SEAL’s Fake Marriage

by Ivy Jordan

  There is something simple, but classy about the jeans she wears, cuffed at her ankle with nude pumps, a simple blouse, not too fitted but not too loose, and a blazer. She adjusts the tortoiseshell cat eye-shaped glasses on her face and with a quick, appraising sweep of the room, she heads for the bar and takes the only empty seat — beside me. I offer a quick, polite smile as she sits down. The bartender takes her order and while she waits for her drink, she pulls her phone out.

  I watch her surreptitiously as her eyes remain locked with the screen of her phone. Her hair is the same color as my dark beer and falls to her shoulders, full and looking soft to the touch. She’s beautiful, not a bombshell like Josephine, but she looks like the picture-perfect girl next door, the kind of woman Josephine has worked so hard to seem like, but no one actually buys into.

  Classy girl also paid me no mind at all when she sat down. I admit, it puzzled me. In this town, everyone knows who I am. I gather she must be playing it cool, waiting for me to make a move. And who am I not to oblige?

  “Hi, I’m Cade,” I smile, turning toward her.

  She looks up, startled at my voice. I hold my hand out.

  When she looks up at me, I notice right away that her eyes are the color of forget me nots, my mom’s favorite flower, and that there is no moment of dawning recognition. She has no clue who I am. “Hello, I’m Serena,” she answers after a beat, politely shaking my hand before returning to her phone.

  I decide to press on, see if she really doesn't know who I am, or if she’s just that good.

  “Nice day, huh?”

  “Oh, um, yes, yes, it’s a nice day,” she replies.

  “How about those Condors? That was some win the other week. Everyone’s still talking about it.”

  “Condors? That’s the basketball team?”

  I chuckle. “No, it's the football team. They just won the Super Bowl.”

  She nods. “Right. Football.”

  I decided to mess with her. See if she really was as clueless about sports as she was leading me to believe. “Yep, football. The sport with the homeruns. The team that scores the most wins the Super Bowl. It’s just a big home run derby, you know?”

  “Really? They just see who can score the most homeruns? Hmph. For how long?”

  “A couple hours. They have four quarters, and you score a point for every homerun, and then there are bonus points for hitting certain targets on the field, too.”

  “That seems like a lot of time for something so simple.”

  “Everyone really only watches for the commercials, anyway.”

  “Like the ones with the horses? Those are always so sweet,” she purred.

  “Yep, exactly like that,” I said, trying to keep a straight face. She was adorable.

  Chapter Six

  Serena

  The man sitting beside me is an Adonis. There’s just no other way to put it.

  The way his sandy blond hair flows in loose waves that are longer on the top than the sides has my fingers itching to run through the strands. His eyes are brown like rich soil and something about them makes me want to get lost in them for hours. He’s not dressed up, just casual in a pair of faded jeans and a snug white t-shirt, but he looks like a walking, talking fantasy. He is charming and gorgeous...and I have no idea why a guy this good looking would strike up a conversation with me of all people, but I won’t turn it down.

  This normally would not be a place I’d be in, but I promised Ashley I’d go on at least one date this week. I matched with a cute enough guy earlier in the week, and he suggested we meet here for dinner and drinks. He’s late, and it’s a definite strike against him. I like punctuality, especially when making a first impression. Meantime, my bar companion isn’t a bad way to pass the time.

  “What do you do, Serena?” Cade asks me. I look up at him, surprised to find myself so taken by his smile. He seems to genuinely want to know more so, I oblige.

  “Well, I’m an astrophysicist.”

  “Like Raj on The Big Bang Theory?”

  “Yes,” I laugh. “Like Raj...or Neil deGrasse Tyson.”

  “Oh, I know who he is. I watched that special he did about the cosmos. So, you must be pretty smart, then.”

  I blush. “I have my doctorate,” I admit shyly.

  “Wow. I just studied business in college. Not much science. What are you working on right now?”

