Page 131 of Fake Married to the Grumps

“I hope we can stay friends, Gracie,” I whisper to her while holding her gaze. I’ve missed being Gracie’s friend because I believed my absence from her life was for the best.

Now I’m not so sure I can go back to that time.Not after spending time with her like this and remembering just how much I love being around her.

“I’ll love that more than anything else.” She smiles.

Chapter 9

Gracie

A week later, it’s Gracie’s first time in New York, and she is as charming as ever. She twirls around in the red dress she picked from the pile in front of her.

It’s day one, and we’re focusingon revamping her looks at the luxury boutique Zane reserved for us in Midtown Manhattan.

Not like I want to change a thing about her.Gracie is perfect with her copper shade of hair and those sweet lips that torment me night and day.

We have a deal! No flirting and no touching.But how can I stop myself from craving her? We’ve posted every moment on social media, leaving lots of wistful comments in our wake. My social media presence is a hot trail for now, thanks to this scam.

“How does this look?” she asks when she steps out in a white dress. “Perfect for a date with your teammates? Like a double date or something? They can all bring their wives or lovers or whatever. What is it called? WAGS? Wives and girlfriends of …”

My laugh stops her shot, and she frowns before popping her hands on her hips. “What? Am I babbling?”

“Kind of,” I tease, and she marches to me, punches me in the arm, and laughs before returning to the changing room to try on more dresses.

I try to ignore the flutter inside me each time she comes out in another outfit. Some are short, exposing the creamy skin of her legs, and others are long enough to cover her and tease me at the same time.

“Tired?” I ask her hours later as we drive around Manhattan’s busiest street in my convertible, stopping at a famous restaurant for dinner.

“You kidding me?” she answers with a breathless laugh. “This place is huge! I mean, I can’t get enough of the streets, and, my God, everyone seems like they’re in such a hurry all the time.”

“Welcome to the big city,” I say with a laugh, and she joins in.

We dine on the rooftop where it’s quiet and has a perfect view of the skyline.

“How’s your first day?”

Gracie tosses her head back and heaves a deep sigh. “I’m exhausted,” she complains. “It’s only been one day, and I have a headache. How do you cope with how intense it is here?”

“You haven’t seen intense yet. Wait till morning, during the rush hours, when everyone’s trying to get to work or someplace. It’s crazy.”

“And you don’t ever miss the peace and quiet back in Golden Bay?”

Her eyes widen; I’ve always known Gracie to be extremely expressive, so her curiosity is obvious in her rounded eyes.

“I miss it every day,” I whisper as an ache enters my heart. Gracie’s wide eyes remind me of the night she confessed her feelings to me.

I think we have something special, Trevor. I can feel it, and I know you feel it too.

She had tried to kiss me then, and my heart had threatened to burst out of my ribcage if I let her.

I had stopped her then to protect her from me. Gracie deserves better than a man like me who doesn’t believe in the life she dreams about. I’m not—and can never be—the kind of man she wants.

She starts talking about the city and making elaborate hand movements in the process. I love the sound of her voice. It’s soothing, and it helps me relax. I try not to think about what the next three months will be like.

Fooling everyone into believing that I’m in love with Gracie isn’t going to be the hardest part. The hardest part will be pretending not to care about Gracie when every part of me burns for her.

I barely touch my meal while Gracie enjoys hers, and she notices my silence sometime later before asking. “You okay?”

Her expression is the one thing that gets to me. Her eyes soften, and she purses her lips as she meets my gaze. Gracie shocks me when she extends a hand and places it over mine.

---