“Seriously? You really want to get married…to me...again?” Her blue eyes widen to an almost comically large size and if I wasn’t so turned on by her in those shorts, I’d be seething that she thinks it’s such an absurd idea.
I shrug, trying to play it cool while my brain screams to put a stop to this because this is literally reenacting my biggest fear.
“First time didn’t count.” I swear I don’t even recognize my voice right now.
Regan bites the corner of her lip like she’s trying to hide a smile. Meanwhile, I feel like I’ve lost my damn mind.
“Okay… a wedding, to showcase the business… in one week.” She nods her head slowly like she’s already planning it.
“Next Friday,” Scarlett announces with a thumbs up, looking smug as hell about orchestrating the whole thing. “This is going to be the best.”
Sure, if the best is actually the worst.
Chapter 18: Regan
“I feel a little bit crazy right now,” I mumble, rubbing my temples as Molly, Lydia, Rae, and Scarlett sprawl out around me on the floor and couches of my new living room.? Paperwork with to-do lists, table place cards, and scribbled notes are scattered everywhere—proof of the wedding I’ve somehow managed to plan over the past five days. Myfirst real wedding.
“It’s going to be alright,” Lydia says, her voice soothing as she sets a sheet of paper next to me. “Here’s what my dad came up with for his portion of the ceremony. Do you want to review it, tweak anything he’s planning on saying? He knows this isn’t legit, but he still wanted it to feel special for you.”
I glance at the paper full of promising words about marriage, love and eternity, but the letters blur like waterlogged ink. “Yeah. Thanks for asking him to officiate on such short notice. I’m good with whatever he’s come up with. I don’t think I have the capacity to read that right now.”
She smiles and squeezes my arm affectionately. “He wouldn’t miss it. He loves you, too. And though he hasn’t met Hayes yet, I’m sure he’ll enjoy getting to know him at the reception. Thanks for considering him for this.”
I hum in response because, honestly, I’m not convinced that’s happening anytime soon. It’s not like this is a real marriage I’m throwing. It’s my second, fake marriage which is hilarious considering I never even thought I’d have one.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Rae asks, standing from the couch and adding her perfectly handwritten place cards to the growing pile ofthings I need to deal with in the next two days before I get re-married to my fake husband.
“Thank you for doing those. There’s whiskey in the cabinet. I’d love a good pour.”
She disappears into the kitchen and returns a few minutes later, sliding a glass of amber liquid toward me like it’s an offering to the gods of fake marriages and make believe love.
“I need to head home, or I’d stay and commiserate,” she says, grabbing her bag. “The foundation and walls for our new house are finally done, but I’ve got to meet with Cash to pick out paint colors before the store closes.”
“No problem. This is fine. This is all going to be fine.” I’m not sure who I’m saying that to because I don’t believe it. I feel like that meme of the dog where the whole house is on fire and yet he’s smiling nervously.This is totally fine.
After Rae and Lydia leave together Molly and Scarlett scoot closer. Molly drapes an arm around my me protectively and rests her chin on my shoulder.
“Babe, it’s okay. No one expects everything to be perfect. This is just to show it all off, you know? And seriously, it’s going to beamazing. You’ve put so much work into this, and we’re all here to help. Remember, the Marshall’s are great at this stuff. You all managed to build a whole restaurant with Colt orchestrating stuff from behind bars. Just try to have fun on Friday. It’s your first wedding, er, I guess your second, but definitely not your last,” she adds with a light laugh, trying to keep things breezy, like there will be more weddings in my future.
I snort. Because how do we know that? How do we know what’s going to happen next with Hayes and me? Is there a record for most weddings to the same person in the shortest amount of time? Because if so, I think I’d beat it.
Things are still up in the air with the property and legal paperwork. I don’t want to leave this land, and neither does he—not while he’s trying to get his business off the ground and I’m starting the foundation of the Marshall family wedding venue. Once everything’s finalized, do we get divorced but keep living here together? What happens if I fall in love with someone new? Does he stay? Do they move in with us? Do we all just… cohabitate like some twisted sitcom where two, grown couples live in the same house?
And what about if he finds someone new?
The thought of him bringing home another woman—a girlfriend or a wife—makes my stomach twist. Despite his aversion to marriage, maybe I’m warming him up to the idea. Maybe his next marriage will be less complicated, and I’ll have broken him into the idea of it. Maybe I’m his test run into how it could be in a marriage, and he’ll be more open to committing to someone in the future.
I inwardly gasp. What if they have kids? What if I have to see those kids every day while I’m childless and alone.
Okay, I’m spiraling.
I force a smile and knock back the rest of my drink. “Thank you. Are you leaving for your shift?”
She nods. “I am, I’m so sorry. I’m already way too tired to be on parole but I really should go before the chief gets angry.”
I wave her off. “You’ve done more than I could ever ask for. Thank you for coming. It’ll all be over in two days.”
Just two more days.
