Beautiful Fake Marriage: Maxwell Brothers Romance Series, #3

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Chapter One

Ryan

Iwoke up that morning with a pounding headache. It wasn’t unusual for me. I hardly ever woke up without a headache. But that morning it felt worse than usual. I wanted to sleep in a little, but there was no chance I’d be able to with the way I was feeling. I got up, took two Advil, and headed straight to the shower. Afterward, I made myself something to eat and willed the pills to kick in. Thankfully, when it was time to head out to the training facility, I was feeling more like myself again.

Not sleeping in meant I was at the training facility earlier than I had planned. And yet, the moment I got in, I saw Nick there. I groaned. No matter what time I came in, Nick always beat me.

Do you live here or something? I asked him as I got nearer.

He laughed. Morning, Ryan. Ah, beaten by me again. You’re early, though.

Yeah, but not as early as you, it seems. So, you ready to train today?

I will be as soon as I finish this tea. Get yourself some and join me for a little while. It’s still early.

You’re getting like an old man, you know. Drinking your tea, reading the newspaper.

He laughed when he saw me reaching for the tea instead of the coffee.

I had a bad headache this morning. I’m feeling better now but I don’t think too much caffeine is a good idea. I already had some coffee at home.

Ah, headaches again? You get them often, don’t you?

Nah, not too much anymore, I lied. But every now and then they come back around.

I’ll punch it out of you today, if you like.

I laughed and sat down with my tea, pulling a part of the newspaper toward me to read. I loved being at the training center this early. The place got busy later on in the day, which is why we typically met up in the mornings. We usually had the whole place to ourselves. My happy place, I called it once, which I realized would sound crazy to anyone who wasn’t involved in MMA. But it was, I loved fighting more than I loved anything else in life. There was something about the adrenaline that pushed me to do more and more. And the more I did, the better I got at it.

Hey, look here, Nick said and pointed at his newspaper.

What?

There’s some new cowboy movie that’s been shot in Buffalo, Wyoming. Isn’t that where your brother lives?

I nodded. Yeah, it’s actually being shot at his ranch.

But you just came from there.

I know, I went to stay with him while the movie was happening.

And you didn’t tell me?

I laughed. I didn’t know you’d be interested.

Well, I am. I’ve never seen a movie being made before. What was it like? And how was your brother with the whole thing? Isn’t he super protective of that ranch?

I laughed just thinking about my brother. "He’s very protective of it. And he was very upset when they decided to film there. Do you know Sloan Hill?"

Of course I know her. Not so long ago she was all over the news. Some big scandal or something. Oh, wait, it says here she’s the lead role. Don’t tell me that you actually got to meet her? She’s so hot. Check out this picture of her.

I met her, I said and grinned.

You did? And? What is she like in real life? Tell me she’s just as hot. Did she tell you about the scandals?

I couldn’t believe that Nick was so interested in the celebrity lifestyle. Then again, I suppose I had also been pretty excited when I found out where they were filming. My brother was the only one who hadn’t cared at all. I couldn’t believe it when he hadn’t told me something that had been such a big deal.

Well, my brother had no idea who she was.

"Oh dear. That’s hilarious! I thought everyone knew who she was."

My brother would probably not even know who Brad Pitt is. He’s in his own world out there on the farm. Apparently, he wasn’t very nice to Sloan, either. He laughed at the clothes she wore when she was supposed to be horseback riding, and he mocked her attempt at a Western accent. I think he was just so annoyed that someone from her walk of life was taking over his ranch.

Oh boy. That couldn’t have gone down well.

Not at first.

What does that mean?

Well, as it turns out, the two of them fell for each other.

You’re kidding me!

I’m not. I promise. Although I realize how strange it sounds now that I’m saying it out loud. The whole thing is crazy. If I hadn’t seen the two of them together, I don’t think I would’ve believed it myself.

Wait, you’re not joking? Nick said.

I chuckled. I’m honestly not joking.

And you said you actually met her?

Yeah, I got to spend some time with her. She came to my brother’s for dinner, and she’s actually really nice. She’s nothing like what you would think. She was easy to talk to and down to earth. I mean, I saw hints of the big New York actress that she says she is, but for the most part, she was really nice. And she was clearly smitten with my brother; I could see it right away.

And hot?

