“Have you eaten?” he asked me.
I pointed to the plate next to me, which now just had a few crumbs on it. “Yeah, I had peanut butter on toast. The breakfast of champions. How about you? How was breakfast with your dad? How’s he doing?”
I’d gotten close to Pop in the past two years. My own father had passed away when I was just a little girl, and my mother had never remarried. Ian’s father treated me just like the daughter he never had, and I loved him for it.
“He’s doing well. He’s almost fully recovered. It took a lot longer than he had hoped, but I suppose it’s because he’s a lot older now. But he’s doing well. He’s back to his old self again. And he’s asked me to take on the role as president of the club. Like permanently.”
“Really? I thought he’d want the job once he was better?”
“He said it was pointless. He reckons I’ve been doing a better job than him. He’s still going to be a part of the club, but he wants me to be in charge.”
“What did you say?”
He grinned. “I said yes. I was sort of hoping he’d let me do it anyway.”
“I knew you were.”
“And he’s asked me to officially take over at the shop. He’s still going to work there, but he wants me to be in charge. Who knew he would ever trust me enough for this?”
“So, you own the shop now? That’s amazing!”
“Yeah. Oh, and there’s something I want to show you there. I’ve been working on a little something. I want to show you before I show anyone else. Mind if we stop by there before going out for dinner tonight?”
“We’re going out for dinner?” I asked. That was news to me.
“We are. Wear your yellow dress.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Really? I haven’t worn that dress in ages.”
“I know. But I want to see you in it again.”
I smiled. That dress would always remind of that time in the clearing when we’d made love on the grass. There was still a small grass stain at the bottom of the dress that I’d never managed to get out.
“I like this. Dinner and my outfit all picked for me. I don’t actually see any reason to get out of bed until then.”
Ian laughed. “Oh yeah? Well, you might not see a reason to get out of bed, but I definitely see a reason to get into bed.”
I pulled back the covers. “Come on in.”
We spent the entire day in bed, getting up only for bathroom breaks and snacks. It was wonderful.
“All right, then, sleepyhead,” Ian said early that evening. “It’s time to get ready. Dinner has been booked, and we can’t be late.”
“Yes, sir,” I said and got out of bed. I climbed into the shower and then changed into my bright-yellow dress.
“Should I wear heels with this? Seeing as though we’re going out for dinner.”
“What? No way. Since when has that stopped you before? Sneakers for sure.”
I grinned. “I’m so glad you said that. I don’t know what got into me there.”
I put on my white sneakers, curled my hair ever so slightly at the edges, and put on a bit of makeup. I walked out and twirled for Ian.
“Beautiful.”
“So, where are we going?” I asked when we got out. We climbed onto his bike, and I wondered why I had even bothered with my hair.
“You’ll see,” he said. “But first, we’re going to the shop.”
We made our way to the shop, and I wrapped my arms around his waist. I loved going for rides on the motorcycle and would choose it over a car ride any day. It was night time, and the shop was closed, so Ian fished out his key and opened up. We walked past his dad’s office, and then Ian flicked the switch in the garage.
I gasped when the light came on. The entire shop had been decorated, and in the middle stood a table and two chairs. On the table was a bottle of champagne and two glasses.
“Ian, what’s going on? How did you do all this?”
He smiled. “Well, I happen to know some very good party planners in town.”
“Mae did this?”
“Yeah, she worked all day on it. She did a good job,” he said and looked around.
“So, this is where we are having dinner?”
“Oh yeah. Do you like it?”
“Are you kidding me? I love it. This is amazing. Wow, it’s beautiful.”
It was one of the most romantic settings I’d ever seen, which was quite something considering it was in the middle of a garage. The motorcycles and tools somehow just added to the appeal. It was a mixture of romantic and eclectic at once, and I loved it. I looked back at Ian and saw that he was holding three presents in his hands.
“What’s this?”
“Gifts. Sit down.”
I took a seat and squealed.
“I thought you were going to tell me that I shouldn’t have gotten you anything.”
“No way,” I said. “I love presents.”
He chuckled. “And that’s what I love about you. Okay, which present do you want first?”
I pointed to the small one, but he shook his head. “No, you can have this one first,” he said and handed me a much bigger box.
I laughed and opened up the box, careful not to tear the paper.
“You can rip right into it, you know.”
“I know. But I don’t want to.”
I pulled out a box and opened it up. Inside was a pair of white shoes, with yellow laces. I laughed with delight.
“These are the coolest shoes I’ve ever seen. Wait, I’m putting them on now.”
I bent over and put the new shoes on and twirled around the room for Ian to see.
“Do you like them?” he asked.
“They’re perfect. I never thought of changing the color of my laces. I’m going to do that all the time now. These are so cool. Thank you! Wait, why am I even getting gifts? It’s not my birthday.”
