by Zoë Lane
She smirked. “Yeah, ’cause he cleaned out my bank account and took all the money. I found out this morning. That’s why I was looking a hot mess earlier.”
My jaw dropped. So heavy I didn’t have the strength to lift it. She chuckled, walked around me, and then sank into one of the chairs.
“Yeah…so, not being with him is the silver lining to me losing all that cash. I pretty much paid him to leave.”
I cleared my throat and choked out, “Sorry.”
She shrugged. “It’s not your fault.”
As soon as I sat in the chair beside her, she sprung. “Yeah, so I have to find Siobhan.”
I stood. “She’s probably still at the laundry or on her way back.”
Veronica kept her gaze averted. “Um, thanks. Sorry to dump all of that on you. It’s not your problem.” She turned away.
I captured her arm and she looked at me. “I don’t mind,” I said with more urgency than required. I dropped my hand. “If…if you ever want to talk, I’m a good listener.”
She shook her head. “I won’t.”
“Well, if you do. You know I have your back.” I winked.
“Uh, thanks.” She paused at the door. “And I know I sound like a broken record, but thanks again for what you did. I only wish I had done the same.”
“My pleasure.” I grinned. “If you ever need someone to punch a jerk out, I’m your man.”
Her lips twitched in an uncertain smile, and then she left.
My phone buzzed with a message from Mamma. My muscles immediately tensed. I cursed underneath my breath. Might as well stay and have Siobhan give me another massage. I loved my Mamma, but it felt like she was always here—and she lived in Boston.
I’ll be in town tomorrow. I want to meet your fiancée.
Whoops.
I’d forgotten I had told her I was getting married. And I’d forgotten to tell her I’d broken it off with my imaginary girlfriend. With this tactic, I had been successful at keeping Mamma at bay for the last year. It was crazy that she had thought I would have time to get married in college. But to tell Mamma that? A woman who had married at eighteen?
I blamed my sister. She was supposed to be married by now. If she hadn’t broken it off with her loser fiancé, I wouldn’t be dodging Mamma. Now the pressure was on me.
In less than twenty-four hours, I’d be the one who would be getting punched.
3
VERONICA
“I’m so happy there are pancakes today, aren’t you?” Siobhan grinned like a little girl seeing a pony for the first time. She asked for three, and a heaping pile of hash browns.
I loved pancakes, but my stomach had been in knots ever since I’d gotten a text an hour ago from Diego, telling me that since he had signed the lease, if I wasn’t out by tonight, he’d throw all my stuff out with the trash. And again I was so stunned. The only reason why I was even in the cafeteria was because Siobhan had dragged me out of the office.
Have your own space.
Rule two of my mother’s I had broken when I moved in with Diego a few months ago. I’d forgotten all about the lease and that my name wasn’t on it.
When he hadn’t come home after our last fight a few days earlier, I’d figured he had gone to stay with his parents or one of his boys. If he had, then the cops could deal with him. Guess he didn’t fear the cops. But if I called the police now, how would he react? And I couldn’t change the locks, because it was against the apartment complex’s rules. Either way, he was coming home and I couldn’t do a thing to stop it.
Now I still needed a place to stay. Without money, who would rent to me? Where could I store my stuff when I would need money for a deposit?
I refused to think about it. Not until I had some food. I hadn’t eaten all day. I looked down at the stack of large pancakes. I could only tackle one thing at a time.
Siobhan covered her hash browns with ketchup. “My cheat meal. No judgment.”
“None,” I said around a piece of pancake. The more I chewed the sweet cake, the lighter my attitude became. I was going to cheat all day…and maybe tomorrow.
“Have you called the police yet?”
I shook my head and held up my phone. Siobhan read the text. “Well, good. Not about the eviction part. The cops can meet him at your home, and they can arrest him for stealing your money.”
“His home.”
“Whatever. He’ll get picked up, and you can get your money.”
“Sure, but until all this gets settled, I’ll need a place to stay. His name is on the lease.”
