Rule Breakers Fall Hardest By Micalea Smeltzer

Once upon a time, Daire Hendricks was my childhood crush. He was always there, saving me from his annoying brothers. He was my rock, my safe place from my overbearing family.

Until he wasn’t.

Imagine my annoyance when we end up at the same university and I have to see his smug, too-handsome-for-his-own-good face all over campus.

Every time we cross paths, we spew hateful words at each other, so imagine my surprise when he seeks me out and utters the most surprising question.

“Marry me?”

He needs my help, and his solution is marriage. It’s a pretty big ask, but somehow, I find myself saying yes. We might hate each other now, but the benefits of this arrangement are worth it.

But what neither of us expects, is when playing house starts to feel a little too real.

Falling for each other was never part of the plan, but you know what they say about the best laid plans?

They often go awry.