“Does there need to be a reason?”
“I guess not.”
“Then you can have gift number two.”
Inside was my very own helmet. It was black with a bright-yellow flower on the side.
“I sense a theme here,” I said when I saw the yellow. “This is amazing. You sure you won’t mind riding with me wearing this thing? It’s very girly.”
“Well, you’re a girl,” he said. “And I thought you’d like it. It’s about time you had your own helmet.”
“It’s perfect.”
“And now, for the final gift. After that, we can start the eating and drinking part of the night.”
He handed me a small box. I opened this one even more slowly than before. I didn’t want the fun to end. I figured it would be something else yellow. But I didn’t expect to see a beautiful silver ring with a tiny yellow stone in it. I looked at Ian with surprise and saw that he was down on his knee.
“Eliza, you’re the most beautiful girl that I’ve ever known. You’re my sunlight. And nothing in the world would make me happier than having you as my wife. Will you marry me?”
I felt the tears fall down my face. “Yes! Yes, of course, I will marry you. Can I wear these sneakers to the wedding?” I said, and he laughed.
“You’d better wear them to the wedding.”
I laughed and wiped away my tears.
“I love you, Lashes.”
“I love you too, Gunner.”
“Did you just call me ‘Gunner’?” he teased.
I bit my lip. “Anyone coming in here tonight?”
“No, it’s just us. Come on, let me put this ring on your finger. Keep it on. Hell, keep the shoes on, too.”
I chuckled. “Do you just want to have sex with me so that I will enjoy whatever food you give me?”
“Maybe. You can’t blame me, though. I learned from the best!”
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DIRTY FAKE MARRIAGE
By Alycia Taylor
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 Alycia Taylor
Chapter One
Ryan
I woke up that morning with a pounding headache. It wasn’t unusual for me. I hardly ever woke up without a headache. But that morning it felt worse than usual. I wanted to sleep in a little, but there was no chance I’d be able to with the way I was feeling. I got up, took two Advil, and headed straight to the shower. Afterward, I made myself something to eat and willed the pills to kick in. Thankfully, when it was time to head out to the training facility, I was feeling more like myself again.
Not sleeping in meant I was at the training facility earlier than I had planned. And yet, the moment I got in, I saw Nick there. I groaned. No matter what time I came in, Nick always beat me.
“Do you live here or something?” I asked him as I got nearer.
He laughed. “Morning, Ryan. Ah, beaten by me again. You’re early, though.”
“Yeah, but not as early as you, it seems. So, you ready to train today?”
“I will be as soon as I finish this tea. Get yourself some and join me for a little while. It’s still early.”
“You’re getting like an old man, you know. Drinking your tea, reading the newspaper.”
He laughed when he saw me reaching for the tea instead of the coffee.
“I had a bad headache this morning. I’m feeling better now but I don’t think too much caffeine is a good idea. I already had some coffee at home.”
“Ah, headaches again? You get them often, don’t you?”
“Nah, not too much anymore,” I lied. “But every now and then they come back around.”
“I’ll punch it out of you today, if you like.”
I laughed and sat down with my tea, pulling a part of the newspaper toward me to read. I loved being at the training center this early. The place got busy later on in the day, which is why we typically met up in the mornings. We usually had the whole place to ourselves. My happy place, I called it once, which I realized would sound crazy to anyone who wasn’t involved in MMA. But it was, I loved fighting more than I loved anything else in life. There was something about the adrenaline that pushed me to do more and more. And the more I did, the better I got at it.
“Hey, look here,” Nick said and pointed at his newspaper.
“What?”
“There’s some new cowboy movie that’s been shot in Buffalo, Wyoming. Isn’t that where your brother lives?”
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s actually being shot at his ranch.”
“But you just came from there.”
“I know, I went to stay with him while the movie was happening.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
I laughed. “I didn’t know you’d be interested.”
“Well, I am. I’ve never seen a movie being made before. What was it like? And how was your brother with the whole thing? Isn’t he super protective of that ranch?”
I laughed just thinking about my brother. “He’s very protective of it. And he was very upset when they decided to film there. Do you know Sloan Hill?”
“Of course I know her. Not so long ago she was all over the news. Some big scandal or something. Oh, wait, it says here she’s the lead role. Don’t tell me that you actually got to meet her? She’s so hot. Check out this picture of her.”
“I met her,” I said and grinned.
“You did? And? What is she like in real life? Tell me she’s just as hot. Did she tell you about the scandals?”
I couldn’t believe that Nick was so interested in the celebrity lifestyle. Then again, I suppose I had also been pretty excited when I found out where they were filming. My brother was the only one who hadn’t cared at all. I couldn’t believe it when he hadn’t told me something that had been such a big deal.
“Well, my brother had no idea who she was.”
“Oh dear. That’s hilarious! I thought everyone knew who she was.”
