The Matchmaker's Fake Marriage

by Bree Livingston

  “It’s your turn,” she said as she smiled at him.

  He worked his jaw and got his mouth moving. “I was coming to tell you that Ty booked us a horseback ride.”

  Her jaw dropped, and she clapped her hands. “Awesome. I wanted to do that.”

  “Well, I’ll get ready so we can go.” He winked, strode to the bedroom, and grabbed some clothes before ducking into the bathroom. He quickly showered and dressed, stepping out with his hair still dripping wet. “All set.”

  “You didn’t dry your hair, goofball.” She snatched a towel from the bathroom. “Bend down.” When he didn’t, she tugged on his shirt collar. “I’m going to get some of that water out of your hair.”

  “Fine.” He leaned down, and she toweled his hair.

  “Okay, better.”

  As he lifted his head, their gazes locked. She brushed the back of her hand along his jaw, into his hair, and combed her fingers through it. If the air was charged before, it sizzled now.

  His pulse raced as she continued to hold his gaze. His breathing ratcheted up, and he felt light-headed. What was Peyton doing? What was he doing? This was crazy. Was he trying to get his heart broken?

  After clearing his throat, he said, “We should probably get going.”

  “Yeah.” Her voice was just above a whisper, and her eyes were wide. Stepping back, she held the towel to her chest “See, better.”

  It was tenth grade all over again. Pretending nothing happened. “Yeah, and it’s warm. It’ll dry eventually.”

  As they stepped out of the bungalow, Peyton tangled her fingers in his, and he nearly flinched back. “In case someone sees us,” she said.

  Oh, right. They were married. “This will take some getting used to.”

  Her eyebrows knitted together. “Why? You can’t fathom being married to me? Am I that repulsive?”

  First, she acted like there were no sparks at all when it felt like he was being electrocuted. Then she seemed offended. What was he supposed to think?

  “No, it’s just…” He leaned down. “I’m not used to pretending I’m married.”

  If she only knew. Not only could he fathom it, but he’d also dreamed about it more than once. Her in her white dress, eyes on him as she made her way down the aisle, and that final kiss to seal it. He wanted it more than he was willing to let himself admit.

  “Oh, so you need to get used to it.” She bumped him with her shoulder.

  He kissed the back of her hand. “Peyton, I think you will make some guy out there the happiest man ever alive when you marry him. If he’s smart, at least.”

  “You’re just saying that because you’re my friend.” Peyton bumped him again.

  He stopped walking and turned to her, placing his free hand on her arm and looking into her eyes. “I am not. You will.” He sighed. “You have more to offer than you give yourself credit for. I know you’ve taken a hit with these failed relationships, but it’s not you, it’s them.”

  Peyton chewed her lip. “It takes two to kill a relationship. Granted, Frank used me, but I was so focused on being with someone that I wasn’t focused on being with the right someone.”

  Gus smiled. “Then you’ve learned something about yourself that you can apply to the next relationship.”

  “Yeah,” she sounded off as she looked away from him. Maybe he’d been imagining it, because when her gaze moved back to him, she was all smiles.

  They continued to the stables, and he let her hand go as they arrived. Saddled horses were tied to a post just outside as though someone was expecting them. What was weird was that only two horses were ready.

  “I don’t see anyone else,” Gus said as he glanced inside the building.

  “Should we come back later?” Peyton asked.

  He shook his head. It was strange, but he wasn’t going to disappoint Peyton. “No, I haven’t been on a trail ride, but the path is pretty worn. Plus, the horses are trained. If we let them do their job, we’ll be fine.”

  With one last look around, he helped Peyton onto her horse and then mounted his.

  Then it hit him. Ty. This smacked of something he’d do. Pushing Gus and Peyton together on a trail ride where they’d be all alone. When would his friend give up?

  When Gus got back, he was putting a stop to whatever else his friend had up his sleeve. There was one full week before New Year’s Eve, and then Peyton would return to Juneau and Gus would go back to New York City. He and Peyton were friends, and that’s all he could allow himself to believe.

