Page 31 of Holding Penalty

“Is that what we’re doing? Bonding?”

My voice was too thick when I asked that question. A tension that wasn’t there before seeps into the space between us.

Piper blows out a heavy breath. “I don’t know what we’re doing.”

When I spot a sign about fifty yards ahead, I activate my turn signal. “Well, I do. We’re getting burgers.”

“Burgers?” Piper’s voice perks up. “Nash, I’m starting to think you’re smarter than I used to give you credit for.”

“I can’t express how much your opinion of my intelligence means to me.”

Piper huffs a laugh at my sarcasm.

We go through the drive-through. There’s a nice breeze, and the sun isn’t too harsh today, so we decide to sit on the tailgate of my truck while we eat our burgers and fries in the parking lot of a roadside Wendy’s.

I’m wearing dark jeans and a chambray shirt with the sleeves rolled up, while Piper’s in a damn wedding dress. A couple cars slow down to gawk at us as they pass.

Piper toes off her uncomfortable-looking heels, letting them drop to the parking lot asphalt. I’ve never been a foot guy or anything, but something about the sight of her long calves leading to her bare feet … fuck me.

I act like there’s something very interesting inside my French fry container to occupy my eyes elsewhere.

“So, what’s the next step?” I ask. “I don’t mind driving around for a while, but I do have practice on Monday.”

“Good question. I didn’t exactly plan ahead when I skipped out on my wedding.”

“Piper Dashwood didn’t plan ahead? Color me shocked.”

I’m still trying to keep my eyes on my food so I don’t ogle her, but I sense her shooting me a wry look.

She sighs, and I can feel her mood shifting. “It would’ve been nice to get that inheritance and own my bakery. Worst-case scenario now that I don’t have anywhere to live, I can sleep on Hallie’s couch for as long as I need. But the bakery …” She takes a deep breath and lets out another sigh. “I don’t know, maybe I should’ve just gone through with the marriage just long enough to buy the bakery, then divorced Crew.”

The flavor of the burger turns bitter in my mouth.

She huffs, shaking her head. “Talk about not planning ahead. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. It would’ve been worth putting up with six months of a sham marriage to get my inheritance.”

And give that piece of shit time to try and pull the wool over her eyes, make her think he’s changed, give him a chance to trap her?

She shouldn’t have to spend even another day in his presence.

“I wonder if there’s still time to go through with it, just to do that. It doesn’t have to be real …” Her features are pulled in thought, like she’s actually considering this.

Fuck that. Her cheating fiancé doesn’t deserve to look at her and hear her say I do. Doesn’t deserve to call her his, even if it is phony on her part.

It doesn’t have to be real—Piper’s words replay in my mind.

“All you have to do is get married?” I ask. “That’s it?”

As soon as the question leaves my mouth, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve started a chain reaction.

“That’s it,” she says. “I only get it after six months, though. So it has to last that long. Maybe I can put up with Crew for six months, knowing what it’s for, knowing that it’s fake …”

It tastes like there’s acid in my mouth instead of Wendy’s burger sauce. The thought of some asshole named Crew Bentley sliding another ring on her finger while she’s dying inside makes me want to turn around and punch through my rear window.

“It can be anyone?” I ask. “You could marry anyone, whenever, and get that money?”

“Yeah.” Piper chuckles, a mix of amusement and bitterness. “Hallie would totally fake marry me for half a year so I can get my inheritance. But, well, she’s my sister, and there are certain laws.”

What am I thinking right now? Am I really about to do something so stupid?