiss him is halted when I hear one of the comments from the group.
“So the fake relationship wasyouridea?” Axel asks.
I catch the corner of the wall before I’m fully revealed and hide behind it to listen in.
“There was no other way to get to her, man. Every time I tried to ask her out, she wouldn’t even let me finish my sentence. I knew if I wanted a real shot, I had to come up with a plan.”
My heart thrums against my ribcage. It’s not all that surprising that the unplanned fake relationship was Marshall’s idea. He was a little too eager to play his part for it be Ruby’s doing. Plus, she definitely would’ve taken the credit if it was part of her scheme.
Surprisingly, I’m not mad. In fact, I’m touched. Maybe Marshall meant what he said the other night. Maybe he really is crazy about me and has been for months. Maybe there’s a chance we’re the last two single people in Daisy Hills because we were meant to find each other.
“So you finally did it? You finally wore her down?” someone else asks.
“It took some effort, but yes. She’s as good as mine now.”
“A fake relationship is such a fucking good idea bro,” the wobbly man who sounds slightly drunk says. “You fake your way right into her pants while her sister’s here, and then you can dump her without feeling bad about it. Rinse and repeat. Fool proof, man.”
My heart drops into my toes. No, this can’t be right. This is one of the miscommunication things that drives me up a fucking wall in Hallmark movies.
It has to be.
Only, my life isn’t some holiday romance.
Marshall isn’t denying what the drunk guy said.
“Told you,” Hillary says, sounding all too smug about being right.
I flinch back and march away from the group. I’m desperate to hear the rest of the conversation, but I’ll be damned if I let my sister hear it too. I don’t need her to see the moment my heart actually cracks all the way in two.
I knew better.
I fucking knew better, and I let myself fall anyway.
I was just a conquest.
At least I figured it out before I let Marshall come inside me like some lovesick fool.
“I want to go home.”
10
MARSHALL
For several seconds,I’m stunned by the stupidity some drunk guy I don’t even recognize spewed. The fucker who doesn’t even know me actually thinks I cooked up this fake relationship scheme just to get in Hope’s pants. Like she meant nothing more than sex to me.
I don’t respond with words.
I respond with my fist to his face.
Drunk Idiot stumbles, crashing into a table of appetizers. Instant chaos erupts as he charges me, blood running from his nose and barbeque sauce dripping from his elbows. I’ll oweJax’s Bar & Grillan apology after this fight is over. Their wings are the best in town.