I laughed. And hot. She’s even prettier up close, and way better without all that makeup on. She likes the lifestyle of being with my brother, too. Although I think it took her a while to settle in. I mean, it’s a big adjustment. And as for the scandals, well, that happened after I left. Apparently, she’s about to release a statement explaining herself. I have no idea. I’m staying out of that one. I called my brother to warn him, but you know what he’s like—he won’t listen to anyone but her. He’s not into gossip at all. But he seems very happy, and that is really all that matters, to be honest.

This is crazy. I can’t believe this. Wait a second—Sloan Hill is going to be a part of your family now! That’s insane. And, did you meet any other good-looking girls while you were there?

Nah, I’m not really into the girls from there, I said and took a sip of my tea.

He chuckled. Not from the farm! I meant did you meet any nice girls from the movie set?

Oh, I laughed. Well, there was a girl.

Oh yeah? An actress?

Yeah, her name is Blaire. She was one of the side actors, and she was friends with Sloan. She was really nice. And very pretty. I wouldn’t have thought her to be an actress, to be honest. I suppose she was playing a part in Wyoming, but I saw her off set, and she just seemed like an everyday kind of girl. The two of us talked for a while, and she showed me around the set, but that’s about it. It was very brief, you know. Nothing happened or anything.

And yet, you’re still talking about her, he teased.

Only because you asked.

So, are you going to see her again?

I shook my head. Blaire had been very nice. There was something about her that had attracted me to her almost instantly. But I didn’t for one minute think that the two of us would see each other again. Maybe now that my brother was dating Sloan, I would bump into her, but it was highly doubtful. No, I highly doubt it, to be honest. She was nice, but she seems like a bit of a goody two-shoes. I honestly doubt anything will come of it. We did exchange numbers, but I don’t think it will go any further than that. Anyway, she’s some movie star, and I’m a fighter. We’re from different worlds.

Well yeah, but so are Sloan and your brother. More so, in fact. Your brother is so far removed from the rest of society, and yet, here he is in love with a movie star. Strange things can happen. I wouldn’t put it past you.

I shrugged. Yeah, I guess. Anyway, she was sweet, but I don’t think anything will happen. She apparently lives around here, but I don’t think I’m going to call her. Now, enough girl talk. Let’s fight. Or are you putting me off because you’re scared?

Me? Scared of you? Never!

Nick was a brilliant guy to train with. The two of us had become friends through MMA and had gotten close because nobody else in our lives could understand our obsession with fighting. Even though Nick didn’t compete anymore, he still came in to train with me. I had been worried that when he lost the sight in one of his eyes I’d end up losing a partner. But Nick had continued to be a part of it, even though I was sure that he missed doing title fights more than he dared to admit.

We trained for two hours solid until we heard the timer go off on Nick’s phone. We had started setting a timer because otherwise we’d forget about the time and end up going on for longer. Our coach had told us that training in two-hour increments was better for us than going at it all day. As usual, the two hours went by quickly.

We walked away with sweat pouring down our faces, and we waved to the two guys that had just walked in to train next. I unwrapped my hands and squeezed my fist to get the blood circulating again. It was amazing how much pressure we built up throughout the training. I never realized how tense I was until I got out of the ring and started to relax a bit.

Can’t be easy training with just one eye. Although, I suppose at least you’ve got an excuse if I beat you now, I teased. That was the one thing I liked most about Nick, as well as a lot of the other guys that I trained with: they didn’t take anything in life too seriously. We always joked around about each other’s misfortunes, and nobody took it too heart.

Ha! You’re cocky now because you won your last fight. You know what happens to those who get too arrogant, don’t you? You’ll be too busy walking around with your head held high that you won’t see someone coming in and knocking you down.

I laughed. Ah, spoken like a true loser.

He grinned. How can you talk to your best friend like that? Especially a best friend with only one good eye!

Don’t play the guilt card with me. Anyway, I have to. You’ve spent years ribbing me, so I’m only getting you back. The amount of fights you won before me is way too many. I’m still trying to play catch-up.

You’re getting there, though. And now that I’m not competing, you’ll beat my wins in no time. You’re almost there, actually. Flip, Ryan, you’ve won so many fights lately. I’m putting it down to the fact that you’re training with one of the best.

I hate to admit it, but you’re probably right. You’re a good training partner. I just hope that I’m just not on some weird winning streak that is all going to come crumbling down around me someday. I’m enjoying all the wins. I wasn’t looking forward to losing a fight again, which I knew would eventually happen. There was nothing quite like the feeling of winning.

Nick sighed. That’s the thing with this game. You win some, and you lose some, and you’ve got to take the bad with the good. But if you continue the way you’re going, you’re going to be winning more than you’re losing.

