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I pulled away from the kiss, even as she wrapped her fingers around my tie and laid her head on my chest. After I’d left her apartment, her best friend swooped in with a bottle of champagne, and the flood of drinks hadn’t stopped.
I begged off the heavy drinking, blaming work in the morning. It hadn’t seemed to stop anyone else.
“So, where are you two headed for the honeymoon?” Becca poured Nora another flute of champagne and topped mine off.
Despite her cheerful demeanor, she shared the same guarded look as Cal. Her best friend hadn’t mentioned dating me for over a year, let alone told her about a proposal. Even suspecting something was amiss, Becca plastered a smile on her face and supported her friend.
Nora relaxed against my chest. I looped an arm around her waist. “No honeymoon. We’ve got business to do.” Her voice slurred and dropped into a faux seriousness.
“I’ve got some meetings in New York next week, but we’re going to travel down there for the weekend, see a few shows,” I said.
“Shitty honeymoon,” Cal murmured.
Becca’s eyes widened. She tightened her grip on Cal’s arm in reprimand, keeping her eyes on us. “That sounds nice.”
“It’ll be great. I’m going to be extra charming,” Nora said. She gave me an exaggerated wink that could be written off as drunk flirting.
“Hopefully in the summer, when Nora finishes the school semester, we can have a proper honeymoon.”
“Really? You’d honeymoon with me?”
I rubbed her arm with my thumb. “Absolutely.”
“Well.” Bunny stood from the head of the table, raising her voice and quieting the rest of the party. “I think it’s about time we wish these newlyweds goodnight.”
“Really? It’s so early,” Nora said, her breath hot against my chest. She reached for her flute of champagne.
I moved the glass out of her reach. “It’s been a big day, and I’m sure everyone has places to be in the morning.”
“Not me,” she said with a grin.
“No, not tomorrow. But you’ll probably want to rest before we leave on Friday.”
“Right. Friday.”
Bunny issued commands like a drill sergeant, directing guests to return chairs and cover casseroles before she turned to us. Or, more accurately, with Nora only seconds from sleep, me.
“Now, I’m sure there Nora has moved some of her things to your house already, but just in case, Thea and I threw together an overnight bag.” Bunny set a red duffle bag in front of me and crossed her arms. “You’re good to drive, right?”
“This is my second glass,” I said, lifting the still-full flute.
“Good man. I’ll be by with breakfast in the morning. I’ll leave it on the porch, of course. Don’t want to wake you two up early.”
Bunny would be disappointed if she knew Nora was spending the night in my guest room rather than in my bed. Hell, I was disappointed, but I’d made this deal knowing Nora and I would live intimately close without ever actually being intimate.
“Thanks, Bunny. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.”
The older woman wrapped me in a cloud of Chanel No. 5 and hair spray, her bony arms gripping me tight. “Welcome to the family.”
I tightened my jaw, nodding to avoid any of the complicated emotions that had torn through me during the ceremony. Thankfully, the wedding seating had been as informal as the wedding itself. Other than Nolan and a few acquaintances and employees from the gym, the crowd had overwhelmingly shown up for Nora.
I’d called my mother two days before, but she’d been in France. Or maybe it was Italy. Somewhere with a time change that made getting her to answer nearly impossible. And when she had bothered to call me back, at nearly three in the morning, her reaction to my impending marriage had been underwhelming.
She’d sighed loudly and only asked one question. “The murderer’s daughter?”
I’d hung up the phone not long after, relieved she couldn’t attend.
After watching nearly a hundred people show up at a moment’s notice, showering Nora with gifts and love and well wishes, I found myself wishing this marriage was the real thing.
