Chapter 13
CHAPTER
THIRTEEN
Hartley
“I really shouldn’t be this nervous,” I say, wincing as I stretch my arms overhead.
The lunch Cathy left in the oven for me has been sitting on the kitchen table for the past hour.
I’ve sat and stared at it, swirled it around my plate like a toddler, and eyed it like it personally offended me.
My stomach growls, reminding me of the one thing I didn’t do—eat it.
But the idea of adding weight to my already heavy stomach doesn’t feel like a smart move.
“I’m just full of not smart moves, lately,” I mutter.
Mira’s texts are still on my phone screen because every time I try to close them, I end up rereading them.
Mira: I’ve already agreed to marry you. You don’t have to keep charming me.
Me: Unfortunately, my charm fails when it comes to you.
Mira: I don’t think that’s true.
“But it is true,” I say quietly. “Otherwise, this marriage wouldn’t have a timer flashing over our heads.”
I blow out a breath, pushing the pity party out of my head.
It’s not going to do any good to ruminate over something that’s always been true.
She agreed to this setup—and she’s getting a nice chunk of land and house out of it.
I might as well accept this thing with Mira for what it is, enjoy it how I can, and just know in the back of my head that it’ll be over in a year.
My finger is set to scroll my contact list when it buzzes with an incoming text.
Mira: I didn’t know this, so I’m going to assume that there’s a decent chance you don’t know this either.
(It seems Lolly only clearly communicates select things.) Anyway, I’ve been instructed to wear a wedding dress or something wedding dress-ish.
Are you aware that this might be a suit-and-tie occasion?
I grin as I read her message, imagining the look on her face while she typed those words.
Me: To be honest, I haven’t really thought about what I might wear. But a suit and tie sounds like a good choice.
Mira: I don’t want you to have to get anything new.
Me: I know I’m pretty dirty most days, but I do clean up from time to time.
Mira: I didn’t mean it like that!
Chuckling, I type out my response.
Me: I have a suit and a lot of ties. Do you have a color preference?
Mira: Lolly sent me pictures from a florist shop a little while ago. I chose wildflowers—for what, exactly, I don’t know. But there are blues, lavenders, pale pinks, yellows, blah blah blah. But a simple black tie always looks classy.
Me: Your wish is my command.
Mira: You’re going to be my husband in three days. I’d clock that language if you know what’s good for you. Your Honey-Do list will be a mile long.
I reread that last message a few times. You’re going to be my husband in three days.
“Why does that feel like handing matches to a man standing in gasoline?” I ask the empty house. While I’ve imagined how difficult this situation will be just being in proximity to her, I’ve never stopped to think about her language.
That might be my undoing.
Me: It’s a good thing I’m looking forward to it then. I’ll text you after I tell Gray.
Mira: Okay.
Immediately, I find my brother’s name and press it. It rings three times before he picks up.
“Hey, Hart. What’s up?” he asks.
My stomach wobbles as I hear his voice. “Not much. What about you?”
“Just got out of practice and I’m fucking beat. I’m on my way home for a shower and a nap before Astrid gets home.”
“What’s she doing today?” I ask.
“Working for Tate Brewer. She has a few projects going on with him that she’s trying to wrap up in the next few weeks, so once the season is over, we can head back to Sugar Creek.”
I take a breath. I hadn’t stopped to think about the fact that Gray will be here in about a month.
Faking a marriage shouldn’t be a problem in front of people.
It’ll be sketchy with Brooks, but it should be fine.
But Gray? My brother can see right through shit—especially my shit.
And I’m going to have to lie to his face.
This is not gonna be fun.
“So,” I say, blowing out the breath I’ve been holding. “I actually have a bit of news.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.” I lick my lips. “Believe it or not, I’m … getting married on Thursday.”
The pause is long, about five seconds, before he starts laughing. “Stop fucking with me, Hart.”
“I’m not.”
His laughter dies down. The remaining silence is thick, pregnant with unanswered questions and answers.
“You’re serious?” he asks.
I hum in the affirmative. “I’m getting married at the church on Thursday. Seven o’clock. It’s no big deal—”
“You’re getting fucking married. That’s a big deal, brother.” He whistles through his teeth. “I have questions, as you can imagine. But let’s start with who are you marrying?”
The fact that he has to ask me that is wild. Who gets married to someone, and their family must ask who they’re marrying? If it’s anyone, it’d be Brooks. Not me. Not the responsible one.
“Mira,” I say.
“What?”
“Yeah, I’m marrying Mira,” I say, tasting the words as they come off my tongue. I can’t stop the smile that slips across my cheeks, nor can I dampen the heat crashing through my veins. It’s like my brain is fully aware that this is pretend, but my body didn’t get the memo.
“I …” Gray stops as a chuckle rumbles through the phone. “Fuck, Hart. I’m speechless. Congrats, first of all.”
“Thanks, man.”
“But how did this happen? I didn’t know you’d been seeing her,” he says. “You haven’t said a word. Brooks hasn’t mentioned it, and God knows he mentions everything.”
Gray is suspicious, but I knew he would be. I’m also not totally sure that I can convince him this is real.
Something in my gut twists as I prepare to lie to my brother.
There’s no harm in what I’m telling him—it won’t affect anyone in any way except for Mira and me.
But it still feels wrong not to be honest with him.
I hate it. But I gave my word to Mira that I’d go along with the ruse, and I won’t go back on that.
“We’ve been talking for a while,” I say. “And we just decided not to waste any more time.”
