Chapter 7 Cute? Hell no!
• Freya •
I felt a smug rising, and I had to actively fight to keep it from spreading across my face. My jaw tightened, and I focused on a spot on the wall, willing my expression to remain neutral. The moment lingered between us for a heartbeat before reality came barging back in.
Chase crossed toward the closet, opening one of the upper shelves to make more room for the last few things I’d unpacked. He shifted a stack of neatly folded sweaters to one side before reaching for my duffel.
“I can—”
“I’ve got it.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
He lifted the bag anyway. I watched him tuck the last of my clothes beside his. My oversized hoodies hung between tailored suits. My faded jeans brushing against expensive dress shirts.
His black gym clothes.
My ridiculously bright pajamas covered in little cartoon wolves.
…
Wait.
My eyes widened. “Oh, absolutely not.”
He paused halfway through hanging them. “What?”
“You looked.”
“I did, let me—”
“They were folded!” I yelled.
I marched over and snatched them out of his hand.
“They’re cute.”
“Thanks. I’ll try to recover from the trauma.”
I shoved them onto the highest shelf where they couldn’t be seen. “There.”
“Keeping them there changes nothing. The clothes are still in the room.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You know…”
“What?”
“I was starting to feel bad for you.”
“And?”
“Now I’m remembering why I spent the last ten years writing articles that made your PR team cry.”
A low chuckle escaped him. “You really enjoyed those.”
And certainly did.
He finished hanging the last shirt before stepping back. For a strange moment, neither of us e.
The closet…didn’t look divided anymore. There wasn’t a line separating his things from mine. They had blended together naturally, like they’d always belonged there.
The sight made something flutter uneasily inside my chest. I quickly shut the closet door.
Nope. Didn’t like that, not one bit.
Chase noticed. “You okay?”
“I’ve just realized something.”
“What?”
A soft knock interrupted before I could continue. The door cracked open before Maria peeked inside.
“I’m sorry to interrupt.”
“You aren’t,” Chase said gently.
She smiled.
“I’ve convinced Sophie that brushing her teeth is not, in fact, a government conspiracy.”
I blinked. “…She said that?”
Maria nodded gravely.
“Apparently toothpaste is how adults steal children’s powers.”
I covered my mouth. “That’s…”
“I blame cartoons,” Maria sighed.
From somewhere downstairs came Sophie’s tiny voice.
“I HEARD THAT!”
Maria called back without missing a beat. “Good. Keep brushing.”
I couldn’t stop myself. I laughed. The kind that escaped before I had the chance to bury it.
Chase looked at me. His expression softened so quickly it almost hurt to look at. Maria noticed. She hid a knowing smile.
“She wants both of you downstairs.”
“Us?” I asked.
Maria nodded. “Apparently families read bedtime stories together.”
“Oh.”
“I told her you were busy.”
“And?”
Maria sighed dramatically. “She informed me that I was ruining family traditions.”
I rubbed a hand over my face. Chase looked between us before quietly asking,
“Would you mind?”
The question surprised me. He wasn’t asking because he needed me to keep up appearances.
He was asking because…he genuinely wanted to know if I was comfortable.
No. No, no, Freya, stop thinking about that. Chase doesn’t care about what you think, he’s just keeping up with the facade!
“I…” For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to answer immediately.
I thought about Sophie waiting downstairs. About the way she’d slipped her tiny hand into mine earlier without hesitation. That trust terrified me.
Because children didn’t know how to fake love. They either gave it or they didn’t. And she’d handed hers to me after one afternoon.
“I don’t mind.”
His shoulders relaxed so subtly most people would’ve missed it.
Maria smiled. “I’ll let her know.”
She started to leave before pausing in the doorway.
“Oh.”
We both looked up.
“There is one small problem.”
“What now?” Chase asked.
Maria’s expression remained perfectly innocent.
“Sophie says she refuses to sleep unless you both kiss each other goodnight.”
Silence. Complete utter silence. I turned so slowly my neck actually protested.
“…Excuse me?”
Maria folded her hands.
“Her exact words were, ‘Fake fiancés kiss goodnight because Aunt Lena and Uncle Ben always did.’”
I stared at Chase. He stared back. Neither of us spoke. Who the hell is Lena and Ben? I mouthed and he shrugged.
Maria chose that exact moment to smile sweetly. “I’ll give you two a minute.”
Then she closed the door. Leaving us alone.
I looked at Chase. He looked at me. I pointed toward the door Maria had just disappeared through.
“…This wasn’t the plan.”
He rubbed a hand over his face.
“I promise this wasn’t part of the plan either.”
“I knew agreeing to this fake engagement would eventually shorten my lifespan.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’ve been here for one day. One.”