That would be good! Anyway, I’m going to head home. I’ll catch you soon. Thanks for sparring.

You too man, and next time you have stories about celebrities becoming part of your family, I think you should tell me.

I laughed. I don’t think that’s going to happen again. But I’ll definitely keep you in the loop!

I didn’t often talk to people about my brother. Brady was a solemn guy who liked to keep to himself. The two of us were close, but I knew he wouldn’t have been happy if I had gone around telling the world that he was in love with a famous celebrity. I still couldn’t quite believe it myself, really.

The moment I got home, I stepped into the shower, but the good feeling of the warm water washing over me was short-lived as my head started throbbing all over again. The Advil had worn off, and the pressure from the training had probably kicked in. Oh well; I’d just have to live with it. It was simply part and parcel of the fighting game.

Chapter Two

Blaire

My month in Wyoming had gone quickly, and I couldn’t believe that we were heading into the last couple of days. The filming had gone well, and I’d enjoyed being away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. I’d talked to Sloan that morning, the main actress, and she’d looked melancholic about heading back to New York. But we’d all seen her spending a lot of time with Brady, one of the ranch workers, and I had a strong suspicion that there was something more serious going on than any of us realized. I liked Sloan, but she kept to herself a lot and didn’t show much of her personality. I had a feeling that lurking under her cool New York exterior was a whole different person. She looked far too comfortable in her role as a cowgirl to not be actually enjoying it.

I couldn’t blame her. There was something about this place that was hard to ignore. Although I’d heard some of the other actors complaining, so maybe it wasn’t for everyone. I liked it here, though. I liked how slow everything was. How nothing was rushed. I liked how friendly the people were. But, despite all this, I still missed home. I was lying in my hotel room now, waiting to get called for the final shoot, when my phone rang.

Katie! I said when I saw the number.

Katie was my best friend and the one person that I always wanted to talk to no matter what I was experiencing in my life. She had been friends with me before I’d become an actress, she had been friends with me while I tried to make it in this very difficult career, and she was still friends with me now that I was finally getting acting jobs. I knew that she would be friends with me even if I became famous. When I was with Katie, everything went back to normal. She was my escape away from the madness.

Hey, Blaire. Come on, you’ve been gone too long now. When are you coming back?

Tomorrow, hopefully. We’re doing a final shoot today, but we’re pretty much done. I think the producer just wants us all together for one final shoot before wrapping up. Although I must say, the month went by fast.

Maybe for you. It went slowly for me. You’ve been gone too long. But how was it? Did you enjoy it? Did you get a chance to relax a bit too?

I lay down and smiled. I did. It was the perfect place to shoot, to be honest. It was great for the film, but it was also a nice place to just hang out when we weren’t filming. And I’m not the main actress, so I had a lot of downtime. I made the most of it.

Good, she said. You work so hard. It’s good to take a bit of time to yourself sometimes too. I can’t wait to see the movie. How was Sloan? Did she have a hard time fitting in?

Sloan really likes it here. In fact, between you and me, I think she’s fallen for the ranch worker. He’s been helping her with the horseback riding and showing her how to become more of a cowgirl for the movie.

What? Are you serious? Sloan Hill with a ranch hand? That’s the last person I would’ve expected her to be with.

Yeah, I think there’s more to Sloan than she lets on. I thought I’d spend more time with her, but she’s been spending all her time with him. It’s nice, though—she looks happy.

Well, that’s always good. And how about you? What are the guys like in Wyoming?

They’re okay. I mean, I haven’t really hung out with them. I’ve spent most of the time with the film crew or just chilling by myself. But you won’t believe who I met here.

Who?

Do you know Ryan Maxwell?

Uh, the name rings a bell, but I’m not sure.

He’s that MMA fighter. He won a whole bunch of fights recently. His face has been everywhere.

Hmm, I don’t know. It’s not exactly a sport that I follow. Why did you meet him? Is he a part of the movie too? That doesn’t seem to match the theme all that much, though.

I chuckled. Oh no, he’s not a part of the movie. But he’s Brady’s brother.

Whose brother?

Oh, Brady is the ranch worker. He’s the one that Sloan is into. Ryan Maxwell came for a few days to visit him. I couldn’t believe it. I recognized him immediately.

Seriously? I didn’t know you were into that sort of thing.

Oh, I love it. I’ve actually watched one of his fights. Not in person, but on TV. And I watched it just before coming to the shoot. The last place I would’ve expected to meet him was here in Wyoming. Brady looks a bit like him and the whole time I was wondering why he looked so familiar. Then I saw Ryan, and I knew why.

