Having lived in England for a while now, Ashlyn was biting her lip as she contemplated finally telling Kane how she felt. It had been foolish keeping it in the dark for so long, but she couldn’t have helped it. He was always going out with this girl or another and honestly, she thought he saw her as ‘one of the guys’ and wasn’t that just a dreadful thought? It’s been years since she first came along and was super stressed about being in a new environment. The accents were hard to distinguish, no matter the BBC programs at home she’d seen told her. “Stop being a ninny!” She told herself sternly. She was losing her New Yorker accent at last, or it was something Kane had remarked some time ago. “You gotta say something otherwise you won’t grow out of this.” For no matter how many girls Kane brought to their complex, she always got her heart broken every time it happened.

Kane

Kane I love you. But you're a heartbreaker and I don't do heartbreakers. Small messages on post-its were plastered all over his room, replacing Joanna's former music quotes. His ex-girlfriend's music quotes. She had always been theatrical if not hysterical. Her penchant for drama had brought them together in the first place and put and end to it after a few weeks. Kale remembered the way she would throw her black hair back when people were watching her or how she always succeeded in charming others with her beaming smile. How she wouldn't hesitate to talk to strangers much the same as she had approached him on the street, asking for the direction to the theatre. He had made love with her that night and every night that followed. He had introduced her to friends and family as his girlfriend, telling everybody how they complemented each other perfectly. Their happiness didn't last long, as she expected an early marriage and he voiced his doubts about it. As much as Kane loved women, he didn't adhere to the unspoken rules of a relationship, not to mention marriage. Neither did she, as she left him for another guy a few days after the proposal.
Crumpling up the piece of paper, Kane messaged his best friend Ashlyn, who he had known since primary school. If someone could solve his relationship issues, it was her.

Ashlyn looked at her phone and rolled her eyes dramatically. So he expected her to fix things again did he? Well, she always had before. It wouldn’t do not to fall into form again. She got out of her room and made her way to Kane’s. “Ya don’t have to message me if we live in the same house ya dumbarse.” They has agreed to living in the same house for it made sense money wise, plus they’d been friends for two decades. “So, what’s wrong other than the normal?” Good, play it cool. Then just...blurt it out. Like ripping off a bandaid. She’d had left many times when he brought home a girl often going to her other British best friend who happened to be female’s house.

Kane

"Hi Ashlyn, I am also glad to see you", Kane replied sarcastically as he closed the door behind her. It was a habit he couldn't get rid of, despite them being the only ones in the house.
"Listen. I need your help." He sat down on his bed and gestured her to do the same.
"Joanna and I broke up. I know you have never been a big fan of hers, but I liked her. Probably even more than I've ever liked someone before. And we - I mean I, kind of messed it up. Badly." Kane gave her a crooked smile, knowing that Ashlyn would help him to appease the hint of guilt he was feeling or at least advise him on what to do next.

“Why feel guilty about that? You weren’t ready for marriage and she kept hinting/pushing at you for that. You should only consider marriage if you honestly mean it. There are TOO many divorces this day and age.” Ashlyn stated being honest with him. Plus being his friend meant she could read his face better than most people. “Do you really want to get together again though?” She asks the hurt barely hidden, not that it seemed to matter.

Kane

"We've spent enough time together for me to miss her." Kane shrugged his shoulders while saying it, not caring about how shallow his words probably sounded to Ashlyn. "We've made each other happy. I know I messed up and I am sorry. But me declining her marriage proposal can't be reason enough for her to 'never want to see me again', can it?" He pushed the picture of Joanna as his wife aside and tried to focus on their cheerful moments instead. Such as them swimming in the nude in France, nearly being caught by the local police. Joanna was crazy. Crazy enough for him to fall for her.
"I want her in my life. I really do. Not as my wife, but as my partner. With her I can forget everything." He didn't need to explain any further. The painful look in Ashlyn's eyes only proved that his situation was difficult and he admired her for empathizing with him. What would he do without her?

“She’ll just want more than just being partners and sometimes we do mean exactly what we say, you know that.” Ashlyn stated a bit harshly. She’d said some really mean things and meant them half the time. But usually it was all said in jest, yet she had the feeling that Joleen (she knew Joanna’s name she just thought the other name more apt) had really meant it. “But if you really truly want my advice: sometimes we only miss what we once had and someone else has, if you get my drift.” She wasn’t saying it! Ugh! But she was just tired. Maybe she should move back to America like her parents wanted. She’d had multiple opportunities to.

