Mr. Mistake: A Fake Marriage Romance (Mr. Mistake Series Book 1)

by Karice Bolton

  “Umm, no. I very squarely found the norm, middle-of-the-road kind of man.” I nodded slowly.

  “Boys. She’s only dated boys,” my friends yelled in unison over their shoulders as they headed over to my family.

  My jaw tightened before pressing forward. “How about you?”

  He laughed, and the sound was like a beautiful melody I’d somehow found in my life but never knew was missing. “So, you like to play it safe.” He stayed focused on me.

  “I don’t like to play it at all.”

  He laughed and nodded, looking out toward the beautiful view of Puget Sound. “It’s exhausting, isn’t it?”

  I let out a big sigh and nodded. “Extremely exhausting. So much so that I’d rather just…not.”

  He brought his gaze back to mine, and every cell in my body lit up like the Fourth of July.

  “I know exactly what you mean.” He licked his bottom lip and drew a breath, and all I could think about was what it would be like to kiss those lips. “Sometimes, I think I’m better-off single.”

  “Thank you.” I smacked his arm, and he laughed. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell my best friends, also known as the troublemakers, since my broken engagement. I’m okay being married to me. The idea of dating is exhausting, and add to it my friends’ expectations, and I’m nearly paralyzed.”

  “Well, instead of Mr. Wrong, you have Mr. Mistake.” He grinned, which made me nearly giddy, and I couldn’t figure out if it was from the margarita or his smile. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

  I laughed and shook my head. “The night is young, and I’ve only had one drink. Check back with me in an hour.”

  His smile only deepened, and the heat behind his gaze grew. “It’s a deal. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just go wander over to that group of strangers and pretend I enjoy mingling.”

  I giggled and watched the man I couldn’t think straight around wander off to the group of men my friends must have invited as backups to McKenzie because I didn’t know a single one of them.

  I also never would have dreamed that Maddox McKenzie was so…

  Sexy.

  Charming.

  Dreamy.

  “Hello, daughter of mine.” My mom snuck up behind me and gave me a great big hug. “That was quite the handsome fellow you were talking to.”

  I chuckled and shook my head. “No getting around that. You can blame Arie, Winter, and Samantha.”

  “Or thank them for a beautiful set of grandchildren some glorious day?” My mom’s eyes twinkled as my dad walked up to us and gave me a hug.

  “Happy birthday, Tessa. The big three-zero.” He kissed the top of my head, and I let out a hidden sigh.

  My father was an amazing man, an amazing father, and an incredible spouse to my mom. They were inseparable, but I was beginning to think that type of love didn’t exist in this day and age.

  Everyone wanted instant gratification, and love, while gratifying, wasn’t always about the next big surge of adrenaline. Love was about endurance, kindness, loyalty, friendship, and well, I didn’t even know what all because I wasn’t sure I’d ever been deeply, truly in love before.

  “It certainly was nice of your friends to plan this for you.” My dad looked around Mud Flats.

  I chuckled as he took a step back while my brothers approached. “Yes, but I’m not sure it was out of the goodness of their hearts.”

  My dad scanned the room again, his eyes stumbling upon the group of men. “I see.”

  “I think it’s a singles event just for me.” I laughed.

  “Well, I’d say out of the lot, that man you were talking to a few minutes ago is above the rest.” My dad’s brows wiggled.

  “You’re as bad as your wife,” I teased.

  “We’re not getting any younger, I’m afraid. We had a late start on getting you three.” My dad slapped my brother Brendan in the back.

  “Are you guys hassling poor Tessa again?” Brendan asked. He was older than me by two years, and my other brother, Jack, was younger than me by eighteen months. My dad wasn’t kidding when he joked about pushing us out quickly.

  I smiled, but suddenly, the image of Samantha and one of my brothers panicked me, and I had to look away. Could one of them have slept with my best friend? I shuddered and brought my gaze back to my mom. Now was not the moment to think about that.

  Actually, I never wanted to think about that.

  “Who was that guy?” Brendan asked. “He looks kind of familiar.”

