Her Stand-In Fake Fiancé Read online

  Her Stand-in Fake Fiancé

  Cindy Roland Anderson

  Copyright © 2019 by Cindy Roland Anderson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  For Cami, Christina, Christine, Jennifer, Kim, Kimberley, Sarah, Rachelle and Taryn. Thank you for your friendship, love, and support. You are the best, and I love you all so much!

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Free Book

  Also by Cindy Roland Anderson

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  The Princess Warrior is getting married, but who is her Prince Charming? Presley Windsor stared at her phone and read the words over again, hoping this was a joke. She wasn’t engaged. Heck, she didn’t even have a boyfriend right now. Guys were too big of a distraction.

  Sucking in a quick breath, she took a screenshot and then navigated to her contacts. Tapping on her new PR agent’s name, she hoped the social media queen knew how to fix this. The phone immediately rolled over to voicemail, meaning Zuri was probably still asleep and had her phone off. Her new agent was twenty-five, just two years older than Presley, and Zuri’s day didn’t typically start until after ten in the morning. Presley didn’t have the luxury to sleep in, not that she could anyway. She’d always been a morning person. Not sure what else to do, she decided to leave a voicemail and would follow up with a text.

  “Hey, Zuri.” Presley realized her mistake as soon as she heard the sound that activated her phone’s built-in intelligent assistant.

  “I’m listening,” her phone said in a male Australian voice. Once Presley had asked her phone if she could change Siri’s name to Chris Hemsworth. Her phone had responded that changing names would be very confusing. Clearly, her phone was the one confused because Zuri and Siri were not even close as far as Presley was concerned.

  “I’m not talking to you,” Presley said irritably.

  “Who are you talking to then?” Travis asked, coming into the kitchen from the garage. He dropped his duffle bag to the floor and untucked his firefighter shirt. Although a little bleary-eyed, he looked pretty good after coming off a forty-eight-hour shift.

  “No one,” Presley answered at the same time her phone asked for clarification. Giving up on leaving a message, she ended the call and turned to her brother.

  “I’m engaged.”

  “Come again?” Travis asked, his blue eyes widening in shock.

  Presley quickly opened her photos to find the last screenshot and held up her phone. “According to Twitter, the Princess Warrior is engaged.”

  Travis grabbed the phone from her and scanned the screen. “Is this a joke?” he asked, handing her cell back.

  “It’s not a very funny one,” Presley said, typing in her name to do a quick search online. She gasped when the top results showed a picture of her trying on an engagement ring along with basically the same caption as the Tweet.

  “Just great.” Presley tapped on the screen and showed her brother. “Someone got a picture of us picking out Brynlee’s ring and decided to draw their own conclusions.” She’d gone ring shopping with her brother a few nights ago. The photo clearly identified Presley. Travis was wearing a ball cap and had his head bent, so his face wasn’t visible.

  Travis started laughing. “What are your fans going to do when they find out Prince Charming is your brother?”

  “Ha ha.” Presley opened Instagram and tapped on her account. She’d been tagged by @sunshinegirl97 along with the same picture and a similar tagline. “What you should be worried about is if Brynlee sees this. She’ll know you bought her an engagement ring.”

  The smug look on Travis’s face disappeared faster than the plate of homemade cookies Presley had delivered to the fire station last night. “Shoot, this is going to ruin the surprise,” Travis said, pulling his phone from his pocket. “What are your plans today?”

  “What I do every day,” Presley said. “Working and training.” She held up her phone. “But first, I need to fix this mess.”

  “I really need your help,” Travis said. “I need to ask Bryn to marry me today instead of next week.”

  “How are you going to that?” Presley asked. “Isn’t the fire drill scheduled for next week?”

  “Yes, but I’m hoping the principle will let us do it today.” He looked at her with pleading eyes. “That’s where you come in. Mrs. Trimble will do anything for you.”

  “Mrs. Trimble wants me to marry her son and get him out of her basement.”

  Travis laughed, and Presley couldn’t say no to her brother. After all, she was the one who had come up with the idea for him to propose to Brynlee during a fire drill at the school where she taught sixth grade. Principle Trimble had agreed to alert the sixth-grade classes of a fire drill in exchange for Travis and his crew coming do an assembly for the school. Travis and his crew would’ve done the assembly anyway, but this way, he could ask Brynlee to marry him in front of her class. The kids adored her, and so did the other teachers.

  “All right, I’ll talk to Mrs. Trimble and hope her cooperation isn’t contingent on me going out with Damion the basement dweller.”

  “Just tell her you’re engaged,” Travis said with a smirk.

  Presley opened her mouth to argue then clamped it shut quickly. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea.”

  “I’ll get Kade to help me with everything else,” Travis said, looking down at his phone as he quickly typed in a message.

