Love & Other Words

What do you do when your father is trying to steal your inheritance? Enter into a marriage of convenience, of course!You're probably wondering how a free-spirited girl like myself ended up in this situation. Well, it's simple. I needed money after my father cut me off. So I decided to claim what is rightfully mine. There's just a catch…First things first - I have to find a husband.Thankfully, my long-time 'friend', Derek, is more than happy to play the role of my fake fiancé. Before I knew it, though, he was relocating cities, moving into my house, and planning our very real wedding. He exceeds my expectations twofold for a guy who never wanted to settle down himself.After that? Produce an heir.How do I convince my friend to have a baby with me, you ask? Well, that was a lot easier than you think. He kind of, sort of, already knocked me up, long before our fake engagement had even begun…That leaves just one final task - convince everyone we're in love.Sure, we got on well enough, but would they believe years of friendship and intimacy transformed into something more? Surprisingly, they do… Hell, even I believe it. That right there becomes the problem.Falling in love with my baby daddy isn't an option. Once the inheritance arrives, the gig is up. That was our arrangement…unless he doesn't want to end things, either. Keighley Bradford is an Australian writer based in Newcastle, NSW. She has an undergraduate and postgraduate degree in Creative Industries (Writing, Publishing, and Marketing) as well as a background in arts administration, communication and media. She is also actively involved in her local writing and arts communities. While Keighley likes to dabble in many forms of creative writing, novels are her passion. She's been writing since she was thirteen and has since won several awards for her short-fiction pieces. Once We Were is her first published novel. When Keighley isn't stuck behind the computer working, you will often find her chilling out at the beach or binge-watching a new Netflix series.

Love isn't always fated. Sometimes, we have to write our own happily ever after.I was the first to admit that my relationship wasn't perfect, but I never thought my boyfriend would cross a line like this. I stepped out of my comfort zone to give him something he desired, only to be met with the cheating bastard screwing his best friend.I didn't think twice about walking out the door. I'd given him more second chances than any of my heroines ever would've. So for once, I was taking my own advice on love and not settling for less than I deserved.Enter Xavier Carmichael-freelancer, confidante, and now, my new roommate.What began as friendship and late-night confessions quickly turned into something more. The man knew a thing or two in the bedroom, proving the spicy things I wrote about weren't fictional, after all. Even better, he was happy to keep things casual, fulfilling my short-term fling fantasy.The new chapter of my life was looking great...until I realised Xavier was no better than my ex. While I trusted him with all of my secrets, he couldn't trust me with his. Now I was left standing at a crossroads, wondering if book boyfriends actually existed, and if what I felt for Xavier was worth giving him a second chance. Keighley Bradford is an Australian writer based in Newcastle, NSW. She has an undergraduate and postgraduate degree in Creative Industries (Writing, Publishing, and Marketing) as well as a background in arts administration, communication and media. She is also actively involved in her local writing and arts communities. While Keighley likes to dabble in many forms of creative writing, novels are her passion. She's been writing since she was thirteen and has since won several awards for her short-fiction pieces. Once We Were is her first published novel. When Keighley isn't stuck behind the computer working, you will often find her chilling out at the beach or binge-watching a new Netflix series.