Wanted: a husband for the holiday.

CASSIE

THREE MONTHS LATER

"Cas, your mum's calling again," Jeanne called out to me.

"Damn it," I hurried into our shared office and grabbed my phone, "Hey mum."

"I've been calling you all day," my mother grumbled, "The reason you have a phone is for communication darling. If you aren't going to pick your calls, we may as well start sending you post letters."

"Did you need something or is dad not around for you to nag?" I teased.

"I don't nag." She snapped, "Anyway, I was calling to ask you what day we are expecting you. Gabriel and Mia have already confirmed that they'll be arriving on the eighteenth."

My heart skipped a beat and I swallowed, "Uh, expecting me where?"

"Home for Christmas." She emphasized slowly.

I licked my lips, while my stomach clenched uncomfortably, "Actually, I'm too cramped with work to celebrate Christmas this year."

"I called Jeannie yesterday and she was kind enough to inform me that you're closing for the holidays soon," she huffed, "and anyway, you run a pet grooming store, and not a clinic. I'm sure you could have closed shop in November if you had wanted."

I muted the call and turned a glare on my bestfriend, "why did you tell your mum that we are closing for Christmas?"

She raised one perfectly plucked brow, "uh because that's the truth."

"I hate you." I unmuted the call, "Sorry mum, I was checking on a client."

"you mean a dog?" My parents didn't think much of the new pet grooming business Jeannie and I had set up, but after I had lost everything because of Gabriel, this business had saved me.

"As I was saying, I won't be able to make it for Christmas this year," Christmas had always been my favorite holiday and the fact that my ex and sister were ruining it for me this year was yet another reason to hate them.

"Is this because of Gabriel? Do you still feel sore about that teeny issue?" She sighed.

I scoffed, "Uh, of course not mum. I'm so over the fact that my baby sister barged into my wedding and married my groom. I love them and wish them all the best."

She must have missed the sarcasm in my words or chosen to ignore them, because she said brightly, "Excellent. So should we be expecting you on the nineteenth? Or sooner maybe?"

I imagined spending a whole week with the two people who had almost ruined my life, and it didn't sound appealing one bit, "As I said, I won't be_"

"Oh darling. Mia said that you'd be too hurt by what happened to make it, but I thought she was talking nonsense," mum said sympathetically, "I completely understand if you're still not over Gabriel."

"What? Of course I'm over him! Did Mia say I'm not?" I growled.

Jeanne's eyes widened and she mouthed, "That bitch."

"Look darling, I completely understand." Mum's voice became even softer.

How dare Mia make it seem like I was still pining over Gabriel. It wasn't enough that she had him, she still had to make sure I looked like the envious, pathetic one.

"That's ridiculous mum, I'm over Gabriel. You know what, I'll be there on the twentieth and I'll be there with my husband." As soon as the words left my mouth I wanted to drag them back in and swallow them.

My bestfriend's head whipped around, green eyes bugging at me.

I winced at the look she was giving me.

"Husband?" Mum asked, voice filled with confusion, "What do you mean husband?"

That was the perfect time to laugh and tell her I had been joking, but my big mouth went on, "I got married a few weeks ago to the man of my dreams. I would never have met him if it hadn't been for Mia though, so I'm really grateful she stepped in before I could make the wrong decision."

"Who is this man? Why am I just hearing about this? Does your father know?"

Jeannie shook her head at me, warning me to not dig my grave deeper, but I turned away and went ahead, "I just wanted to keep everything quiet. I wanted to surprise you all actually, but the cat is out of the bag," I laughed nervously, "I'll be there 20th."

"I don't understand. Where did you meet him? Isn't this too_"

"bye mum," I cried and hung up, my heart racing like I had run a marathon.

"Girl you're crazy," my red head bestfriend said, "Call your mother right now and tell her you were joking."

"Or I can find a fake husband."

"Where the hell are you going to find a fake husband from? And don't even say off the internet. I'm not letting you get into a creepy arrangement with some internet dude."

I groaned, "The girls in the books always manage to get a fake partner."

She flipped her hair over her shoulders, "I hate to break it to you, Cassie, but books aren't reality. Sheesh, you could have at least said boyfriend, or worse fiance. You just had to go all the way to husband!"

I buried my face in my hands, "What am I going to do? I can't tell her the truth now, it'd be too embarrassing and I'm sure she's told the whole world about it."

I was still living down being the girl who was dumped at the altar, no way did I want to add lying about being married to my unimpressive resume.

"I can ask my cousin Trent," Jeannie offered.

"Isn't he like_"

The front door of the shop flew open and I turned to see a devastatingly large and gorgeous man walk into our shop doors. I suddenly felt like one of the dogs I groomed as I salivated over a stranger.

"Hello and welcome to_" Jeannie began, but the man had no interest in being welcomed.

He swung accusing brown eyes my way, "You!"

"Me?" I squeaked, confused, "Do I know you?"

"As a matter of fact, you're my wife."