  “He’s a McKenzie brother. His name is Maddox.”

  “No way.” Brendan shook his head. “He was a grade behind me, but I thought he was a nice kid.”

  “Kid?” I laughed. “I think we’re past that age now.”

  “Leave it to Brendan to think he’s so much wiser than the rest of us.” Jack rolled his eyes and laughed. There was always a friendly competition between my brothers, but thankfully, I rarely got stuck in the middle of it.

  “Is that your date?” my mom asked.

  “Nope.” I pressed my lips into a fine line. “I’m as single as they come. I think my friends wanted me to test the waters with many.”

  My dad gasped.

  “Not all at once,” I assured him, and he cringed. “It’s coming out wrong.”

  “I hope so.” He laughed.

  “My friends think I need to quit dating the super clean-cut, goody-two-shoes types and maybe try someone with a little edge. And they are trying to get me to do all of this by thirty.”

  “The timeline is a little off.” My mom pushed her lips into a playful scowl. “But they could be onto something.”

  “That’s been the consensus so far.” I scowled.

  “And this Maddox is edgy?” my dad pressed.

  “Well, he wasn’t actually the McKenzie my friends were shooting for. They thought they’d invited his younger brother, Morgan. They wanted me to try dabbling with a Mr. Wrong.”

  My brothers laughed.

  “What?” I furrowed my brows.

  “Your friends invited the wannabe rocker boy?”

  I rolled my eyes and hid a smile. “There’s a room full of guests waiting to tell me how wonderful I am and wish me a happy birthday. I’ll circle back around when you’ve grown some manners.”

  I kissed my mom’s cheek just as she turned to head back to the bar for a refill on her piña colada. She loved her sugary drinks.

  I spotted several teachers from the high school congregating over in the corner and made my way there. It was probably the only safe zone in the room.

  “Happy birthday, Tessa,” Bridgette squealed, wrapping her arms around me. She taught eleventh-grade math and was happily sipping on a Bloody Mary.

  “Thank you.” I hugged her back as the rest of the ladies wished me a happy birthday too.

  “How is it you have the hottest party in town?” Bridgette asked, fanning herself with her hand.

  So much for the safe zone!

  “Well, the island isn’t huge, so…” I laughed and had to admit the group of men my friends had wrangled near the bar looked pretty pleasing.

  “Especially that one,” Bridgette said, pointing. “I’m sure they had to boat those men over.”

  I followed her finger right to Maddox, and he’d somehow managed to look even more good-looking than a few minutes ago.

  “He went to school with me. Well, he didn’t, exactly, but his brother did.”

  “Tessa had a crush on his brother,” Tori informed them all as their gazes landed back on me.

  “Why not on him?” Bridgette asked.

  “I didn’t really know him, and he was older than me.”

  Samantha caught my eye and pulled Winter with her toward us all.

  “Hey, we heard Tessa had a crush on that man’s brother?” Bridgette asked as Winter and Samantha arrived.

  “Yeah, it was our bad.” Winter grimaced. “We thought we were inviting her high school crush, whom she’d always thought was all wrong for h
er.”

  “Why’s that?” Bridgette asked.

  “He was a rocker, and she’s always into—”

  “Preppy boys.” Bridgette chuckled. “We all know that story.”

  “Oh, how I love living on a small island,” I teased, laughing.

  “You know you do.” Tori smiled and squeezed my cheek right when I noticed Maddox looking over at me.

  The next thing I knew, my insides flipped like they were on a repeat loop-de-loop.

  “So instead of Mr. Wrong, we got Mr. Mistake.” Winter frowned. “But I still think we have a shot at wedding bells in thirty days.”

  I glared at Winter. “And what, precisely, would you do if I actually found a man tonight and married him in a month?”

  “You wouldn’t.” Winter smiled. “You’re more sensible than that, but it’s good to light the fire.”

  “The fire doesn’t need to be lit,” I assured her. “And maybe you’re wrong. Maybe I’ll be engaged before all you turkeys.” I smiled and glanced at Maddox. “Maybe he’s the one.”

