Page 33 of Accidentally Falling for My Fake Wife

I stare at the phone and shake my head, as the absolute craziest thought crosses my mind.

Rubbing my face with my hand, I groan. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

Chapter Thirteen

Susie

NoOneCanOwensUs is in sixthplace in my fantasy league. A win this week is a must if I want to make the playoffs this season.

Ishouldbe writing, but instead, I’m sitting cross-legged on the couch, eating popcorn, with ESPN playing in the background, catching up on stats, and getting my lineup for the week together.

Fantasy football is usually the ultimate distraction. This year, it’s just another thing that feels like a chore, and my record reflects that.

A handful of popcorn stops midstream as a notification pops on my screen. For a moment, I’m frozen before my heart starts to thump its way around my body.

Dropping the popcorn back in the bowl, I grab my drink and take a big gulp.

I open the Blitz Brigade app with shaking hands, nearly falling off the couch when I read Chase’s message.

PullTheLine:Do you still want to meet up?

PullTheLine:I’d like to meet up.

It’s been a full thirty-six hours of silence since I asked Chase if he wanted to meet up. Emotions vibrate through my body.

Heat fills me, and I pick up my drink, finishing it in one fell swoop. It doesn’t rid me of the cotton that’s taken up residence in my mouth.

Do I still want to meet up?

I rub my palm down my pant leg and take a deep breath. Instead of the excitement I thought I would feel at his response, a chill runs through me as anxiety takes hold.

“Meeting upiswhat I want, right?” Still staring at the screen, unable to drag my eyes away, indecision takes my thoughts prisoner.

Setting the phone upside down on the coffee table, I return to my popcorn and the talking heads on ESPN.

I pop a popped kernel in my mouth and mindlessly chew. I watch the commentators’ mouths move, and images scroll across the screen, but I can’t hear anything except the loud pounding in my ears.

Pushing off the couch, I take a deep breath and head to my desk, grabbing some paper and a pen. I drop into my desk chair and start to draw a line across the top and one through the center.

Reasons why I should or shouldn’t meet Chase.

Reasons To Meet Chase:

Confirm he’s real.

See if there’s any chemistry in real life.

Because I want to.

Reasons Not To Meet Chase:

He could be a serial killer pretending to be a sports fanatic.

A high-pitched, unhinged laugh escapes me. It’s official, I’ve lost my mind.

Running a hand through my hair, I stand up to pace the living room.

I’m struggling to write my next best-selling novel. My best friend and my brother are now ‘fake’ dating, and I’m pining after two men—one very real and one possibly a complete fake.

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