"What did the attorney say?" I was worried he'd say it was a bad idea for me to live in the house. That Oakley would make me move out.
"He thinks it would be better if we were seeing each other."
I blinked, thinking I'd heard him wrong. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"
"Ashton wants us to date or, at least, to pretend to."
I shook my head. "Why would he think this is necessary?"
"That way, Oakley can't argue that it's inappropriate for you to be here."
I chewed my lip. "I guess I could see that."
"I know it's a crazy thing to ask of you, but I've had some time to think about it, and I believe it could work." His voice was hopeful.
"What happens when the court case is over?"
"We break up. I think we can manage it. We're both adults."
I laughed because I thought I might be going crazy. "You just talked about us dating and then breaking up."
"I know it sounds a little nuts, but it's not much different from how we're living now. We just have to pretend to be a couple in public a few times. Hopefully, the mediation goes quickly, and we're able to negotiate a schedule without going to court."
"So you're really going to do it? You're going to file for custody?"
"It's something I should have done a long time ago, but we were waiting for Oakley to allow me more time with Lilliana so I could prove that I was a good dad."
"You want to be viewed as the primary parent or, at least, a good option for half the time?"
"That's right. He thought it might help if we were engaged by the time the custody case goes to court, if we can't settle things in mediation."
I shifted on the bed very much aware that we were in an intimate setting—my bedroom—and talking about getting engaged. "Are you asking if I'm okay with being your fake fiancée for a few months?"
He shrugged. "It might not even be that long."
"I don't know?—"
He seemed so relaxed about the prospect. He'd had more time to think about it, but I wasn't so sure it was a good idea.
"I'm hoping that this will make Oakley back off. She won't give us any trouble, and you'd be helping me get some stability for Lilliana."
Now that got to me. I didn't like how Oakley was acting. It wasn't good for Lilliana's well-being or her father's. I could sympathize with what he was trying to do. "Okay. I'll do it."
"Yeah?" he asked as if he was surprised that I'd acquiesced so easily.
"I don't like how Oakley is giving you the runaround. It's not healthy for anyone. I'm not saying she shouldn't see Lilliana at all, but this isn't sustainable. She can do whatever she wants and threaten you whenever you get out of line."
He hung his head slightly, and I was worried I'd insulted him.
"I'm proud of you for going forward with the mediation. You're calling her bluff."
"If you pretend to be my fiancée, it will make me look more stable. I'm creating a family, whereas Oakley just likes to create drama," he said.
"I'm not from here, so I don't have to worry about what people will think. Aren't you worried about your family?"
"They don't like how Oakley is acting. I'm sure they'd understand if I explained it to them. But it's important for people to think it's real. The less people who know the truth, the better."
"What would the breakup look like?"
