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“Should we go show the others?” she asks.
I nod, my hair bouncing around my shoulders as we step out and she puts me on an elevated pedestal. I glance in the mirror, and I really do feel like Cinderella. Is it possible that fairy tales really do come true?
“Okay, turn around, dear,” Lucille says.
I spin and everyone smiles with lots of oohs and ahhs. The way they’re all looking at me makes me feel like I’m someone very special, even though I spent my whole life telling myself I wasn’t.
“It’s perfect,” Mamma says. “She’ll take it.”
I laugh at that and Lucille looks at me. “Do you say yes to the dress?”
I take in all the expectant eyes and put my hands to my chest. “I say yes to the dress.”
* * *
I glance around my empty classroom. Honestly, I can’t believe the week I’ve had, or that it’s Friday afternoon already—my wedding is less than twenty-four hours away. For the last week, when I went off to teach, Roman’s family would forge forward to put the perfect wedding together for me.
I push to my feet, ready to head home to my new...family. I smile and resist the urge to pinch myself. Honest to God, I’m just afraid to let myself get too excited.
“Oh, I didn’t see you there,” I say, finding Richard in my doorway.
He puts his hands in his pockets. “The big day is tomorrow, huh?”
“Yes, we’re renewing our vows for his family,” I say, disliking the smirk on his face.
He gives a humorless laugh. “Renewing? You say that like you guys are already married.”
“Yes, well, if you’ll excuse me.” He steps farther inside, blocking my escape. I try to go around him.
“You’re lying,” he says. “You were never married. This is all a farce, some sort of fake arrangement you have with Roman. Go ahead, admit it.” He scoffs. “Not that any of it matters now, not with you both sealing the deal for real tomorrow.”
I lift my chin an inch. “I don’t owe you any explanation, Richard.”
“No, but you owe me one,” Andrew says, entering the room from the hall. Richard’s smirk widens, as he turns and slinks out, leaving me alone with Andrew.
“Peyton?” Andrew says, his brow furrowed. “Is it true? You and Roman were never married?”
My stomach clenches so hard I’m sure I’m going to throw up. “It’s...um...the marriage bar...” Good God, no matter how I put it, it’s never going to look good for me.
“We don’t have a marriage bar.” He angles his head, his eyes narrowed, studying my face. “Not anymore.”
“I realize that, but from my research, and those I’ve talked to, I heard it was still practiced.” As more words stream out, I attempt to turn the oncoming tide with, “I just thought it would be okay. No big deal. Harmless lie.”
“I see.” He adjusts the collar on his shirt and stands a little straighter, exuding his authority. “You lied, then?”
“I don’t really think—”
“Presenting yourself as married when you’re not is a lie, Peyton,” he says, his voice taking on a hard edge that shoots daggers of worry through my body.
“I just thought...” I take a breath and change tactics. I can’t lose this job. I just can’t. This has been my dream for so long and I’ve connected with the children. “I’m good at my job, Andrew. You can see that. Marriage was an obstacle and that was my only way to get around it, so I could show you how good I am at my job. I wanted you to judge me based on my merits, not my marital status.”
“Being single is something I would have accepted. Lying, however... I’m afraid you don’t have the morals for this job, Peyton.” As he frowns and shakes his head, my heart goes into my throat. “If you’ll please take all your things with you when you leave.”
My knees nearly collapse as the room closes in on me. I grip my desk and I take a few quick breaths as air squeezes from my lungs. Is this really happening? I open my mouth to plead but he shakes his head to stop me.
“That will be all,” he states, and disappears out the door.
“Ohmigod,” I say, and fall back into my chair.
