Chapter 5
CONNOR
Sliding into the backseat of the limo that’s taking us to the private airport, I notice instantly that Isla and Hadley are deep in discussion that abruptly stops when I arrive.
My inkling is that I was the main topic, but married or not, I’m confident Hadley talks about me and how to use a pitchfork on a regular basis.
Since they are facing me, I get a prime view of my wife.
It’s the first time I’m seeing my dear wife since she left my room to go change and grab her bag.
“There you are, it’s been unbearable the last hour without you. Forgot how much you love backseats.” A cheeky look is planted on my face, and I offer it to Hadley while Briggs slides in next to me.
“Save it,” she mutters to me with a shade of disdain for my reference.
Isla looks back and forth between us. “She wasn’t joking, was she?” Isla asks me, deeply concerned.
Briggs slides a glance at me. “About what?”
Isla chortles. “Haven’t you heard the news? These two got hitched.” She points between us.
“Funny.” He doesn’t believe her.
The car begins to move, and I lean forward to gently touch Hadley’s knee because I can. “Go on, we’re amongst friends, they can share our joy.”
The glint in Hadley’s eyes is pure venom, and I love it.
Did I mean to become someone’s husband? No.
Do I hate that it’s Hadley? Well, no.
My rule has always been to keep her at a distance for reasons that I don’t care to think about today.
So be it, fate threw us a wild card by making us husband and wife.
I'm going to soak in these accidental nuptials that mean I get to have her close.
I might as well. Call it selfish. My reasons to keep her away are still valid, but maybe I should have always kept her close with a difficult escape, à la marriage.
Hadley takes a deep breath. “Connor and I are husband and wife. Our night was unforgettable… clearly.” Hmm, I could do with a little more enthusiasm in her tone, but we’ll work on it.
“No shit.” Briggs looks at me in awe. “That’s what you two got up to?”
“What can I say? Sprinkles here always had her heart set on me, and I caved.” I sit back with ease and satisfaction.
“But you two wanted to kill one another yesterday, so is this like… what is this exactly?” He’s confused, as he should be.
Hadley crosses her arms and keeps her sight fixed on me. “Please, Con, do tell us the romantic tale of how I became your wife. It better be good, since you seemed to woo me in the span of only a few hours.”
“Alcohol,” Isla deadpans an answer.
I cluck the inside of my cheek with my tongue and point to Isla before I spew out a story.
“Cute. But I’m positive it was Sprinkles here reliving the time I was forced to walk her home after my uncle ended my impromptu party.
I was sixteen. I kissed her cheek when I said good night, to make her dreams come true, and told her she smelled of cupcakes with sprinkles, the kind she would bring me when she baked. ”
“You never said that,” Hadley interjects with surprise in her tone.
“I was thinking it,” I explain. “Anyway, since then she vowed that I would be her husband, and last night, somewhere between her attempt to give me a lap dance and her request to search for cupcakes with sprinkles, I gave in. I mean, what’s better than having a wife who can bend and smells of cupcakes, am I right? ”
Briggs scoffs a laugh. “You better come up with a better story when your parents find out.”
“I would kill to have a front-row seat at that family dinner.” Isla nudges Hadley’s arm.
“But seriously, you two are going to end this thing, right?” Briggs hands me a bottle of water.
“Nope,” I state proudly.
Hadley throws him a sweet overdone smile.
“I’m moving into Connor’s house that he bought a while back.
It’s the off-season, so I’m sure I can keep him occupied and make him feel so incredibly lucky to be my husband that it may feel like irritation, so much so that he will be begging to leave our happy house. ”
I grin at her humor. Two can play our game, and I’m ready.
“Right, I guess we need to… celebrate?” Briggs isn’t sure.
“Yeah, we should get a few photos for the happy day. I guess you don’t have any wedding photos?” Isla’s voice raises an octave.
I reach for my cell phone in my pocket. “Funny you should mention that. I was scrolling through my phone, piecing together what happened last night—I have the receipt for the ring, by the way. Tiffany’s in the hotel, not bad taste if I may say.
Anyhow, I came across this gem of a photo.
” I unlock my screen, swipe, and show Hadley and Isla my phone.
Hadley’s eyes bug out as she examines the evidence from our night.
We are in a Vegas chapel, and if it weren’t for the fact that our eyes are clearly in a haze of alcohol, then it would be kind of believable.
Because I’m looking down at her with affection while she peers up with admiration and an arm wrapped around my neck, with cheap plastic flowers in her hand.
