SWNOVELS Puck Pact: Chapter 9
I groan as I peel my eyes open. “Why is it so bright in here?”
“Because it’s noon.”
I jump at the sound of Celeste’s voice beside me. “What are you doing here? Oh my God. Did we…? Shit. How drunk was I last night?”
She laughs. “Girl, if we had sex last night, you’d remember it. I’m phenomenal in bed.”
I push myself up until I’m propped against the headboard. “Where’s Alex?”
“He had to leave early this morning, but he didn’t want to leave you alone.” She shrugs. “So, you’re stuck with me.”
“I’m relieved it’s you, honestly.” I cover my face with both hands. “I don’t know if I could face him after last night.”
She sits up on her knees and gasps. “Did you two finally fuck?”
“No,” I whine. “But I’m pretty sure I begged him to.”
She cringes. “Ew.”
I bury my face under a pillow. “I know!”
“Well, it obviously didn’t deter him because he left you an adorable note on your nightstand.”
I jump up and clutch my head. “Whoa. Too fast.”
“Easy, champ. Drink the water with the Tylenol he left you.”
I slip the pills into my mouth and wash them down with several gulps of water. Then I lift the notepad and run my finger over the small, neat printed letters on the page.
Good Morning, spitfire…
Sorry I couldn’t be there when you woke up, but I wasn’t sure how much sleep you’d need to recover after last night (or if you’d want me in your space). You have the room for as long as you need it. Hoping you remember what we talked about last night. Here’s my number when you’re ready to talk. No pressure.
—Insert whatever baked good nickname you come up with here
I slump back against the headboard and heave a long sigh.
“He’s a gentle giant,” Celeste says quietly.
“That he is.” A gentle, caring, respectful giant. “I…think I proposed to him last night.”
“I heard.”
My eyebrows lift. “He told you?”
“More like he asked me to help if you had any questions.”
“This is insane right?” I lift my hand and let it drop on the comforter. “Pretending to marry someone for money.”
Celeste turns to face me and crisscrosses her legs. “People enter into arranged marriages all the time. It’s not as strange as you think.”
“Arranged marriage.” I huff out a laugh. “Two words I never thought I’d be contemplating.”
“Let me tell you what I know, and maybe it’ll help you make your decision. If you want to make some good money, this is an easy deal. And the man in question? He’s one of the best guys I know. There is no doubt that you’d have everything you could ever want and need while you’re married to him. He’d make sure you were well taken care of, and never for a second expect anything in return.”
I groan again. “How is this helping me make a decision?”
“Just telling you the facts, babe.” Celeste squeezes my knee. “You just have to decide if one-hundred-thousand dollars is worth being tied down. Because even though you’re not marrying for love, you have to be all in. You have to make it look legit—which means playing the part of the committed wife. And I know that’s not something you’re into.”
I frown. “I just…I don’t know if I can do this. I never saw myself as a wife.”
“Maybe that’s because you haven’t met the right person yet. Or maybe you’re not into marriage, and that’s okay too.”
“Are you?”
“I never say never to anything in life. You don’t know where life will take you, or how you’ll grow and change, or who you’ll meet.”
I nod, letting Celeste’s words sink in.
She nudges me with her shoulder. “Do you think you’d be able to do something like this?”
“How long would we have to be married for?”
She twirls a long strand of red hair around her index finger. “That depends on his grandfather’s will. Alex’s lawyer would have to take a look at the details. Long enough to make it look legit, I’d guess.”
Anger flares in the pit of my stomach. “What kind of person does that to his own grandson? The man is dying. Why does he care what happens to the villa?”
Celeste grunts. “My parents would sell me in exchange for a villa. Some of us have shitty families.”
I raise my hand above my head. “Ditto.”
“Let me guess.” She takes a swig of coffee from her mug on the nightstand. “You have daddy issues. He left when you were little and now you don’t trust any man you meet.”
I choke out a laugh. “Spot on.”
