“Hess?”
I should probably just tell her the truth. Relationships are built on honesty, and there are only six months left before the divorce. I’m in safe territory to break the confidentiality clause and tell my serious girlfriend about the business arrangement.
“Okay, I have a wild story to tell you.”
“Whose number is this?” she claps back.
“It’s Camila’s.”
Her eyes turn into daggers. “Selena’s attractive sister?”
The fact that Camila is quite attractive will not bode well for me in this situation.
“Is she attractive?” I scratch the back of my neck. “I hadn’t noticed.”
She holds up the phone like incriminating evidence in a courtroom. “Your texts say differently.”
“Those were all jokes. I don’t even know her.”
“You joke with women you don’t know about black lingerie?”
“No,” I say, but as her lips purse in anger, I change my answer. “I mean, yes. I did, but it’s not what you think.”
“I think you’re flirting with Camila right in front of me—or worse,cheatingon me with her.”
“Let’s just calm down and start from the beginning.” I stand and grab her hand, forcing her to sit on the couch with me. “Five and a half years ago, some guy in my biology class knew I was trying to start my company but had no money. He told me about a business proposition I couldn’t pass up. A way to make an instant hundred thousand dollars with another hundred thousand paid out over the course of a few years.” Shanna’s brows stay furrowed, but it looks like she’s following the story, so I keep going. “All I had to do was marry some girl so she could get her inheritance.”
“Marry?”
“Yes, but it was strictly a business deal. I marry her, get my money, and then never see her again.”
“You didn’t do it, though, right?”
“Uh…” I blow out a heavy breath.
“You married her!” Shanna screeches.
“Yeah, but it’s no big deal. We literally got married, shook hands, and never saw each other again.”
“And this is Camila we’re talking about? You married Camila?”
“Yes, but I hadn’t spoken to her or seen her since that day five and a half years ago. In fact, she didn’t even recognize me when I saw her again. It’s just some crazy coincidence that she’s Selena’s sister.”
Shanna covers her face with her fingers as if she’s overwhelmed by the information. Can’t say I blame her.
“So let me see if I have this straight.” Her hands drop, and she looks up. “You marry a complete stranger for money, hide it from me, randomly bump into her again five and a half years later, and then jokingly send each other a few flirty texts just for the fun of it?”
“Sort of, but I didn’twantto hide it from you. I signed a confidentiality clause stating that I wouldn’t disclose the marriage to anyone. Legally, I’m not supposed to say anything.”
“So if I hadn’t found these texts, you were never going to tell me?”
“No, once the divorce was final in six months, I was going to tell you everything.”
She stands. “You’re still married?”
“I thought that was implied from the texts.”
“Oh my gosh!” Shanna starts pacing as angry words tumble out of her. “You’re supposed to get engaged to me. It's no wonder you keep pushing back an engagement. You’re married to Camila!”