  Winter’s smile only grew. “Now you’re talking. Maybe he is the one, but you need more than thirty days.”

  I shrugged. “Didn’t sound like it earlier.” I eyed Arie, who looked a little worried by my determination. “Anyway, it’s all a silly game, so who knows? I’m going to enjoy the rest of my non-birthday party. Maybe see who else you picked up off the streets for me to meet besides Mr. Mistake.”

  “That isn’t a mistake. That’s destiny.” Tori giggled.

  I couldn’t tear my eyes from Maddox, and my entire body was heating up with desire as he continued to watch me from across the room.

  I’d never felt this way.

  Ever.

  Not even with the man I was supposed to marry.

  But this…

  Maddox looked down and set his empty beer bottle on a table. It was like the moment his gaze left mine, I could function again. I watched him wander over to the open doors to the patio and step outside.

  I heard my friends talking, but I honestly had no idea what they were saying as I trundled away after Maddox. He was leaning against the railing, looking at the glistening sea water below, the wind rumpling his hair, and it felt like a scene from a movie.

  “You know something?” he asked when I leaned against the railing next to him.

  “What?” Our eyes connected, but then he looked away toward the Sound.

  “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.” He didn’t turn to see my reaction, which was good since I was utterly flummoxed.

  “I…uh, thanks.” I laughed nervously. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

  He laughed, and the moment he turned around and his blue eyes locked on mine, I thought I was going to melt into the pier. There was something so sincere about him that I actually wanted to believe what he said to be true, not just a pickup line.

  “So, my brother” He smiled, his eyes staying on mine as embarrassment crept up my spine. “You still interested in meeting up with him?”

  I cleared my throat and cracked a smile. “For the record, I was never interested in meeting up with him. It was all my friends’ idea, and lately, they’re only full of bad ones. I’d love to teach them a lesson.”

  “So, no need to invite him out for drinks with us sometime?” he asked, teasing.

  “Us?” I repeated.

  “Well, I’m hoping I can convince you to have drinks with me.” He turned around and leaned against the railing as he took the party in. “I like this place.”

  I felt several sets of prying eyes on us when an idea popped into my head to teach my friends a lesson, but the moment the idea shot into my mind, I shoved it right out.

  “Mud Flats is great,” I agreed.

  “Fireweed is too.” He straightened up. “I looked at property here once.”

  “Really? For what?”

  “Development.”

  “Oh, is that what you do? Real estate?” I asked, trying not to be impressed.

  He shrugged. “Just a side hustle.”

  I laughed. “My side hustles equate with embroidery and painting. Not real money makers, but I enjoy making the pieces.”

  “I bet they’re beautiful. I’d like to see your work someday.”

  My heart flipped in my chest, and I had no idea why.

  Maybe because I’d just met a gorgeous man who’s talking about a future encounter? Might only be one, but that’s one more than I’ve had in ages. Or maybe he was only offering idle chitchat that I was overthinking. Probably the latter.

  “My mom learned embroidery from my grandmother. It’s a real art form,” he informed me.

  “Didn’t she live with you? Your grandma, I mean.” I vaguely remembered a kind older woman often sitting on the McKenzies’ porch, even if the garage door was rolled up and the band blaring.

  His brows shot up in surprise. “She did, up until she was ninety-two when she joined Grandpa in heaven. I think she was secretly relieved to escape Morgan’s music.”

  I giggled.

  “Actually, that’s not true. She loved hearing him play, but I just wanted to see that smile of yours again.”

  Another flutter ran through my belly, but I just couldn’t shake the idea rolling around in my head.

  I wanted to teach my friends a lesson once and for all, and who better than an old semi-classmate to help?

  “So, she lived with you your whole life?” I asked.

  “Quite a lot of it. We’d just moved into the neighborhood when she came to live with us.”

  “That’s nice.” I saw Winter, Samantha, and Arie staring at us from inside, and I gritted my teeth. They weren’t even trying to hide the fact that they were spying on us.