“But you’ve got some mommy issues in there too.” She closes one eye. “I’d say she didn’t handle the breakup well and dated a string of losers, who you hated.”
I nod. “Impressive.”
She flips her hair over her shoulder. “It’s a gift.”
“Enough about me. I think you need to tell me what was going on between you, Jason and his wife last night. I saw the three of you dancing together, and I’ve gotta be honest: It was hot.”
Her pale cheeks tinge a rosy pink color as she laughs. “Cinderella doesn’t help the Fairy Godmother. It’s the other way around.”
“Uh-huh.” I side-eye her. “I’ve got a gift too, and it’s spotting bullshit.”
She flicks her eyes up to the ceiling and shakes her head. “We’re just friends. We have been for a long time. They’re married, and I’m the third wheel. That’s how it always was, and that’s how it always will be.”
“Okay.” I hold up my hands in surrender, not wanting to push her into talking about something this personal. “What do you say we order room service and enjoy this hockey player suite a little longer?”
“I’m in.”
“So, now that you have the full story, what do you think I should do?”
My black Maine Coon cat, stretches out across my lap, offering me nothing but a big, bored yawn.
“Thanks for your help, Dash.”
Celeste and I spent the afternoon stuffing our faces with warm, fluffy breakfast foods while watching Christmas movies on the giant flatscreen. But now that I’m back in my apartment, alone with my thoughts, I have to sit down and make a serious decision.
Naturally, I pick up my phone and text the group chat to procrastinate.
Me: How does it feel to be married, Cass?
Cassidy: No different really…
Cassidy: But married sex is HOT!
Cassidy: Which I hear you might be learning about soon enough
Celeste: Oh shit. Did you decide to fake marry Krum Cake?
Me: I don’t know. Still thinking about it.
Cassidy: I think you should do it.
Me: For reasons other than going on double dates with you and Trenton?
Cassidy: Absolutely. I think this could be really good for you.
Cassidy: Like in a social experiment kind of way
Me: My life is not a science project
Cassidy: I’m just saying… I think being in a relationship could be good for you.
Cassidy: Plus, how could you say no to Alexander? He’s such a good guy.
Celeste: I second that. He has those puppy dog eyes.
Celeste: And have you seen the badunkadunk on him?
Cassidy: True. It’s nice.
Cassidy: Trenton’s is nicer though
Cassidy: Sorry, that was Trenton 🙄
Me: Eww tell your husband to get out of our group chat
Cassidy: Anyway, I know you could use the money, so it’s a win-win.
Me: Well I’m not a dog person so his eyes have no effect on me
Me: And yes, he has a dump truck for sure
Me: He’s a biker boy AND a hockey player… doesn’t seem fair
Celeste: How are you not a dog person? They’re literally the best animal ever.
Me: I can name 3 other animals that are cooler than a dog
Celeste: Go.
Me: Dolphin. Elephant. Lion.
Me: Boom.
Cassidy: But you can’t have any of those animals as pets
Me: WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?!
Cassidy: The side of any dog
Cassidy: I bet your cat still hasn’t come out to greet you since you got home from work
Me: He’s in my lap, thank you very much *insert picture*
Me: He’s a king. He doesn’t sit and fetch for me like a peasant
Me: AND your opinion doesn’t count. Your bird literally pecked her brother to death
Celeste: RIP Candy 🙏🏼
Cassidy: Your cat would literally eat your decomposing body if you died
Cassidy: No loyalty
Me: He’s a survivor who does what he has to do
Celeste: Let’s bring it to a vote. All in favor of Aarya fake marrying Krum Cake say “I”
Celeste: I!
Cassidy: I!!!!! 👰🏽♀️
Celeste: I think you already know the answer
Celeste: You might as well just text him
I let my head fall back against the couch with a groan.
The bottom line is: I’d be crazy to turn down one-hundred-thousand dollars. I think living with the regret of not doing it might be worse than doing it.
Which is why I lift my phone from the armrest and type out a text to Alexander.
Me: I have questions…
Me: But I think I’m in.