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My lips rub together as I try to think of an answer. “It’s complicated.” Camden’s date backs away from the circle slowly, heading to the bathroom door. I want to tell her goodbye—or at least properly introduce myself—but she’s gone before I can say anything. Plus, Margo and Emma are staring at me with such lost looks that I can’t focus on anything other than the story I’m going to give them.
Margo lets out a little laugh, tucking her dark hair behind her ear as she reaches for my hand. “Ifanyoneknows complicated, it’s me. I married my ex-boyfriend’s brother—who was also my boss at one point. I get complicated, Win. Just tell us the story.”
“I guess you could say things have been on and off between us for about a year,” I lie. Technically, you could say things have been off between us from the moment we both were born, thanks to our families. But I know that isn’t the answer Margo and Emma are looking for.
“So you were talking to both Blake and Archer?” Emma asks, confused.
I’d confided in her about Blake after she once saw a text from him on my phone. It started as an innocent conversation; we’d been going over details about when and where he’d pick me up. But he’d followed up his text asking me when I was going to say yes to a date with him. Emma saw it, and I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer. I had wanted to tell her that I had a crush on someone, even though I knew it was a man who was off-limits.
I shrug, knowing I have to give her an answer. “Sort of. You know the history between Archer’s family and mine. Even when I realized there was a spark between us, I didn’t think anything would happen.”
“And your family is just okay with all of this?” Margo asks, leaning in closer to me. She still holds my hand, giving it a tight squeeze like she’s reminding me that she’s here no matter what.
“They are.” This might be the first true answer I’ve given. My dad had to give up a lot to convince Archer to do this, but at the end of the day, he still gave his stamp of approval. The marriage is what he wanted, given the circumstances.
“When was the wedding?” Emma asks, sadness creeping into her voice. Emma has always been the strong one in our trio. She’s the one who’d wipe the tears away for Margo and me. She’d threaten anyone that hurt us, but there were times when her act cracked, and you could tell it took a toll on her to be the strong one.
Right now is another one of those moments. She doesn’t want to act like me doing this without them hurts her, but I know it does, and I hate myself for doing it.
“Two days ago,” I answer truthfully. Pictures from our wedding day will be plastered all over the internet on Monday. It’ll say the date—there’s no point in me hiding that detail.
Emma and Margo share a look. “Why didn’t you invite us?” Emma presses.
“We would’ve loved to be there, Win,” Margo continues. “You were in my wedding. I always dreamed about beingin yours, too.”
I had, too, but I don’t say that out loud. I’d always dreamed of a big, elaborate wedding with all of the people I love most. There’d be flowers everywhere, an orchestra for the ceremony, and a live band for the reception. I would’ve designed my own dress—or a few different ones because why choose just one—and even had a part in designing a custom dress for each one of my bridesmaids. I’d dreamed of doing all these things for when I finally said “I do,” but none of that happened.
I swallow, looking down for a moment as guilt weighs heavy on my chest. “We wanted to be married before things went public. You know how the media is. We wanted something that was just ours. To only address our relationship once and then just enjoy being together. So we got married in a very small and intimate ceremony. The only reason we invited any media at all was because we didn’t want to have to answer many questions after the fact. If we let them in, gave an interview about our love story, they’d leave us alone.”
Margo lets out a sarcastic laugh. “They never really leave you alone. I’ve been asked if I’m pregnant all night tonight.”
My eyes go wide, flicking to her abdomen and back up to her. Before I can ask if she is, she holds her hands up. “I’m not, but it hasn’t stopped them from asking. Trust me, you guys would be the first to know if I was.”
I smile, looking forward to the day. Margo has always talked about wanting to be a mom. She’s already planned how she’d paint their portrait for every birthday and how she’d paint a mural in the nursery. It makes me a little sad to think about because, just like her, being a mom is something I want to be. And I don’t know when that will happen since, for the time being, I’m locked into a fake marriage.
Emma rolls her shoulders, pushing them back as a smile blooms on her face. “Winnie, I just can’t believe you’remarried. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I do feel like you upgraded. Archer is hot—way hotter than Blake.”
I smile because it’s a total Emma thing to say. She isn’twrong, though. Sometimes I look at Archer and catch my breath. He’s so strikingly handsome it takes me off guard.
Emma’s eyebrows lift. “If you were to look up tall, dark, and handsome in the dictionary, it’d show you a picture of Archer Moore. Like holy hell, Winnie, his muscles seem to have muscles—and I’ve only seen him in a suit.”
Margo and I both laugh at Emma. She has absolutely zero filter, and it’s something we love her for.
“I’m glad you find my husband hot,” I tease. Her words don’t bother me at all. For one, he really isn’t mine to claim—even though I don’t want to think too deeply into that fact. And for two, it’s obvious how good-looking he is. I don’t need my friend to lie and tell me he’s ugly in an attempt to not make things weird.
“I will forgive you for not telling me that you got married if you promise to not keep us out of the loop anymore,” Emma begins, knocking her shoulder against mine. “We want all of the details—even some of the dirty ones. And you have to promise to spend time with us now and get out of your love-filled bubble and leave your husband occasionally.”
“Or Archer can come, too,” Margo offers. “Beck would love it. We can do double dates!” Her voice is so excited that I don’t want to tell her I’m not sure if Archer is the kind of guy to do double dates. I guess I wouldn’t have really expected Beck to be either, but these days, it seems like he’d do anything for her. I can’t tell Margo that Archer’s and my relationship isn’t really like that.
“Let’s do it,” I say through a forced smile. It might take some convincing to get Archer to do it, but I’m going to try. It’d be fun to do dinner or maybe even catch a show with them.
Emma’s lip juts out in a pout. “When will it be my turn?” she whines, her eyes bouncing between me and Margo. “All I want is for a rich man to lay eyes on me and fall madly in love with me. Surely that isn’t too much to ask for.”
“I thought you wanted a cowboy?” I fireback, wrapping my arm around Emma’s neck. The awkward tension has dissipated, giving me my best friends back.
Emma rolls her eyes. “Honestly, right now, I’ll settle for a man that actually knows how to give me an orgasm. Bonus points if he takes me out to dinner first. I went on a date the other night with a guy who is in finance, and he bought me one drink before he was asking if we could go back to my place because his mom was staying at his.”
Margo laughs. “Is that code for he’s still living with his mom?”