“My brother would probably not even know who Brad Pitt is. He’s in his own world out there on the farm. Apparently, he wasn’t very nice to Sloan, either. He laughed at the clothes she wore when she was supposed to be horseback riding, and he mocked her attempt at a Western accent. I think he was just so annoyed that someone from her walk of life was taking over his ranch.”
“Oh boy. That couldn’t have gone down well.”
“Not at first.”
“What does that mean?”
“Well, as it turns out, the two of them fell for each other.”
“You’re kidding me!”
“I’m not. I promise. Although I realize how strange it sounds now that I’m saying it out loud. The whole thing is crazy. If I hadn’t seen the two of them together, I don’t think I would’ve believed it myself.”
“Wait, you’re not joking?” Nick said.
I chuckled. “I’m honestly not joking.”
“And you said you actually met her?”
“Yeah, I got to spend some time with her. She came to my brother’s for dinner, and she’s actually really nice. She’s nothing like what you would think. She was easy to talk to and down to earth. I mean, I saw hints of the big New York actress that she says she is, but for the most part, she was really nice. And she was clearly smitten with my brother; I could see it right away.”
“And hot?”
I laughed. “And hot. She’s even prettier up close, and way better without all that makeup on. She likes the lifestyle of being with my brother, too. Although I think it took her a while to settle in. I mean, it’s a big adjustment. And as for the scandals, well, that happened after I left. Apparently, she’s about to release a statement explaining herself. I have no idea. I’m staying out of that one. I called my brother to warn him, but you know what he’s like—he won’t listen to anyone but her. He’s not into gossip at all. But he seems very happy, and that is really all that matters, to be honest.”
“This is crazy. I can’t believe this. Wait a second—Sloan Hill is going to be a part of your family now! That’s insane. And, did you meet any other good-looking girls while you were there?”
“Nah, I’m not really into the girls from there,” I said and took a sip of my tea.
He chuckled. “Not from the farm! I meant did you meet any nice girls from the movie set?”
“Oh,” I laughed. “Well, there was a girl.”
“Oh yeah? An actress?”
“Yeah, her name is Blaire. She was one of the side actors, and she was friends with Sloan. She was really nice. And very pretty. I wouldn’t have thought her to be an actress, to be honest. I suppose she was playing a part in Wyoming, but I saw her off set, and she just seemed like an everyday kind of girl. The two of us talked for a while, and she showed me around the set, but that’s about it. It was very brief, you know. Nothing happened or anything.”
“And yet, you’re still talking about her,” he teased.
“Only because you asked.”
“So, are you going to see her again?”
I shook my head. Blaire had been very nice. There was something about her that had attracted me to her almost instantly. But I didn’t for one minute think that the two of us would see each other again. Maybe now that my brother was dating Sloan, I would bump into her, but it was highly doubtful. “No, I highly doubt it, to be honest. She was nice, but she seems like a bit of a goody two-shoes. I honestly doubt anything will come of it. We did exchange numbers, but I don’t think it will go any further than that. Anyway, she’s some movie star, and I’m a fig
hter. We’re from different worlds.”
“Well yeah, but so are Sloan and your brother. More so, in fact. Your brother is so far removed from the rest of society, and yet, here he is in love with a movie star. Strange things can happen. I wouldn’t put it past you.”
I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. Anyway, she was sweet, but I don’t think anything will happen. She apparently lives around here, but I don’t think I’m going to call her. Now, enough girl talk. Let’s fight. Or are you putting me off because you’re scared?”
“Me? Scared of you? Never!”
Nick was a brilliant guy to train with. The two of us had become friends through MMA and had gotten close because nobody else in our lives could understand our obsession with fighting. Even though Nick didn’t compete anymore, he still came in to train with me. I had been worried that when he lost the sight in one of his eyes I’d end up losing a partner. But Nick had continued to be a part of it, even though I was sure that he missed doing title fights more than he dared to admit.
We trained for two hours solid until we heard the timer go off on Nick’s phone. We had started setting a timer because otherwise we’d forget about the time and end up going on for longer. Our coach had told us that training in two-hour increments was better for us than going at it all day. As usual, the two hours went by quickly.
We walked away with sweat pouring down our faces, and we waved to the two guys that had just walked in to train next. I unwrapped my hands and squeezed my fist to get the blood circulating again. It was amazing how much pressure we built up throughout the training. I never realized how tense I was until I got out of the ring and started to relax a bit.
“Can’t be easy training with just one eye. Although, I suppose at least you’ve got an excuse if I beat you now,” I teased. That was the one thing I liked most about Nick, as well as a lot of the other guys that I trained with: they didn’t take anything in life too seriously. We always joked around about each other’s misfortunes, and nobody took it too heart.
Dirty Roomie_A Maxwell Family Romance Page 44