Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Luka
I think I just did the second dumbest thing I’ve ever done…
Of all the impulsive ideas I’ve had, proposing to marry my sworn enemy, the woman who got me sent to prison, has to top the list.
But even more shocking is the fact that she even agreed to it.
I guess that shows just how desperate she is.
Luckily, I planned ahead. I knew we couldn’t file in Ashford Falls without it getting back to Judge Sinclair, so I had L.O.K.I. do a little digging into the staff at the county clerk’s office in the next town over.
That’s how I learned that Anita—the lovely woman in charge of issuing marriage licenses—is a die-hard fan of the Ashford Falls Phantom, and, judging by her role as the founder and mod of the secret online forum community, “ The Phantom Phuckers ,” some may even say she’s his number one fan.
Given the information, it wasn’t hard to come up with the perfect incentive to make sure the paperwork got expedited before the end of the day.
I knew it was a long shot, but that’s what I was doing when I ran into Scout at Bookstore. I figured it’d take a hell of a lot more convincing on my end. But it turns out, Jimmy made it a hell of a lot easier than I expected.
”All right, all the paperwork’s been filed. Here’s your marriage license,” the clerk says, sliding the official document across the counter.
“And as promised…one early copy of Falling for the Phantom .” I slide the brown paper bag under the small opening in the acrylic window.
She snatches the bag eagerly, sucking in a gasp as she peels it open and sees the book.
I tuck the envelope into the inside pocket of my leather jacket. “Thanks again for helping us with this, Anita. I hope you enjoy the book.”
She clenches the book to her chest, beaming. “Oh, I will! I can’t wait to tell everyone in my…uh…bookclub.” She leans in, lowering her voice. “Okay, but seriously… How did you get this?”
“I’ve got my connections…” I say with a wink. “But I think it’s best that they stay a secret.”
She blushes and waves me off. “Of course. You know my lips are sealed.”
One down…two more to go.
“I can’t believe that worked,” Scout says.
“I don’t know if that’s meant to be a compliment or an insult.”
She shrugs. “Neither do I.”
I pull out my phone and send a text to Jett.
I’m calling in my favor.
I need your help with something, and you can’t tell anyone.
Jett
Goddammit.
What’s going on?
I’m getting married this evening, and you’re going to be my best man.
Jett
Fucking hell, Luka. For what it’s worth, I think this is a terrible idea.
What do you need me to do?
We need rings. Stop by Jewelry Store and pick out something classy. Gold, not silver. Nothing gaudy but make sure the diamond’s big enough to make a statement.
Jett
I really hate you right now. I hope you know, after this, we’re even.
Trust me, I know.
I used the ride over to make the last of my calls, and lucky for me, all it took was a few more persuasive donations to get Miss Scarlett on board.
Honestly, she probably would’ve agreed just for the simple bragging rights that she’s the first to know, but I made sure to throw in a little extra to sweeten the deal.
“Luka, where are we going? The courthouse is that way?” Scout’s voice cuts through the speaker in my helmet when I turn left, heading away from town.
“We’re not going to the courthouse.”
“Then where are we going?”
“Jesus, woman. I told you I was handling it. Just relax and go with the flow.”
“I’m not really a go-with-the-flow kind of person, if you haven’t noticed,” she squeals, her hands tightening around my middle as we lean into the sharp turn.
As soon as we make it out of the turn, I lay on the gas. “That’s because you’ve never had someone you trust to help handle things.”
“I hate to break it to you, Luka, but I’m not feeling particularly trusting of you right now.” I feel her helmet press against my back as she squeezes her arms even tighter. “Is the speeding really necessary, or are you purposely trying to throw me off?”
No, it’s really not. But it’s not every day I get to have the town princess riding as my backpack on the way to our shotgun wedding. Forgive me for cherishing the moment.
“Stop your whining and just enjoy the ride. All your nagging back there is ruining the vibes.” My hand moves to her bare thigh, suddenly remembering she’s wearing a dress. I loosen my grip on the gas, bringing the bike to a slower, safer pace.
I instantly feel her body relax as we fall into a comfortable silence.
You’d think I’d be second-guessing myself, with the impulsiveness of this decision, but I’m oddly at peace with it.
When I was younger, I always thought someday I would get married and maybe start a family of my own, but that was before my whole life got turned upside down.
After getting out of prison, finding someone to share my life with was the furthest thing from my mind.
I don’t think I’m capable of trusting someone to that degree ever again.
So, if anyone was going to enter into a marriage of convenience, for the simple pleasure of ruining Scout’s perfect image and her father’s precious reputation, then it makes sense that it’d be me.
It’s not like I’ve got anything more to lose. At least this time, I’m the one with the upper hand.
It’s nearly sunset by the time we make it to Phantom’s Reach.
The blue sky is streaked with orange and pink as the sun makes its descent behind the mountains.
Massive hemlock trees tower above us on either side as we disappear beneath their shadows.
I slow my speed as I maneuver through the narrow, winding roads that are only known by locals and even then are rarely taken… especially after the sun goes down.
This place is completely secluded. Which makes it the perfect place for us to elope.
