MY SURPRISING VALENTINE

As a single, thirty-five-year-old woman, nothing sent my anxiety soaring quite like the thought of attending my cousin’s Valentine’s Day wedding solo. I could already hear the barrage of questions about my non-existent love life from my relatives: Why don’t you have a man in your life? When will it be your turn? Frankly, it was enough to make me do something drastic—like tell them I have a boyfriend.

Enter Max Bennett, my older brother’s best friend and the man I’ve been in love with for years. The charismatically charming and infuriatingly handsome Dr. Bennett is a notorious playboy, and everyone knows he’ll never settle down. So when he unexpectedly offered to pose as my boyfriend, I was torn between relief and skepticism. What did he have to gain from playing pretend with me?

What started as a simple ruse quickly spiraled out of control, and now, I can’t help but wonder if I’m setting myself up for heartbreak. Can I trust Max’s surprising confession when he tells me he’s always been mine?