  “Are you close with your family?” he asked, noticing my friends watching us.

  I nodded and chuckled. “Well, I just got a not-so-subtle hint about my mother wanting grandchildren soon, and my brothers wind up staying at my house a lot in the summer, so if that doesn’t scare you off, I don’t know what will.”

  He laughed.

  “I have two aunts who live in the city and then an uncle in North Carolina where my dad’s parents live, and my other grandparents are snowbirds, so we see them in the summer. I couldn’t imagine not having them all in my life, but they are all really in my life, my business…almost as bad as my friends. Nevertheless, I love them all to pieces.” I gave my friends another side-eye, and there they were.

  “Even if they are impatiently waiting for you to procreate?” He laughed. “Funny how parents never ease up.”

  “And friends.” I chuckled as my gaze landed on Winter’s and she pretended to pick something up off the floor. “I think it’s actually going to get worse with age. Once my parents retire, I’m pretty sure I’ll have no peace and quiet.”

  “Seems like your friends might be even worse.” A dimple surfaced in Maddox’s right cheek, and I was happy Winter wasn’t around to see it. She’d go crazy over it.

  “I’m pretty sure you’re right.” I sighed. “Kind of takes the fun out of it.”

  “Fun out of what?” he asked.

  “Dating.” I grinned. “I mean, this is bad enough, and I feel so bad that you had to come out here for nothing.”

  “There’s always a reason for everything.” His gaze fell back to mine, and a shot of electricity ran between us.

  “Thank you for showing up. You didn’t have much info to go on.”

  “Hearing that a girl I had a crush on was going to be the center of the party was enough for me.” His dimple only deepened as my breath caught. “And I’m always up for a little fun and adventure.”

  “You had a crush on me?” I asked, completely surprised.

  “Sure did.”

  “Wow. I had no idea.” A sense of accomplishment ran through me.

  I’d always been the one to have secret crushes. I just never expected to be the center of one, for a change.

  It was nice.

 
“Well, thanks for giving me that confidence boost for my birthday.” I glanced in my friends’ direction and saw that they were making their way to the patio.

  There was no peace.

  “You say you’re up for a little fun and adventure, right?” I asked, and he nodded.

  “I have a proposal.”

  He leaned closer, and it was hard not to kiss him. “Does it involve getting to see you again?”

  “Possibly.” I smiled, feeling a rush of adrenaline.

  “Then shoot. I’m game for just about anything.”

  “This is going to sound crazy, and it is.” I drew a long breath as his eyes remained on mine. “Would you help me prank my friends? It’s for a good cause.”

  His brows furrowed. “I suppose. Depends on the prank.”

  “Okay.” I smiled, feeling the first little victory accomplished. “I’ll come up with some details.”

  “And we can discuss those details over dinner?” His lip curled slightly, and I nodded, feeling a flutter of excitement just as Winter and Arie bounded onto the patio.

  “I probably shouldn’t kidnap you from your own party,” he said, his voice low. “But it sounds like we have some things to discuss, and I look forward to hearing what you come up with.” Heat surfaced behind his gaze in a way I’d never seen before. He stepped forward, and my lips parted slowly, but the moment was stolen when Winter and Arie hurried over.

  I tore my gaze away, and Maddox leaned over and kissed my cheek softly, nearly sending me over the edge. There really would have been a kiss.

  “I hope to see you again.” His smile widened, and he pulled out his phone. “Can I have your number?”

  Winter and Arie looked like they wanted to do cartwheels next to us as I played it cool and told him my digits even though every ounce of me wanted to scream my excitement at the top of my lungs.

  As I watched him walk away, I suddenly didn’t care if he only turned out to be a one-night stand or a prank that went nowhere. I just wanted to see Maddox McKenzie one more time, but after mentioning wanting his help, there was a part of me that wasn’t sure I ever would.

  Chapter Four

  I nearly collapsed on the couch in my living room. Arie, Winter, and Samantha were in my kitchen making more drinks and giggling endlessly, yet all my mind could focus on was Maddox McKenzie.