I nod, determination growing alongside the dread that’s plagued me since I saw him shouting at Kane. “How can I? He was pretty shitty to me when I was a kid, but not like this. The worst he did was forget to pick me up from the beach or go an entire day without speaking to me because I didn’t take out thetrash. He always made sure I had a bed to sleep in. Yet he’s throwing Kane out on the goddamn street. A kid who already doesn’t have a mother. What kind of monster does that?”
For a long moment, I’m swamped with one thought after another, my brain a chaotic mess.
Beside me, Millie sighs, pulling me back to reality. “I guess we can call the whole fake marriage off.”
My body stiffens in response to that suggestion. “No.”
“No?” She frowns, searching my face. “Why? You don’t have anything to prove to your dad now.”
“Yeah, but I can’t very well admit to Kane that I straight-up lied to him the moment I met him.”
“You should have thought about thatbeforeyou flew me out here.” She propels herself off the sofa.
“Look, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, okay?” I rise to meet her and rough a hand down my face. “I’m in my thirties with a terrible dating record. This isn’t what you signed up for, but can you please not say anything to Kane until I figure out what to do next?”
Her eyes swim with anger. Shit. Is she mad atme? Does she want to leave?
Holding my gaze, she sighs. “Fine. I’ll continue to play my role. But it’ll cost you double the foot rubs.” She pokes a finger into my chest. “This just went way past complicated,” she mumbles.
“I’m sorry.” Lips pressed together, I take her hand in mine. “I never expected this to happen. I figured I’d come out here, meet my long-lost half brother, catch a few waves and bond, then go home. Maybe stay in touch through stupid memes and the occasional FaceTime.” I release her hand with a sigh. “I’m going to shower.”
“Phew.” Her lips quirk, her exasperation evaporating. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but…”
“Hey, watch it. I know where you sleep at night,” I tease. “I can’t believe we’ve only been here for two days. I’m exhausted.”
While the warm water does not wash away my worries, it does clear my head a bit. I’ll call my mom in the morning and ask for her advice. In the meantime, I’ve gotta up my game when it comes to knowing my wife better, or else Kane will figure out that we’re pretending.
13
Millie
“I’M KICKING YOU OUT.”
“Excuse me?” Ezra sputters from behind his toothbrush.
Averting my attention, I hand him a towel. The man hasn’t put a shirt on yet this morning, making it far too easy to drool over him. I both love and hate that he’s comfortable in his skin. But mostly, I miss feeling that way.
“Let me rephrase that.” I prop a hip on the bathroom counter. “I have to record for the app today, so I really need you out of the apartment, please.”
“Why?” He spits toothpaste into the sink.
Shit. Why was that so hot?
“I am not recording erotic stories in front of you.” I cross my arms over my chest and arch a brow.
Ezra follows the movement. “I can be in the next room… with my ear pressed against the wall.” He laughs.
With a huff, I wind up and punch his bicep.
“Ouch,” he whines, rubbing at his arm. “You’ve got a mean jab.”
“Looks like my older brother was good for something.”
“Is he protective? Asher, right?”
“Yeah.” I pull my hair into a topknot with one of Ezra’s hair ties. “He always has my back. And since he has a little girl of his own now, he’s extra protective.”
“I imagine that’s how I’ll be when I have kids.IfI have kids.”
