Page 55 of Beau & Autumn

“Don’t tell me you’re going off the idea before we’ve even had a chance to discuss it?”

“We discussed it the other night.” She’s still whispering, but now she’s glancing around like someone might hear.

“I don’t think any of the reasons you gave me were compelling enough, considering the big incentive for you is to finally get your inheritance.”

She rests her hand on her chin and her eyes flick down to the table for a moment. She has an adorable thinking face. When her eyes return she’s shaking her head, some resolution has come to her and it’s so fucking cute. “I think the whole ‘this is ridiculous as we’re best friends’, is reason enough to abandon this idea. Beau, do you really know what you’re saying or offering? I honestly came here thinking we’d laugh about this, order pie and move on.”

I don’t like that idea. “Maybe it’s a little crazy. But you’ve got to admit it makes a little sense.”

“Again, what’s in it for you, though?”

I swallow, I have to think quickly because I can’t outrightly say it’s because I think I’m falling for her… Can I? I don’t want her to freak out because this is supposed to just be a funny, friendly transaction to help her out of the tricky situation she’s in.

“I just want to help.” Even if it sounds lame — and admittedly, it probably does — at this point I don’t care. “You won’t let me help you with money, so this is the next best thing. I mean, it wouldn’t be real, just a transaction between friends.” Again, I don’t like that idea, but I can’t tell her that.

She sits back, just as our coffee and cookies are delivered. Her arms cross over her chest as she looks at me. When JJ leaves again she opens her mouth, “I thought I was going to show up here and we’d forget about all of this because no matter what you say, this idea is really out there, Beau.”

“It is. But like I say, we can get it annulled later. What part about it do you hate the most?”

“I don’t like the idea of lying to everyone.”

“Okay, I get that, but we’ll make it right somehow. Are you worried you have to pretend to like me, like you would a real husband?” I tilt my head to the side, knowing the corners of my mouth are pulling up into a cheeky smile and my intense stare has her shifting a little in her seat. I might be mostly clueless when it comes to women, but I know that I am having some kind of effect on her. I can feel the energy between us, it’s like an unspoken truth, but neither of us seem willing to admit it.

“Beau, I don’t have to pretend anything. You know I adore you. But it means us living together and acting like newlyweds. We need to really think this through and what it means in public.”

“I have thought it through.”

“And you’re seriously okay with it?”

“I think we can navigate it, yeah. I mean, the other bonus is my parents would get off my back for a while about settling down and why I haven’t snagged up a permanent woman yet. It’s a win-win, Autumn Leaf.”

She sits forward to reach for her coffee cup, lifting it to her mouth to take a sip. Her eyes twinkle a little, almost like she’s coming around to the idea, or maybe it’s just the hit of coffee making her feel good. “Maybe you’re right.”

Wow. Did she really just say that?

“I know it sounds weird now, but I think life is too short to worry so much,” I tell her. “This could be fun if we don’t overthink it. You get your parents off your back for a while, I get my parents off mine. We can annul the marriage later, and no damage will be done.” I glance up at her as she listens to every damned word out of my mouth. Is she slowly coming around to the idea? “Our friendship is too strong to break, so I’m not worried about that, but you’re right, in public we would have to act a certain way… and pretend to live together in holy matrimony.”

She gives me an exasperated look as she grips her cup like she can’t let go of it. She fiddles when she’s nervous. “You make it sound so simple.”

I shrug. “Maybe it is.”

“I really just thought the two of us had too much to drink when I blurted all of that out.”

“I wasn’t drunk,” I state. “Maybe we propose a toast to Carrie? She could be the reason I get to call you my wife.” The words slip out before I can stop them.

Her eyes widen slightly. Is it just me, or do her cheeks flush? I’m certain I can see hints of pink creeping over her pretty skin.

“And you’d be my husband.”

Goddamn, those words have never sounded so sexy.

I glimpse to my side to make sure no one is listening close by, before I lower my voice and lean in. “Exactly. Like I said the other night, I’m willing to go through with it. But if we keep going back and forth doubting ourselves, it won’t work. I think we need to decide here and now.”

Her eyes slowly open wider with the realization that we probably need to move with this sooner rather than later. “Now?” She balks. “As in, this could be our first fake date?”

“Why not?” I shrug like I can afford to be so casual and have all the fucking answers — which I definitely don’t. The reality is, I have jack shit. “The more we wait, the more time passes when we could be announcing to the world our ‘newfound love’.”

I hear the faintness of her laugh as her lips touch her coffee cup again. I pick mine up to take a sip and let my words sink in. It seems the bandwagon I’ve jumped on is speeding downhill with no breaks, and I’m not for one minute even thinking about the consequences.

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