“That works out perfectly!” She clapped her hands.
“But,” I said, “there is something I want personally.”
“Shoot.”
“Your watch.”
She stuck out her hand. “This thing?”
“No, the one you were wearing yesterday.”
“That big ugly one? Why? It’s not worth anything.”
“I like to collect oddities and curiosities,” I lied.
“Oh, okay, I guess. Sure you can have it.” She stuck out her hand. “So we’re in agreement? We get engaged and married, and then you can have the watch and I’ll inherit my house. We’ll stay married long enough for you to secure that contract. Then we will divorce and go our separate ways.”
I shook her hand.
“Deal.”
6
Avery
Icouldn’t believe it. It had actually worked! Blade was going to be my fake fiancé. My hand was small in his large one as we shook to seal the deal. Relief flooded through my body, and I bit back a hysterical laugh. My dreams were going to come true!
“I better tell my brothers,” Blade said, reaching into his pocket for his phone.
“No!” I shouted. He glared at me. I glared back.
“Look, this is not my first fake-relationship rodeo. There are rules that we both have to abide by, or this whole thing blows up in our faces. I won’t get my house, and you don’t win your contract. The biggest rule is that no one knows it’s fake. No blabbing, no telling your brothers, no bragging on 4chan. Don’t talk about it.”
Blade blinked. “But I have to tell them.”
“Just tell them you’re in a relationship.”
Blade scowled at me. I wanted to reach out and smooth his features.Stop it. Remember the fake-relationship rules.
“Honestly, tell me with a straight face you trust your brothers with a secret that has the possibility of costing you a billion-dollar contract,” I told him. He worked his jaw.
“Fine,” he growled. “We aren’t telling anyone.”
“Good.” I swung off of the edge of his desk. “That’s settled.”
* * *
Fuck fuck fuck,I silently chanted as I texted my friends at my desk.
Avery:It worked. I am going to be the future Mrs. Svensson.
Edward:Shut. Up. How?
Avery:It was weird. He wanted that shitty watch my dad gave me as a fuck you graduation present.
Edward:Billionaires are a strange breed. They fixate on things. If he wants that crappy watch in exchange, just go with it.
Shirley:Maybe it’s all a ruse and he’s going to lock you in his basement. Ooh we need to buy you one of those GPS trackers!
