Happily Ever All-Star: A Secret Baby Romance - Sosie Frost Page 0,14

any of the hits that had rattled my brain loose. Glad to know I could still craft a good scheme every once in a while.

“…make it better, better, better…”

“I can solve both of our problems,” I said.

Rory laughed. “Ah, so you’re delusional now. Not one of the usual post-concussion syndrome symptoms.”

“Do you want to save your reputation?”

“Yes.”

“And keep your fellowship?”

“Of course.”

“Then you need help,” I said. “People will notice that you’re pregnant…soon. And they’ll want to know who the father is. If you say you were impregnated on a one-night stand, you won’t look very responsible.”

“Thanks.”

“You need someone in your life, Rory. A relationship.”

“Now you sound like my step-mother.”

“Maybe she has a point?” I asked. “You need a boyfriend.”

“…looking for someone to perform with…”

“Uh, wanting a boyfriend is what got me in this trouble.”

Not anymore.

“I’m going to be your boyfriend.”

Rory blinked, but it took a long moment before she jerked away from the table. Her drink overturned. She grabbed it before it washed away her quesadilla.

“What?”

“We’ll pretend that I’m your boyfriend,” I said.

“Pretend?”

This was a full-proof plan, provided I could sell it to her.

“I’m going to pretend to be your boyfriend, and, by proxy…” I pointed to her tummy. “I’ll pretend to be the baby’s father.”

“How hard did you hit your fucking head? I think you left most of your brain on the fifty-yard line.”

“…nah nah nah…”

I forced her to listen, holding her gaze. “This is a way for you to appear respectable—like you’re in a long-term, loving relationship. No one would dare to question your desire to start a family, and they won’t doubt our commitment to each other. If you want to protect your reputation and your career, you’re gonna need a boyfriend.”

“No.” She laughed a little too sharply. “No, no, no.”

“Plus…” I let the word hang. “We’ll be together more. You’ll move in with me. Immediately.”

Rory shocked screech nearly overshadowed Lachlan’s song. “This pretend family is suddenly so nuclear it’s melting down.”

“Once you’re home with me…you’ll see that I’m perfectly fit to play. You can be with me every day, monitoring my progress, keeping an eye on me.”

“I’d do that anyway, Jude.” She exhaled. “Weekly assessments if I let you on that field. Plus, I’d have absolute authority to pull you out of a game if I suspected anything was wrong.”

I grinned. “Is that a yes?”

“…nah nah nah…”

“Absolutely not. I am not pretending to be your girlfriend.”

“It’d only be for the length of the fellowship.”

“And then what?”

“And then…we amicably split. Just stay friends.”

“It won’t work.”

“It will if you let me help you.”

“This is not the way to help me. I can’t…pretend to be in love with you.”

“Is it that hard to imagine?”

“You tell me, League’s Most Eligible Bachelor three years running.” Rory took a shaky breath. “You don’t realize what you’re offering. This would completely disrupt your life. Everyone would think you were the baby’s father.”

“That baby needs a father. I like kids. Problem solved.”

“You aren’t listening—”

“I have one question,” I said.

“And I’ve got a million—starting with how do you think this could possibly work?”

“One question.” I hesitated. “I won’t ask you about the father.”

“And I wouldn’t tell you anything anyway.”

“What did he look like?”

“Are you kidding me?” Rory laughed. “I’m not telling you my type. I don’t even talk about my sex life with my girlfriends.”

“Was he white?”

“Oh.” Rory tapped her dark fingers on the table. “Yeah. He was.”

“Good. Then we have the color pallet settled. That’s all we need.”

“No. It’s really not. You aren’t the baby’s father. There’d be so many responsibilities—”

“I want them. We’ll pretend to be in a relationship, do our jobs, work together—”

“Hey Jude…”

“No way,” Rory said. “I know you’re trying to protect me, but this isn’t the way to do it. If I do my job well, it shouldn’t matter what happens when I begin to show. I’m going to focus on my career. I can’t be distracted by you—” She shook her head. “A fake relationship with you. I’m sorry, Jude.”

“Rory—”

“…nah nah nah…”

“Thank you for coming out with me tonight.” She stood, edging away from the table. “I have to go. I’ll see you at the practice facility tomorrow.”

I reached for her. “Wait. Don’t go. Let’s finish our dinner.”

“Why? If I stay any longer, you’ll probably propose.” She smiled. “Thanks, Jude, but I’m going to be okay. And so are you. I’m clearing you to play, provided I don’t observe any deterioration in your health.”

“Rory—”

“You should tell the team the good news.”

Damn it.

She bolted from the bar as everyone joined