Filling a mug, he brought her up-to-date on the security plan and the pictures that didn’t pan out. “He told me to say hi.”
“Hi back.”
Reece raised the cup to his lips and took a sip. “He knows we’re married. That’s what he and Amy were whispering about when you showed up.” She turned to him and blinked.
“Um, what did he say?”
“Besides giving me shit for not telling him, you mean? He says the whole town knows, and that we should drop by Miners tonight so everyone can toast us.”
“Oh.”
“We might as well since the cat’s out of the bag.” He studied her as she twisted her mouth side to side. “You don’t want to go?”
“I do, but I’m not sure how we’re supposed to act.”
“Like we always do.”
She turned the bacon. “Oh, so you’re going to ignore me while I sneak wistful peeks at you?”
He set the mug down, stunned. “Is that how we normally act?”
She batted her eyes at him. “Yes.”
A grin creased his mouth. “Wistful peeks? How the hell did I miss those?”
“You’re blind, Reece Hunnicutt.”
“Not anymore.” He lunged for her, spun her, and crushed his mouth on hers, swallowing her squeals.
The bacon sizzled and popped, and she broke the kiss. “The bacon’s going to burn,” she gasped.
He grabbed her chin and pecked her lips. “We don’t want that.” Feeling about ten feet tall, he traipsed to the living room and began scrolling on his phone. By the time she called him to breakfast, he had discovered none of the stores in this or the neighboring counties had what he needed, and he’d tossed his phone to the side in frustration.
Then he remembered a different something he needed to check on. “Be right there,” he called back. To his delight, the special gift he’d ordered for Neve would arrive in time for Christmas. Perfect. If he placed an order for the security equipment today, he could pick up everything next week and still have plenty of time to install the cameras and wrap Neve’s present. He couldn’t hold back a smile. His plan was coming together.
Chapter 29
Legalities
Dread blooming inside Neve’sbelly had made eating the pancake breakfast she’d prepared nearly impossible. And honestly, she’d only cooked to give herself something to do besides watching the clock tick down to their scheduled video chat with Jill Carlisle.
Now that said appointment was underway, Neve’s stomach threatened to purge itself of its meager contents. Reece, on the other hand, had had no trouble chowing down two platefuls and didn’t act a bit rattled as he and the attorney exchanged questions and answers.
Jill Carlisle was middle-aged, with light eyes set in a round face, her graying hair pulled back in a casual bun. She telegraphed confidence and competence without behaving like an intellectual superior, which Neve appreciated. If only they were discussing something besides the end of Reece’s and her unplannednuptials …
“Annulment is definitely an option that has certain advantages,” Ms. Carlisle advised. “As long as you haven’t been living under the same roof—”
“Uh, um,” Reece stammered, “actually, I moved into Neve’s guest room when the pipes broke and the water at my apartment was shut off.”
The speed bump didn’t slow Ms. Carlisle. “Okay. Have you since moved back into your apartment?”
“Not quite yet,” Reece hedged. It had been ready days ago, but he hadn’t been mentally prepared to leave Neve’s house. Still wasn’t.
The attorney’s brows furrowed. “Because the water’s still off?”
“No, it’s back on. Only recently, though.”
She tapped her pen against her cheek. “We can work around that—as long as you conducted yourselves as simply roommates. In other words, you two didn’t share abed.”
