Free Kissed by Reality by Carrie Aarons

the big fat sparkler on my left hand before the engagement episode aired. Spoilers are bad for business.
    So I'd spent a lot of time in Finn's apartment, only venturing out under disguise to spend the day at Julian and Marina's house while Finn worked at the physical therapy clinic. My two months in Nebraska had been the greatest of my life. I spent every night and weekend metaphorically shackled to the bed with my fiancé, only leaving when sex had left us weak enough that we had to refuel. I taught myself to cook, using elaborate recipes with things like truffle oil and hollandaise sauce, on the days when I didn't go to Marina's. But most mornings and afternoons, I was an honorary member of the Wyatt clan.
    Julian had married Marina five years ago in a fairytale wedding on his parent's farm in Nebraska. Two years into their marriage they'd welcomed their little girl, Isabelle, or Izzy as I called her. Over those two months of hiding, Marina had become my best friend, a sister-in-law. The closest thing to a sibling I'd ever had, since I was an only child. And Izzy was like my niece. I used to sit on the floor with her for hours, playing whatever game she'd become obsessed with that day.
    They'd become my world, all of them. They'd become my family. I still woke in a cold sweat sometimes, Marina's disappointed eyes that day I left still ingrained in my memory.
    "Come on guys, let me introduce you to Erin." Finn brushed past me, slinging his arms around his brother's shoulders and not even bothering to spare me a passing glance.
    I wasn't too proud to admit that a lump filled the back of my throat as I watched them walk towards Erin, intent on meeting a girl Finn actually liked. It was silly of me to think that this dress would make him notice me, would make him forget the horrific thing I'd done. But part of that feminine hope had filled me as I looked in the mirror upstairs. I thought that maybe this dress would do it, that for once during this competition he'd look at me with that round-eyed wonder he'd once reserved for me and only me.
    The cocktail party crawled by in a blur of Carter's jokes and Julian's sentimental talks with the women. I tried to amuse myself with telling stories about Finn to the girls, making myself and our relationship seem more relatable.
    "So one weekend Finn and I went to the Omaha Zoo because you know he's a softy for all kinds of animals. He has this mangy rescue mutt Norbert who humps anything in sight but he still loves the poor devil—“
    Finn shoots me a death stare from across the room at offending his precious Norbert, but I keep going.
    "Anyway, he wants to go to the zoo. We make it through the land animals, you know tigers, lions and bears, oh my! And then we come to the aquatic animals and I'm pumped because manatees are my thing. They're so giant and gentle, I'm just obsessed. Turns out Finn arranged for us to have a meet and greet tour with some of the penguins, so we go into the tank when we get there. Dr. Doolittle over here thinks he's going to charm these birds into adopting him or something, because he's such a great guy, you know? The first one he goes up to to try and pet bites him! I mean full on tries to take a chunk out of his hand!"
    The group of women laugh at Finn's misfortune while he scowls at me and sulks on the couch where he’s come to graze the pretty girls. "I was trying to be friendly and play with him. Not my fault that bird was evil."
    "Not evil, just scared of this large man coming up to give it a hug like it was his long lost sibling. You got what you deserved, you didn't even listen to the training the zoo keeper gave us."
    "Whatever," Finn grumbled while the girls begged me to tell more stories. Not only was this strategy working to keep the focus all on me, but it was reminding Finn of all of the good times we'd spent together.
    They had yet to pull me aside for a camera sit down with the brothers, and I doubted they would. There was no way they were