Page 10 of The Playboy's Most Unexpected Baby

Cait, obviously, was less impressed. “How long have you two been together?” she asked through pursed lips.

“Three months.” This, too, was a rehearsed lie. “We met when I was up in Boston for a work thing.”

“A work thing? What do you do?”

“I’m a real estate agent.” They had agreed that there was no realistic way to conceal that fact.

Predictably, Cait burst out laughing. “Oh,please, Charlie,” she said. “Couldn’t you have been any more obvious about it? You’re marrying the woman who’s going to sell the house for you? Give me a break.”

“I’m marrying the woman I love,” Charlie lied. “The fact that she’s a real estate agent is just a nice bonus.”

Cait rolled her eyes. “Sure,” she said. “Well, it’s not me you have to convince, it’s Rogan. And he’s going to see right through this, just so you’re aware. He’s going to know this is all a con job. There’s no way he’s going to let you keep the house.”

“You know, I don’t appreciate you talking about my marriage this way,” Charlie said. “This might not be what I had planned, but Olivia and I are taking it seriously.”

“Please. She’s just doing this so she can profit on the sale of the house, I bet.”

It was entirely true, of course, and yet Charlie felt a deep pang of offense. “Don’t talk about her like that.” It was a rude thing for Cait to have assumed, he decided. That was why he felt so angry.Shedidn’t know she was right, so she shouldn’t be talking like that right in front of Olivia. What if theyhadreally been in love? Charlie knew perfectly well that it wouldn’t have kept his sister from making her snide comments, so why should she be off the hook just because that didn’t happen to be the case?

Olivia interjected. “It’s all right,” she told Cait. “I think I’d probably be suspicious too, if I were you. I just hope you’ll give me the chance to prove how much I care for your brother.”

“Yeah, okay,” Cait said, rolling her eyes. “You go right ahead and prove me wrong, Olive.”

“It’s Olivia.”

“She did that on purpose,” Charlie informed Olivia. “She knows what your name is. She’s trying to pretend you’re not important enough for her to remember because it makes her feel powerful.”

“Oh, shut up, Charlie,” Cait said.

“Gladly,” Charlie agreed. “Olivia and I have other things to worry about today besides your mean-girl crap. Whatever you might think about it, today is my wedding day, so I’m going to focus on that.”

“I’m watching you,” Cait warned.

“I’m sorry about her,” Charlie said as he and Olivia turned and walked away.

“Well, it’s not like she was wrong,” Olivia said. “She knows exactly what we’re doing.”

“It’s okay. She doesn’t know. She only guesses. And what she said is true — she isn’t the one we have to convince. As long as we can get the executor of Aunt Marge’s will to believe that our marriage is real, my siblings won’t be able to do anything to stop us.”

“Do you think he’ll believe it?”

“I think we have a good chance. You have to realize that my brothers and my sister werenevergoing to believe this, no matter what I did. I could have shown up here today with the love of my life who I’d been in a committed relationship with for the past five years, and they would have found some reason why we shouldn’t get married. They want the house. Theywantus to be lying.”

“This is crazy. Are we making a mistake?”

“No, we’re fine,” Charlie assured her. “Come on. Let’s get this done.”

The ceremony, such as it was, was quick. They didn’t even swear vows to each other. They were presented with a document to sign, and they both did. Charlie was the last to sign, and as he set down the pen, he felt strangely surreal. He had actually married her. They belonged to one another. It might be a pretend marriage in every way that counted, but in the eyes of the law, it was real.

He was a married man. He had never thought that would happen.

I guess you really did get the last laugh, Aunt Marge. But this isn’t going to last. I’m still going to live the life I always intended for myself. I’m not going to remain in this marriage any longer than I absolutely have to.

He could picture the arched eyebrow she would have given him, had she been alive to give it. He could imagine the laugh quivering on her lips.

She would be enjoying this little game. She would like the idea that she had forced his hand like this. And if she was here, she would be telling him that she still intended to win, that she wasn’t going to let him off the hook so easily. That she meant to see him remain in this marriage.

She couldn’t do anything about that, though. Charlie was in control here.

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