  Chapter 11

  “Oh! Look at that!” Peyton pointed to a tree filled with birds. “They’re beautiful.”

  So far, the trail ride was incredible. The horses were so sweet, and they moved like they were professionals, which backed up what Gus had told her. Good thing, too, because her horsemanship skills were a little rusty.

  The scenery was something out of a fantasy novel. It was bright and felt so alive. The worn path held a variety of interesting things to see and hear and smell. Birds of all colors, plants so vivid they didn’t look real, and fresh clean air. Alaska had great air, but it was tropical-fresh here.

  Gus nodded. “Yeah, this is what I needed. Some quiet, a little time away, and my best friend.”

  “Me too,” she said softly. Best friend. Those words were beginning to taste nasty. Words she didn’t want associated with him. Probably because she’d almost kissed him…again.

  The first time, on the couch, she was a breath away from pressing her lips to his when Ty walked in. It had startled her when she realized what she almost did. She’d bolted out of the room like she was caught selling government secrets.

  Then Gus had walked out of the bathroom looking sexier than any man she’d ever seen. His jeans hit his hips at just the right spot, and his shirt was taut against his chest. Her heart had skipped a beat, and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.

  When she’d managed to speak and dried his hair, he’d met her gaze with those incredible sparkling green eyes that held hers, and she could’ve sworn the earth was moving under her feet. Nothing like that had ever happened to her before with any other man.

  Just as she made the decision to go for it and kiss him, he’d broken the spell. She felt blindsided. Didn’t he feel the zaps of electricity arcing between them? Now, all she could think about was kissing him.

  “Hey, I think I hear water,” Gus said as he glanced at her.

  “I think I hear it too,” Peyton said, trying to focus on something other than what it would feel like to have his lips on hers.

  Continuing their slow, meandering pace, she let her thoughts drift again. She’d meant what she said about relationships taking two. Frank had been the wrong man from the get-go, and she didn’t have to dig deep to know it. Well, if she really thought about it, none of the men she dated were all that great. Why had she dated them in the first place?

  What caught her off guard the most was Gus’s odd reaction to holding her hand and pretending to be married to her. This is something I’ll have to get used to. Why had that bothered her so much? She’d never thought of him that way before. Maybe she wasn’t thinking straight. It was possible she was latching on to the first man that came along.

  No, she knew that wasn’t true. Gus wasn’t just some man. He was so much more than that. Beyond looks, beyond anything, he was something special. He’d always been something special to her.

  “Peyton?”

  She took a deep breath and blinked. They’d arrived at a clearing without her even realizing it. “Oh, wow. You were right. That waterfall was what we heard.”

  He tilted his head. “Where were you?”

  “Enjoying the peace and scenery.” She smiled.

  He dismounted and then helped her down.

  She turned in place, trying to take it all in. “This is…wow.”

  “Yeah, that’s about the only word to use.”

  She smiled as she watched him looking around. “I thought you were playing dumb when you
said you hadn’t been up here.”

  “No, I’ve never seen this before. I don’t think I could’ve hidden that I’d been here before. It’s like something out of another world,” he said, walking closer to the edge of the clearing.

  “It really is.” Peyton walked to the edge and stood next to him.

  Comfortable silence stretched between them, and she let her mind wander back to the first time she met Gus. When he moved in next to her, it was the best thing ever. Finally, she had someone like all those girls in the movies. The kind with the walkie-talkies and secret languages.

  At first, he was so guarded, like he was used to people not liking him. Even back then, she couldn’t understand that. He was so likable to her. Then she found out why he’d moved to Juneau. His dad had cheated on his mom.

  Peyton could remember it like no time had passed. She found him in his backyard, sitting by their tree, trying to hide that he was crying. But she knew, so when that bully knocked him down, she stood up for him because someone needed to.

  “Do you remember that first summer after you moved in?”

