Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 84(@200wpm)___ 67(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 84(@200wpm)___ 67(@250wpm)___ 56(@300wpm)
She offers it to me, and it slides right on. It fills me with an excitement I never thought possible. Holy shit, this is actually happening.
“Looks like a good fit,” Cameron says, grinning at me accepting the ring.
“And how will you be paying for this, sir?” the Jeweler says with a smile.
“Let’s go take care of that, shall we?”
Cameron and the clerk head into the back to do their negotiations, leaving me staring at the ring.
I decide to share my disbelief by snapping a picture of it and sending it to Piper.
It’s not long before I receive a message back from her. Wait, what? You’re already engaged?
Yup.
How? It’s only been a week since we made our pact. We’re not supposed to be getting married that quick, Liv.
I found the right man who has the same set of priorities that I do.
Jeez. It’s one hell of a ring, you caught a whale.
I didn’t do it for the money, but I have to say that the money is a nice surprise.
Keep your phone near you. There’s gotta be something up with all this. The police need to be able to find you if something goes awry.
I roll my eyes. I don’t think it’s going to go in that direction. I don’t get those vibes. Don’t worry so much.
This is just me being cautious. There’s a nonzero chance that he’s part of some crazy fundamentalist religion and he’s about to induct you into his extremist cult, where he’ll introduce you to his other forty-seven wives and make you dress like you’re fresh off the Mayflower.
Awfully quick to jump to accusations, aren’t you? Is that jealousy, my dear Piper?
I’m not jealous. Just worried. Going this fast is dangerous in a lot of ways. If it’s not a cult, it definitely seems like a recipe for heartbreak. Be safe, Liv.
I will. I’m insane for doing this, but I’m trying not to be a fool about it.
It makes sense that she’s worrying. Everything smells so sweet right now that it’d be real easy to cover up the scent of something shitty.
Cameron returns from the back with the powerful strut of a man who has accomplished something.
Even if that thing is paying thousands for a piece of jewelry.
“Well, that’s taken care of. Shall we go get married now?” he says with a smile that suggests what he just said isn’t absurd.
“I guess that’s the next logical step. I don’t know if Linesworth has any drive-through chapels, though.”
“Oh, I was just going to go to the courthouse. Don’t even need a car for that.”
And so we head over to the courthouse, for a purpose I never thought I’d be there for.
It’s busy today, but most people there are for far less celebratory reasons. People in suits shuffling to and fro, lots of cops. It’s strange that this place does marriages on top of all the other legal madness it has to deal with.
“Judge Reynolds, how have you been?” Cameron declares as we walk right past the line and into a mostly empty courtroom. A bailiff the judge was talking to steps away as Cameron calls out.
“Cameron Smith, always a nicer day when you show up in front of me,” the old man replies. He shifts his eyes to me. “This must be the girl you’ve fallen madly in love with?”
“Absolutely. Head over heels.”
“You must be if you called a favor in for this. You do know that the line for waiting would only take you an hour at most, right?”
“I do hate waiting.” Cameron has readily established that trait of his character with how fast all of this is going.
“You called in a favor to get us married?” I say. Cameron was texting on our short walk over here, but I thought nothing of it at the time.
“Just to clear the judge’s schedule so we can get in and get out.”
I hesitate as I realize something else. “You have favors to call in?”
“I’m here all the time as a trial lawyer. As such, I’ve made a lot of friends.”
“I do have lunch to get to,” the judge declares. “Shall we begin?”
We’re given some paperwork to fill out and we do so without complaint. We hand it back to the judge, who then starts to read the usual spiel about solemnly swearing to love and hold one another, with all the flare that follows.
“Do you take Olivia Young as your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I do,” Cameron says, no hesitation.
“And do you take Cameron Smith as your husband?”
I swallow, but nod. “I do.”
“Then I announce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
And I manage to be surprised when Cameron goes for it, despite the judge announcing that’s what he’s about to do.
His lips on my own, goddamn. It’s an explosion of delight. He keeps it tasteful and romantic since we have an audience, but even this brief moment, the very first kiss we share, enthralls me and makes me yearn for what else he can do to me.