  “Kade is helping you?” she asked, trying not to sound too interested. Presley had conflicting feelings for Kade Hunter. He was hotter than a California wildfire and just as risky. Presley had crushed on Kade from the first day she’d met him seven years earlier when she was only seventeen. Travis had just started the fire academy and met Kade his first day. The two had become close friends and had gone on to train as paramedics. Now they worked for the Silver Pine fire department, a small community about an hour north of San Diego, California. The two men had been inseparable until Travis met Brynlee. Kade wasn’t very happy that his best friend was about to get trapped into marriage. “Isn’t he totally opposed to you getting married?”

  “Nah, he loves Brynlee.” Travis sent the message and looked up from his phone. “He doesn’t love her the same way I do. By the way, he’s agreed to be the best man.”

  Presley silently thanked her brother for asking Kade to be his best man. Since she was sure Brynlee would ask her to be the maid of honor, it meant she and Kade would have to walk down the aisle together and share at least one dance. It was probably the closest she’d ever come to going out with him and with her brother’s blessing. Travis was slightly overprotective of her, and all the guys at the station knew she was off-limits.

  “I’m glad he’s finally supportive,” Presley said.

  “So,” Travis said, leaning back against the countertop, “when can you stop by the school?”

  “I’ll go right after my morning workout.” She looked at her phone. “Then I seriously need to take care of this misunderst
anding.”

  “Stop worrying. Once Brynlee and I are engaged, you can clear things up with your fans.”

  He had a point. Presley could post pictures of Travis and Brynlee’s engagement and explain why she was trying on diamond rings and who the mystery man was in the photo. She would tag Sunshine Girl, and hopefully she would spread the word since she was the one who started this whole mess by posting the picture.

  “True.” Presley opened the fridge and pulled out a container of egg whites, almond milk, and the Ground Zero protein powder for her pre-workout. “If I have to sacrifice and go out with Damion, then I will,” she said with a grimace.

  Travis grinned. “Thanks, sis.” He pushed away from the countertop and grabbed his duffel. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and then headed up the stairs to shower.

  Presley sighed, knowing her brother didn’t need her. Or, at least, he wouldn’t need her once he got married. Although they hadn’t set an official date, she knew Travis and Brynlee didn’t plan on having a long engagement. The two had only met a few months ago when Travis rescued Brynlee. Her car had broken down, and Travis being Travis stopped to help her. It was love at first sight. The two were so cute together and deserved to be newlyweds without a sister invading their privacy. The three-bedroom townhouse she and Travis lived in was perfect for the two of them, but three would definitely be a crowd.

  Her big brother was her hero and had been there for Presley through everything. At eighteen, he’d been forced to become the man of the house when their father was killed in a car accident. Presley was only fourteen at the time. While their father’s death had rocked their happy world, it was the discovery of his infidelity that had crushed their small family. Her dad wasn’t the only person in the car. The other victim was his mistress.

  Presley remembered how devastated her mother was when the police gave her the news about the other woman. Even more devastating, the affair had been going on for years. All those business trips weren’t just business. Mark Windsor had had a completely different life in Arizona.

  “Mom, I wish you were still here,” Presley whispered to herself. She always missed her mom, but at Christmas time, the hurt still felt physical as if Presley couldn’t draw in a deep breath until the holiday was over. Her mom had been her hero too. She’d fought to stay with her two children, but cancer was a nasty opponent. It didn’t fight fair, sneaking in like a thief and stealing Emily Windsor’s life only three years after her husband had died.

  If not for Travis, Presley would’ve gone into foster care. Their father had left them with nothing. He didn’t even have a life insurance policy. Mom had worked two different jobs to keep them in their small home. After she died, Travis and Presley had sold the house to pay off medical bills and to pay for their mother’s funeral.

  Presley was barely seventeen at the time, so her brother had dropped out of college and returned home to make sure she finished high school. Travis gave up his dream to be a doctor and trained to be a firefighter paramedic as an alternative. He’d missed out on so much, including sharing a bachelor pad with Kade.

  Guilt weighed heavily on Presley’s shoulders. She didn’t want to be a burden to her brother anymore. At twenty-three, Presley was old enough to live on her own, but she wasn’t in any financial position to afford moving out. She wasn’t desperate enough to marry Damion, but she needed to do something. She was a personal trainer and took a few online classes toward a degree in exercise science. She’d toyed with the idea of being a physical therapist, but it required a doctor’s degree instead of a master. She didn’t even have a bachelor’s degree yet.

  Her dream job was to work for Ground Zero, one of the top sponsors for America’s Ninja Champions. Winning the competition was the perfect solution to fast-track into the company. Her debut into the ninja competition last year had gone okay but she hadn’t made it past tier three. On top of winning the grand prize valued at two-hundred and fifty thousand, it was also a chance for Presley to pick up endorsements and gain a bigger following. She might even get a chance to be Ground Zero’s brand ambassador for their new activewear clothing line.

  Ground Zero was the leading nutritional supplement company in the United States and a sponsor for American Ninja Champions. Weslee Steele, the owner and former brand ambassador of the supplement company, was not only a beautiful woman but also a marketing genius. As a former archery champion, Weslee knew the importance of wearing the right clothing for any sport. She had branched out this past year by introducing a new clothing line.

