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“We’re friends, Deals. Married friends.”
“You’re friends now, huh?”
“We’ve gotten used to having each other around, that’s all.”
“You’re so full of crap.” She laughed. “I’ve never seen you like this with a girl before.”
“Like what?”
“Like in a real relationship.”
He pressed his hand over her mouth. “You take that back.”
She laughed into his palm. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Gus.”
“I’m not ashamed of something that isn’t true. Merritt and I are married in name only. You know this. And when the year is up, we’ll part ways, just like we planned.”
A gasp sounded behind them, and they looked over to see Skylar standing outside the stall.
“Sky,” Gus began, “I didn’t mean for—”
“Is that true?’ Skylar’s eyes bounced back and forth between Gus and Adelia. “Your marriage isn’t real?”
Gus had no words, but he was sure the guilty expression on his face spoke for itself.
She shook her head disappointedly. “I can’t believe you would do this. What were you thinking?”
He let out a deep breath. “I was thinking I wanted to be taken seriously for once, that I wanted you all to see that I’m not the bad seed after all. Yes, I’ve made many mistakes, but I’ve changed, and I wanted a chance, but nobody would give me one. So, I found a way to clean up my image and show you all that I was capable of being a good guy.”
“By using Merritt?”
“She’s using me too.”
“How?”
“I’m helping her go global with her company.”
“So it’s all about the money.” She closed her eyes and shook her head back and forth sadly. “I was so excited for you two. You seemed so happy and in love. Do you even like each other or is it all for show?”
“Not at first. But I’ve come to really care for her. She’s one of my best friends, actually.”
Skylar looked somber, and her eyes filled with tears. “Nothing is ever the way we wish it was.”
“Sky, I’m sorry.” He took a step toward his sister, but Adelia stopped him with a touch to his arm.
“Come on, Sky. Let’s go talk.” Adelia took her by the arm, and they walked out of the barn together, leaving Gus feeling like he had once again let his sister down.
Gus made his way into the house and found Merritt in their en suite bathroom touching up her lipstick. The lipstick that he’d kissed away earlier. He got a goofy grin as he remembered, but wiped the look from his face before she saw him.
“Hey, you.”
She startled as she spotted his reflection in the mirror. “Hey.”
“Something’s happened.”
She snapped the cover onto the tube of lipstick and tucked it inside her cosmetics bag before turning to face him. “Is everyone okay?”
He took her hand and led her to sit next to him on the edge of the bed.