Chapter 3
Camila
I spend the forty-five-minute Uber drive to the event center on a work call, basically holding Mark’s hand because he forgot to mention luxury purchases during the deposition.
It was a crucial piece in exposing the respondent’s financial misconduct.
But it’s fine. We still have the hidden bank accounts.
And it’s further proof to my boss, Richard Vanderveer, that I should be considered for an equity partner position.
But I’ll deal with that on Monday.
I have more pressing issues for now.
The Uber driver turns down a road, and we climb a hill lined with a mixture of cactus and lush trees. I text Selena that I’m pulling up to the venue, and she messages to meet her outside on the patio.
There’s an opening in the trees, and from the front window of the car, the sunlit property comes into view. A large building, a fountain, a canopy of trees, rustic decor, and wrought-iron gates make up the appeal of the place.
I knew Landon had money, but not like this. Or maybe it’s his parents’ money footing the bill for this ridiculous engagement party at a desert garden. Because we all know Selena can’t afford this—not on her hairstylist's income.
Getting her to see that she’s making a mistake is going to be difficult when this upscale lifestyle is on the table. Even I can admit this is dreamy. It’s a far cry from how we grew up.
I thank my driver and head through the door to the back.
Selena stands out in a white linen dress that contrasts with her black hair and tan skin.
She sits on Landon’s lap with a wine glass in one hand and the other tickling the back of his neck.
Everything about her expression and her body language screams happiness.
I should know. I’m her sister. I raised her.
My heart breaks at the thought of taking this fleeting feeling away from her.
I’m not a cruel, insensitive person. I want my sister to be happy.
That’s why I have to be the bad guy here.
I have to be the one to tell her that she’s living in a dream that won’t last. Heaven knows my mom won’t tell her.
I draw in a breath of courage and walk toward them. Selena spots me before I’m even halfway there.
“Cami!” She jumps to her feet and runs toward me with arms stretched out, wrapping me in a giant hug. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
I squeeze her tight as my eyes drift to Landon.
He waits in the wings, hands in his pockets, goofy smile on his face.
He’s not at all what I pictured for my sister.
He’s tall and lanky with strawberry-blond hair and pale skin that requires either a lot of sunblock or shade.
There’s an edge of dorkiness to him that’s somewhat endearing.
He’s a nice enough guy—my assessment from the few times I’ve met him—but nice enough isn’t grounds for marrying someone at the age of twenty-one.
Selena releases me from the hug and physically leads me over to Landon. She grabs his hand and looks back and forth between us. “Now all my favorite people are here.”
A tight smile is my only response, because in a few minutes, I won’t be included on that list.
Landon steps forward, awkwardly kissing me on the cheek. “Welcome!”
“Thanks for having me.” I glance around the grounds. “This place is incredible.”
Selena bounces on her toes. “Isn’t it gorgeous? I thought about having the wedding here but decided, since it’s more intimate, it’s best for the engagement party.”
“My mom is the one who actually found it.” Landon nods. “She came here last year for a charity event.”
I picture a snooty mother with a cardigan wrapped around her shoulders, sipping wine while the aloof father reads a book. Somehow, I’m sure I’ve pegged Landon and his parents just right.
“So what’s on the agenda?” I’m fishing for a time when I can pull my sister aside and tell her she’s making a huge mistake.
“The guests should be arriving in twenty minutes, and then we’re going to party.”
“In fact”—Landon looks down at his phone like he’s reading a message—“my parents just arrived. I’ll go greet them and give you two time to catch up.” He leans in and kisses Selena softly. “I’ll miss you, mi amor.”
Mi amor? Something about the whitest guy I’ve ever seen trying to pull off Spanish rubs me the wrong way. It’s all I can do not to roll my eyes when Selena blushes like a thirteen-year-old.
She watches him tenderly as he walks away. “Isn’t he the sweetest?”
“An absolute gem.” Despite my efforts to seem genuine, Selena sees through to my sarcasm.
“You’re not fooling me, Cami.” She points to a table in the sun, but I nod to one in the shade of a large tree. “I know this engagement is killing you.”
I didn’t plan on bringing up my objections within five minutes of arriving, but since Selena opened the door, I might as well keep the conversation going.
“Of course it’s killing me.” We pull out the chairs and take a seat at the table. “You’re only twenty-one.”
“So if I were older, you’d be happy for me?”
“Not necessarily.”
She throws her arms up as she dramatically leans back into her chair. “Okay, give it to me.”
“Give you what?”
“The speech you’ve been preparing in your head about why I shouldn’t get married.”
Selena is smarter than I give her credit for.
“Fine.” I sigh. “Let’s start with the biggest red flag. You two barely know each other.”
“I know him better than I’ve ever known a man.” That’s not saying much. “We’ve spent every moment possible with each other for the last three months.”
“Three months? That’s not a relationship; that’s a trial period. You don’t even know if he gets seasonal depression or uses 3-in-1 shampoo.”
“Neither of those are deal breakers.”
