Marrying My Fake Boyfriend

“Same.”

Cherrelle sagged onto the couch and rubbed her hands over her face. Brad sat beside her and urged her to shift so she was facing away from him. Then he began to massage her shoulders, something Cherrelle loved. She began to slowly melt and the tension began to unwind.

“I wonder why your father said next month.”

Cherrelle snorted. “Because the 15th of next month was meant to be the date of my wedding to Jason.”

“You think he’s going to get the wedding plans sorted and replace me with Colney at the last minute?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him.” Cherrelle closed her eyes and sighed. “God, this is a mess.”

“Hey.” Brad pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. He rested his chin on her shoulder. “I’m not deserting you now. We’ll get through this. You’re just going to be stuck with me for a while longer.”

His support had Cherrelle immediately relaxing. Maybe choosing him to be her husband had been a better idea than she realized. She nuzzled his cheek.

“You’re beginning to grow on me,” she said teasingly. “I think I can manage.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Pressing a kiss to her cheek, Brad moved her away and stood. “Let me call for Chinese and then we can forget about it for now. Watch a film and put our feet up as planned.”

Cherrelle smiled and sat back against the cushions while Brad went into the kitchen for the takeout menu. Brad was a good man. He knew just how to cheer her up.

Whoever he married was going to be a lucky woman.

*****

“How long until the wedding?” Jim asked.

Brad slowed on the treadmill long enough to answer Jim’s question without gasping for breath.

“Two weeks,” he replied.

Two weeks until his second wedding to the same woman. It was almost like renewing their vows barely six weeks after the original wedding. There had been nothing wrong with that one, but to placate the family and notify Brad’s family of what was going on, they had agreed to go all out on a new wedding.

“How are the preparations going?”

“Not too bad.” Brad slowed the treadmill to a walk. “Emily is actually being a big help. I think she’s warming to me now.”

“That family is scheming,” Jim warned. “They’re always up to something.” He stopped on the rowing machine, his legs flopping off the foot rests and slapping onto the floor. “Don’t let your guard down around them.”

“I don’t plan to.” Brad stopped the treadmill and reached for the water bottle he had left on the floor. “Not with that little brat of a sister.”

While his relationship with Logan hadn’t improved, the older man choosing to stay in his office whenever Brad was around, Emily was softening towards him. They talked about a lot of things, and Brad found Emily was actually a kind woman under the uninteresting mask she wore. It was odd that she didn’t show it more often, but considering the man she was married to, Brad wasn’t really surprised.

The younger sister, on the other hand, was another matter entirely.

“Is she still flirting with you?”

Brad snorted. “She actually came into the room while we were deciding on what flowers to have and sat on my lap without a by your leave!”

“Sh*t. She did that in front of Cherrelle?”

“Right in front of her. Then she proceeded to nibble my ear.” Brad rubbed his ear. “She’s got sharp teeth. More like fangs.”

“What did Cherrelle say?”

“She picked up her sister and carried her under her arm like a rugby ball to a couch at the far end of the room before dropping her.” Brad laughed. “Emily told her off for being rough, but it kept Serena away from me for the rest of the afternoon.”

Jim laughed as he stood. “I can imagine Cherrelle doing that.”

“I had no idea she was that strong.”

Brad had discovered a lot about his ‘wife’ in the last couple of weeks. He found out what her favorite foods were, what she laughed at, and what she cried at. She was the first thing he thought about when he woke up and the person he called before he went to bed. They had conversed several hours into the night many times, both forfeiting sleep. But Brad felt it was worth it.

Cherrelle was worth the pain that this was just pretend when his feelings were getting involved.

“You’re starting to have feelings for her, aren’t you?”

Brad looked up. Jim was watching him thoughtfully. He sighed and sat on the edge of the treadmill, toying with his water bottle between his hands.

“I am.” He couldn’t hide anything from his best friend. “When you’re in someone’s company for a period of time, you are guaranteed to develop feelings for them.” He looked Jim in the eye. “I think I’m falling for her, James.”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you were. Your crush on her in college was strong.” Jim sighed. “I’m sure this will be strong as well.”

Brad blinked. “You’re not going to talk me out of it? Tell me I shouldn’t have got involved?”

Jim sat cross-legged on the floor in front of his friend. Both of them were red-faced, streaked with sweat, and gulping in air.

“You shouldn’t have, but you’re the type of person who helps when asked. You don’t walk away unless for a very good reason.” Jim gave him a wry smile. “And you will always help a damsel in distress.”

“Not every damsel. Just Cherrelle.” Brad sighed and closed his eyes briefly. “This is a mess. She still sees this as a marriage of convenience. I can’t tell her I love her; she’ll run the other way screaming.”

“You should tell her. It might make things awkward, but at least you’ll know where you stand.”

Brad didn’t want to tell her. He knew what would happen; Cherrelle will tell him not to be silly and cut off their time together unless absolutely necessary. He found it soothing when he could talk to her after a hard day, see her when he needed a breath of fresh air. He didn’t want to lose that.

“I want to see what happens in the next few weeks,” he said quietly.

Jim shook his head. “You’re in for heartbreak the longer you wait.”

Brad had no doubt that he was.