“You have nothing to worry about.”
I know she hears the aggravation in my tone because she narrows her eyes at me. “You know.” She stands, placing her sparkling water on the table. “I never did ask you why you agreed to this arrangement.”
I should’ve known she wouldn’t let the Juno thing go. I’m not sure if she’s just too proud or if she’s worried that I won’t honor my commitment.
She picks up a rag and dusts the bookcase behind her, picking up knickknacks and picture frames that really should be packed up.
“I’m doing it as a favor to you because you asked.” I’m positive I told her that, but even so, the paperwork in the folder I’m holding feels as if it weighs about a thousand pounds right now.
“Really? Because I kind of wonder if you’re not doing it to get Juno jealous.”
I place the folder on the table and stand, needing to exert some energy by pacing before I tell her again that my relationship with Juno is none of her business.
Sure, maybe making Juno jealous is part of it, but I won’t tell Brigette that. At first, I was so pissed with Juno when Brigette asked me if I would want to marry her that I agreed on impulse. Then once the reality of what it would mean set in, proposing to Brigette seemed like a good way to force myself to get on with my life. Get over the one woman it seems I can never have. I’ve grown tired of pining away after something that’s never going to happen. I needed something more than just my willpower to snap me out of it. This seemed like it would do the trick.
“I’m doing this as a favor to you, so now I’m asking you, as a favor to me, to tell Dr. Murphy that you see your future here in Lake Starlight.”
“I’m not sure I feel comfortable now.”
“Then no marriage. No green card.”
She whips around. “I trust you with so much, why wouldn’t you tell me about her?”
This entire town thinks I’m madly in love with Juno—and they’re right. I am. But Juno’s not in love with me and I’m done with the pitying looks. I tried to push her out of her comfort zone. Tried to assure her I’d never leave her again like I did when I left for college. But she doesn’t believe we’re worth the risk.
Then again, maybe I’m mad because I rashly went into this decision with Brigette. I was upset, and that’s why I asked Juno to match me with someone. I didn’t know Brigette was trying to be matched with someone in the hopes of getting her green card since her student visa would be ending. Neither did Juno. She thought Brigette was a twenty-something looking for love.
“I didn’t think it was need-to-know information. I don’t know anything about you other than what I have to. Questions we’ll be asked, that’s the information we know about one another. Our favorites, our family, our friends.”
“And Juno is your friend.” She raises her arms to dust the top shelf of the bookcase and I spot a bandage under her left breast on her upper ribcage.
“Did you hurt yourself?”
She looks down, falls back to her heels, and the guilty look on her face says there’s more to that bandage. “I got a tattoo.”
“Where at?”
“There’s only one tattoo parlor in this small town. Where do you think?”
“By whom?” Because I think I already know by whom—the man who keeps bringing in his new puppy for stupid reasons.
“Rhys,” she says with a shrug.
“So maybe I’m not the only one who has eyes for someone else.”
“Do you honestly think I would jeopardize this for a fling?” She puts her hands on her hips and squares her eyes on me.
She has much more to lose, except I really don’t want to go to jail for this. After I made the decision and filed the first round of paperwork, I figured a three year commitment to her wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. It’d give me plenty of time to force myself to get some distance from Juno and get over her, move on with my life and accept that Juno would not play a romantic role in it.
My phone dings in my pocket, but I ignore it.
“I have the prenup.” I pick up the folder. “I had my lawyer put a clause in there about Four Paws should Dr. Murphy sell it to me. I’ll own that by myself, and we’ll each leave this marriage with what we had coming into it.”
She nods. We were clear that when this is over, we go our separate ways, but I wanted a fail-safe just in case.
When she disappears into the kitchen, I open the folder and see our names there on the paperwork. Sometimes I wonder how I got myself into this position. But there’s no sense looking back. I’m in it and I’m a man of my word, so regardless, I’ll be marrying Brigette next week.
She returns with a pen and scrolls her name across the lines that are flagged for her signature.
I close the folder and leave her apartment, pulling my phone out of my pocket.
Dori Bailey: I need your help. I’m at a bar in Anchorage and Ethel drank too much. Pick us up?
This has to be a joke. Why would Dori be in Anchorage? Plus, I’ve never seen Ethel drink more than a single glass of wine without complaining about heartburn. But regardless, it seems I’ll be driving to Anchorage.
Me: Sure. Just send me the address.
My phone pings with the address of the bar. Great.
I open the door of Tipsy Turvy, which sounds like somewhere Dori would go to. As soon as my eyes adjust from the sun to darkness, I spot Juno standing there talking to a bartender.
“Colton?” she asks, her forehead scrunched up.
“Did Dori call you too? I wish she’d told me before I drove all the way out here.”
“No. She’s in the back though.” Juno rolls her eyes, finishes talking to the bartender, and ushers me to the back. “Kingston’s big mouth told her I was doing this blind speed dating thing here tonight, and she said she wanted to come. Thought that I needed her and Ethel in case some older men showed up.”
“She told me Ethel was drunk and she needed a ride home?”
Juno scoffs. “Neither one of them has had one drink and I drove them here. Unfortunately.”
I stop her before we go through a door to the back room. “We should talk.”
She’s shaking her head before I get a chance to continue. “Later, okay? I’m so nervous about tonight and I just need to concentrate on that right now.”
I can’t fault her for not wanting to hash out our history when she’s working.
“Maybe we can ride back to Lake Starlight together. Ethel could drive your car?”
“Um… no, but we could meet up later tonight if you want.”
“Perfect.”
We walk through the door, and lo and behold, Dori and Ethel are at a table, playing cards.
“Grandma, did you tell Colton to come here?”
“Did I?” She looks at Ethel.
I raise my phone in my hand. “I have the text.”
“Oh yes, funny, I thought I was messaging Kingston. You know how he works in Anchorage. Thought he’d be on his way home.”
“I told you Kingston was coming tonight.” Juno straightens chairs and tables that are lined up with partitions like voting booths. Even when they switch seats, they won’t be able to see one another.