“Oh boy,” Isla mumbles.
My wife’s breath catches as I take the phone back, and the fact that I’m calling her my wife hits me for a second.
What the hell am I doing? This woman annoys me, and she can never know the things in my head, but I guess I’m making her villain fantasy come true, because I’m tying her into marriage with me…
and that just fuels my pleasure from this situation.
Arriving at the airfield, we park on the tarmac near the plane.
“I’ll ask the staff for champagne,” Isla offers and still seems uneasy about this situation as she gives me a death glare mixed with a smile. As she should, she’s Hadley’s best friend.
“We’ll go first then let you two love birds make a grand entrance,” Briggs suggests as the car door opens.
“Sure, make sure Shawn gets a front-row seat,” I call out as Hadley and I continue to give one another an icy stare.
“Real mature,” she mumbles.
“You bring out the best in me.” I slide out and offer her my hand. “Come on, Wife, don’t smile too hard. I would hate for your cheeks to strain; they’re important for certain activities.”
Yanking her up out of the car, she squeezes my hand. “Gag. Your dick is not going near my mouth. In fact, we didn’t even establish rules for that aspect of our blessed union.”
“There are none. Let’s just put on a good show, and consider it practice for our family.”
Hadley rumbles another sound because she knows I’m right and begins to step in front of me up the stairs. My head tilts slightly to check out her ass because it’s worth a look, and I’m going to reap all my husbandly perks.
Up the stairs I go, and I come to stand by my wife who looks at everyone. Our moment of opportunity is here. I slide my arm around her middle, gently squeezing her ass in the process which causes her to yelp softly. I bring her close to me with a bright smile glued on my face.
“Is the champagne out, boys?” I ask the plane.
“What are we celebrating?” Shawn asks as he holds up an empty flute, waiting for an attendant to fill his glass.
I lean down to kiss the top of my wife’s head because we have a part to play, and it may be years later, but fuck it, Hadley still smells like cupcakes. “You tell them,” I encourage her.
She giggles awkwardly to herself before loosening her tight smile a smidgen. “We got married last night… I’m Mrs. Connor Spears.” Hadley shows her ring finger, and everyone goes silent for a few seconds, until cheers erupt, and the sound of a cork follows after.
My hockey crowd may be easy, but Hadley and I can agree on one thing; our families will be, by no means, a breeze.
It was a quick flight back to Lake Spark.
Sure, people had questions, but Hadley and I stayed firm that we were married, with no plans to write this down as a drunk mistake.
We had feelings bubbling over after years watching one another grow up.
It may be a fairytale we spew, but there is some half-truth to it.
I also know that we are running out of time before our news goes public, which is why I drove us straight to my Aunt Violet’s floral shop, The Flower Jar.
I’m close with my aunt Violet; she was only eleven when I was born, and the age difference makes her more like a friend.
Hadley is grabbing some items from the general store or Jolly Joe’s, the bakery nearby, that she mentioned were essential for dinner, and we agreed to meet back here. Walking into The Flower Jar, the bell instantly announces my arrival.
“Connor!” My aunt Violet is quick to greet me with a hug. Her dark hair is down today, and she never looks like a woman who only got two hours of sleep due to having a kid; she’s a natural beauty.
I notice my uncle near the parrot’s cage, holding my three-year-old cousin Willow, my goddaughter.
He steps closer to us, and I feel like his face is stoic because he already knows.
“Hey, Connor.” He doesn’t blink, which raises caution in me.
I was hoping to speak with Aunt Violet alone, since she’s my sounding board.
“Hey,” is all I can offer him, and it’s awkward, can’t deny that.
“How was your trip?” my aunt asks as she signs off on an order form and hands it to the
assistant.
“Yes. Do tell.” Crap. My Uncle Declan for sure knows. I can tell he is waiting for me to spill the beans.
I scratch the back of my neck. “It was… Vegas.”
My aunt looks at her husband, as she seems thrown off by my answer. Her eyes swim back to me. “And? You had a big group going, right?” She tries to keep the conversation moving.
I swipe my hand across my jaw. “Something kind of happened.”
My aunt grabs my wrist when she notices something, then examines my finger. “What the hell is this?”
“I kind of wanted to see you first before my parents find out,” I begin. “I’m going to
need a lot of sunflowers.” That’s my flower of choice that I give my mom when I want to butter her up, and it works. Every. Single. Time.