Chapter 7
I watch Niamh as she reads over the changes and additions the lawyer added to the contract, and then she releases a heavy breath before she picks up the pen, the nib pausing over the line where she’s supposed to sign.
Truthfully, I thought she’d change her mind overnight after agreeing yesterday, but she showed up as promised, her hair still wet from her swim this morning.
For a few long seconds, the pen hovers, a slight tremor in her hand making it shake, but then she releases a breath and the pen scratches over the paper, and she signs her name.
But I can’t relax yet, not until it’s official.
I scribble my name beneath hers and then stand. “Let’s go.”
“Where?” Niamh rushes after me.
“We need to get a marriage license,” I say over my shoulder, “And then we can go to the courthouse.”
“Today!?” She squeaks.
“I have limited time, and so do you.”
“Don’t we need a witness?” She calls, and I come to a stop. Shit. Silas is busy with his kids today, and Remy isn’t around.
“Do you have anyone?” I ask.
“I can ask Ashley, but she’s going to have a lot of questions.”
“Will she believe our story?”
“No.” She winces.
“Then will she keep the secret?” I really don’t like anyone knowing my business, but I need this settled today.
“Yes, she will,” Niamh answers confidently. “I trust her with all I have.”
“Tell her whatever you need to, but we have to go.”
Nerves rattle through her, they’re clear in every line of her body, in the shake of her hands and it makes me a complete asshole rushing her like this and not giving her a moment to breathe but the quicker this is done, the easier everything will be for the both of us. This is necessary.
She follows me out to where her truck is parked beside mine, but instead of following me to the ranger, she tries to get into her own truck.
Yeah, that’s not happening.
My hand slaps against her door, stopping her from opening it.
Her head whips toward me. “What the hell are you doing!?”
“We’ll take my truck.”
“Or we can take mine.”
“I’m not getting in that thing.” I scoff, cringing at the duct tape around the wheel arch.
She bristles, “What the hell does that mean?”
“Seriously?” I glance at the truck. “The courthouse is an hour away, will that thing even make it that far?”
She winces and opens her mouth to argue but then closes it quickly. “Fine.”
I open the passenger door of the Ranger and offer her inside, which she does, but her face is less than pleased. Her arms cross over her chest.
“Put your seatbelt on,” I order once I’m behind the wheel.
Blue eyes cut to me. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
Oh, the next twelve months with this one are going to be interesting. “Put it on.”
She raises one groomed brow, and then she turns away, angling her body to face the window. Something comes over me, a tingle that works down my spine, and before I can even think about what I’m doing, can even stop myself, I lean over her, yanking the belt until I can pull it around her.
“Roman!” She shrieks.
“Wear your fucking seatbelt,” I growl, my nose an inch away from hers.
Fuck, she smells good, floral, like the wildflowers that grow at the edge of the woods in late spring.
There are darker spots in her eyes, giving that crystal blue so much depth I could easily lose myself in them.
Her plump lips part as she drops those eyes to my mouth and swallows hard.
I feel the edges of my mouth tip up into a grin. “Sure you don’t want to kiss me, sweetheart?” My voice comes out as a rasp, breath whispering against her lips.
She shoves me away. “We’re not in public now, stay on your side of the car.”
A laugh rumbles out of me as I return to my seat, satisfied she’s now secured, and hit the button to start the engine.
The ride across town is quiet and tense, with Niamh stewing in the passenger seat.
I pull up at the address Niamh had given me, looking toward the two-story townhouse with the white picket fence and swing set in the front yard.
“Just wait here,” Niamh sighs, “I won’t be long.”
“Just what exactly are you going to tell her?”
“What I need to,” Is all she offers back as she hops out of the truck and lets herself through the gate, following the path to the front door. She raps her knuckles once but doesn’t wait for it to be answered before she opens it and heads inside.
I shift uncomfortably in my seat, watching the house intently. Ten minutes pass, then twenty, then thirty, making my skin crawl with irritation. We still have time, but if she takes any longer, we might not make it. I want this done today.
Forty-seven minutes later, she comes out of the house with Ashley in tow.
I recognize her as the girl from the bar the night I went there with Silas, the one who had talked to her after she had demanded I leave.
I can see the skepticism written all over her face, and before they can reach the car, I hop out to get their doors.
“This is insane,” Ashley says the moment they’re close enough. “What the hell are you two thinking?”
I roll my lips inwards and look to Niamh, who cringes and lets out a long sigh. “It’s just for a year.”
“Niamh!” Ashley shrieks, “It’s marriage.”
“Look,” I hold my hands up, “I know it’s unconventional, but this helps both of us.”
“If you needed money, why didn’t you tell me!?” Ashley demands of her friend. “I could have helped you!”
“Ash bash,” Niamh sighs, looking to the toes of her boots, “You’re always helping me. Everyone is always helping me, but I’m in too deep now. I can’t and won’t ask you to help me with this.”
“No,” She laughs humorlessly, “But you’ll ask me to watch you ruin your life.”
Okay, ouch.
“It’s just a year.” Niamh says again, “I understand if you don’t want to witness, I do, but you’re the only person I trust with this.”
Her friend stares for a long time, the clock ticking down. If this isn’t going to work out, we need to figure something else out, and we’re running out of time. I shift on my feet, waiting.
“I’ll do it,” Ashley sighs, “But only because it’s you.”
My shoulders sag in relief, but the woman isn’t done. She turns her fiery eyes to me and pins me to the spot.
“I swear to God if you do anything to hurt her, I will kill you myself.”
“Noted.” I dip my chin in understanding.
“This is insane,” She mutters as she climbs into the back of the truck, and I catch Niamh’s wide stare.
“She’s intense,” I whisper under my breath.
“I heard that,” Ashley yells from the backseat, which forces a small, amused smile from Niamh.
It doesn’t sink those pretty dimples into her cheeks, the ones I have craved to see since I saw them that night at the bar, but it does crinkle the corners of her eyes, adding a light to them that wasn’t there before.
“No, we’re family.” She shrugs and climbs back into the truck.
We drive an hour to the next city over in silence, though the air vibrates with unease and tension.
Niamh has barely looked anywhere other than out of the window, and I feel Ashley glaring at the back of my head.
I get it, she’s protecting her friend, but it’s not like I’m forcing Niamh to do this.
Sure, there was a little bribery involved, but I didn’t make her sign the contract; we simply came to an agreement.
I pull up in a free space outside the county clerk’s office, and it takes no time at all to get a marriage license before we head to the courthouse.
I cut the engine and turn to Niamh, but she’s already looking at me, her hands in tight fists resting against her thighs. She wets her lips and releases a breath.
“You ready for this?” I ask.
“Nope,” She pops the P. “Let’s go.”
A small bit of guilt tugs at my gut as I let my eyes drag down the woman about to become my wife.
She’s wearing a pair of ripped denim jeans and a faded old band tee tucked into the waistband with a pair of cowboy boots to match, and I’m not much better in my Wranglers, shirt and light jacket.
I don’t know what her views on marriage are, but I doubt getting married in a pair of jeans was in her plans.
“Getting cold feet?” She challenges.
“Fuck it, let’s go get married.”