  Although the headquarters for the supplement company was in North Carolina, Weslee Steele had recently married, and she and her husband, Logan, lived in San Diego. Winning the women’s division for Ninja Champions would help. The two hundred and fifty thousand grand prize would pay for school and allow her to find a place of her own. The part-time job at Gus’s Gym didn’t pay much but gave her free access to working out and training.

  After Presley downed her protein drink, she called Zuri and left a detailed voicemail about the situation. Just to be safe, she went ahead and sent her a text, asking Zuri to call her as soon as possible. Knowing this would all be cleared up by tomorrow, Presley headed out for the day. She was so excited about finally getting a sister that she stopped by the school first. Mrs. Trimble was in a good mood. Apparently, Damion had met a woman online and was no longer on the market. Presley refrained from dropping to her knees in a prayer of thanksgiving for small miracles. By the time she left for the gym, the fire drill was all arranged to happen right after lunch.

  The proposal was epic and worth all the effort. “Let me see the ring on your finger,” Presley said, taking Brynlee by the left hand. “Oh my gosh, it’s so beautiful!” She hugged her future sister-in-law, and they both squealed like teenagers.

  “You helped pick it out, silly,” Brynlee said, holding up her hand, so the ring caught the sunlight, making it as sparkly as Brynlee’s eyes. “I love it, by the way,” Brynlee said. “Sorry about the Instagram post. Did Zuri ever get back with you?”

  “Seeing you happily engaged to my brother made it worth it,” Presley said, wishing her PR agent was more reliable. “Zuri sent me a text a couple of hours ago that she was working on it.” Presley used the term PR agent loosely when it came to the new college grad. But Zuri was all she could afford, which was nothing since the girl needed the experience, and Presley needed someone to give her a presence on social media.

  Brynlee looked worried. Presley didn’t want to ruin their special day with her problems. “I’m sure she’ll have everything figured out,” Presley said as Travis and his crew got ready to leave. “Go give Travis a kiss goodbye, and I’ll see you at the party tonight.”

  “Okay,” Brynlee said. “Love you.” She blew Presley a kiss and then rushed across the yard to say her goodbyes.

  Presley turned to head back to her car when she heard a familiar voice. “Hey, Princess Warrior,” Kade hollered out. She turned and saw him hanging onto the door of the firetruck. “Need a ride home?”

  For just a moment, she wondered what it would be like if he were serious, and she had the right to run into his arms and kiss him like Brynlee kissed Travis. The fantasy bubble popped like an overinflated balloon when she saw the smirk on Kade’s handsome face. He probably knew he flustered Presley and was just messing with her.

  “Thanks, but I’m good,” she said, dangling her car keys. He grinned and waved to her before climbing into the firetruck. With a sigh, Presley turned away from him and hurried to her car. She knew Kade was coming to the party tonight, so she wanted to shower and find something cute to wear before heading over to the gym to help Gus and his wife with the party.

  Hours later, Presley hung back in the shadows of Gus’s Gym, watching Travis and Brynlee say goodbye to their friends and family as they filed outside. Gus had closed the gym early for the engagement party, and it had been a success. Gus, a former Navy guy, let the firefighters w
ork out at the gym for free. The gym frequently had emergency vehicles in the parking lot, and tonight was no different.

  Presley’s gaze drifted to the small snack bar where Gus and his wife had served smoothies. The couple had left a short time ago, leaving the cleanup for Presley to do as soon as the guests were gone. Kade had hung out there most of the night, talking to one pretty woman after another. He was too handsome for his own good. Right now, he was talking to a pretty girl who worked for the county dispatch. She was new and appeared to be a member of the Kade Hunter fan club already.

  As if sensing she was watching him, Kade’s head turned slightly, and their eyes met. Presley leaned against the wall for support. One look into Kade’s silvery-blue eyes made her legs feel like she’d just completed three reps of weighted walking lunges. He made her flustered and irritated at the same time. Out of all of the firefighters, why did her heart have to go haywire whenever Kade looked at her?

  A slow, sexy grin curved his mouth, and he winked at her. Presley narrowed her eyes, wishing her body didn’t react to his teasing. Because he was teasing her and treated her like a little sister. All of the guys at the station treated her like a little sister.

  The pretty redhead he was talking to turned to see what was drawing Kade’s attention away from her. She glared at Presley, anger flashing in her green eyes. Presley almost laughed out loud. She was no threat when it came to Kade Hunter. The man enjoyed female attention and was very vocal that he wasn’t looking for a long-term commitment in the foreseeable future. Presley wasn’t ready for anything serious either. Because of her dad, she had trust issues when it came to men. Besides, she didn’t have time for a boyfriend. Travis and Brynlee spent every second they could together. Presley spent every second she had working, meal prepping, and training for the upcoming season of Ninja Champions.