Page 71 of Fauxmance

I gave a shrug. "At least she cares, right?"

"I guess."

I pointed to the picture again. "And are these your aunts?"

Hayden grimaced. "Beatrix and Bobbie Davenport. The twins. They compete in every way imaginable, including for the title of who's the most stuck-up."

The women looked perfect in the photo from their impeccably styled hair and makeup to their chic clothes. They were beautiful.

"Don't get drawn in by those smiles," he said. "Or by my cousins'. Phillipa and Delaney—she's Beatrix's daughter—will crush you without a thought. Annabelle's all right. I have no idea how she turned out so cool with a mom and dad like hers—but she did. The other two deal in gossip. Anything you say can and will be used against you."

I blinked. "That sounded like aLaw & Orderreference."

Hayden shrugged. "If the shoe fits."

I needed a moment to process all this. "Let me get this straight. You're basically saying they're going to put me on trial."

"Not you, Maggie," he said. "Us."

"Go on," I said.

"If they suspect we're lying, if they doubt we're a couple for even a second, they won't hesitate to go running to grandma."

"Oh," I said. "You mean about our fake relationship."

He nodded.

"Do you really think they'd do that?"

"In a heartbeat. Especially if they think by telling her, it'll put them in her good graces and make me look bad. They love a good scandal as long as it doesn't touch them."

I frowned. "But I thought your grandma called you her favorite. Wouldn't that make them want to be on your good side?"

Hayden shook his head. "I've seen them at their worst too many times. They'd rather just take me out of the picture entirely."

Speaking of which, I flipped to the next page, and there were more family photos—including multiple pictures of Hayden. Hayden as a baby. Hayden as a toddler in a tux for what had to be a wedding. Hayden on the first day of school from kindergarten all the way up to college.

"Oh my gosh," I squealed. "Talk about cute!"

"Okay, I think photo time's over."

I ignored him and turned to the next page, only to find even more cute pictures of Hayden.

"Also Maggie, I was never cute."

"Please," I said. "Just look at those cheeks! You were the cutest."

Hayden scoffed. "Handsome, hot, debonair from cradle to grave. Those are more accurate."

"Whatever you say," I laughed. "Hey, is that you dressed like a little old lady?"

"Anyway"—in one swift motion, Hayden had shut the album and pulled it away before I could protest—"my cousins used to love dressing me up. One Halloween, they wanted to go asthe Golden Girls, and they needed a Blanche."

I was shaking as I tried to hold back my laughter.

"As I said, they liked to torture me."

I looked at his pink cheeks and released a giggle. "I bet you were a good Golden Girl."

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