Page 50 of Fighting Happily Ever After

“Enough.” Stephanie spun around. “I don’t want to hear it.” She shook her head, again willing the emotion to stay away. She would not cry in front of this woman who only a few days ago she’d actually hoped to be her sister.

What a fool she’d been.

“I’m getting married. And you are going to make it happen.”

“But the license—”

“Then we’ll do it without the license,” she snapped. “Nothing is going to stop this wedding from happening. It’s yourjob.”

Faith stood and shook her head as she walked toward her.

But the last thing Steph wanted was for her to get closer. “I mean it, Faith. I came here for you to be my wedding coordinator and that’s what you are.” She didn’t need to say the words she meant.It’sallthat you are.“Please help me with my dress.”

Faith looked as if she were about to argue again, but finally she pressed her lips together and nodded. “If that’s what you want.”

It wasn’t what she wanted.

Or was it?

Maybe it was everything she’d ever wanted.

The problem was…she just didn’t know anymore.

There was nothing to be done about the marriage certificate. After a few hours dealing with the registry, and multiple phone calls back and forth with Hope, they’d finally gotten to the bottom of why Stephanie’s identification didn’t match up to the information in the registry. But even with the proper details, they still couldn’t finalize a marriage license.

And that was a problem.

Probably the biggest problem of the day, despite the information Logan now had in his possession. And it would have to wait.

Because Stephanie was less than thirty minutes from her wedding ceremony. The same ceremony that, Hope had just informed him, she was determined to go through with despite not having a license. It wouldn’t be legal, but that was a detail she didn’t seem to be too concerned about.

Which was probably a good thing, as far as Logan was concerned. If Stephanie insisted on marrying the jackass, at the very least, it wouldn’t be legal. Which just made the entire thing seem even more ridiculous because Stephanie Starz—or Straub or whatever her last name was—was an amazing person. One he’d come to care for as a friend. And Dax Combs was probably the biggest idiot on earth if he didn’t see how great she was, and what a jackass he was being about that whole thing.

He couldn’t even be in the same room with Dax, which was why he’d sent Levi back to the ranch to deal with him. Logan wasn’t a violent person, but the more time he spent with the narcissistic actor, the more he wanted to punch him in the face and that probably wouldn’t go over very well with…well, everyone else.

As he made his way back to the ranch and the union he was certain would be doomed, Logan couldn’t help but compare himself and Faith to Dax and Stephanie. Even though they were pretending to be a couple, they were better suited. He would never treat Faith the way Dax treated Steph. He would never pretend to…

Fuck.

That was the whole problem. He hadn’t been pretending with her. Not ever. It had always been real for him. Even if Faith didn’t believe it. And she didn’t believe it. She was convinced that he’d been full of shit.

Andthatwas the problem.

He pulled over on the side of the road and hit the steering wheel with the palm of his hand. He’d been such an idiot.Why had he made the bet?Of course she didn’t believe that his feelings were real. Instead of just coming out and telling her like a real man, he’d been a big chicken shit and hidden behind a stupid bet, of all things.

Why?

Because he was scared.

It was simple. He was terrified that the woman he’d loved his entire life would reject him and for real this time. If he put his feelings out there honestly instead of teasing, and shestillrejected him, then what was left?

He would never know if he didn’t try.

If pretending to be with Faith was all he’d ever have, that would have to be enough. Especially because Logan knew in his heart that it hadn’t been pretend at all. The last few weeks had been more real than anything he’d ever felt.

And he needed to make her understand that, because there was no one else for him. There never had been, and there never would be. He’d been a moron and maybe it was already too late. Maybe he’d already blown his chance with her.

But at least he was going to try.

---