“Yeah, of course. You shouldn’t stay there anyway. You don’t want him coming around harassing you, especially when you file charges. We’ll look this afternoon. Around lunchtime. Or you could just move in with me and Casper. He’s got plenty of room and he won’t charge you rent if I ask him nicely.” She winked.
Siobhan hadn’t stopped smiling and blushing since she’d been dating Casper. The two of them were nearly inseparable, and not because he was suspended from play because of an injury and taking a banned substance. Siobhan gushed about how romantic Casper was, taking her to dinners and ordering flowers for her massage room. The room did smell amazing. Casper knew how to pick the most fragrant flowers. He had lost his wife in an accident years ago, and he hadn’t been able to open his heart.
Until Siobhan.
Siobhan’s ex-fiancé had picked the perfect time to cheat on her. Siobhan couldn’t keep the apartment anyway due to her own financial struggles. Everything had come up roses for Siobhan—literally.
I smiled. “I’m happy for you and Cas. He’s such a sweetheart, even if he has no swagger.”
Siobhan stuck her tongue out at me and then laughed. “He’s a cornball, for sure. But it’s been…” She looked at the ceiling as if searching for the right word. Her mouth eased into a smile, the I’m-so-in-love kind. “Easy. So easy. Never was this way with Phillip, even during the best times. Casper and I fit so well together.” Her expression soured, and she frowned. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be talking about how great my relationship is when yours just ended.”
“Relationships start and end every day. Why should I be treated differently?”
“Still…it’s insensitive.”
I ate another piece of pancake and wished I’d gotten two instead of one. I had only one piece left and then a bowl of fruit, which didn’t look as great as the mound of hash browns still on Siobhan’s plate. “I don’t think you’re being insensitive. That’s not like you. And I appreciate you wanting to help me look for a place. Can’t pay for it until next week, though. What am I going to do about that?”
“You need somewhere to live?”
I turned to see Nico holding a tray with breakfast. “Uh…”
“Stay with me. I have plenty of room. How long do you need?”
I laughed. I couldn’t be indebted to this guy even more than I was. “No, thank you. That’s not necessary.”
He slid into the seat next to mine. My hand itched to snatch one of the pancakes off his stack of what looked like ten. My mouth watered. Pancakes were a perfect solution to stress knots.
“No, really, you’d be doing me a favor. Look”—he leaned in close—“my mamma is coming tomorrow. She’s Italian. Expects me to marry like, tomorrow.”
Siobhan snickered and I chuckled. Wasn’t too different from my Puerto Rican father. Ever since mother had died last year, he had pressured my sisters and me to marry our boyfriends. Wanted us to have the stability of a home and a man while we could. To enjoy love like he had had with my mother. I blinked a few times to keep the tears back.
I missed my mother.
“So you understand my predicament.”
“No, actually, I don’t,” I said.
“I told her I had a fiancée to buy me some time, and then…” His smile was sheepish. “Forgot to break up with her.” His eyes widened and his jet-black brows went up like he was silently saying “Whoops.”
I looked at him lik
e he had two heads. “So? Not sure what that has to do with me?”
He gave a deadpan look. “My fiancée doesn’t exist. But…” He arched his brows and sucked in his lips.
Oh.
No.
I shook my head and hands. “No, no, no, no, no.”
He grasped both of my hands. “Yes, please! She won’t stay long. Just pretend to be my fiancée for a few days. You work, so you’ll hardly ever see her. It’ll be for…dinners only. My mother is an amazing cook. Maybe a walk downtown. You’d have a place to stay, and I…”
“Could keep the lie going a little longer,” Siobhan finished.
I sent my friend a helpless look. She looked away, but the corners of her mouth twitched. She actually thought this was funny? Well, I was glad she could find the humor; all I saw was disaster.
“Exactly,” Nico agreed. “Please, Veronica, I’m begging you.”
“Why can’t you tell her you broke up?”
Nico jerked back like he’d been slapped. “Tell my mamma hours before she arrives that I’ve broken off the engagement? She’ll know I’m lying for sure. She’ll murder me. I can’t do that to my mamma!”