  “I’m part of a research team looking through data to find planets outside of our solar system.”

  “Is that what you do every day?” he asks.

  “Oh no, I teach also, at USC, but what I really want to do is bring science to everyone, you know, make it fun and exciting and easy to understand for a younger generation, get them excited about science, too.”

  “That’s really cool, Serena.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Can I buy you drink?” he smiles and nods to my glass.

  I look down at my now empty drink and back over to Cade. I’m enjoying myself and I haven’t enjoyed myself in a long time. “Sure. Thank you,” I smile. He catches the bartender's attention and orders a second round for the both of us. As she sets fresh drinks in front of us, Cade lifts his toward me, and we clink our glasses together.

  “Hey, did you hear the moon is going broke?” I ask him. He looks at me, puzzled. “Yeah, it’s down to its last quarter.” There is a pause before Cade starts to laugh, and I can't help but laugh along with him.

  “You’re like the sexy version of Neil deGrasse Tyson, complete with bad jokes,” he teases me, his eyes sparkling.

  “I don’t know about sexy.”

  He looks me up and down, and I feel my skin heat up and my pulse quicken. “Trust me, you’re sexy.”

  No man who looks like Cade has ever made such an obvious pass at me. I am thrilled, but I still blush.

  “Now, I know that can't be the first time a man has told you that,” he chuckles.

  “It is,” I admit. “Certainly after telling a lame science joke.”

  “That’s what tipped you over the scales, though,” he added with a wink.

  I laugh along with him and find myself surprised not only by how easy it is to talk to Cade, but also by his actual interest in what I do.

  “What about the physics of football? Do you know about that?”

  I shake my head. “It isn’t something I’ve studied, to be honest.”

  “You should,” he encourages. “People love football. Maybe it’s a way you can connect with kids. I know the kids I’ve met love sports. Combining something they love with something you want them to love might be cool to them.”

  “That’s a good suggestion I hadn't thought of. I’m teaching a course this semester regarding the physics in movies, and it does appeal to a certain segment of young people. Sports could probably do the same for a different cut of the pie, so to speak.”

  “That sounds interesting, physics in the movies.”

  “It’s fun. We talk about force, acceleration, momentum, Newton’s Law... I mean, a lot of the time, Hollywood takes liberties, especially in action movies, but sometimes they get it right.” He nods as I’m talking, and I realize I haven’t even asked him what he does. I’m embarrassed to have been rude, but truthfully, his smile was distracting, and I wanted to see more of it.

  “What about you, Cade? What do you do?” I ask as I sip from my drink.

  “Truth be told, I think I’m in the midst of a midlife crisis. I don’t know what I’m doing at the moment, and I don’t know what I want out of life next.”

  “Are you in business for yourself? You mentioned going to school for business.”

  “No, I work for a, uh, corporation,” he replied. “Big business, I guess you could say. I’m just not sure it makes me happy anymore.”

  “I understand. I’m happier being able to teach the physics in movies course this year, but I’m still not satisfied. Being able to reach the younger minds is where I want to be. Are you married, kids?”

  “No,
no, no, not married. No kids. No girlfriend, either.”

  “Siblings?” I ask.

  “Only child.”

  “I have a sister, Ashley.”

  “I bet you’re the older sister,” he remarks.

  “You would be right.” I glance at my watch and frown. My “date” is now thirty minutes late.

  “Someplace else you need to be?” Cade asks.

  I sigh. “No. I promised my sister I would make at least one date this week from this dating site she signed me up for, and, of course, he’s late.”

  “That’s disrespectful to show up late. He doesn't deserve a date with you. Let me take you to dinner instead. Anywhere you want.”

  I am surprised at how strongly he says that my so-called date has been disrespectful, and flattered that he wants to take me to dinner. I consider it for all of three seconds.

  “Anywhere I want?”

  “Anywhere you want.”

