Chapter two

Grace’s genius idea had been to hire Stephanie a fiancé. The main purpose was to make her mother happy and then give Claire something to fume about. Her sister hadn’t even rendered so much as an apology. Stephanie hadn’t heard from her since that night. Images of Claire’s slim legs wrapped around Matt’s naked waist as he drove into her teased her subconscious, and it was all she could do to keep from going crazy.

“Tell me again who this man is?” Stephanie asked her friend, slipping her straw into her mouth. Two days after, they’d met up at their favorite restaurant to discuss the particulars. She didn’t think it was as brilliant a plan as Grace was painting it out to be. In fact, Stephanie wasn’t interested.

“My cousin,” Grace answered, tapping at the screen of her phone. After a few beats, her gaze lifted to Stephanie. “I just texted him. He can’t make it for some reason, but he’s agreed to do it, so we should be grateful.”

“Tell me again how you came up with this?” Stephanie almost groaned. It was a terrible idea. Terrible, terrible idea.

“Don’t be a big baby. You don’t want your mother to die from a distressed heart, do you?” 

No, she didn’t. 

“What if it doesn’t work and my mom figures out I brought a complete stranger into her house? What if he’s a serial killer? No offence.”

Grace rolled her eyes. “None taken. You’re being overly dramatic.” She looked at her phone for a second, then tapped furiously at the screen. After a while, “Listen, he says he has to leave town for a few days but he’ll be back before you leave, alright?” She added when Stephanie opened her mouth to talk. “It’ll be fine, don’t worry. He’s really good at these things.”

Stephanie raised a brow. “He’s done this before?”

Who the hell was this dude, Hire-a-man?

Grace nodded, sipping from her straw with a very demure look. “Once or twice.”

“Is that how he makes a living? Because that’s just weird.”

“I can assure you,” Grace chuckled. “He doesn’t need your money.”

Stephanie pondered. Grace’s family was well off, though Stephanie didn’t know to what extent. If Mr. Hire-a-man wasn’t doing it for the money, then why did he bother?

She didn’t have time to ask the question because her phone started ringing. She checked the caller ID, then facepalmed. A swipe at the screen had her talking to her mother.

“Hey, Mom,” She said, taking care to add some pitch to her voice.

“Hey darling,” The sweet tone of her mother’s voice drifted through her ears. “Just calling to check up on you.”

She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. Her mother was the opposite of subtle. “How are you?”

Silence. Then, “I’m alright, just craving to hold my second child. When are you coming home?”

Like as though Grace heard the question, she started wiggling her brows in a very weird way. Stephanie waved her away, chuckling.

“Uh…” She searched for what to say. “Soon, Mom. I just need to settle some things down here.”

“Well, your sister and her boyfriend will be arriving tomorrow. I hoped to see you then.”

Boyfriend? As far as she knew, Claire had been single for about a year. She didn’t want to think about it. No, there was no way on God’s green earth that would happen. They wouldn’t betray her like that.

“I don’t think so, Mom. A little later, perhaps.”

The ache in her chest grew. Claire wouldn’t do that to her own sister.

“You’re not coming alone, are you?” The innate inquiry in her tone couldn’t be misinterpreted even if you tried.

Stephanie wanted to say no because, hell, it was the truth. She didn’t have a boyfriend anymore because her sister had decided to turn her vagina into a room to accommodate Stephanie’s boyfriends. Now, she was single and lonely and bitter.

But when she opened her mouth, the words that flew out were, “No, Mom. I’m not coming alone. I’m bringing my fiancé.”

Even after the call cut, Stephanie’s ears still rang loudly. Her mother’s joy had been evident in the way she’d screamed. Stephanie had lied, but it’d made her mother happy so she couldn’t bring herself to regret it.

It left her with only one choice. 

Grace watched her knowingly. “We’re doing this?”

If she showed up at home with a bag and no man, her mother would probably shit hot stones. Now that it was already out there, she might as well follow through. There was no going back.

“We’re doing this.”

“Fuck yeah!” Grace whooped, punching the air. “This is going to be great. You’ll see. Claire won’t know what hit her.”