So, what is he like? Is he scary looking?

I thought back to when I’d met Ryan for the first time. It had been hard not to notice how handsome he was beyond the tough exterior. Scary looking? Why would he be scary?

I thought you said he was a fighter.

I laughed. "Oh! Well, I don’t find that scary. I like that look. He looks like someone that has been in a lot of fights, but it suits him."

Sounds like you have a bit of a crush, Katie teased.

Nah, not a crush. But he is very good looking. He’s tall and muscular, with a defined jaw. And he’s covered in tattoos.

You know, for someone as clean-cut looking as you, you sure like the bad boys.

"I like them to look like bad boys. I don’t like them to actually be bad boys."

So, are you going to see him again then?

Well, we exchanged numbers. I haven’t heard from him yet so I’ll probably call him when I get back to Los Angeles. I don’t know, do you think I should? I’m not sure why he hasn’t called yet, although I suppose it hasn’t been that long. And he knows that I’m still here, so maybe he’s waiting for me to get back, I said. Then I groaned. What’s wrong with me? I sound like I’ve never talked to a guy in my life. I sound like a teenager.

Wow, did you really like him?

Oh, I don’t know. We didn’t get to know each other all that much, so it’s hard to say. But he was nice.

"I wouldn’t stress, Blaire. If he likes you, then he’ll call you. If he doesn’t, then he won’t. Either way, you’ll at least know where you stand. Don’t call him, though. Let him call you."

Yeah, you’re right. You see, this is why I need to come home. I need my best friend to make sure I stay sensible at all times.

She laughed. Yes, hurry back!

We talked for a little while longer, and when I put the phone down, I realized I was ready to go home. I always loved chatting with Katie. She had such a kind soul. An ‘old soul,’ someone had once said, and I had to agree. There was something about her that was always so comforting to have around. Just then, there was a knock on my door. It was the producer, Roger, telling me that they were about to do the last shoot.

The driver will take you to the ranch in about half an hour, if that’s okay?

That’s perfect.

I quickly got dressed and made my way downstairs. There wasn’t much left for me to do and I didn’t think that I even had a scene to do that day. But I think Roger wanted me in the background, so I still had to at least look the part. I stood on the side and watched as the main characters finished up.

It was the early afternoon when I heard Roger shout, That’s it, guys! It’s a wrap. Congratulations, team! and everyone burst into applause. We were done.

We all walked around, congratulating one another. Roger looked incredibly pleased with himself, and I had a feeling this movie was going to be something big. I walked over to him so say thank you.

This was great, Roger. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of it.

Blaire! You were wonderful. We couldn’t have done this without you.

I was sure that he said that to all the actors in the movie, but I smiled, anyway. It was always nice to get compliments, especially from the producer. He looked happy, so maybe he really did mean what he said to me. Thank you, Roger. It was so much fun. And you obviously chose the right venue. This ranch is absolutely perfect for the script. I have no idea how you managed to find something like this. I think it’s going to reflect in the movie.

Thank you. I think so, too. It’s great here. So, are you looking forward to going back? It was nice here, but I’m craving a bit of home.

Tell me about it. I can’t wait to go back. I really enjoyed myself, but there’s nothing quite like home. Going away for so long always makes you appreciate it even more. In fact, I better go and pack.

I’ll see you at the airport.

See you, Roger.

I said goodbye to Harold, the owner of the ranch, who looked quite melancholic as he watched us all pack up. It must’ve been weird for him to have so many people on his farm, and I thought he’d be happy to see us go. It was going to be quiet on the farm without us. He was a good man, and he gave me a great big hug as I left.

You’re a great actress, Blaire. It was fun watching you work.

Thanks for letting us use your ranch. I’m glad we got a taste of Wyoming life for a while. It was relaxing.

Good. It’s a wonderful place. Have a safe trip, and come visit anytime you want.

Thanks, Harold. I’ll do that.

The driver took me back to my hotel room, and I started packing. I didn’t have all that much to pack. I’d brought a lot of clothes with that I’d never worn at all. They were my casual clothes in Los Angeles, but out here in the middle of a farming community, they were still too outlandish. I’d even gone shopping once with some of the crew members just to have some clothes to wear when I wasn’t working. As I packed them into my suitcase, I wondered if I would ever wear them again. Once I was all packed, I decided to make my way downstairs and enjoy a cup of coffee before the driver came. But before