Falling For Her Fake Husband

1 David shut his front door behind him as he walked into his house for the first time in almost a month. He tossed his standard black duffle bag near the couch and headed straight for the kitchen and a much needed beer. He’d made up his mind not to travel anymore and had spent the entirety of the last week trying to talk himself out of “one last job” like this hadn’t already been his third one. He enjoyed doing security work, and it kept him busy, but he was ready for more than just a home base. He wanted an actual home. He worked for a security firm and had ever since he’d left the military. He had enjoyed the change of scenery at the end of every assignment for a while, but not so much anymore. Instead, he was moving to a consulting role with a lot less travel. None if he didn’t want there to be. Running a team of men from his computer would be a new interesting challenge, he thought. Couldn’t be any more difficult than doing it in person since some of them never listened anyway. Those men wouldn’t be on any of his teams. The one thing he’d made sure to get out of this position change aside from less travel was that he got to pick his team, no matter what. Now though, he had two weeks of peace before he even needed to think about the next job, something he was grateful for. He was happy to get back to doing his own thing for as long as time would allow. This was his now too. He’d bought the house from Mike not long after he’d married Kristin and had gotten a lot of furniture in the process. Mike had moved in with her, and the plan had been for David to rent, but they’d agreed on the sale instead. It also meant Mike’s crazy mother couldn’t come wandering in anymore like she owned the place. He rolled his eyes at her outlandish behavior. It was a real wonder Mike had any sense considering who raised him; that woman was a challenge. She also reminded him of another mother that he hated thinking of. Pulling another swig of his beer, he sat at the table. Thinking of that mother always pulled him back to Chloe, his wife. No one knew her here. It had been a sham of a marriage, just him stepping up for her to provide all the freedom he could for her and the baby before he shipped out. He had been home taking leave when he popped in to see his uncle and happened to run into her. It had been nearly three years ago, he thought. For three years, he’d been secretly married, with a child. He provided for them as much as she would allow, sent funds every month like clockwork and his insurance covered them both. Chloe had gotten herself into a spot with Larry, a real jerk from a lot of money. She’d realized too late that Larry was an abusive piece of work; she was already pregnant. He’d offered her the security of a marriage without the man being there, and then he’d left. The problem was that Chloe’s mom was more interested in the great match than her daughter’s feelings or safety. He hadn’t been surprised by that, just as he hadn’t been surprised when she lost her mind when she found out Chloe and David were married. After the blowout with her mother, he’d asked her to leave with him. She’d refused, viewing herself as a burden despite all David’s claims to the contrary. They’d found an apartment, David had put the deposit down and several months’ rent, and he’d even gotten a few pieces of furniture before he had to leave her there. The money, she rarely touched, was in a joint account, one of the few things linking them together. He was happy she used it when she had to, but he worried anytime she did that something was wrong. She reached out via email now and then, but it had been a while since he’d heard from her. For his part, he’d sent her his new address, as he’d done every time he moved, but he never got a response. Chloe had always been the one that got away, except he’d married her. It was a mess. At the time, he would have accepted the full marriage and baby, but she didn’t seem to want that. He did—still did, if he was honest. His two best friends had recently gotten married and were blissfully happy. It was great for them, but damn if it didn’t make him yearn to have a family too. He tossed back the last of his beer and set the bottle on the table with a sigh. Maybe it was time to find out what Chloe’s plans were and exactly what she wanted from him. He didn’t want to lose her either. What he wanted was her to give the marriage a try, but how did you tell someone that when you never talked to them? He grunted and picked up the bottle, tossing it in the trash. Mike and Kristin had invited him over tomorrow for brunch along with Macy and Daniel. He wanted to go, but at the same time, he didn’t. It was hard to be around everyone so happy and committed and not have that. Grabbing his bag, he strode down the hallway for the bedroom. Tomorrow would come soon enough, and he needed to get some rest. After showering, he emptied his bag and pulled out his computer before putting everything away. Opening it, he checked for any emergencies with work before shutting down and calling it a night. Sure enough, the next morning came quicker than he’d wanted. He hadn’t slept well, a common theme whenever his mind was stuck on Chloe. He opted to go for a run today; the crisp fall air was sure to help clear his thoughts, as well as the music blasting through this headphones as he tried to push the thoughts back. Usually, he could clear his mind with a good workout, and today was proving to be no different. Running through the neighborhood that he lived in, he found himself looking at everything and everyone from a security aspect. He’d done that for too long to shut that part of his brain off, but it helped him focus. His watched vibrated on his wrist letting him know it was time to make his way back to his house if he wanted to make it to Mike’s on time. Changing direction, he circled back through the neighborhood at an easier pace, cooling down. He made mental notes of the people he passed, those who spoke and those who didn’t. Some people didn’t speak because he looked scary, but he was used to that. Over six feet tall and a muscular 220 pounds, he knew people found him intimidating. Others studied him openly, wondering who he was and why he was there. No one stood out as a threat, and he hadn’t expected any. It was important to always be aware of your surroundings though. After working for some high-profile clients last year, he’d learned that neighbors weren’t always who you thought they were. His morning run had gone as expected right up until he turned the corner and could see his house. In his driveway sat an older Camry, green, with paint chipping off in places on the driver’s side. Slowing to a walk, David considered passing his house but decided to confront whoever it was head on. Walking to his house, he avoided cutting through the yard, taking the longer route through the driveway and alongside the car. Straining, he listened for any sounds that might give him a clue as to who it was. A lady, it appeared, with brown hair was in the driver’s seat, looking at something on her phone. She wasn’t paying attention to anything but her phone, or she would have seen him in one of her mirrors. He wasn’t hiding; he wanted to catch a glimpse of the face. Forcing his shoulders to relax, he wondered if it was one of Mike’s ex-girlfriends come to find him. That would certainly make for an interesting brunch topic. That thought made him smile as he approached the car now from the driver’s side. Looking in the windows as he did, he noticed a small child with auburn hair peaking out from under a beanie, sleeping in a car seat in the back. A thick, blue blanket was tucked around the child. The smile he’d had was threatening to slip so he made an effort to paste it back on and seem casual as he knocked on the window for the lady to look at him. When she turned, his heart stopped beating as the world froze. Big green eyes shined up at him, tears making them shine. The dark circles under them showed through the makeup that was obviously meant to conceal. She’d been crying and looked exhausted, but it shocked him to see her at all. “Chloe?” he asked, as though she wasn’t real. He opened the door and held out a hand to help her out of the car. She was real, but if she was here, it meant something was wrong, very wrong. “David.” She breathed as she stood. “I’m so sorry.”