Page 46 of Holding Penalty

Nash makes another grumbly sound. “Just one. It’s one-sided. There’s a damn capybara that won’t let me be.”

I gasp. “Oh my gosh! You’re kidding.”

“If only.”

“Nash, I know you’re a grump, but come on. How can you not enjoy having a capybara friend?”

“She’s annoying.”

“I want to meet her. I wonder if she’d like me, too.”

“Probably not.”

“Nash!” I gasp, punching him in the arm. He laughs, and my knuckles buzz from how solid the muscle I just felt was. “Are you saying I’m unlikable?”

“I just mean she doesn’t seem to get along with anyone, according to the staff at the petting zoo. But for some reason she always wanders to my house and stays until I kick her out.”

“Have you thought about selling the petting zoo portion of your land? You don’t seem too enthusiastic about it.”

He sighs. “It’s really not profitable. Barely breaks even. I don’t think anyone would buy it. So either I put up with it, or all those people are out of jobs, and who knows what would happen to the animals.”

I’m starting to feel flushed and buzzed from all the champagne I’ve drunk. I feel my cheeks warm from the smile that’s pulling on my lips, and my eyes are dreamy as I point it at Nash.

He quirks an eyebrow, looking askance at me. “What?”

“You’re nice when people aren’t looking.”

His brow furrows in embarrassment, and it’s so cute that my smile only pitches higher. “Whatever,” he grumbles.

“I wonder if you were that way back in college, too, and I just didn’t notice.”

“Are you saying in so many words that you thought I was a jerk in college?”

I puff. “You know I thought you were a jerk in college.”

“And now?”

A shy smile pulls on my lips as I consider how I’m starting to feel about my fake husband.

I play it off with a shrug. “Now? I guess I could’ve been married to worse.”

21

PIPER

Astrange feeling has been sitting in my chest all day.

Really, it started to weigh there last night, after Nash and I exchanged our good-night texts, which have become a nightly ritual. It was then that I reflected on how it’s been a week since we’ve seen each other, since we had our public dinner after the banquet.

I kind of miss seeing my husband.

I guess it’ll be a while until we see each other next, though.

We ticked off the box of being seen in public together. At the restaurant last week, three fans approached Nash for autographs, and plenty more gawked at him. I noticed several people sneaking pictures. We’re hard launched now, having done the bare minimum to look like a real couple to the Austin public.

Maybe we’ll do one more dinner or public event in a month or something, or maybe Nash’s boss will invite us to another swanky event, but other than that, I guess there’s no need for us to meet.

That was the whole point of this, after all. A marriage that exists on paper, to accomplish selfish goals.