Page 57 of Take My Kiss
“Amelia.” He grips my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. “Breathe.”
“Even if he doesn’t, he’s gonna know I’ll go home at some point.”
“It might not be him, so don’t get worked up until we do. Maybe you should ask your mom for his contact information.”
“She’ll know something’s wrong if I do and get all into my business, which is exactly where I don’t want her. And if I tellher and explain why I’m here instead of Sugarland Creek, she’ll get the pleasure of knowin’ I’m a disaster. She’ll tell me to move home since I can’t keep my own kids safe. I amnotgonna give her the satisfaction of thinkin’ she was right when she told me I’d be a horrible mother.”
“She’s not right, not even close.” His eyes darken with anger. “This ain’t your fault. Whoever this person is, shakin’ up your life and causin’ you stress, ain’t happenin’ ’cause of anythin’ you did. And you do keep your kids safe, otherwise you wouldn’t be here tryin’ to do what’s best for them.”
“But she won’t see it that way,” I say defeatedly. “She’ll blame me for being a single mom and not married. Or say I can’t keep a man happy, so even if I showed up in the nicest car possible, in the most expensive clothes, and my kids lookin’ like a million bucks, she’d find theonething I don’t have and use it as leverage to say I failed. Probably insist we move in with her.”
He grabs my chin and stares into my watery eyes. “You don’t owe her a damn thing, darlin’. But if it’s a husband you need to get the strength to go there and show her your life is better without ’em, then I’ll go with you. Maybe it’ll shut her up for good, and you can get the proper closure of knowin’ she can’t say or think anythin’ negative ’bout you.”
“Oh, trust me, she’d find somethin’…” I jerk my head, blinking. “Hold on a minute. Did you just offer to be myhusband?”
I’m either experiencing full-blown whiplash or he suggested we pretend to be married.
“Yeah, a fake husband. She won’t know any better since she hasn’t been in your life.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Why not?” His dramatic, offended tone has me rolling my eyes. “Am I not husband material?”
I sigh, shaking my head because he’d be theperfecthusband for the right woman. “I didn’t say that.”
“Then gimme one reason why it’s a bad idea when it’ll help you face her.”
“For starters, we’re nottogether. Pretty sure she’d expect us to, at the very least, look like we’re in love.”
“I was the main star in Romeo and Juliet in the middle school play. I can act!”
My head falls back on a laugh at how serious he sounds and how utterly wild this idea is.
“Were you Romeo or Juliet?”
He raises his brows, inching closer. “I’ll have you know, I received a standin’ ovation for my role as Romeo.”
“I bet you did.” I snort.
“So…” He waggles his brows. “Just imagine my performance as your husband.”
“You remember they both died at the end, right?”
“Yes, but preteen me thought it was super romantic, so I put my whole heart into it.”
“How come you didn’t pursue an actin’ career?”
We move into the kitchen since there’s no way I’ll be able to go back to sleep. Colton starts the coffee maker, and I pull out ingredients to make cheesy eggs and sausage. He’s been cooking all week, so I owe him a break.
“I started workin’ more on the ranch in high school, but I still have some star material in me.” He pulls out a couple mugs and grabs the creamer from the fridge.
“I thought you didn’t work on the ranch.”
“Well, I did when I was younger. We all had to.” He leans back against the counter, crossing his ankles. It’s hard not to stare at his nipple piercings and remember our night together when they’re right in front of me. Memories flash of licking them before I can push them out of my mind.
Before he notices, I glance away. “Ain’t that somethin’ yourwifewould know ’bout you? My parents are gonna know we’re lyin’.”
“Not if we learn more about each other. Tell me everythin’ I need to know ’bout you, and I’ll do the same.” He raises a shoulder. “We’re not gonna be quizzed, right? That’d be weird.”
