The Marriage Pact

Ariel's life has never gone according to plan. Her dream to join the Navy after high school was destroyed by a car accident, and now she's twenty-five, working two jobs, and still hasn't graduated college. She feels like she's barely holding it together, and that was before her addict mother sent drug dealers to Ariel's apartment to collect on her mother's debt, endangering Ariel and forcing her to move out.

She goes to stay with her best friend, Liam, who's been dealing with his own family drama. His recently deceased grandfather, who had nothing going for him except money, left Liam a house-with strings attached. In order to inherit the new home, Liam has to get married and stay that way for five years. Liam proposes an arrangement for his and Ariel's benefit: they'll wed, and once the house is his, if they want to stay roommates, they can, and if they want to divorce and sell the house, they can split the assets. In the meantime, Ariel will be safe from the people in her mother's world.

Ariel has no issue with the idea of being roommates with Liam. After all, they've known each other since ninth grade. It's not like marriage will change their relationship...