“Seriously?” Ellie’s brows raised in disdain. “You want me to put that on the paperwork?”
“Oh, you won’t just have to put it on the paperwork. That’s kind of the problem. An annulment in Texas requires you to prove your grounds for an annulment before a judge or jury. It’s not like we can’t get one—but you’re going to have to come back to Texas and we’ll have to go to court. It’s a whole thing.”
Ellie sighed. He couldn’t tell if in disgust or annoyance.
“Why did I think it sounded too easy to begin with?” she groaned, hiding her face in her palm. “You got me into this, Carter. You said it wouldn’t be a big deal. You said the lawyers could handle it for us. You said—”
“Wait, hold up.” He cut her off before she could talk herself into despair. Or a snit. “The lawyers can handle it for us. We can file for a no-fault, uncontested divorce. We have no property together, no kids, so we wouldn’t even have to go before a judge. Miguel, Sean’s lawyer, can handle all of it. We’ll be legally separated, and it will be easy.”
“But I’ll be a divorced woman. I’m uncomfortable with that. An annulment is the same as if a marriage never officially took place, right?”
“Officially, yes, but in reality? You know we were legally married. I know it. What’s the difference, then, in an annulment or divorce? Either way, it’s not like we lived together or slept together or did anything that should honestly make you feel worse about a divorce over an annulment.”
Ellie didn’t seem convinced. In fact, she looked displeased. Unhappy. But she didn’t argue.
“I guess…” she said grudgingly after a long, terse silence. “I’ll think about it. Pray about it.”
It wasn’t an immediate agreement, but inwardly Carter sighed in relief. The real reason he’d flown out to the Pacific Northwest to tell Ellie this in person was basically what she’d said: because he’d been afraid that, given her religious scruples, she’d freak out when she heard the news. He’d played the scenario through his mind multiple times during his flight, basing her reaction off how she’d reacted when the idea of a temporary marriage was first suggested. Honestly, today’s conversation had gone far, far better than he’d figured it would.
To distract her, keep her from backtracking, he changed the subject, inquiring, “Now that we’re agreed, how are things going here, for you and your family? You like Washington?”
She looked off soberly into the distance, towards the mountain ranges far beyond that encircled the scene like ancient guardians.
“It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen,” she admitted. “But it isn’t Texas. It’s been an adjustment—for me, for my family. My parents had a lot of trouble accepting this move, this identity change, with me being unable to give them any information. I don’t blame them.
“My dad settled into his new job and we found this church. The pastor is elderly and has a lot of health problems. Dad was chosen as an associate pastor on a temporary trial basis. My brothers are in a private school. The folks who resettled us here told us continuing to homeschool might make us easier to track if anyone was looking, since it’s fairly unique. Mom didn’t like giving it up, but she did. My brothers are doing fine with the transition. They like the school. They’re playing sports and making new friends. Mom actually got a job there. She used to teach a long time ago. To tell you the truth, I think she kind of enjoys being back on the school scene again.”
“And you?”
“Me? I’m okay. I don’t know how James did it, but—I’m assuming it was him or his team—they got my school records transferred up here under my new name. I’ve been working hard. Studying till my eyeballs bleed. Doing clinicals at the hospital. Not getting enough sleep. I have less than a year till I graduate as an RN.”
Carter deduced there was likely more to the transition up here than the details Ellie was giving, especially with her. How had she done, really, adjusting from her quiet life to a couple days of blood and death, then having to surrender everything and move across the country? How had her family handled the move, the new names, the uprooting? He could have inquired, but he didn’t want her knowing he cared that much about it, even though it had been his idea. Because he shouldn’t care that much. And didn’t.
Or, so he told himself. It was the Talos who cared, and Carter could ignore the Talos.
“Do you see much of Blake?”
“He comes around every now and then. Shows up at church every few weeks to visit, if you can believe that.”
“Joab Blake in a church? And lightning didn’t strike?”
Carter was taken aback by that one. Blake was devious, one of the slimiest shifter mercenaries Carter knew. He didn’t trust the man any farther than he could throw him, but Blake didn’t live too far from Ellie, and Sean had paid a lot to have him keep an eye on the girl and her family. Nothing won Blake’s loyalty like money. But going to church? He was surprised Blake wasn’t demanding hazardous duty pay for putting up with that.
“I know, right?” Ellie laughed. “I have to admit, I was shocked the first time he showed up. He looked—he looked pretty scruffy. My mom was convinced he was homeless. He played the part well; just a lonely soul looking for religion and maybe some friends. After he visited once or twice, he even invited us out to his place: a cabin in the wilderness, way out in the middle of nowhere. The whole drive out, Mom kept saying she was sure he must be a serial killer and we wouldn’t make it home alive. I think Dad had his pistol hidden on him.”
“I can’t lie, I really am surprised.”
“Yeah, I was too. It was hard to keep a straight face and pretend I didn’t have any idea who he was. I guess he’s doing his job, keeping tabs on me. He managed to catch a private moment in the kitchen that night at his house to tell me what was up.”
“If anyone can keep you safe, it’s Blake.”
He didn’t go into why. Blake’s shifter self was a ferocious beast. Elusive, hard to track, hard to fight, hard to kill. Carter didn’t know if Ellie had glimpsed it that night in the Botanic Garden or not. If she had, she hadn’t said anything. And the creature wasn’t something that would pass unnoticed or unremarked.
“Right,” she said. Then, “So, I guess, all things considered, we’re settling here okay. We’re making a new life. At least, being a military family, we’re pretty used to packing up and moving to new places on short notice.”
Silence drifted between them for a few moments, broken only by the sighs of the wind. In the interim, Carter studied Ellie as unobtrusively as possible, saw her shiver.
“Maybe we should wrap this up,” he offered.
“I am starting to get cold,” she agreed, but her voice, like her gaze, was distant, as if her mind was thousands of miles away, maybe in Texas, maybe lost in memories of her former life.
“Plus,” she added, “I should get back to church for services at some point.”
“They can’t start without you?”
“They can, but it’ll look strange if I’m not there. Our church is mostly older folks, and those little old ladies have nothing better to do than fuss over everyone like mother hens. They’re determined to get me married off.” She paused, a sly grin overtaking her face. “I should take you in there. Introduce you as my husband. Imagine the fuss they’d make over you!”