Ascend

Did I plan to marry the single mom I've wanted for years on a drunken whim in Vegas? No.

Do I regret it? Heck no!

Bella Patel might think we're just friends, or that I'm nothing but a playboy pilot, or even that this marriage is only a temporary charade . . . but I'm hell-bent on proving her wrong.

If she's skittish and stubborn, then I'm dependable and determined.

So, when her scumbag baby-daddy threatens her and she asks me to double down on our ruse, I'm only too eager to comply.

My condition? For her and her daughter to move in with me. You know, for 'optics' sake.

Because by the end of this marriage contract, the only jackpot I want to win is a chance at forever with her.