Page 59 of Make-Believe Match

“A banker in Boston with good connections.”

“Does he owe you a favor or something?”

“She.” He smiled as he held the door for me. “Her name is Jennifer Bates. It’s Sara’s mom.”

“Oh my gosh!” Buoyed by the news, I headed into the kitchen and asked him what he’d like for dinner.

“It doesn’t matter to me,” he said. “Would you like me to go pick something up?”

“I don’t mind cooking,” I told him, opening the fridge to see what was in there.

“You cook?” Devlin sounded impressed.

“I do.” I shut the fridge and pulled the freezer open. “How would you feel about butternut squash gnocchi with Italian sausage?”

He stopped at the threshold to the kitchen and leaned against the frame. “Wife.”

Every time he saidwifethat way, like he was holding himself back from ravaging me and could snap at any moment, it made me laugh. It just felt so good.

Why did this feel so good?

* * *

Devlin said he could use some exercise before dinner, so while he went on a run around the property, I zipped over to the grocery store. On the way there, I called Winnie.

“Hello?”

“Hey. Are you busy?”

“Just getting dinner together. But I’ve got a minute. What’s up?”

“Okay, I have to tell you something, but you can’t judge me.”

“I would never,” she said.

“And you have to keep this a secret.”

She groaned. “I’m really bad at secrets, but okay. Talk to me.”

I took a breath. “I got married.”

“You what?” she squealed. And then, “Just a second. Dex! Can you take over here? I have to take this call!” Dex yelled back he could, and after some shuffling noises, she was back. “Okay, tell me everything. I’m dying. Did you really get married?”

“Yes.”

“To who?”

I grinned. “The dragon.”

Thump!

“Win? You okay?”

“Yes. I ran into the door. Wait a minute. You married the guy who scammed you?”

“Turns out, it wasn’t a scam.” I told her about Devlin showing up on my doorstep three nights ago, what he’d told me, and what his plan entailed.

“Oh my God. So you did it? You guys ran off to Vegas and got hitched?”