Holly Renee

From the moment I laid eyes on Liam, I knew exactly what I wanted. Not forever. Just one night. But while I was sure that one night between us would rock both of our worlds, he was equally sure we were a terrible idea. Until he needed me. One week. A fake relationship. An offer I couldn't refuse. The pet names? Pretend. The details of our whirlwind romance? Completely fabricated. The way he kissed me? Way too real. Faking it with Liam was easy. Forgetting why I was doing it was even easier. I only had two jobs: convince everyone else we were in love... and convince myself we weren't. But it wasn't that simple. He made it impossible to remember this was just for show and impossible to forget that he was practically paying me to be his girlfriend. One week. One lie. My heart on the line. Everything was supposed to be fake, but I was in Trouble with the Fake Boyfriend.

How did I screw up my life in three easy steps? Step one: Graduated from college with no prospective jobs lined up. Step two: Moved back home with my parents because no job unfortunately equaled no money. Step three: Forgot to social media stalk the guy who broke my heart before accepting a job in a town with a smaller population than a frat party on a Wednesday night. I should've quit, but living with my parents forever didn't seem like a solid life plan. Jase Hale was the golden boy. Our boss thought he was beyond talented. The receptionist sent him more flirty smiles and baked goods than was considered normal for a woman old enough to be his mom. I tried to avoid him and his undeniable charm at all costs. He did everything he could to get under my skin. Every encounter left me reeling. Every smirk made my stomach flip. I assumed he was just playing with me, pushing my buttons like always. But when he lifted me onto my desk and shut me up with his lips on mine, I was more confused than ever. It didn't matter that he was trying to prove me wrong. Having my heart broken by the same jerk twice in one lifetime wasn't an option. He'd already blown his shot, and I had no intention of getting in Trouble with the Hotshot Boss.

Guys like Tucker Moore didn't date girls like me. His boring ol' washboard abs looked like they'd been sculpted by the gods, and I had more curves than a backroad in a country song. He could charm the panties off anyone, but I was better off hiding behind my camera lens. He was my next-door neighbor and the definition of a bad idea. I had no business thinking about him, and I should've pushed him out of my dreams the moment he showed up. I should've taken a hard left into the friend zone instead of flirting with disaster. Which I did, faster than he could say "just friends." It didn't matter that he spent more time in my apartment than his or that he smiled at me in a way that made my stomach flip. That was just Tucker. Before I knew it, he was my best friend. And completely off-limits. A weekend away was our downfall, and I must've left my logic at home. Tucker would be fine. But I'd end up in Trouble with the Guy Next Door.