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But at the same time, I feel weirdly vulnerable. Once upon a time I was worried that Weggers would see our deception. Now I’m afraid he’ll see the truth.
That I’m in love with Shane.
And worse.
That Shane’s not in love with me.
Hanna does a recap for Weggers. It reminds me of reality TV.
Couple number one, January and Tobias, met at a party thrown by January’s bestie. It was love at first sight, but they’d been tragically broken up by a lie told by Tobias’s ex-girlfriend, the It girl of the moment, Lilla Thornton. Still, true love prevailed. Tobias wooed January back, and she realized she couldn’t live without him.
Couple number two, Shane and Ivy, also met at a party in LA, but they became friends, not lovers. They were fundamentally incompatible because Shane was a partying playboy who loved his fame and LA lifestyle, and Ivy was looking for love, family, and happily ever after. Ivy was headed out of LA in pursuit of a small-town life, and they both figured that was the end of the story. But then they met up again in Rush Creek, acknowledged the feelings they’d been denying, and found a way to make it work.
Even I have to admit, I find the happily ever after part of the story difficult to believe.
If it were me?
I’d buy January and Tobias.
Weggers preens. Paces a bit. Considers his options.
“The real question is,” he says finally, “what would your grandfather want? Because ultimately, that’s my job. To be his agent on Earth.”
I sneak a glance at Shane. He rolls his eyes and grins at me. And I suddenly feel like maybe everything will be okay. What happened last night—that must have meant something to him, too. What he said about not wanting to see me with anyone else. What we did, how it felt.
And it was good this morning, too.
You can fake a lot of things, but not a morning after.
I reach for Shane’s hand, but just as my skin touches his, Weggers says, “January and Tobias.”
Shane pulls away like he’s touched a hot stove.
“It just feels like the safer bet. The two of you—the timing was just too convenient. And I feel like I’d be betraying your grandfather’s trust if I let you sacrifice your happiness to fulfill the terms of the will.”
Weggers bows his head.
Then he raises it again.
“Of course, if you do get married at another time in the near future, I do hope I’ll be invited.”
No one in Hanna’s office can manage a response to that.
Shane and I somehow make our way out of the office and into the parking lot. I’m in a bit of a daze. I’m not exactly clear on what just happened or what it means for the future.
“I guess…” I say. “I guess we’re not getting married? But Hanna’s business is okay. The land is saved?”
“Seems like it,” Shane says, absently. I think he’s just as befuddled as I am.
“And January and Tobias are getting married?”
“I guess so,” he says. “I mean, it makes sense. They’re for real, at least in their own minds.”
“Shane,” I say.
Because obviously I can’t just leave it like that. Not after yesterday evening and last night (all night) and this morning.
Not after days and weeks of getting to know him better and better and liking him more and more with every passing day.
