Fake Dating the Next-Door by Zoey Rose

My grumpy neighbor is the last man on earth I’d date… Until my parents decide to visit.

I’m a freelance graphic designer with chaotic work hours, loud music, and an optimism that refuses to die. Garrett Stone is my polar opposite—ex-military, organized, and perpetually scowling. We share a fence and little else.
When my parents announce they’re visiting and will undoubtedly lecture me about my “unstable” career and single status, I make the most ridiculous decision of my life: I ask Garrett to pretend to be my boyfriend. Just for one dinner. Just to shock them into silence.

To my surprise, he agrees. But as we practice holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes “for authenticity,” something changes between us. The wall he’s built starts crumbling, and I glimpse the man behind the scowl. The way he looks at me makes me wonder… What if we stopped pretending?