  I grab a cocktail napkin from the bar and a pen from my purse, writing down an address and sliding it to him. I pick up my drink and finish it before hopping up. “I’ll meet you there.”

  Chapter Seven

  Cade

  Serena is walking toward the door before my mind catches up and processes that she has agreed to have dinner with me. When she reaches the door, she looks over her shoulder at me, smiles, and I scramble to my feet, throwing bills on the bar, snatching up the napkin with the address, and making my way out after her.

  I love that Serena has no idea who I am. And damn, it was cute how she believed me when I told her the Super Bowl is decided by who hits the most homeruns. I appreciate that she has a career and a goal for her life. Wanting to reach kids and get them as excited about science as she obviously is, that’s admirable, and I find myself wishing I knew a way to help her.

  When I reach my car, I see her pulling away. I’m in my car as fast as I can be, unfolding the napkin in one hand while unlocking my phone with the other, typing the address in and letting the phone guide me as I pull into traffic.

  The restaurant isn’t far, ten minutes, and I am surprised by her choice as get out of my car and walk to the door where she’s waiting. “This isn’t what I expected.”

  “I’m a simple girl, Cade, with simple tastes, and this is the best Mexican restaurant in town. I eat here two or three times a week during the school year.”

  “Really?”

  “Really,” she affirms.

  She grabs my hand to tug me forward. My pulse quickens.

  “Come on,” she insists.

  We’re seated fairly quickly, despite how busy the restaurant is. Chips and salsa appear at our table almost immediately, and a waitress comes by to take our drink order a few moments later. We look over our menus in silence, and when the waitress comes back with our drinks, we’re both ready to order. Once the waitress leaves again, I look over at Serena.

  “So,” I start, not sure what to say next.

  “So...” she repeats at my pause, smiling at me in a way that does something to me I can’t explain. “Are you from Los Angeles?”

  “No, I moved here seventeen years ago. I’m originally from Chicago. What about you?”

  “Born and raised.”

  “Was it like it is on TV?” I question.

  She laughs. “Not when you’re a science nerd. Far, far from it. What about you?”

  “It wasn’t terrible,” I tell her. I was the star quarterback with the head cheerleader girlfriend and every other girl offering me anything I wanted. Of course, it wasn’t terrible. But I keep that to myself.

  “What is Chicago like?”

  “Cold, very cold, except for like sixty days in the summer.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep; it’s very different than here, that’s for sure. But it’s a beautiful city, and I go back and visit my parents as often as I can.”

  “Is it scary? I hear the crime rate is crazy.”

  “There are bad parts of any city,” I say diplomatically. “Even L.A. But there are some parts of town I wouldn't recommend going into by yourself.” I take a sip of my drink as she nods.

  “That’s true.”

  “Tell me about your sister,” I suggest. “I’m thinking I should send her some flowers as a thank you for making you go out on a date this week.”

  Serena’s laugh is like a melody. Best laugh I’ve ever heard. Hands down.

  “Ashley is a free spirit, very bohemian. She paints for a living, and she still lives with our parents, so you know, a true artiste,” she winks. “Seriously, though. I love her, she’s my sister, even though I’m positive she thinks I’m more than a little uptight and that I should date more than I do. Most men I meet, I can tell right away that they aren’t someone I want to spend time with. I’m not interested in wasting my time, you know? I don’t know exactly what I want, but when I find it, I like to think I’ll know.”

  “I get that. Actually, that kind of perfectly sums up the confusion in my head. I don’t know what I want to do next, but when I come across the right opportunity, I hope I’ll know.”

  “I’m sure you will,” she tells me, reaching across to squeeze my fingers with hers. Her touch lingers for a moment, but the spell is broken seconds later when our waitress comes to check on our drinks.

