The Cowgirl's Chosen Love - Vivian Arend Page 0,40
times. Was an asshole? Apologies for speaking ill of the dead.”
“Oh, I agree,” Julia offered. “Was one, is one—and I don’t like their lawyer very much, either.”
“You two have the weirdest lives.” Lisa shook her head and folded her arms over her chest. “Are you sure you want to do this, Julia?”
Julia shrugged. “It’s not that bad. Zach and I were already going to pretend to be together for the next couple of months.”
“Two months and twelve months are slightly different, in case you’re not mathematically inclined,” Karen pointed out.
“We’ll figure it out.” Jeez. Now she sounded like Zach. She gave both of them her best pitch. “We set down some ground rules, and I believe we’ll get along quite comfortably. I think by the time we’re done, we’ll be good friends.” She held a finger in the air. “But since I won’t be leaving town, we need the rumours about me and Brad to die fast. People need to believe that Zach and I are really a couple.”
Lisa was staring at the ceiling, thinking hard. “I wonder…”
“Whatever you decide to tell people, I think the less elaborate, the better.” Karen swirled a finger around the room. “You’re moving in with him, yes?”
Nodding felt strange. “Well, not moving in, but sharing a place. Yes. Which isn’t a hardship, considering this place isn’t very homey and he’s got a cabin with two rooms.”
“You’ll need rings,” Karen said.
A sharp zap ripped through Julia’s gut. “Okay, I’ll mention it to him. Something simple.”
“Simple is fine,” Karen assured her.
“Karen’s right.” Lisa’s expression had turned downright gleeful. “Not just about the ring. I think the simpler and the closer to the truth you keep this, the better. No one will believe you two are so madly in love you spontaneously decided to get married. People will believe you went on a bender and, while under the influence, did something you secretly wanted to do. And now you’ve decided there’s no reason to get a divorce since you were dating anyway.”
“That’s absurd.”
“Yep.” Lisa’s grin grew wider. “Everybody everywhere will be talking about you and Zach, two wild and impulsive kids, accidentally tying themselves down and now being too stubborn, or too cheap, to bother getting a divorce.”
Karen’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s good.”
It was brilliant. “Everybody will be talking about me and Zach.”
Which was exactly what Julia wanted. Exactly what was needed—because frankly, who cared what people said about her and Zach? As long as it was the two of them in the rumour mill.
Only one question remained. “You guys know the truth, and Zach will tell Finn and Josiah. But what do I tell Tamara?”
Confusion spilled into Karen’s eyes. “That’s up to you.”
“I’m asking what you think is best,” Julia insisted. “The three of you have been a unit for years. I don’t want one of the first major things I do to be tossing a secret between you.”
At that, Lisa marched across the room, grabbed her by the wrist and hauled her to her feet. The next moment a finger was shaking in her face. “Julia Blushing, not even sisters tell each other everything. This isn’t some kind of a sorority we’ll kick you out of because you didn’t do the secret handshake right.”
“If you want to tell Tamara that you’re okay, and you’ll come to her if you need advice, that’s more than enough.” Karen’s shoulders rose then fell in a soft shrug. “It’s all you need to tell any of us. Your secrets are your own. We just want you to be happy. Honestly.”
She must’ve hesitated too long because the next thing she knew, Julia was wrapped in a two-person hug.
The tightness inside eased, and her voice came out muffled against Karen’s shoulder. “You guys are good people.”
“Oh, hey, a group hug.”
“Can I get in on this?”
Two familiar masculine voices broke apart the impulsive support hug, but not before Lisa gave Julia’s arm a final squeeze.
“Too late,” Karen responded to Finn’s question airily. “But I do see some furniture that’s calling your name. Desperate to be cradled in your arms.”
Zach snickered. “Desperate wood. That’s depressing to hear from a newlywed.”
“I thought that was the name of your new rock band, Zach,” Julia quipped.
An amused hiss rose from Lisa and Karen, and then everybody headed back to their tasks, heaviness pushed aside, worry as well.
Julia folded the top of the nearest box and handed it to Zach the next time he entered the room. He hesitated for long enough that she caught his