  He laughed. “Yeah. I was upset about my dad, and you made it your mission to make sure I had a great summer. We camped in our living rooms almost every night.”

  “Your house and then mine. That was so much fun. It was the best summer.” She laughed with him. And then she remembered he’d nearly moved. “And then that year—we were juniors—we thought you were moving.”

  Nodding, one corner of his mouth twitched up. “Yeah, I don’t know who was more upset, me or you.”

  “Oh, it was me. I thought the world was ending.” Oh, talk about a clear memory. The night he told her his mom had applied for a job in Missouri, she’d curled around her pillow and soaked it with her tears. For days, she was sick with the thought that he might move.

  “I don’t know. I was pretty upset too. Finding out my mom was getting that raise and we could stay was like winning the lottery. At least, it was to me.”

  He had no idea. “Yeah, I was so relieved.”

  “Yeah, me too.” His lips turned up, and a smile stretched across them as he looked at her.

  Talk about an incredible view. That smile was amazing.

  Just then, she was struck by how much Gus meant to her. How much he’d always meant to her. And despite her selfishness, this beautiful man had cared enough about her to bring her to a place filled with so much splendor.

  “Gus, I don’t know how to thank you for bringing me here.”

  He shrugged as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and cast his gaze to the ground. “Thanks works.”

  She stepped into him. “No, it doesn’t. I’ll never be able to thank you enough. You’ve made my year.”

  As he lifted his head, her breath caught again. His green eyes sparkled in the light, mesmerizing her with their depth. She took his chin in her fingers, bringing his lips closer.

  Was she really going to kiss Gus? Would he be upset? What would he think? Should she kiss him? Every fiber in her being screamed, Yes!

  “Oh, hey, guys. I’m so sorry. We didn’t know anyone was up here,” Justine said, smiling like she’d won a prize. “Leave it to the newlyweds to find the best spot.”

  Peyton needed a gif of a woman pulling her hair out or a soundproof room where she could scream until her throat was sore. She nearly looked up at the sky and mouthed, Really? It was as though the universe was laughing at her, or maybe it was getting back at her for walking away from Gus all those years ago.

  Gus broke away from Peyton and looked at her, stunned and…almost pained. Oh no.

  “It’s okay,” he said as he turned to face the group of half a dozen riders, putting his arm around Peyton.

  Her heart hammered against her ribs. For the third time in a day, she’d almost kissed him. “It’s pretty romantic up here,” Peyton said. “And it’s easy to get caught up in it. You’ve been warned.” Had she been caught up in the moment? It was romantic. They were alone. Two plus two did equal four. But when she added x and y, it wasn’t that simple, and she knew it.

  Justine laughed and dismounted along with the rest of the group. “It’s so beautiful up here.”

  Gus nodded. “I couldn’t agree more.”

  “Hey, you should come with us. We’re headed farther up the mountain. I’m told there’s an even better waterfall up there.”

  Gus shook his head. “No, I think we’re going to grab some lunch.” He led Peyton to her horse. “Come on. Let’s get down this mountain.”

  Inwardly, Peyton chastised herself as he helped her up. There could be no more almost-kisses, especially with the anguished expression on his face that last time. He thought of her as a friend, so, of course, the thought of kissing her would horrify him. He didn’t want to mess up their friendship any more than she did. Was this how he felt when she’d walked away from him?

  Once he mounted his horse, they rode down the mountain. “So, are you up for lunch?” He sounded so normal, like nothing had happened. But something had happened. Maybe he wanted to pretend it didn’t because he didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

  “Sure,” she said quietly.

  Should she ask him about what happened? No, she already felt strange for almost kissing him. Adding an awkward talk would only make it worse. And did she really want to go in depth as to why he looked so pained when they’d been caught nearly kissing?

  Still, she couldn’t take her mind off how drawn to him she was and how differently she was seeing him. What had changed to make her thoughts so muddled and confusing?