Kane

"I know. I wish it was as easy... as it is with you." Kane studied her, waiting for a frown to cross her face, but she merely looked surprised. This wasn't their first 'breakup meeting'. While he had seen many women come and go, Ashlyn stayed. Ashlyn, who never questioned his dubious decisions and had received every single one of his former lovers with open arms into their shared home. She still waited for her mister right to blow her away and he wished her all the luck in the world to find him.
A sudden thought formed in his mind. "We should date each other", he blurted out, before he could have second thoughts about his suggestion. "Obviously not dating as in proper dating. You're still free to do as you please. We just need to look like a couple on the outside until I can catch Joanna's interest again. We'd spend our weekends eating pizza in the city and going to our local clubs." He had never clubbed with Ashlyn before, but she surely wouldn't mind. "We can even go shopping, if that makes you happy and we can stop this experiment at any time, should anyone of us feel uncomfortable. No obligations and no worries, just us having a nice time together. What do you say?"

The surprise on her face never faded only got more enhanced when he blurted his hair brained idea. “Us?” Ashlyn squeaked and she cleared her throat a time and took a moment to think that idea over. The hope that never really dimmed inside her that he would finally get it, rose inside again. “That might not be a horrible idea. I mean the more into it we get the more she might get jealous. Let’s go somewhere tonight, post it all over social media.” She suggested. “We might even want to kiss a time or two. And the same rule applies to you. You feel it is getting too weird you tell me, and we drop it like a hot coal.”

Kane

"That is a brilliant idea." A smile spread across his face. "I am glad that you understand how important this is to me." Kane leaned towards her, slowly brushing the palm of her hand with his fingers and then concealing it with his own. Their fingers locked almost instinctively. For a moment he considered kissing her, but dispelled the thought before she could suspect his intentions. After all, they were still alone in his room with no one, (and by no one he thought of Joanna), to watch their display of affection. And he didn't want to look like someone who would force himself on a woman.
"We should go to Black Lion's and have a drink or two", Kane suggested. He was a frequent visitor of the pub and hoped to see a familiar face or two. Joanna and him had shared their very first kiss in front of the cheering crowd and afterwards declared it as their personal meeting spot. If he were to find her tonight, it would be there.

Ashlyn nodded in agreement of the pub looking at him as he covered her hand in his. For a second she almost thought he wanted to kiss her. But the moment passed by pretty quickly, yet it had been there. “I think that might be a good idea.” But her words to her ears sounded a bit half hearted. It’s where Joleen and he had first dated after all. And she might be there too, which was another stick in her ointment. She squeezed his hand. “But don’t you think going there so soon after a break up might cause raised eyebrows? You might be known for your ability to bounce back, but so soon? And with your best friend since forever?” She asks bringing up a few points that might be raised in the pub, but she would still go even if that other bitch was there. Oh goodie, she was being hateful. A good sign, not.

Kane

"It might cause a bit of a stir, but I couldn't care less. I mean we're sharing a house, everybody is already speculating that there is more to us than the monthly rent we pay. Why not give them the show they are hoping for?" He let his eyes wander from her lips to her trusting eyes, for the first time wondering whether he should feel guilty about it. Obviously not for looking at her lips, as he didn't desire his best friend the way he longed for Joanna, but for using Ashlyn the way he had used many girls before. Yes, she did have a good reason to doubt this whole 'experiment', as he liked to think of it. He knew from personal experience that people did speak ill of his relationships and while he didn't pay too much attention to it, the woman usually did.
Yet, when he visualized Joanna's gorgeous eyes staring at him with her hands playfully resting on her hips, he couldn't bring himself to express his concerns to Ashlyn. Even if they wanted, it was too late to back out now. While nobody would frown at their linked hands, as this is how they liked to connect with each other in either sad or happy moments, everybody would have seen his Facebook status by now.

“Alright then.” Ashlyn responded a wry smile on her lips. She should have predicted that sort of response from him. “I just got to let someone know that the farce is a farce.” Her dad especially. He just might fly all the way to England to kick Kane’s ass, if she didn’t tell him this whole thing wasn’t what it seemed. Her dad knew of her feelings for Kane too, which would further her dad’s wrath. Her mom would join him in the beating too no doubt, and she loved them for that. “If you’re feeling guilt should we continue?” She saw the slight guilt in his own eyes, able to read him so throughly.