“I can’t say that I’m not surprised. You’re usually much more measured than this.
” He takes a breath, as if he’s wrestling with this information.
“But you know what? Mira is a good girl, and I think a lot of us felt that this was inevitable. Maybe this shows what an influence she has on you, and you’ll be less of an uptight dick going forward. ”
Chuckling at the tease in his voice, I look at the ceiling. “Shut up, Gray.”
He laughs, too. “I’m kidding. I’m happy for you. Really. Did you say Thursday at seven?”
“Yeah. I obviously don’t expect you to be there. That’s not why I’m calling. It’s just gonna be a little thing at the church. No big deal.”
He laughs. “No big deal? My baby brother’s getting married. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“But I know you have work—”
“I’m coming, Hart. Astrid won’t want to miss it, either.”
I gaze out the window, staring across Cathy’s garden, and smile. His reaction—initial hesitation—isn’t surprising. I’m not the “Hey, I’m getting married this week” kind of guy. And if it were to anyone else, I think Gray would’ve had a lot more to say.
But … it’s Mira.
“But you know what? Mira is a good girl, and I think a lot of us felt that this was inevitable.”
Something about that makes my chest feel too full. And pained. Because she’ll never actually be my wife. That is inevitable, too.
While I didn’t exactly know what Gray was going to say, this was both what I expected and what I didn’t expect.
His shock is on par with my expectations, and his willingness to be happy for me is evident.
But to take a day off work to attend this ridiculous wedding? That possibility never crossed my mind.
Even more, I didn’t think it mattered.
But hearing him say he’s coming—being so adamant about it—hits me square in the chest. It does matter. And I realize that what doesn’t matter is that the marriage is a sham. Gray would understand. He’d probably find it highly amusing. And he’d be right beside me either way.
“That really means a lot to me, Gray.”
“Of course.” His car’s engine roars and then goes quiet. “Can I do anything? What do you need? I’d love to take you on a bachelor’s trip, but I can’t swing that in two days.”
“That’s just as well because I don’t want a trip anyway.”
“Makes sense. You’re never much fun.” He chuckles. “Looks like you called at just the right time.”
My brow furrows. “Why?”
“Because I just got eight, make it nine messages from Brooks telling me that you’re getting married. I would’ve been pissed if I found out from him.”
He knows? I cringe. Guess Mira was right. Word is traveling fast.
“You were my first call,” I say.
“I better have been. I’m your brother.”
A commotion rings out in the entryway, and I turn to see Brooks barging into the room. He points a finger at me. “You’re getting married? What the fuck, Hart?”
“Hey, Gray, I gotta go.”
“So I hear. Enjoy. And I’ll see you Thursday. Congrats again.”
“Thanks.” The line goes dead, and I turn my attention to Brooks. “You were saying?”
“You’re marrying Mira?” He puts his hands on his hips. “Is it true?”
This is a lot for one day. I take a breath and gather my wits. “Yes.”
“Motherfucker. I’m supposed to be your second-best friend, and I had to hear this at the gym of all places. That’s so fucked up.”
“They talk about weddings at the gym?”
“Don’t change the subject. I’m hurt. You wounded me.”
I roll my eyes. “I just called Gray. I was still on the phone with him when you came in here. You were next on my list.”
“But why wasn’t I faster on the list? Other people clearly know.”
I shrug. I don’t know how they know, or why they know.
I’m not sure what’s happening anymore. Yesterday, I was a bachelor with impossible dreams. Today, I’m engaged to my dream woman and somehow on the verge of getting my family’s land back.
If Santa Claus comes down the chimney tonight, I won’t be surprised.
Brooks sits at the table and takes a bite of my cold lunch. I don’t know what to say to that.
“Thursday at seven at the church,” I say. “It was supposed to be a small thing at the courthouse, but now it’s this … thing. You’re welcome to come.”
“Oh, I’m coming.” He takes another bite. “I figure it’ll be Gray and me standing up with you, right?”
I don’t know. I hadn’t thought that far. But by the look on Brooks’s face, if I say that, he’ll be crushed. Besides, what’s it matter at this point?
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” I say.
His smile stretches from ear to ear as he puts down my fork.
“I’m really happy for you, Hart. I still don’t know how this happened, but I also know that when I think back about Audrey and me, I don’t know how that happened, either.
Sometimes shit just falls in place like it’s supposed to be, and you just have to receive it. ”
“I’m not sure that’s what’s happening here, but I understand your sentiment.”
He flinches. “No, man, that’s exactly what’s happening here.
You and Mira should’ve been a thing years ago.
This is the way it’s supposed to be. How you got here doesn’t matter.
The point is you did. Now you just enjoy it.
” A slow smile graces his lips. “Hell, I’d probably have married Auddie the first day I met her.
So don’t take any shit from anyone telling you that this is too fast. When you know, you fucking know. And you, my man, have always known.”
I pour myself a glass of tea, then a second one when Brooks steals the first. All the while, I think about what he just said.
Mira and I are here, and it really doesn’t matter how it happened. The point is that we both get something we want, and I get the bonus of spending a year with her. And if that winds up being all the time I get for the rest of my life, then I’m grateful for this opportunity.
Sure, this isn’t how I wanted a wedding to go down with Mira. But I’m getting a wedding with her. And like Brooks said—maybe now is the time to just enjoy it.
The door flies open again and Cathy’s eyes land on mine. “Do you have something to tell me?”
Oh, boy. Not again.