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“I feel like I’m supposed to say yes if we’re getting married, but . . .” I shrug, pulling a face. “I like him.”
I expect her to be horrified, but she smiles instead. “Perfect. If you said you love him and he was doing this for a work deal, I’d veto the whole shebang myself. But you’re not invested in him like that. You like each other, you have great sex, you can live in the lap of luxury, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll bring in the biggest and best exhibition the museum’s ever seen. You might even end up with a raise or a promotion at work, which would give you the funds to get Alphena to market. It’s a win all the way around.” She winks and adds, “Plus, it’ll be a great story to tell our grandkids when we’re old biddies in the nursing home.”
She’s right, but is it enough? Isn’t this still wrong?
“Business is business, babe. Ain’t nothing wrong with that,” Sam decides, and I find myself nodding, even though I’m still not sure.
Carter
“I can’t believe you’re going through with it,” Zack tells me with a grin that shows off too many white teeth. He’s like a shark, looking for blood in the water . . . probably mine.
“Are you enjoying this?”
He laughs bitterly, not bothering to shrink his smile in the slightest. Now that I look again, it’s maybe more of a baring of his teeth than a smile. “Are you kidding? We’ve done some stupid shit, but this takes the cake . . . and the pie . . . and the whole damn dessert buffet.” He waves his hands around at the wedding setup in my living room. “Still, I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”
“You’re about to,” I warn.
He flicks one of the white roses dangling from the fireplace mantel. “You’re not ditching me now.”
He’s right and he knows it. I want him here, and so does Luna. “Well, you don’t have to be so fucking smug about it.”
“Man, don’t get it twisted. I’m begrudgingly and barely going along with this. For Luna’s sake, not yours. This shitshow is gonna blow up, and I want to be right here to catch her when it does. I love you, but you’re gonna land on your feet. She’s built different than we are.” He glances toward my bedroom door, and though I’ve been hyper-aware of it all day and know it hasn’t opened, I look too.
“I’m not going to hurt her,” I vow solemnly.
He shakes his head, his lips pressed together into a tight line. He seems to be considering whether to say what he’s thinking. With a heavy sigh, he sadly tells me, “I believe that you believe that. I really do, or I’d have her as far away from you and this mess as I could get her. But in the end? You will. It’s inevitable.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” His words were harsh, so mine are spat out in anger.
“As she’s reminded me, I can’t do anything about it. She’s different than we are, but she’s stronger than she thinks, and if I told her no, she’d have my balls in a vice. I’m hoping she keeps that energy in dealing with you.”
He holds a cupped palm out but then makes a fist and twists. Involuntarily, I flinch and cover myself.
That’s when the doorbell rings.
Saved by the bell! “That should be the Justice of the Peace I booked.”
“How much did you have to pay for a house call?”
I raise my brows, confiding, “Not as much as I paid to make sure he understood that this is a very private situation.” Zack chuckles, and I divulge, “I’m pretty sure he thinks Luna’s pregnant.”
There’s a follow-up knock at the door. “Guess he’s impatient.” I straighten my tie as I open the door, already saying, “Thank you for—”
Except it’s not the Justice of the Peace. It’s my sister.
“Kayla! What are you doing here?” I demand sharply. She can’t be here. No one in my family can know about this.
As usual, Kayla gives zero fucks and walks on in. “You’ve been avoiding me, so I’m ambushing you to find out what the hell’s going on.”
“Nothing’s going on.”
She ignores me completely and focuses on Zack, pointing at me like I’m not even in the room. “Do you believe him when he lies that badly?”
Zack smirks and shakes his head. “He’s a shit liar if you know him.”
“Right?” she agrees, sounding like she’s pitying me for being so bad at lying. Which I’m not.
I don’t have time for them to be talking shit about me. I’ve got to get her out of here. “Kayla, Zack and I are meeting for work and you’re interrupting.”
Kayla rolls her eyes. Or I assume she does, but I can only see the back of her head. But it seems like something she’d do and Zack is fighting back a laugh.