A shiver shoots through me when I feel Scout’s hands move lower, her arms clenching around me tighter as we move deeper into the forest. She must realize where we’re going, or at least suspect…
“Is that…is that our old tree fort?” Scout asks as I put the bike in park.
“Yep. It was a toss-up between this or the graveyard, but I figured this way would be the most secluded.” I climb off and remove my helmet before lifting her off, careful to keep her bare legs from accidentally brushing against the hot metal.
“Oh, thank you.” She sounds nervous as I unbuckle her helmet and place it on her seat. My eyes search hers as we stand here waiting. I wish I knew what she was thinking.
She’s the first to look away, her eyes dropping to her feet as she nervously fidgets with the bow in her hair, and there’s something about it that feels like a victory. I fucking love that she’s nervous right now, that I hold the fate of her future in my hands.
I reach out, straightening the bow. “Stop fidgeting. You look great.”
The relief on her face almost makes me feel guilty—until I remember how pathetic that is.
When was the last time someone gave her a compliment? Christ, Scout, do you really have that little self-respect?
Now I’m more annoyed that she’s set the bar so goddamn low.
“Come on. Let’s get this over with,” I say as I take her hand in mine and lead her through the tree line.
Our footsteps crunch through the silence as our old treehouse finally comes into view.
The massive hollowed-out trunk is split down the middle in an exaggerated V shape. One half leans against a nearby tree, its branches dead and mangled, while the other angles in the opposite direction—its limbs full of life and lush with green leaves.
A single strand of twinkling lights drapes across the tree’s barren branches, while golden rays filter through the woods like soft brushstrokes on a canvas.
Clustered patches of wildflowers—yellow, pink, and orange—peek through the tall grass, adding bursts of color that echo the setting of the sun.
It’s a quiet kind of beauty. The kind that only exists in nature, appreciated only by those who slow down long enough to see it.
I hear the soft hitch in Scout’s breath as she takes it all in. “Wow. I can’t believe it’s still half alive…”
“Or half dead…” I add with a shrug.
She rolls her eyes. “What a romantic mindset.”
She turns to walk away, but I catch her arm and pull her back. “Don’t get it twisted, princess. I never claimed to be romantic.” I lean down, lowering my voice. “This is purely a revenge plan and nothing more. Got it?”
“Of course.” She smiles sweetly, placing a hand on my jaw. “Fake as it may be, you could’ve at least ironed your shirt for your wedding day.” Her eyes flick to my wrinkled collar, lips curling into a smug grin.
I release her arm and square my shoulders. “Well, since we’re giving unsolicited advice… You’ve been walking around with a piece of spinach in your teeth all day.”
Her mouth drops open, and she grabs for her phone, no doubt to check her reflection. I brush past her when I see Jett, arm in arm with Miss Scarlett, making their way toward us.
“Hey, thanks so much for doing this, especially on such short notice.” I wrap my arms around Miss Scarlett.
“Oh, honey, it’s my honor to be the one to marry you two.” She plants a kiss on both of my cheeks, grinning ear to ear when she pulls away. “I’m a sucker for love, and a part of me always knew you two would end up together.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
Jett just shakes his head, looking annoyed to have been dragged into this.
“Nice touch with the lights. You really went the extra mile,” I say once Miss Scarlett’s out of earshot.
“Don’t flatter yourself. I grabbed them off the patio on the way out the door.” He walks over to the hollow tree and pulls out a bouquet of fresh flowers. Another thoughtful gesture I never asked him to do. “You want this wedding to look believable, then you at least need to do the bare minimum.”
He hands me the small bouquet, and for some reason, I feel a tightness in my chest when I realize how perfectly they complement Scout’s sundress. It almost feels like an intentional choice, rather than a stroke of luck.
Jett’s eyes narrow on me, and I realize I’m still staring at the flowers.
I clear my throat. “Thanks, man. Did you get the rings?”
He taps his pocket and nods. “Got them right here.” He studies me for a moment, then finally asks, “You sure about this? You know this is going to get complicated as fuck, don’t you?”
“Nah. It’s going to be fine.” I shake my head, my eyes trained on Scout, while Miss Scarlett removes her pearl necklace and claps it around Scout’s neck.
It takes a moment to realize what they’re doing before it dawns on me.
I jog over to them, placing the bouquet in Scout’s hands. “Something blue.” I nod toward the flowers, the pale blue hydrangeas peeking out between the light pink roses and bright yellow wildflowers.
Scout’s eyes grow wide, bringing the flowers up to her nose to smell them. “Oh, Luka. These are beautiful.”
“Yeah, they really are,” I agree, but it’s not the flowers I’m looking at.
“Why don’t I give you two a moment of privacy,” Miss Scarlett says before turning to take her position underneath the string lights.
I notice Scout’s hair is neatly pulled back, the white lace bow in her hair freshly tied, and it looks like she’s applied a fresh coat of lip gloss. There aren’t many people who can make a simple sundress look like a wedding dress, but apparently, all Scout needed was a bouquet of flowers.
I can’t help but feel a little flicker of pride knowing that after today, she’s going to be all mine. Maybe just on paper, but mine, all the same.
I nudge her with my elbow. “You still good to go through with this?”
Her response comes on a soft breath. “Yeah… I think I am.”
I clap my hands together. “All right then. Let’s get married.”