“You’re such a good son,” Siobhan teased sarcastically.
“Hey, anything for my mamma. If she wants me to marry then…I’ll fake it until I find the right one.”
I weaseled my hands out of his warm grip. I’d forgotten that he had been holding them. “I don’t know…I’m not in a place right now for a relationship—even a fake one. I’d be…I’d be bad at it.”
He tilted his head to one side, his grin curving to the opposite. “I doubt that. She’ll love the fact that you’re pretty and you’re a nurse. Her mother was a nurse long time ago. And she’s one as well.” His lips dipped down. “Might not like the fact that you’re…Puerto Rican? But she’ll get over it.”
Now I jerked back. “Excuse me?”
He rolled his eyes. “Listen, where I grew up, Italians and Puerto Ricans—”
“Didn’t get along,” I finished testily. “Same here.”
I don’t know why it bothered me that a woman I’d never met would automatically disapprove of me. It wouldn’t even be a real relationship! Just another rejection from people who didn’t deserve my time.
But I could do something about this one. If her son liked me, then she’d have no choice but to accept me. Even if the relationship was fake—she didn’t know that.
And I needed a place to stay.
“Siobhan has already offered me a place to stay, so I don’t think so.”
Siobhan coughed. “Um, sorry. I should’ve run that by Casper first. His place is being fumigated today. We’re going to have to get a hotel room.”
“Liar!” I yelled. She wanted me to stay with Nico. She was enjoying this!
Although Siobhan kept a straight face while showing me the text from Casper—likely in on the ruse—her entire face was as red as her hair. When did she have time to cook that up with Casper? Oh, she was good…
“So, is that a yes?” Nico asked?
I glanced at Nico’s hopeful face.
Nicolas “Nico” Langetti had a reputation. Women dropped their panties on sight. Thankfully, neither Siobhan nor I had any inclination, but if people found out we were living together? They’d think either I had left Diego for him, or that I was the type to sleep around.
Or pregnant.
None of which were true.
I huffed and stabbed my final piece of pancake with a fork. I looked at it longingly. I literally had nothing left but the clothes on my back and this piece of pancake. Nico plopped two pancakes onto my plate.
He grinned. “I love them too. It’s always better to get too many than not have enough.”
Damn him. I cast him a glance. I wasn’t even thinking about the pancake. But he could provide the essentials until my check came in and I had another place to stay. I’d be doing him a favor with his mother, but he would be doing me an even greater favor by giving me a roof over my head.
And great Italian dinners…if his mother was as good as a cook as he claimed.
“Fine.” I pointed my fork at him. “But it’s only because I need a place to stay, like, right now.”
He grinned wider. “You won’t regret this. You are literally saving me.”
“And there will be absolutely no touching.”
He cocked a brow and his gaze casually dropped down.
“Hey, buddy! Eyes on my face.”
He held up a finger. “When I’m done.”
Siobhan and I gasped. I tossed my fork on the plate and grabbed his finger, ready to rip it off his hand. He slipped his other hand around my waist and drew me and the chair toward him.
“Now, see, this will be epic,” he said in a low voice, his warm, sweet breath fanning my face. “My mother will love the fighting. She’ll say we’re passionate and will give us her blessing.”
“And then?” Siobhan asked, her eyes wide as she slowly ate her hash browns like they were popcorn and she was watching a movie.
“And then after she leaves, I’ll tell her we broke up,” he said easily and released me. I made too much noise with the chair, trying to scoot back to my plate. “Easy.” He cut into his pancakes and shoved a forkful into his mouth. “I don’t even have to go into details. She’ll be hundreds of miles away and won’t be able to do a thing about it.” He grinned. “Perfect.”
My waist still tingled from his touch.
“We’ll have to sleep in the same room,” he said around the food. “Can’t have my mom getting any ideas.”
“I’ll tell her you snore.”
He snorted and then coughed. Too many pancakes in his mouth. I snickered. Siobhan covered a grin.
