h
hree is mine,"
a sharp
e mine. Not even Jake, the rookie who
ds sent a strange vibration through
ow you sleep with
"Where the hell are you going with this? Because th
u will watch your tone aroun
mth through me. I folded my arms across my chest an
I want to
mell his expensive cologne, and sudden
ke a family man by Thanksgiving. My mother is sixty-eight and wants grandchildren.
already know them. Then he ran a
er do you. But I don't want my mother hearing about you sleeping with someone else while we'
dn't cover my sister's tuition, and my salary barely covered rent, bills, and gr
y lip.
*
rembled as I sat in the
me to buy whatever I needed to look like his girlfriend. He gave me a check for
tried to remember every det
arity gala. You spilled wine on me, I forgave you, we've been dating f
again, as if we hadn't pra
use. The driver looked for a parking spot among several
ere," C
t. A moment later, he came around to my side an
a good first impr
me out. I could feel his eyes on me from the mom
her we're fake?" I asked, til
ed. "No,
n," he
d from inside the house. I blew out a deep breath, tryi
oor. I recognized her. She wasn't Cole's
Then she turned to me. "Your mother is dying to me
ere sh
stepped inside. Her face lit up with joy as
eld my shoulders and looked me over. "You're even more beautiful in person
into the house. I turned toward Cole, silently begging him to save me. His jaw tighten
excitedly. "You two are already marr
e said fro
she looked. Seeing her joy m
he small of my back. It fit there so naturall
e said, his voice warm with amusement for everyone
looked down at me with a softness I hadn't expect
her chimed in. "This is the first
her hand, leaving the
flickered in his eyes, quick and dark like pain, because w
vered q
e again and began introducing me to everyone, while the women hugged
mouth fe
e, holding a beer, with messy blonde hair and brigh
ater on the team, the guy who'd been leaving protein
in, because dating a player w
here, look who c
Jake, then b
his hand on my back
sent a chill down my spine despite the
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