One Hot Fake: An Accidental Fake Marriage Romance, Sarah Brooks [mobi ebook reader TXT] 📗

how badly you wanted that baby until you lose it. I’m on the edge of a cliff and don’t know how to get off. I wish I’d told Brooke and Jason that I was pregnant. It would be nice to have someone else to lean on apart from Declan. He’s been fantastic, but I’m worried about how much of myself I can show him.

Losing our non-baby has opened my eyes to how little we know each other. For the last week since that horrible day at the Obstetrics clinic, I’ve tried the best I can to show Declan my good side. The strong side. I even went hiking when it was the very last thing I wanted to do. What I’d wanted to do was crawl under the blankets and cry myself to sleep. But I couldn’t tell Declan that. We haven’t developed enough trust between us to be ourselves.

Our foundation is pretty shaky. A little shake and our marriage will come crumbling down. A thought has wormed itself into my mind, and I can’t dislodge it. Do we have a marriage, or are we just fooling ourselves? The thing that held us together is no more. The baby kept us together, but it has also shaken me to the core. Are Declan and I equipped to handle adversity? I don’t think so.

Maybe I’m just tired, hence the defeated thoughts, but that’s how I feel. Defeated. Maybe a night away will perk me up. And maybe also if I manage to fix one wrong thing in my life, I’ll be more optimistic about everything else.

I get to Arlen at midday and drive straight to the edge of town, where Leonard said the attorney’s offices were. I grab a wet wipe from my bag, mop myself, and then put on more lipstick. More than I usually do to spite Leonard. That lifts my spirits, and I grin at my reflection in the mirror. I grab my handbag and confidently stroll up to the office entrance.

“Hi, I believe I have an appointment with Mr. Watson,” I say to the brown-haired receptionist.

She smiles at me without moving, and that’s when I realize she looks familiar. She’s plump with a pretty face. “Marian,” she cries. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

No matter how hard I try, I can’t for the life of me get her name. “I’m sorry, no, but you look so familiar.”

She laughs, but her laugh is devoid of humor. “I’ve changed, I know. It’s Alexa, remember, the—”

“Homecoming queen,” I yell and then stare at her in morbid fascination. “Alexa Williams.”

“This is what babies do to you,” she says, looking at her arms as though seeing them for the first time. She narrows her eyes at me. “You don’t have any kids yet, do you?”

Her words are like a punch in my belly, rendering me breathless. I take a few seconds to recover and plaster a smile on my face. “Not yet, no. Has Leonard arrived yet?”

“Oh yes,” Alexa says and sits up. She adopts a professional aura. “Mr. Watson asked me to show you right in when you arrived.”

She walks around her desk and knocks lightly on the door leading to the inner office. A muted voice comes from inside, and she opens the door. “You can go in. All the best.” She winks.

I don’t know how much she knows about Leonard’s and my issue, but I hope that attorney’s confidentiality applies to her too. Leonard and Mr. Watson stand up when I enter.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Ward,” the balding attorney says.

I ignore his outstretched hand for a moment. “My name is Marian Stevens.” I shake his hand then.

A look of confusion comes over his features. “I’m sorry, but I believe that Mr. Ward here implied that the two of you were back together.”

I swing my gaze to Leonard. “Is that true?”

He smiles.

Nausea rises up my throat. “Don’t tell me this trip is a waste of time. I came here to finalize the divorce. That’s what you implied.”

“Miss Stevens, please keep your voice down and do sit down. I’m sure we can work something out.”

I’m fuming, but I do as he says. I almost feel sorry for him. He runs his finger through the remaining hair on his head and adjusts his glasses. I turn my attention to Leonard. “Start talking.”

“I want us to try again,” Leonard says.

I shake my head. I must be hearing my own things. He cannot be fucking serious. “Try what?” My experience with difficult brides and their families kicks in. My tone is calm but inside, I’m on fire.

“Us, Marian. I want us to try, and if it doesn’t work, I’ll be happy to go along with that motion for judgment nunc pro tunc,” he says.

“No.”

That confuses Leonard as well as Mr. Watson.

I stand up. “The day you want to sign the papers, let me know. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Watson, and I hope the next time we meet will be under more pleasant circumstances.” I march out with Leonard hot on my heels.

“It was nice to see you again, Marian,” Alexa calls after me.

“Likewise,” I throw over my shoulder.

Walking fast in heels is my hidden talent. Leonard has to jog to catch up with me. I unlock the car door, intending to drive off without speaking to him. Instead, Leonard outsmarts me and goes to the passenger side, and before I can step on the gas, he enters the car.

“Get out,” I hiss.

“Please, Marian. Why so much hostility? We meant something to each other once, and I believe we still do. I’m not the same guy, and I know all the mistakes I made with you.”

All fight goes out of me. I’m physically and emotionally exhausted.

“Just come with me to my mom’s and meet Samantha,” Leonard pleads.

“Fine,” I say, and even as the words leave my mouth, I know it’s a mistake. I shouldn’t get involved, but I don’t have the energy to fight with Leonard.

He reads victory in