Page 75 of Pretend for Me

So, with everything on his plate, including his worry about his mother, the last thing he needs is my little issue. I can deal with my deadbeat dad on my own.

“Give me the money and I’ll be out of your hair for good,” Anthony says after taking a sip of his coffee and bringing me out of my thoughts.

“How do I know you’ll keep your word?”

“I guess you don’t, but you don’t have another choice.” He must see my thoughts flicking across my face because he adds, “Oh, and I wouldn’t tell your fiancé or your brother about this, if I were you. Things might get nastier if I really did have to hand this over to my contact at ESPN. He’d find the right people to share it with. And honestly, no one benefits from that, not even me.”

He rises from his seat, towering over me, thinking he’s intimidating me, but I almost laugh at how small he looks. How fucking pathetic.

“I just need the money and you won’t see me again, Peppercorn. God’s honest truth.”

I grin at the picture Shayla just sent to me of Kai and Kiara. My nephew hugs his baby sister like she’s precious cargo, both wearing Rowan’s team jerseys.

I’m just about to type her a message when she calls me.

“Hey!” I say, catching my wide smile in the salon mirror.

“Hey!” she greets me. “Hope I caught you at a good time. Rowan’s here, too.”

“Hey Pepper,” my brother’s deep voice resounds through her speaker, “you busy?”

I close my salon door. I have twenty minutes before my next client.

“Nope, you caught me at the right time. What’s going on?” I don’t let him answer, remembering I forgot to message him after his game yesterday. “Oh! Congratulations on the win yesterday!”

“Thanks!” His voice brims with pride. “It was our last preseason game. You watched it?”

I actually watched it with Dev, but I don’t mention that. Instead, I huff, feigning offense. “Um, as if I’d miss it! Solid D in that last round, baby bro.”

“When will you drop the ‘baby bro’? I’m only a year younger.”

“Never,” I reply easily. “Now, speaking of babies, how is my niece? Tell her to stop growing so fast! Every time I see her, she’s so much bigger.”

“She’s a handful, too,” Shay adds. “Just like her dad.”

“She’s got personality and charisma like her dad, too,” my brother retorts, and I don’t have to see Shay to know she’s rolling her eyes. “She also likes putting your boobs in her mouth like her dad.”

“Ew,” I say, wrinkling my nose. “Is this why you guys called me? To make me throw up my breakfast?”

“Hey, I didn’t say anything!” Shay giggles. “Leave it to your brother to provide unnecessary and inappropriate details. Anyway, we were calling to check in. Do you need any help with the wedding? I know we’re miles away, but if we can help with anything?—”

I wave my hand in the air. “I’m okay, actually. The wedding will be really private with our closest family and friends, and the planning has been relatively easy. The venue, flowers, and caterers are all set. I just need my two dresses,we need to book a band for the music, and Dev and I need to do a cake tasting.”

My mind buzzes as an idea forms. I was planning on doing the dress fitting with Sarina and Nisha, but it might be fun if I expanded the group a bit.

“Actually, I know it’s short notice, but would you want to come for the dress fitting next Saturday? We can grab food and drinks afterward.” Before she can answer, I add, “I’ll make sure to pick a place that serves farm to table.”

My sister-in-law is the biggest health nut I know. And though she’s laxed her stringent green smoothie diet since she met Rowan, she’s still very particular about what she eats. It’s not a bad thing, but it takes some planning when we’re all getting together.

“That sounds fun! Are you sure I won’t be intruding?” Shay asks.

“Pfft! I would love to have all my besties there! I’ll even invite Jeena and Mom. We can make it a whole girls’ thing!”

Jeena is one of Shay’s best friends and probably one of the most entertaining people I’ve ever met. We met a couple of years ago and immediately clicked. In fact, she and her husband will be coming to the wedding.

“I suppose I could come for a night. Kai is pretty independent, but I don’t want to be away from Kiara for too long,” she muses on the phone. I get the feeling she’s thinking aloud. “She’s still so young.”

“Baby, I’ve got both of them,” Rowan reassures her. “I don’t fly out until Sunday evening. Plus, you’ve got your best friends, Dylan, Liv, and Delia, here. I’m sure they’ll all be willing to help if I need anything.”

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