  We settle into an easy conversation after that. We talk a little about our childhoods, I ask Serena more about her job, and she slips in a few more science jokes, some I even get. She asks me more about what I do, but I’m vague, not wanting to admit I’m a professional athlete and ruin her not knowing who I am. It’s so nice to be able to converse with someone with no expectations. I’m also just taken by her. She’s intelligent, funny, self-assured, and low maintenance. It is a refreshing change of pace from Josephine, and I find myself hanging on to her every word.

  After we eat, Serena orders dessert, and we end up sharing an order of sopapillas. I like that not only did she eat a full meal, she got dessert, too. Josephine never orders dessert, and I’m lucky if she picks at a salad when we go out. Being around a woman who eats like a real person is fantastic. I snag the bill before she can and ignore her protests to split it with me.

  “I asked you to dinner, so I pay,” I tell her. “That’s what a gentleman does.”

  “But this isn’t a date,” she protested.

  “Yes, it is. You promised your sister one date this week, and I’ve delivered on that. I’m paying.”

  “Fine,” she sighs, seeing that I won’t give in.

  As we walk out to her car, I grab her hand to slow her pace. “You should come over to my place for a drink,” I tell her, not wanting the evening to be over.

  “I don’t know...”

  “We’ve spent the last two hours together. Haven’t I proved I’m not a serial killer?”

  She laughs. “That’s exactly what a serial killer would say to lure you to their house.”

  “Maybe. But, truth is... I’m not quite ready for this to be over. So, do something with me. Anything.”

  “I have classes to teach tomorrow.”

  “I won’t keep you out past midnight, Cinderella.”

  She looks at me for another moment, then sighs. “Okay. Fine. What’s your address?”

  My smile turns victorious. Elation courses through me as I mentally pump my fist. Serena grabs her phone to type in my address. I wait for her to get in her vehicle and start out before jogging over to my truck. She pulls out behind me, and I am mindful of her following me, trying not to get separated from her, but knowing she’s got the GPS in case we do.

  The drive to my place is maybe thirty minutes, and I feel myself getting nervous as we pull into the driveway. She parks beside me, and we both step out of our vehicles at almost the same time.

  “That's a lot of house for one guy,” she comments.

  She's not wrong; my house is two stories and twenty thousand square feet with seven bedrooms and ten bathrooms. I still have no idea why I need that many more bathrooms than bedrooms.<
br />
  “What did you say you do again?”

  “Athletic personnel support.”

  “So, like an agent?”

  “Something like that,” I reply, still purposefully vague. “Let's go inside, I'll give you the tour.”

  Just inside the door, I punch in my alarm code after letting her in. I kick my shoes off in the entryway and she does the same, leaving her heels beside my shoes. I like being barefoot at home, and I especially like that she is willing to go barefoot in my house without a second thought. I thread Serena's arm through mine and walk further inside, pointing out the living room and the dining room as I head for the kitchen. There's a bar in another room, but there's also football paraphernalia all over that room, much of it showing me in uniform, so I'm avoiding it.

  “What can I get you to drink?” I ask.

  “Water?”

  “Of course.” I grab two glasses and fill them with ice and then water. “Would you like to sit outside? We can sit by the pool or on the patio?”

  “The patio sounds nice.”

  I lead the way, and we settle outside. It's a nice night, but I turn on the patio heater, anyway. Our conversation picks right up from where it left off at the restaurant, and it's the easiest I've ever found interacting with a woman to be. Before I know it, thirty minutes have passed and once again, I'm hanging on every word she says.

  “How do you organize a space party?” Serena asks me randomly. I know it’s another of her jokes.

  “How?”

  “You planet.”

  I stare at her a beat before starting to laugh and shake my head. “You are like no woman I have ever met before,” I tell her.

  “Now who's got the lame jokes?”

  “It's not a joke.”

  “That's definitely a line.”

  “I swear it's not a line, I mean it. I've spent too much time around shallow, Hollywood types, and you are so much more than that. You’re real and honest and just you. I've really enjoyed myself tonight with you.”

  “Thank you, Cade. I've enjoyed tonight, too.”