pte

t suicidal sports. He agreed because he felt the need to do something-anything-and suicide by itself was n

n skis and jumped out of a helicopter over the high, snowbound southern mountains. He hadn't killed himself, wouldn't have counted as suicide anyway, and the combination of exhilaration and exh

happened, in excruciating detail naturally, and they would start matchmaking again-a thought that brought a shudder to

A moment later, Peter Thompson walked in. When the man saw th

all from Grac

ll, from the look you're wea

it's not

l it,

t at Harvard University, now his confidant t

making?" Pet

What the hell a

r said, heading to the refrigerator in the kitchen. He opened the door and rooted around among

dly, already feeling the weight of

into the couch, cracking open their beers as the conver

chips, and four packets of Giant Cookies later,

asked finally, his voic

. "I suggest you find yourself a new

m. Jay's blue eyes stared intensely into Peter's green on

kidding,

s mouth, chewing loudly, and taking a solid gulp of beer. His c

second. "I'm not up for it

ly not understanding the depth

ed wrong and odd, like they remained linked in some way. It felt like cheating, even if there was

o this dating thing yet. I said you just need to find a girl

what, e

girl and take her

ion quite clearly said, Seriously, dude, can

e a girl.

self from blurting out, "Who the hell is desperat

r said. "Pro

ritten all over his face. "Oh, no.

"You need a new girlfriend, a fake one. I thi

theory-if it weren't for the fact that it felt like a cheap trick. His mind drifted, imagining

talking about. You can find someone who needs the cash, and they'll play the ro

l the weight of everything-losing Sarah, being pushed into a fake relationship, pretending everything was fi

asked, his voice quieter now. "To just

u take her to the wedding, play the part, and get the pressure off yo

a point. Maybe this wasn't the worst thing. It wasn't like he was going to fall in love with a hired a

air. "But if it's going to be a fake girlfriend, I want her to actually

, I know exactly the type of girl you

a, but at the same time, he couldn't deny that it would be nice to have the pressure lifted

though he wasn't entirely sure

back. "We'll take care of it. Just get ready

e weight of what was about to unfold settle o