“Okay, what about the fact that he can barely say Jiménez? Do you really want to legally bind yourself to someone who has to spellcheck your last name?”
A small smile forms as she shrugs. “I think it’s cute watching him try.”
“I won’t even get into the age-gap problem.”
“Age-gap problem?” It’s annoying how amused Selena seems by this conversation.
“Yes, the fact that he’s six years older than you.
He’s even older than I am. But for the sake of arguing, let’s set that red flag aside and just focus on the fact that you guys come from completely different backgrounds.
” I wave my arms around the venue. “He grew up dining at places like this, while our mom can’t even come to your engagement party because she couldn’t get time off from her sixteen-dollar-an-hour job.
Do you not see how those differences could create a wedge in your relationship down the line? ”
“Yeah, he’s rich and drives a car that probably costs more than our childhood home.
I know that. I’m not pretending we’re the same.
You think our differences make this marriage impossible.
I think it’s part of what will make it work.
He doesn’t make me feel small or less because of where I come from.
He loves that I’ve worked hard for everything I have, and it’s made me grateful and down to earth.
I’m different than the girls he grew up with in private school.
You view our background as a weakness, while Landon sees it as a strength. ”
I hate that she’s countering all my logic with fantastical notions. I sheltered her too much while she was growing up, and now she has a warped view of reality.
“I just feel like you’re making the same mistakes as Mom.
You’re repeating her patterns, just in a prettier package.
” Selena rolls her eyes then looks away, so I keep going.
“I think you’ve fallen in love with the idea of what Landon represents.
Stability. Money. A shiny new life. Which, fine, I get it.
We didn’t exactly grow up on the right side of town.
But those aren’t reasons to rush into a marriage. ”
For the first time in our conversation, Selena appears upset. “I cannot believe you’re accusing me of marrying Landon for his money.”
“I’m not accusing you. I don’t even think you realize you’re doing it.
Mainly because this all happened so fast. You unintentionally got swept up in the fairy tale and the fancy lifestyle.
It’s not your fault. But I wouldn’t be a good sister if I didn’t help you see that you’re making the same kind of mistakes Mom did, just with better lighting. ”
“Honestly, Cami, that really hurts. Landon is nothing like the men Mom married. They were losers with one foot out the door before they even said I do. Landon is a good man. You would know if you took the time to learn about him and get to know him a little.”
“Again, it’s only been three months, so that’s kind of hard to do in that timeframe.”
“So let me summarize… You think we don’t know each other well enough, we’re rushing into this, he’s too old for me, our backgrounds are too different, and that I’m marrying him for his money. Is there anything else?”
Is there anything else?
Yes!
There are a thousand other things. I should just stop, because clearly I’m getting nowhere with her, but the lawyer in me has to make a compelling closing argument.
“Nearly half of first marriages end in divorce, and out of those, almost seventy percent are filed by women. And the average marriage that ends in divorce? Eight years. That’s not even two iPhones from now.”
“Oh, don’t start with the statistics.” Selena’s head falls into her hands.
“People don’t fall apart because they don’t love each other.
They fall apart because they fight too much, or someone cheats, or they realize they were never actually compatible.
Top reasons for divorce? Lack of commitment, constant arguing, money problems, and yeah… marrying too fast. Sound familiar?”
“Make it stop,” she mutters, still covering her eyes with her hands.
“I’ve had clients break up over who left the cap off the toothpaste. I’ve seen someone end a marriage because the other one refused to stop buying the ESPN sports package on the TV. Love isn’t enough.”
Selena pops her head up, glaring at me. “It isn’t for you, because you don’t even believe in love.”
“I believe in love. I just don’t believe in marriage.
Why not just be with Landon? You guys could stay together for as long as your relationship works and then part ways peacefully when you’ve grown apart.
Why do you need to enter into a legally binding arrangement that’s proven time and time again to fail? ”
“Marriage doesn’t always fail, Cami.” Her eyes grow softer. “I know we didn’t have a good example of how it works, but Landon does. I want that for myself. I want the happily ever after.”
I ease my tone. “Look, I know I’m the killjoy. I get paid to watch people rip each other apart over who gets the Vitamix. So maybe I’m jaded. But I’ve seen this movie, and it doesn’t end with a happily ever after just because you want it to. It ends with court dates and custody battles.”
She flashes me an innocent smile. “I’m not scared of how it ends, because I know I’ll work hard to make something that lasts. I love Landon, and I know he loves me.”
Naively optimistic. The worst combination.
“I’m not trying to ruin this for you. I just…” I release a heavy breath. “I’ve seen behind the curtain. And I need you to be sure you're not running into something just because it feels good right now.”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Selena reaches across the table, placing her hand on top of mine.
“I let you say your speech. I listened, but you’re not changing my mind.
I’m marrying Landon with or without your blessing.
You can either get on board and help us plan the wedding, or find a new baby sister.
But I want your support. I look up to you. Always have.”
I think I lost my case.
And I never lose.