Chapter 4
Hess
Eavesdropping wasn’t part of the plan.
Landon said Selena and her sister were out back by the bar, so that’s where I came.
But then I heard his name in what felt like a heated discussion, so I waited behind the tree to gather more information.
I had to. Landon is my best friend. I had to make sure he’s not getting burned.
Thankfully, this conversation makes me like his fiancée, Selena, even more.
As for her sister, Cami, I get it. She has concerns—a lot of concerns.
This whole thing did happen fast. But more than concerns, she sounds cynical, and with all the talk about clients and getting paid to rip people apart, I wouldn’t be surprised if she were a divorce lawyer.
At this point, I don’t know if she’ll get up and walk out of this party or stay and support Selena.
I lean in closer, just to make sure I don’t miss her decision.
“Of course I’m going to stay. I just want you to be happy, Selena.”
“And you’re not going to bring up red flags any more?”
“Are you telling me that if I see a red flag during your engagement, you really don’t want me to point it out?”
“Yes, that’s what I’m saying. From now on, you need to keep your opinions about love and marriage to yourself.”
“I—”
“I mean it, Cami.”
The sister blows out a harsh breath, like agreeing to this arrangement might kill her. “Fine. I’ll keep my opinions to myself.”
“Good, because here comes Landon and his parents.” The metal chair scrapes on the concrete as Selena stands. “Be my loving and supportive sister. Can you do that?”
“Yes, I can do that.”
Introductions start between Clyde and Dineen and Selena’s sister, and that’s when I decide to emerge from around the tree.
“And this is my sister, Cami.”
“It’s actually Camila,” she corrects as she shakes their hands. “Selena couldn’t say my full name when she was little, and I guess it stuck.”
I recognize the wild, dark curls even from behind, and my mind rushes to play catch-up. The cynical sister is Camila, my wife. And that whole conversation I just heard, from this new angle, seems completely hypocritical.
“Oh, and let’s not forget about this guy. The best man.” Landon pulls everyone’s attention to me.
I watch, waiting for Camila’s reaction when she turns around, and just like I’d hoped, her beautiful brown eyes light up. She’s happy to see me.
“Hess, you already know my parents,” Landon says.
Dineen leans in to plant a motherly kiss on my cheek. “Where have you been hiding? It’s been too long.”
“Just been at home.”
“And this is—”
“Camila,” I cut Landon off, reaching out to shake her hand.
“You two have met?” Selena’s brows drop as she looks between us.
“We sat by each other on our flight home from California,” Camila quickly states, giving my hand one firm shake. “I can’t seem to get away from you.”
“Yeah, it’s like we’re legally bound to be together or something.”
She squints, but there’s still no recollection. What do I have to do to get this woman to remember she married me?
“What a small world.” Selena claps with delight. “Now that we’re all acquainted, it’s time to get this party started. Who needs a drink?”
“I could use some iced tea,” Dineen says. “It’s so hot today.”
“We’ll head inside.” Landon looks between me and Camila. “Are you two okay?”
“Yeah, we’ll be right in.” I wait until they walk away before I ask, “How are you feeling?”
“Much better. Thanks.”
“You look better. There’s so much more color in your face.”
“I doubt I look much better. Travel days are always rough, even without hypoglycemia.”
“I think you look beautiful.” Can I say that to my estranged wife?
“Oh.” Her fingers lightly touch her cheek where the hint of a blush appears. “It’s the natural light. That always seems to…” She waves my words away like they flustered her. “So you’re the best man?”
“That’s what people keep saying.”
“How do you two know each other?”
“Landon and I worked together at the Tío Loco Mexican restaurant in high school and have been friends since.”
“Landon worked at a Mexican restaurant?”
“Yeah, he was a dishwasher. Why?”
“I just figured his parents are so rich that he’s never had to have a real job.”
My eyes narrow a bit. “You don’t really know him that well, do you?”
“We’re in the process of getting acquainted.”
“Acquainted? He’s marrying your sister. I hope you get a little more than acquainted.”
“It takes a long time for me to welcome people into my life.”
“You seemed to welcome me pretty easily.”
“That was different. I thought I was dying, and you saved me. I didn’t have a choice but to welcome you in. If that hadn’t happened, we would’ve never spoken on the plane. You would’ve shown up here, and I would’ve been introduced to you as the maid of honor.”
“Are you sure you’re still the maid of honor? After the conversation with your sister I just overheard, you might be getting replaced.”
