Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
When we get into his office, I set Sunny on the counter and pull the marriage certificate request form out of one of the folders hanging on the wall.
“What’s your social, Sunshine?”
She folds her arms over her chest. “Not telling.”
As if that’s going to stop me. I dragged Henri out of bed and am forcing him to notarize my marriage certificate request, probably pissing him off for years. I’m not stopping until Sunny’s name is legally Sunny Roseanne Gibson.
“Sign.” I shove the paper under Sunny’s hand.
“And if I don’t?”
I jerk the paper back and scrawl my best approximation of her name across the bottom. I add my own signature and then gesture at the Bible laying on Abbott’s desk. “Get your script and let’s go.”
“Since when can you marry people, Abbott?”
“It’s a long story, but basically it’s because I wanted to earn a little extra on the side.”
I bring my hand down heavy on Abbott’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. Your bank account will look very healthy after tonight.”
Abbot switches his gaze from the signed document and then over to Sunny. He bites his lip and shakes the paper. “I don’t know. I need to talk to Sunny for a minute.” He swings around the counter to approach Sunny. When he reaches her, he crouches down and lays a hand over her back. I growl. They both ignore me.
“Honey, you do not have to marry this guy. It’s the twenty-first century.”
“She damned well does have to marry me,” I snap. “She’s having my baby.”
Henri pauses for a half second before leaping in again. “Even so, no one gets married these days just because of babies.”
“That’s right,” Sunny agrees.
I gape at her in shock.
“There’s no right order of things,” she continues. “I shouldn’t be upset that the baby came before marriage, but I didn’t want this.”
“What?” I must’ve shouted because both of them jerk in response.
“I want the baby,” Sunny cries. “It’s the wedding I don’t want.”
Abbott gets right to his feet, swipes the paper off the counter, and rips it in half. “Wedding’s off,” the asshole declares.
“The fuck it is.” I start filling out a new form immediately.
“The wedding is supposed to come first,” Sunny wails. “And your parents are supposed to be there and everyone at the school.” She plucks at her sweatpants. “I can’t get married in these.”
“She’s right,” Abbott says unhelpfully. “Every person I know that has worn athleisure to their wedding has gotten a divorce.”
“I don’t even want to know the statistics on that, Abbott.” I turn to Sunny. “We’ll have a big wedding later. No one needs to know about this but you, me, and Abbott, and I can kill Abbott if it makes you feel better, but I swear to God, we aren’t leaving this courthouse until you are Mrs. Dunn.”
16
SUNNY
“Mack.” I’m trying to get him to see reason, but he’s not having it. I’m so tempted to do this right now. I’ve dreamed of marrying him for so long, and now it’s right at my fingertips to have.
“Please, Sunshine. You want me to beg? I’ll do it.” He starts to drop to his knees, but I grab a hold of him, not wanting that.
I know he’s not going to let this go. If not tonight, he’ll only keep pushing this until he gets me to cave. I have to admit that it’s kind of endearing how badly he wants to marry me, regardless of the reason.
“Okay.” I can tell from the almost wild look on his face that he’s not changing his mind on this. I allow the selfish part of me to make the decision. This is my moment. I know accepting his proposal means that I can have him forever.
Mack’s not the type of man that would even consider divorce as an option. He’ll belong to me. I’ll never have to think about him being with someone else again. It’s been one of my biggest fears. Relief washes over his face before he snaps at Abbot to begin.
“Make it quick,” he orders.
“Nah, I was gonna draw it out,” Abbot says dryly.
Mack shoots a glare at him that has him jumping right into the wedding vows. It all happens too fast. Before I know it, Mack is kissing me, and I’m married.
When we get back into the car, Mack has finally calmed down. He’s more relaxed than I’ve seen him in a long time. I start to wrack my brain and realize he’s been this way a lot over the last year. There is always this edge to him. A restlessness that I didn’t quite understand until now.
“Your mom is going to be so mad at us.” I break the silence that has stretched between us. We haven’t really said much since our vows. That’s partly due to the fact that Mack took my mouth in a possessive kiss when Abbott pronounced us man and wife.