Maybe he could fib and tell her he was dating someone and that it had only happened recently. If Peyton wasn’t engaged, he’d ask her to help him. It would be awkward, given how he felt about her, but he’d been able to maintain his distance all these years. He could handle a day of pretending.
Once the plane landed, Gus took a limo to Peyton’s apartment. He still couldn’t figure out why he was nervously excited to see her. Maybe it was because she was engaged again, and all of Ty’s talk of telling her how he felt wasn’t helping.
Maybe he would’ve considered telling her a few months ago, but this third engagement? Something in him had changed. Not only did she not see him as anything other than a friend, but she’d rather keep going out with losers than try with Gus. From that moment on, he’d closed his heart down and promised himself to let her go this time. Seeing her was hard, but with time, it would get easier.
It didn’t make Gus amiable toward Frank. The financial-planning jerk in the fake Italian suits who behaved more like a used car salesman. The guy was obnoxious and loud.
Anytime Peyton said a word, Frank would either make fun of her or downplay her ideas. Why she’d agreed to marry him was beyond Gus’s ability to comprehend, but he wasn’t going to dwell on that or say anything.
Peyton didn’t need or want his opinion on the guys she dated. A memory floated to mind, one that took him back to their first semester in college. She’d met this guy who thought he was a gift to the planet. Gus thought he was the kind of gift cows left behind as they grazed.
For weeks, Gus put up with the guy treating Peyton as if she were property, and one night, he’d had enough when he heard the buffoon say something to her. She’d gotten angry, accusing him of not giving Perry a chance. How could Gus give the guy a chance when he was such a dirtbag?
They had a huge argument, the worst one they’d ever had—and they’d disagreed in the past. Plenty in fact, but that time it was horrible. Her words came back like a fist. Gus, just stay out of my love life. I’m not dating you, and you aren’t my dad! From that moment on, he’d determined to never again chime in on her dating choices. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d held his tongue, but she didn’t need or want his opinion.
He shook the memory from his mind. There was no point in dwelling on it. Peyton was going to date and marry whoever she wanted. Maybe this was for the best. Maybe if she got married, he could finally move on.
As the limo turned into Peyton’s neighborhood, Gus stared out the window and smiled, trying to file away as much of his wayward thoughts about Peyton and relationships and everything else as he could. It was going to be a great evening, and he wouldn’t let his talk with Ty bleed into it. He and Peyton were friends, and Gus was happy with that.
He was going to pick her up and enjoy his time with her. He’d deal with her marriage a different day. Tonight, they were celebrating her promotion. And while he hadn’t asked her directly about it, he knew she got it. They’d be crazy not to promote her. She was amazing, driven, talented, and hardworking. Anything she set her mind to, she pursued until she got it. It’s what made her Peyton and what made him love her.
Get your copy of The Matchmaker’s Fake Marriage and follow along as Gus and Peyton fall in love.
Other Books by Bree Livingston
A Clean Billionaire Romance Series
Her Pretend Billionaire Boyfriend:
A Clean Billionaire Romance Book One
Her Second Chance Billionaire Sweetheart:
A Clean Billionaire Romance Book Two
Her Broken Billionaire Boss:
A Clean Billionaire Romance Book Three
Her Fake Billionaire Fiancé:
A Clean Billionaire Romance Book Four
Her Stranded Billionaire Mix-Up:
A Clean Billionaire Romance Book Five
A Clean Fake Relationship Romance Series
The Cowboy’s Fake Marriage:
A Clean Fake Relationship Romance Book One
The Star’s Fake Marriage:
A Clean Fake Relationship Romance Book Two
The Matchmaker’s Fake Marriage:
A Clean Fake Relationship Romance Book Four
A Clean Romance Stand Alone
Love and Charity
COMING IN December! Book 5!
The Beast’s Fake Marriage:
A Clean Fake Relationship Romance Book Five
About the Author
Bree Livingston lives in the West Texas Panhandle with her husband, children, and cats. She'd have a dog, but they took a vote and the cats won. Not in numbers, but attitude. They wouldn't even debate. They just leveled their little beady eyes at her and that was all it took for her to nix getting a dog. Her hobbies include...nothing because she writes all the time.
She loves carbs, but the love ends there. No, that's not true. The love usually winds up on her hips which is why she loves writing romance. The love in the pages of her books are sweet and clean, and they definitely don't add pounds when you step on the scale. Unless of course, you're actually holding a Kindle while you're weighing. Put the Kindle down and try again. Also, the cookie because that could be the problem too. She knows from experience.
Join her mailing list to be the first to find out publishing news, contests, and more by going to her website at https://breelivingstonwrit.wixsite.com/breelivingston.
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