Page 14 of Pretend I’m Yours
“I’ll be happy with what you have to give,” Drake said. “I’m more curious over what you had in mind for our living situation.”
I winced on the inside. Of course, if we were going to play married, then we were going to have to look the part. Especially if Brandon was doing his homework. Living in two separate locations would be a dead giveaway to him that I was lying, then all bets would be off.
“Do you have a place you’d like to stay?” I asked. “I would be happy to move in with you for a while. I’m quiet and tend to keep to myself.”
“I’m living in a hotel room right now, to be perfectly honest with you,” Drake replied. “So I doubt you’re going to be too eager to do that.”
“Oh?” I asked, looking at him with raised eyebrows. What kind of person lived in a hotel? “You don’t have a place of your own?”
“I just got out of the military,” Drake said. “The Navy. I’ve been casually looking for a place, but since I’m going to be back to stay, I want to take my time and find somewhere I can settle down, at least for a while.”
Immediately, I felt everything inside me relax. That explained a lot. How he suddenly came out of nowhere at the club, how he was able to land such a well-placed blow to the side of Brandon’s face. How he had such an instinct to protect and take care of me.
No wonder he had been so eager to make sure I was okay. He just got out of a career of serving and protecting others. Now I felt confident he truly meant to protect me, too.
“That works out better for me anyway,” I said. “I’m sure Brandon is keeping an eye on my place, and if he sees you living there with me, then he’s going to be more likely to take the hint. Plus, it’s going to give you something better than a hotel room for a while.”
“I’d definitely appreciate that,” he replied. He sipped on his wine and we fell silent for a moment. I was trying to word my sentences in such a way he would see I was different from the rest of the family, but also let him know he would have to fit in.
It was none of my business where he had come from, how he’d grown up, or whether he had money in the bank, but considering the way he had reacted to the restaurant and the wine, I was starting to get the impression this was a splurge for him.
If he was going to be around my world– and there was a strong possibility that could happen – he was going to have to fit the part. At least, enough to make it believable to anyone who might be watching us.
I cleared my throat. “So, do you think you can play the part of the rich husband? Think of some story of where you came from and how you got your wealth? No one is going to do any background work on you if you are vague enough. I just need any potential mutual connections between me and my ex to believe it if we were to run into them.”
“Sure,” Drake shrugged. “But how are you going to explain suddenly being married to said rich husband?”
“I’ll worry about that,” I said quickly. “Trust me, I know how these people work. For as much as they like to gossip and be in the know about things, they are remarkably easy to satisfy with simple stories and vague details.”
Drake chuckled. It was nice to see him smile and I wished he’d do it more often. “Alright then, I’m moving in with you, I’m some rich guy you married out of the blue and under the radar, and we’ll keep up this little façade until your ex is out of the picture entirely, right?”
I picked up my glass of wine and sipped on the very edge. It all sounded simple enough when he put it like that. A lot less of a crazy idea, and one that might actually work. From what he’d said, this was going to be a mutually beneficial situation, and at the end of it all, I’d never have to worry about my ex again.
“Sounds like we’re on the same page,” I said as I set down the glass.
“Great,” Drake replied, pouring another glass for himself before topping mine off. “So, when do I move in?”
I grinned. “Does tomorrow work for you?”
7
Drake
I walked through the apartment, glad I was the only one at the place for the moment. Hannah had given me a key and directions the night before, telling me several times to text her if I had any trouble.
The only trouble I had was being certain I was at the right place when I pulled up. A high-rise penthouse near downtown, the place was even nicer on the inside than it had been on the outside, and the outside alone was breathtaking.
