Her Imaginary Husband (Contemporary Romance) Read Online Free Page A

maybe, but a pilot, Nikki? How could you lie like that?”
    “I had to do it quickly. I was under pressure. You know I’m a crappy liar,” whined Nikki. “Now shut up and sing.”
    They joined their voices with the crowd, drowned out by the Von Trapp wannabes in the row behind them. Nikki’s mind wandered to all of the things that made her totally unmarriageable—first and foremost being that she was mostly afraid of dating grown-up men who might have grown-up expectations about what a date should include. By the time the song ended, she forgot to sit down in her fresh gloom.
    Janna tugged at Nikki’s sleeve and she landed with a thunk beside her. “You’re going to need a ring, you know. And not some boring band. It’s got to sparkle. You married Top Gun, after all.”
    “I hate Tom Cruise, and you know it,” said Nikki.
    “So how hot is he?” whispered Janna after a few minutes.
    “Huh?”
    “How hot is he?”
    Nikki turned and squinted at her. “Janna, are you missing the bit about him being imaginary?”
    “Not your husband. Your lecherous love interest.”
    Nikki’s cheeks flushed. “Will Carlin is not my love interest.”
    The woman behind them leaned forward and tapped Nikki on the shoulder. “Could you please keep it down? My children are trying to take notes on the sermon.”
    “Oh, they’ll want to take notes on what I’m saying,” whispered Janna.
    Nikki closed her eyes so no one could see them roll and held the hymnal over her mouth. Janna shook with smug, silent laughter, something she did so often that it had become like a workout regimen for her. Nikki didn’t know why the world was so funny to Janna. Or why her mascara never ran when she cried laughing.
    Nikki pulled out her phone and did a quick search of the Riverview High website. “Here,” she said, shoving the screen in Janna’s face. “He even looks good in a school photo. What’s up with that?”
    Janna repositioned the phone to get a better look. “Oh my—”
    Nikki smacked the back of Janna’s head. “Don’t say that in here.”
    Mrs. Von Trapp leaned forward and ground her teeth. “Do you mind? ”
    “No, I’m good. Thanks,” said Janna.
    Nikki sank lower in her seat.
    They managed to feign reverence for another five minutes during which time Nikki tried not to think about Will Carlin. Mistake. While she was yawning at the stuffiness of the room, Janna leaned over and asked, “Seriously, how hot is his bod because his shoulders—?”
    “Stop it!” blurted Nikki, astonished that Janna could read her thoughts. A rustle of annoyance spiraled around them.
    Janna slouched next to her and held up her program to block her whispers from onlookers. “Well?”
    “Janna, he’s a player. It doesn’t matter how cute he is.”
    “So he must be hot.”
    Nikki sighed. “Yes. Yes, he his. Exceedingly hot. Can we listen to the sermon?”
    “So why not go out with him?” Janna folded her arms across her chest and turned to Nikki as if there was nothing going on in the front of the room.
    The oldest of the ribboned girls behind them poked Nikki with her pencil. “You shouldn’t be talking about that stuff in church.”
    Janna crossed her eyes. “Judge not that ye be not judged, kiddo.”
    At that moment, everyone stood to sing again. Janna grabbed Nikki’s shoulder between two sharp fingers and dragged her down the side aisle and into the foyer.
    “What are you doing? You’re making a scene!”
    “You’ve had enough religion for today,” she said. Nodding curtly at a teenager playing a game on his phone, she palmed Nikki’s back and pushed her out into the sunshine. “Tell me why you can’t just date this guy, this Coach Hottie?”
    “Janna, I’m 99.9% sure I’m not his type.”
    “He’s chasing you, isn’t he?”
    “He’s only looking for one thing, according to Gayle.”
    Janna planted her hands on her hips. “Look, I’m not saying you have to go all the way with him. Just let him spend a little