  Then it hit her. She was falling for him. Holy smokes. She was falling for Gus. Oh, things had just gotten more dangerous. He didn’t feel the same way about her, and here she was, tumbling down a cliff, straight into spikes. And she had to pretend to be married to him. Holy cow, this was bad.

  No, it was this place. She couldn’t have feelings for Gus. That was crazy. He was Gus-Gus. They was nothing between them. But if that was the case, why had she tried to kiss him three times? Oh, her thoughts were an evil circle of confusion. What on earth was she going to do?

  Quietly, Peyton took a deep breath, forcing her thoughts to calm. It was going to be okay. She only had to spend the week with him. After that, she’d be flying back to Juneau, and everything would go back to normal. As long as she remembered that, she’d be fine.

  Chapter 12

  Gus and Peyton rode down the mountain, returned their horses, and ate lunch. Afterward, they went on a boat ride that took a few hours, and then he was called to the main house for an emergency. One of the guests was injured playing volleyball.

  Once Gus knew everyone was okay, he returned to the bungalow and found Peyton asleep on the couch. Instead of waking her, he covered her up and left quietly. He was tempted to lie down himself, but he drifted out of the bungalow and took a walk along the beach, eventually ending up at the patio near the main house.

  Now, sitting alone, Gus let his gaze sweep across the resort, and a sense of accomplishment washed over him. There were groups of two, three, and four at various tables. This is what he wanted when he bought the resort. A place where his clients could relax and maybe find love.

  Love…it was for everyone but him.

  Peyton almost kissed him again, or so he thought. She’d probably heard the group approaching, and to keep up appearances, she’d leaned in. That’s the only thing that made sense. Of course, that didn’t explain the moment in the bungalow before they went horseback riding.

  No, keeping up appearances didn’t explain that one, but being in a beautiful place, it was easy to get caught up in a moment. That’s why he’d pulled back. He didn’t want her to kiss him and then regret it. It would be worse than her walking away after he kissed her in high school.

  “Hey,” Ty said as he pulled out a chair and straddled it. “How was your horseback ride?”

  Gus shrugged. “It was good. It’s beautiful. You should see if Kalani wants to go sometime.” He grinned.
<
br />   Ty rolled his eyes. “My love life is fine. It’s yours that needs a jolt.”

  “My love life is fine too.” Gus paused. “I don’t know, Ty. I’m beginning to think it’s stupid to hold this torch for someone who will never see me as anything but a friend.”

  His friend groaned. “You’re basing that on something that happened years ago.”

  Just because it happened years ago didn’t mean things might have changed since then. “I know that, but if anything had changed on her end, wouldn’t she have said something? Maybe stopped dating all those losers?”

  “Didn’t you tell her that you only wanted to be friends after you kissed her?”

  “Yeah, but like you said, it was years ago.”

  Ty scoffed. “True, but you told her all you wanted was her friendship, and you’ve never told her any different. How is she supposed to know anything’s changed? Maybe she dated all those guys because you weren’t an option?”

  Gus leaned forward with his arms on the table. “It’s—”

  “Admit it. You’re terrified of getting your heart broken, so you’re holding on to the past as an excuse to keep yourself closed off.”

  Ty was wrong. Wasn’t he? High school was a long time ago. What if things between them had changed or could change? “Okay, so say part of that was true. What can I do without jeopardizing our friendship? She’s a big part of my life.”

  “I know, but is keeping her friendship worth being miserable all the time?”

  Gus’s pulse jumped. “I hadn’t thought about it like that.” He’d never thought of himself as miserable, but it didn’t take a plastic toy rake to dig deep enough to know he was. Being around her was painful, even though he loved it. He’d tried dating, only to find himself always comparing them to Peyton. He wanted to be loved just as much as the people using his software.

  Ty sighed. “Take this week to make her see that things can be different between the two of you. Let go of the past. The only way you’re ever going to be happy is to get out of this limbo you’ve been living in. And you have the best excuse…you’re pretending to be married.”