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“C’mon, Taffy.” Ramsey tugged my sleeve.
I sighed in resignation, but it had been fun. When I stepped from my stool, my head swam. Oh, pretty lights. I stumbled and Hunter caught me with a laugh.
“We need coffee.” He leaned as much weight on me as I did him as the three of us made our way to the main floor.
Ramsey tapped Hunter lightly on the nose. “See why I love those smarts? That’s why he runs things. Always on top of the details.”
“Love. That’s sweet. You two are an adorable couple.” I swayed my hips, and something hard bit into me when I bumped into Hunter. “Is that a… something benign in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
“Only you, Taffy, would use a word like benign while you’re completely drunk,” Ramsey teased.
“I’m not drunk. You’re drunk.” I was a little drunk.
Hunter nudged me upright to reach into his pocket. “Oh.” His tone went flat. He was holding the ring from Dottie. “I wasn’t supposed to bring this with me.”
“You know what sucks most about that thing?” Ramsey was suddenly sad. “I’m expected to use that. I can’t hand it to Ravyn, who’ll look amazing in it no matter who she marries. I’m supposed to fall in love with some woman who doesn’t mind the trophy life wife—” his laugh was sad “—wife life, and who we like each other enough to exchange rings.” He watched Hunter the entire time he spoke.
I felt bad for him. For them. “When you put it that way, it would be easier for Hunter and I to get married.” I meant the comment to be funny. To lighten the mood. I was met with two blank stares. “I know. I’m not saying that. I’m just saying, no one’s watching us like they watch Ramsey.”
“Must be nice.” Ramsey sighed.
Sunlight struck my face,and I pulled the covers over my head to block it out. My head throbbed in protest at the sudden movement.
“Did we… step in front of a train last night? This morning?” Hunter’s question was as sluggish as my thoughts.
Ramsey groaned. “What is that beeping?”
“Your phone. Pretty sure,” Hunter said.
My gut lurched up, then down, then in a circle over and over. I was less than delicate untangling myself from the men as I raced into the bathroom. As I was emptying the contents of my stomach, my hair was pulled back. Ramsey gently rubbed my back.
When I was spent, I sank back onto the floor, and prayed for the room to stop spinning. Thankfully no one had turned on the lights.
Hunter handed me a glass of water, and returned to leaning against the wall and rubbing his forehead.
Ramsey sat next on my left, mimicking my knees-to-the-chest posture.
“Neither of you look violently ill.” I was a little jealous of that.
Hunter rolled his neck. “We drink casually more often than you. But God, it’s been a long time since I got black-out drunk.”
Ramsey slipped his right hand under my left. “Oh, shit.” He held both up.
I looked down to see Dottie’s ring on my finger, and my stomach curdled again. “I’m just holding this, right?” Snippets of early this morning trickled back.
“Maybe the two of you should get married. Imagine how much that eases concerns about sneaking around.” Ramsey sounded sad.
Hunter’s face was illuminated by his phone as he scrolled through. His string ofshit, shit, shitgot louder the longer he stared. “I don’t think you’re just holding it.”
“I’m not agreeing to this,” I argued.
Hunter tilted my chin and met my gaze. “Please? Marry me?”
When we’d gotten to the chapel, they wanted a marriage license, and the courthouse wasn’t open yet. Did that stop us?
“Hang on. I know a guy.” Ramsey already had his phone out.
I swallowed hard as my gut threatened to revolt again. Holy fuck. I’d married my ex-but-not-boyfriend’s boyfriend.