Her jaw drops into a pout. “You were eavesdropping?”
“I didn’t mean to. I just came upon you guys talking and decided to stay and listen instead of walking away.”
“So eavesdropping?”
“Maybe a little.”
“You probably think I’m cold-hearted for saying all of that to Selena, but someone has to knock some sense into her.”
“From the sound of it, I don’t think you knocked anything into her.”
“Ugh, I know. Selena is so stubborn. What do you think about the engagement and the marriage?”
I shrug, and she purses her lips like my nonchalance aggravates her.
“Seriously? You don’t have an opinion?”
“I don’t think I’m in a position to judge.”
“You’re supposed to be Landon’s best friend.”
“I am.”
“And you’re just okay with him completely ruining his life with this whirlwind wedding?”
“Why would he be ruining his life? Unless, of course, Selena is some sort of crazy woman who’s out to get him. Is Selena crazy? Because Landon’s not. So if they love each other and make each other happy, I’m sure it will work out.”
“Oh, please.” She rolls her eyes. “This is the typical argument I see every day in my office. Somebody comes in and goes on and on about how their spouse is the one who’s crazy, who’s a lunatic, and that the divorce is all the other person’s fault.
They talk as if they’re this innocent, perfect person.
They paint a picture like they’re a ten while making their spouse seem like a one.
” She puffs out a mocking laugh. “But tens don’t marry ones. ”
My brows drop as I try to follow along with her argument. “So you’re saying ones marry ones, and that’s why they end up getting a divorce?”
“No, I’m saying that most people are a four, five, or six.
Marriage only works if people recognize that they need to self-improve alongside their spouse and are willing to do so together.
To say that divorce only occurs if one party is crazy is an oversimplification of what’s really happening in relationships.
The number one cited reason for divorce is lack of commitment, followed by frequent conflict and poor communication, and let’s not forget about my favorite…
infidelity—all things that happen if people don’t work to self-improve together.
But all of this is just the tip of the iceberg.
I could go on and on with reasons why marriage is a bad idea. ”
“I think you already have.”
“Yeah, well, I am a divorce attorney. I know a thing or two about how marriages end.”
Yep, I was right.
“Do you know anything about how they last?”
Nervous laughter puffs over her lips. “I haven’t had the luxury of witnessing that.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I think I would know if I had a good example in my life of a lasting marriage.”
I had decided not to tell Camila who I was on the flight. We only have six more months left on our contract before we can get a divorce. It seemed easier to keep her in the dark and go our separate ways. But after her speech about marriage, I’ve changed my mind.
Somebody has to knock her off her high horse.
“Our marriage seems to be going strong. What are we at now? Five and a half years?”
“What?” Her eyes dart back and forth across my face as she tries to make the clues fit. “Harrison? Harrison Taylor?”
I hold my arms out to the side in smug confirmation.
Her tone is clipped. “You said your name was Hess.”
“Harrison is my legal name. Hess is what everyone calls me.”
“How long have you known?”
“Since you walked onto the plane.”
“And you didn’t say anything?”
“Excuse me for thinking my wife would recognize me all on her own.”
“Shh!” she warns. “Selena doesn’t know. Nobody does. Unless…” Her eyes narrow. “Did you tell Landon?”
My head rears back with offense. “No. I’ve never told anyone.”
“Good.” She sighs with relief. “And I didn’t recognize you on the plane because I was in the middle of a major health crisis.”
“Major health crisis? I thought we were calling you ‘lightly unconscious,’ and that’s not an excuse because you didn’t know who I was even when you were fully conscious.”
“Yeah, well, I met you for, like, two hours five years ago, so I don’t understand why you’re so butthurt about this.”
“I’d like to think I’m a memorable guy, especially to someone who legally bound themself to me.”
She shakes her head, waving her fingers in front of my face. “Your hair’s all different, and there’s a beard, and you’re, like, a fuller man now.”
“A fuller man? I like it. I think you’re getting closer with your adjectives. Much better than lightly unconscious. But just so we’re clear, I remembered you.”
“I look exactly the same.”
Technically, she looks better.
The same but better.
“I wasn’t going to tell you who I was. I planned to leave you in ignorant bliss.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Probably because you’re a hypocrite.”
Her mouth falls open. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Yeah. You have a lot of strong opinions about marriage for someone who had a whirlwind wedding when you were twenty-one and plans to file for divorce in six months. Are you sure you’re the best person to give your little sister marital advice?”