Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 97836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
On the weekends, he introduced me to the joys of Majestic’s adventure offerings. I tried rock climbing (hard pass, thanks), hiking (during which I made sure to be on vigilant snake alert), mountain biking (which did, in fact, require Squirrel’s Nut Butter at least once), white water rafting (both terrifying and thrilling), and trail riding. Since the trail riding happened on private Fletcher land, it allowed for a hundred percent more casual encounters than any of the other adventures.
All in all, trail riding had turned out to be my favorite.
As June advanced toward July, preparation for the AdventureSmash exhibition ramped up, and the inevitable end of our marital charade loomed closer.
I tried not to think about it, but one day in late June, a call from Kenji brought it up in a way that I could no longer ignore.
“…not legally binding. So they wanted to make sure you didn’t want an actual contract agreement with your… legal spouse. All the divorce paperwork has been prepared, and I’m overnighting you the copies Way needs to sign. I can notarize them after he sends them back as long as you Zoom with me when he signs them.”
I’d been distracted by the sight of several kayakers paddling past the bench by the river where I’d chosen to take the video call. It was a gorgeous day, and I’d gotten tired of sitting at the kitchen table.
“Sorry, what?” I said, catching on the D-word.
“They apologized that it took so long.”
“That what took so long? Preparing the divorce paperwork? I don’t see why we need it until July.”
“They assumed you wanted to start the clock on the six-month waiting period as soon as possible.”
I couldn’t bring myself to tell Kenji that I hadn’t spent a single moment thinking about the divorce paperwork since the day I’d arrived in Majestic. Thinking about it now, the reality of filing for divorce, my divorce, from Waylon hit me harder than I expected. I stared out at the river. The water rushed by, causing the colorful boats to bob up and down as the current took them around the curve and on toward town.
“Silas?” Kenji’s voice snapped my attention back.
“Yeah. Yes. Fine. Okay.”
“So what about the additional contract? Yes or no?”
“I don’t… Sorry. I’m distracted. What additional contract?”
“They keep asking me if you’re sure you want to stick with just a statement of intent instead of a legally binding contract.”
“What do you mean? I thought the statement of intent was legally binding?”
He paused and took a breath, a move I’d seen and heard him make a million times. “This is what I tried to tell you when you asked me to make it happen. A statement of intent isn’t legally binding.”
Landry’s voice piped up from somewhere off-screen. “I still don’t see why he doesn’t just toss a few stacks of cash at the guy and come the fuck home. Surely he’s had enough dick at this point to—”
Without changing his facial expression, Kenji took his pen and shot it in the direction of Landry’s voice. “As I was saying, the attorneys wanted me to check in with you about whether or not you wanted them to prep an actual contract or whether you want to let it ride. They said you should be okay once the divorce proceedings have begun but that Waylon will still have the option to contest it until it’s final.”
I couldn’t get past the idea of filing for divorce. How would Way feel about it? Relieved? Annoyed? Indifferent?
“No.”
“No… what?”
I cleared my throat. “No, I don’t want to have him sign another contract.”
He paused again. “You sure? As your legal spouse, he could—”
“Yes,” I snapped. “I’m positive. And just call him my husband, for fuck’s sake.”
“Understood,” Kenji said softly.
Landry made a groan of disapproval. “Stop this nonsense and come home. I’m bored as fuck, and Kenji refuses to let me go to Pride Luminance.”
“I don’t know what that is,” I murmured, stretching my neck by tilting my head side to side.
Kenji sighed. “It’s a music festival where he will inevitably get roofied and be happy about it. Bash and Rowe are going to take him to the Hamptons instead. He’s fine.”
“Why is he even at the office right now?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. Next thing on the agenda is the list of questions from Tad about scheduling your quarterly investments call. I put it on the calendar for…”
I forced myself to pay attention to the rest of the call.
But thoughts of Way’s reaction to receiving the divorce papers hung dark and heavy in the corners of my consciousness.
TWENTY-FIVE
WAYLON
Even though six weeks had passed since my roundup accident, I couldn’t help thinking back on it as the night that things had seemed to change with Silas. Maybe my injuries had awoken a fiercely protective instinct in him.