Page 34 of Forgotten Desires

“I don’t want anyone to know why. If anyone knew that this was fake and not because after ten long years we found each other again, then the chances they’d sell the story to the press are too high.”

“My family would never,” she argues.

I lift my hands. “I didn’t say they would. I don’t think they’d ever risk hurting you, but a secret is only a secret when it’s between two people.”

“I swear, I’m the biggest idiot to ever live. To consider this is lunacy.”

“No, it’s kindness. It’s everything to me. Everything, Brynn.”

Her gaze meets mine and she smiles softly. “I don’t want my brothers to know about the surgery. Not until I’m ready.”

“Understood.”

I’ll keep every secret she wants.

“Do you have a plan on how this all works?” Brynn asks as she sits back down on the couch.

I walk over, sit beside her, and take her hand in mine. “We announce our engagement in tomorrow’s paper. It should overshadow any gossip that Jacqueline could possibly have, and negate whatever she says. Then, we get married by the end of the week. We’ll fly to an island, have a small ceremony on the beach, surrounded by our closest friends and family. It will get you on my insurance policy immediately, which hopefully will cover the surgery and if not, I’ll pay for it.”

“No!” Brynn jumps in.

“No?”

“No, you’re not paying for it. I’m not taking money from you. At all.”

I sigh. “Okay then, you’ll have the answer from the charity by then, right?”

“I think so. They know this is an urgent request. Guardian Angels made it seem like it was a rather quick process.”

I file the name away, knowing I’ll be making an incredibly large donation tonight. No matter what, her surgery is taken care of. I will not have her worrying over money, not when she’s giving up everything for me.

I rub the back of her hand and she trembles. “What’s wrong?”

“Ihatelying.” Brynn’s voice aches and I truly hate myself for asking her to do this.

“Is it all a lie?”

Her lashes flutter and she stares at me. “That we’re madly in love and can’t live our lives another day without each other? Yeah, I’d say it’s a lie.”

I shake my head. “It’s a stretch, sure, but it’s not a lie. We were madly in love with each other. We did dream about spending our lives together. Fuck, we sat on the beach with my arms around you and we talked about what it would look like. We wanted a house on Long Island where we could have land and a farm. I was going to commute into the city and we’d ride home together.”

That conversation is burned in my mind. I remember it all. I longed for it to be true for so many years.

Brynn’s lips part. “I was going to run a charity.”

“And we were going to be so fucking happy,” I finish.

She smiles and laughs quietly. “None of that is going to be this story, Crew. We’re going to live in Manhattan, in a high rise, while we’re fighting for custody of your daughter. We haven’t been in love for the last ten years. Hell, we haven’t even kissed each other since the night you left me.”

“Do you want to kiss me?” The surprise in her eyes causes me to smile. “All you have to do is ask.”

Her cheeks redden and it’s the most adorable thing.

“I have to ask?”

“Is it what you want?”

I can see in her eyes it’s exactly what she wants now. If we’re going to sell this marriage, we’re definitely going to have to kiss. We’re going to need to be incredibly affectionate, but not ridiculous.

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