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Not that Charlie and I would have had an easy time of it if we’d met and fallen in love during the same time period Margaret and Tiffany did. A Black man and an Asian American woman would’ve had plenty of shit to deal with forty years ago. I can imagine we’ll run into some modern-day bigot nonsense over this next year too.
I wonder if our lack of love will make that kind of hate easier or harder to deal with.
Still, I chant to myself to push the doubt away.
For Leo. For Leo. I’ll put up with anything to save Leo.
By the time the judge is ready, Charlie has offered for us to act as the witnesses of Margaret and Tiffany’s wedding, and they’ve agreed to do the same for us.
One less thing to worry about.
Only when Charlie and I are standing in the chambers, facing each other with those two loving women watching us, I can’t help thinking I need to commit to this ruse just a little bit more.
“Do you have rings?”
“Yes!” I triumphantly hold mine up, and Charlie chuckles.
My fake fiancé scoops up my hand in his warm palm and slides the tiny gold band onto my ring finger. I follow the same steps, experiencing a strange rush of ownership as I push the gold over his knuckles.
For the next year, Charlie Keller is mine.
CHARLIE
Luna is the most gorgeous fake wife a person could ever hope for. The plum color of her suit sets off a warm glow under her skin and somehow makes her hair appear even darker.
Add all that to the ring on her finger, and I know my mind will forever save this image.
“You are now husband and wife.” Since we’re in a courthouse, there’s none of the usual flare, nothing like what Marianna put on for Paige and Dash’s wedding.
But there is a contractual obligation.
One requirement Luna’s grandmother dictated was that a photo must be submitted to the executor of Luna and her husband kissing on their wedding day.
I wish I could have met Tsai Shu-fen. She’s a tricky woman, and I’d like to shake her hand.
My wife slides a cell phone out of her pocket and turns to Margaret.
“Would you mind taking a photo of us?” Luna clears her throat, then powers on. “Kissing?”
The two lovely women chuckle. “Of course. First kiss as a married couple is something you’ll want to remember.”
First kiss, period.
But I don’t correct them. Instead, I focus on not getting too excited about this. About not reading too much into it.
This is fake. All temporary.
“Let’s do this.” Luna is all business, clasping my shoulders. She has on a set of heels that give her a few extra inches of height, which means I don’t have to bend over as much.
“All ready!” Margaret calls.
Then Luna’s lips meet mine.
The universe shimmers around me like a heat flare has hit this courtroom.
“Oh darn. I accidentally closed the camera. You two keep going! I’ll have it back up in a second.”
The flustered little old woman can take as long as she wants if the result is me continuing to kiss Luna.