“That won’t work,” he wheezed and gulped half his milk down. “Ah. That’s better. She’ll inspect every room. Don’t worry, I’ll sleep on the floor. Wouldn’t want you getting any ideas.” He tickled my waist. I slapped his hand away.
“I have to get my stuff. Diego will have it out on the lawn,” I said dryly.
Nico’s face darkened. “Wait, back up. What do you mean?”
“Nico’s name is on the lease, and he wants me out,” I said flatly.
“When? I’ll help you get your stuff.”
I put up a hand. “No, thank you. If he’s there and he recognizes you as the guy that punched him? No, it’ll be a fight.”
“You’ve seen me half-naked.” He ate more pancakes. “No way he can take me.”
Siobhan’s eyes widened on me. I shrank back, feeling guilty for some strange reason. “It was when I came to get you. He was still in the room.”
“Oh.” She averted her eyes. She didn’t believe me?
“Siobhan will help me, thanks.”
“How much stuff do you have? I’ll send a truck.”
“Not much. I don’t think we’ll—”
“We’ll definitely need a truck, Nico. Thanks,” Siobhan cut me off.
I gave her a pointed look, which she returned. What was she up to?
“Good. Give me your number and I’ll text you my address. When you get your stuff, just bring it to my place. I’ll handle the movers and everything.”
“You’re going to put my stuff in your place? What about your mother?”
“We’ll take what you need and put the rest in storage. Will that work? I’ll figure it all out, don’t worry.”
Don’t worry. I’d done nothing but worry all morning. The thought of someone else taking care of me… I couldn’t deny for all the independence my mother had taught me to have, relying on someone felt good for a change.
After I gave him my number, he asked, “What time are you getting your stuff?”
“Lunchtime.”
“I’ll be at practice. I’ll have a key ready for you at the front desk. Feel free to make yourself at home. And don’t forget to have dinner on the table for me, woman.”
Siobhan had the nerve to laugh while I sat there with my mouth hanging ope
n—until I found the fire in me that my mother had said had been there since conception. “I am not cooking you or your mother dinner. I’ll be your fiancée, but that’s as far as it goes.”
He chuckled. “She’s Italian. She’ll be cooking us breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.” His eyes shot to my waist. “You’ll gain a few pounds by next week, but it’ll be worth it, trust me.”
“If the word fat comes out of your mouth—”
He leaned over and brushed a kiss against my cheek. My hand shot to the place his lips had touched, my skin burning. “I love curves. Wouldn’t be a man otherwise.” He stood. “Ladies.” He caught my gaze and winked. “Amore mio.”
Siobhan fanned herself after he left. “Dayum, gurrl.”
“Don’t be so dramatic,” I muttered.
“What? That was… they say he has a way with women. Even my womb flipped. Don’t tell Casper or he’ll beat up your fiancé.”
I gave her a dirty look. “Not this woman. I’m just doing him a favor until I find a place to stay. And I’m going to need one ASAP if he’s going to be kissing me and hugging me—”
“And touching you, and ugh! Girl…” Siobhan grinned and leaned over the table. “Take advantage,” she whispered. “It’s a chance to get over Diego.”
“I don’t need a man to get over Diego,” I whispered fiercely. I hacked into my two extra pancakes and drenched them with syrup. I wouldn’t owe him for these either. I had the power to walk back through the line and get more food if I wanted. Except I didn’t get up.
Siobhan shrugged.
“Is that why you want to use his truck? To take advantage?”
“He offered! There’s nothing wrong with it. And you’re going to need more than your car to move your furniture.”
I rolled my shoulders at the feeling of tiny ants running all over me. “It feels wrong.”
“Maybe if you weren’t attracted to him, then you’d feel fine.”
“I’m not!” I sounded too indignant and crossed my arms in a huff. “That’s crazy.”
“Uh-huh. Your face is completely flushed. You gotta admit, Vero, the guy is very nice to look at. Not that I’m not happy with Casper or anything.”