Kane

"That is fine, tell anyone you need to tell." Kane reassuringly pressed her hand, before he got up to find a suitable shirt for tonight's adventure inside his wardrobe. He grabbed the first one he saw from the stack. Ashlyn knew him too well. Her question hadn't surprised him, yet he decided to not respond to it. Play it cool.
Taking off his office shirt, he looked at himself in the mirror. His dark eyes stared right back at him, an expression of pain and determination showing on his face. The dark circles around his eyes spoke volumes, his mouth resembling a grotesque Venetian mask. Were his emotions this easy to read? Kane knew, that he couldn't lay his feelings bare, if he planned to win Joanna back.
"What are you going to wear tonight?", Kane asked Ashlyn, smiling at her reflection.

“Something semi-formal. That dress I wore for that one celebration that looks mega cute on me. What was that celebration anyway?” Ashlyn asks for she normally didn’t wear dresses, but would for special occasions. She schooled her features when he finally looked at her (or at least hoped she had) as she’d been staring at him, unable to help herself. She decided that she’d start writing down her feelings for when he did inevitably get Joleen back, as well as some months rent to compensate for her leaving. She didn’t think she’d be able to stay after they got back together.

Kane

"Are you referring to my birthday?", Kane asked jokingly, fully aware of the fact that she had hinted at some millionaires lavish anniversary celebration. He couldn't quite remember who had managed to receive an invitation from the rich couple, but he could fully recall how they had spend hours exploring the well-kept secret of the villa: A wine vault. Obviously just for research purposes. With a chuckle, he put his shirt on and then turned around to Ashlyn.
"Well then, go and catch your dress. We have an important party to attend." He winked at her, pure amusement written on his face.

“I know when your birthday is idiot.” Ashlyn teases and nodded. “I will, and hopefully you will complement me. I expect it now that this thing is official.” She winked at him in a teasing manner. She left his room and face palmed herself once she was out of his sight. You my dear, are the idiot. She berated herself.

Kane

His gaze followed her as she left the room. For a second he contemplated calling her back, but abandoned the idea. She had her own issues to deal with and needed the time to realise the actual impact their liaison would have on them as best friends. Yet, they had agreed to take this risk for the sake of his former relationship and he admired her for her courage and selflessness. As soon as he and Joanna called each other 'lovebirds' again, he would make it up to her. Maybe he could take her to Paris? Kane couldn't think of a single girl, that didn't have the Eiffel tower and not to mention Disneyland on their bucket list. Ashlyn could capture these memories on her camera and share the colourful photographs with her American relatives, who would write "amazing" and "OMG" in the group chat. At least in Kane's imagination. He had never met a friendlier and more open-minded person than Ashlyn and used her background as an explanation for her bubbly and energetic personality, even though he was fully aware of the fact that she had spent most of her teenage years in Britain.

Ashlyn began writing down her feelings cause now she didn’t know if she would ever say them out loud if he and Joleen got back together. I think it really began when you stood up for me when we were ten. I was really getting it hard for being an American and a bit of a proud one too, or something I did annoyed someone. Children can be cruel for no good reason after all. And you stood up for me. We’d known each other probably for two years and barely talked during that time. But you still did it. She smiles at the memory and went to her closet to get the dress out. She even put on some mascara and light lipstick. Well if she were to play this part, might as well go the whole six yards.
“Mom? Hi I just wanted to give you and dad a call.” She said into the phone as she brushes her hair staring at nothing. “Nothings wrong, but Kane got this hair brained scheme to get back together with Joleen. And it has to do with me. It’s a dating farce. But when it’s over and he gets back together with her...I just can’t stay here any more getting hurt all the time. Is the offer of coming back home still on the table?” She asks in a tiny voice biting the inside of her lip to keep from crying. “Oh thank goodness. No there is no need to waste your money by having you come here and kick his ass. The offer is nice though.”

Kane

Finishing his look with his favourite Nike shoes, Kane studied himself in the mirror. He took taking one of those typical couple selfies in front of the mirror and post it on Instagram and Facebook into consideration, but immediately ruled out the idea. He couldn't imagine her to be nearly as passionate about social media as Joanna was and didn't want the latter to see through their deception. Joanna might be the infamous party girl of the town, but that didn't make her oblivious to the world around here. No, if he planned to convince her, he would stick with their original plan. Their appearance in the well-patronised pub would set the premise for more.
In lieu thereof, he left he room and softly knocked on Ashlyn's door.
"Ashlyn darling, are you ready to rock the party?"