Page 77 of Fake for 7 days

I looked around searchingly until my gaze fell on the edge of the opposite flower bed. On the other side of the driveway grew light purple gerberas.

Perfect.

Decisively, I crossed the gravel path.

Snip.

Snip.

Shortly after, I had cut a few gerberas. Carter's mother certainly wouldn't be thrilled, but I didn't care now. I would never see her again anyway.

At this thought, that strange pang shot through me again. I quickly stuck the gerberas into the bridal bouquet to distract myself.

"Now it really looks good," I said, looking at my work with satisfaction.

"Congratulations, child. You really have a talent for this sort of thing." Carter's grandmother was also satisfied. "Do you work for a florist?"

I suppressed a grin. If only Emmett could have heard that.

"No, I..." I paused.

What should I say?

I didn't even have a job.

"You look beautiful," Carter whispered into my ear from behind at that moment. "The bouquet suits you perfectly and matches your dress wonderfully."

I closed my eyes. A pleasant shiver ran through my body.

When I opened my eyes again, I met Grandma Ruth's gaze. She smiled. "Carter is in good hands with you."

I nodded, dazed.

Contrary to expectations, I felt at home in this family.

Chapter 21 ~ Carter ~

"Inowpronounceyouhusband and wife!" Loud applause erupted as these words echoed through the speakers across the wide lawn where chairs for the wedding guests were arranged. I shook my head. How could someone arrange a wedding so that the guests had to listen to the ceremony through tinny speakers? For the music, it might still be okay, but wouldn't you rather hear the bride and groom directly? And see them? We had watched the exchange of rings on large video screens set up in the garden.

And if it had to be this way, wouldn't you choose the best equipment available on the market? In my opinion, my brother could have invested a bit more money in the audio equipment. We belong to one of the richest families in America, but the sound quality at the wedding of one of the heirs was more reminiscent of an ancient cinema in a godforsaken town in the Midwest than an event of New York's upper-class society.

I shrugged. Not my problem. This was my brother's wedding, so it had to please him, not me. Isabella and I had only come to secure my share of the inheritance. Somehow, this goal had faded more and more into the background over the last week. Not that I didn't want the money anymore - God forbid, Cameron shouldn't get everything - but somehow it wasn't as important as before.

How did that happen?

I shook my head. It had just happened, without any particular reason. I had spent a lot of time with Isabella, and that had fully occupied me. I hadn't originally planned that. But I had gotten my money's worth during exactly this time. Grandma Ruth had immediately taken Isabella to her heart, and my "fiancée" had even saved the wedding earlier by rearranging the bridal bouquet.

In short: My family was thrilled with Isabella.

And I had almost achieved my goal. Grandma Ruth wouldn't exclude me from her inheritance.

For the next visit here, I would have to come up with a good excuse. After all, I would be coming alone. My family would ask where Isabella was. Luckily, I didn't see my family too often, so I could easily pretend to my grandmother that Isabella had no time or would be spending some time abroad for her job. Yes, that was a good idea.

I still caught myself thinking that I would have liked to bring Isabella here again.

Carter! Don't think about such things.That's not part of your plan.

Today was today, and this day was to be enjoyed, even if some clouds were now appearing in the previously flawless blue spring sky, slowly gathering and turning slightly gray. It would probably rain later.

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