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My girlfriend.
“Sounds right to me.” I attempt a reassuring smile, but the nerves kindling in my chest are impossible to ignore. “Boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“I’ve never had a boyfriend before. Not even a fake boyfriend.”
“What do you mean? Ever?” My fingers curl for no reason.
She must have had some kind of relationship in the past.Is Molly a virgin?
Where on earth has my head gone?Stop it, man. It’s not my business what her love life looks like, even if I’m a bit curious.
“Uh.” She slants her body away from me. I take a step back, sensing her discomfort from our close proximity. “With Lance…we were at a dinner when the terms were arranged. I was single when I sat down at the table, and by the time they brought out the crème brûlée, I was a fiancée. And before that…well, the dating options are slim when you’re in my position. The decent guys are taken or decrepit.” Molly laughs casually.
Doesn’t seem like she’s been given a choice on anything in her life.
How have I never noticed before?
“Well, you’ll also be my first fake girlfriend.”
“What about a real girlfriend?” Her voice is small. “I mean, you don’t have to tell me, sorry.”
“No, it’s fine for you to ask. We’ll definitely have to get to know each other much more if we’re going to make a convincing couple. I doubt knowing what color mug you use at the office for each corresponding workday would be enough to spell out that we’re in love.”
The smile on her face vanishes. “What?”
Molly has a tendency to walk around the office, saying hello, and she’s always carrying a different colored mug. I’m certain everyone’s noticed. It’s her thing.
I pull at my collar again. “Your mugs,” I clarify. “On Monday it’s purple, and on Tuesday I think it’s green—”
“You know about that?” She pulls her knees together, almost knocking them into me.
“Yeah, it’s no big deal. The little things make a person interesting, right?”
“Right…” Molly doesn’t seem convinced. “I guess it would be smart to exchange personal profiles, just in case we’re probed.”
“Good thinking.” I nod. “We can compile fact sheets about ourselves and quiz each other until I’m fluent in Molly Greene and you’re fluent in me.”
It’ll cover all the important things—I’ll just be sure to leave out the granular details about my relationship and medical history. My infertility and what happened with my ex have no place here.
This is pretend. Why burden Molly?
“Great.” She seems to shrink a bit, but I can’t tell why.
Aaron’s tablet clatters behind her as he nibbles at his fruit.
“Anyway, to answer your previous question, I haven’t had a partner in years. It just hasn’t been in the cards. No one really fits into the life I’ve built, and, well, I guess I’ve been too busy to look.” I pocket my hands into my sweats. “Hopefully that doesn’t dissuade you too much.”
“No.” She shakes her head back and forth. “We can figure out how to fake being in a relationship together.”
“We can do this.” I give her a nod. “It’s like a new work project.”
“Only pretend.” Molly smiles.
Chapter5
Molly
“You’re getting divorced.”
