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She nods and closes her eyes as she rests her head back against the seat of my truck. “He’s someone who cares, who listens and appreciates what I have to say. Someone who will put his love for me and our family before anything else. I never wanted anything lavish, just a true, honest connection. Like Emerson and Roman. Their wedding was perfect. You could see the love they share, and everyone who was important to them was there as well. Small and intimate.” She turns to face me, and her eyes slowly blink open. “What about you?”
Unable to resist, I reach over and tuck her hair behind her ear so I can have a clear view of those electric-blue eyes. “Something real.” My words are soft. “My parents, they fought to be together, and they knew they were it for one another. I want to feel that. To know that no matter what, I have one person in my life who shares my last name, who is there for me through it all. It’s not something I’ll ever settle on.” I shrug. “I guess that’s why I’m still single.”
“Not anymore you’re not, mister.” She points at me with a teasing smile. “Something real,” she says, sobering her tone. “Can we do that?”
“I promise you, Mo, it will be as real as we can make it. This will be a real marriage. There will be no one else for me while you’re my wife.”
“Just us.”
I nod. “Just us.”
“So, yeah, a small, intimate wedding. I think here, in town somewhere, and then you and I can take a trip. We can have some fun and learn to be the new us, you know, married and all that, while we’re gone. That will alleviate the pressure. We can learn how to be us without the eyes of everyone who knows watching us.”
“Our friends know the truth.”
“Yeah, but they’re no help. They’ll tease us, and I’m sure warn us to keep our emotions out of it. I can already hear Emerson now.”
“Can you do that? Keep your emotions out of it?”
“Sure.” She shrugs. “I mean, we’re already close and connected. We’re friends, so it won’t be completely emotionless, but I’m not expecting for you to fall in love with me or anything.”
Something tells me that wouldn’t be hard to do. “So, a cabin in the mountains for a short honeymoon and a wedding close to home. Your parents' place? Mine?”
“Let’s do mine, since they’re paying for it.”
“No. They’re not. I can’t let them do that. Not when we know this has an expiration date.” The thought of putting that burden on her family has my stomach twisting in knots. She’s doing this because her heart is pure gold. I’m paying for the wedding.
“My dad is going to struggle with that.”
“Well, I, too, am an only child. So I can tell them my parents want to pay as well.”
“It’s not going to work, Legend. My father will insist.”
“I don’t like it. You keep track of every dime. I’m paying him back when this is over.”
“We’re never telling them the truth, so how are you going to do that?”
“I don’t know, but we have to figure it out.” I can’t, just can’t let them take this on knowing the real reasons behind the wedding.
“Okay, how about this? How about we tell them that we’re both financially independent, and that we want to do this on our own? We’re keeping it low-key anyway, so it should be easier to convince them. Maybe our moms can take care of the food, and then you and I will take care of the rest.”
“Yes. That’s perfect. My wife is a genius.” I wink at her, and she laughs. The sound fills the truck, and I realize I’m the lucky bastard who gets to call this woman his. Even if just for a small amount of time.
“They’re here,” she says, holding up her phone. “Mom just texted me and said they’re pulling in now.”
“Stay put. Let me get your door for you.”
“I can open my own door, Legend.” She furrows her brow as if she can’t understand why I’d want to do such a thing when she’s capable of doing it on her own.
Leaning in close, I press the palm of my hand against her cheek. “You can also let your boyfriend, future fiancé, and husband open it for you. I’m in this, Monroe, which means you're mine, and I’ll treat you as such.” Unable to resist, I press my lips to her forehead. “Let me get your door, gorgeous.” It takes effort for me to pull away from her. We’re barely into this thing, and I’m already craving the connection between us.
Grabbing my phone and keys, I climb out of the truck, shoving them both in my pocket as I rush to open her door. I offer her my hand, helping her step down, and as soon as her feet are on the ground, I pull her into my arms, leading her into the restaurant.
When we reach the door, I freeze. “Shit.”
“What?” Monroe stops walking when I do and peers up at me under long lashes.
“How are they going to take our age difference?”
