Marriage Then Love (Looking For Love #9)

Prologue

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

Kenzie sighed into the phone, got up and shut the door to her small bedroom in the apartment she shared with three other law school students.

“Dad, I’m not going to. Do you think I’d jeopardize everything that I’ve worked for? One month. That’s it. Then I’m done.”

“And paying off your debt for the rest of your life,” her father complained.

There had never been any getting through to her father. He was old school and debt wasn’t part of the plan. It was a shackle that would hold him down and chasing the dollar. She’d heard that so many times she was going to turn tone deaf.

She didn’t understand why he was so set against it when debt from her college loans was part of life. You just had to manage it.

But with her upbringing and their daily struggle on the farm, the only way college would work was if she took out a loan.

Why couldn’t he just accept that she wasn’t him? She never would be.

Law school only added more years, dollars and stress to the mounting parental discord.

She wasn’t marrying some farmer in their small town. She wasn’t going to find a nice boy at Sunday mass since she stopped going when she left for college.

Yep, just another disagreement she had with her parents.

She didn’t give them a hard time for their older thoughts and opinions and she wished they wouldn’t do it to her for her modern ones.

Not that anyone she was in college with thought she was hip, chic, or even remotely modern.

And she didn’t care!

“It’s my debt to pay,” she said. “I’m not asking you and Mom for anything.”

She never had. Working during college hadn’t been easy, but it had reduced some of the debt she would have needed for daily living expenses.

This weekend in Vegas... sadly, that was charged to her credit card and she hoped she didn’t regret it.

But Bethany had been her best friend since kindergarten. Her friend was engaged and not happy with the control her parents had over the wedding.

The solution? Elope in Vegas.

Since Kenzie was the maid of honor, she couldn’t let her friend go alone.

Besides, in her mind, this was almost cheaper than the actual wedding, the gowns, the gifts, the bridal party, bachelorette party. Ugh. So many things she hadn’t planned on or budgeted for.

“You never do,” her father said. “And you shouldn’t. Your decisions and choices should be yours to bear and no one else’s.”

She’d heard that a lot too and didn’t understand the reason he always said it.

“I know. I won’t ask for help.”

“I don’t agree and never will. I don’t understand the need to do this with Bethany and do it now.”

She shrugged. He’d never get it, and it wasn’t worth wasting her breath.

“It’s a treat to myself. I need to reset before exams in a few weeks. I’ll let you know when I’m back.”

“See that you do,” her father said. “Your mother wants to talk to you now.”

End of conversation. Her father walked away when he was ready to, not when Kenzie was finished.

That was their thing though. Every time she called, she had to talk to both of her parents.

Thankfully, she only checked in once a week and not even the same day. But their weekly call was good for everyone, even if she dreaded it half the time.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Your father only worries,” her mother said.

And lectures. A lot.

She always wanted to push back but tried to be respectful. He wasn’t mean, just set in his ways.

If she wanted to be a good attorney, she had to learn when to fight and when to take her lumps.

Anything with her father normally resulted in internal bumps and bruises.

“I know. It’s only a few days. We’re going when I get out of class on Friday.”

If all went well, Bethany and Joshua would be married that night, they’d celebrate on Saturday and she’d be home Sunday early afternoon and studying. She’d even cram some studying in while she was there.

The happy couple was going to want to have their time alone too and it wasn’t as if she was the type to do anything alone. So, studying in her room it’d be.

“Be careful. Send me a text when you arrive.”

Missy Raye was much more lenient than Kenzie’s father. Always had been, but her mother would always support her husband when Jacob Raye caused too much of a stink.

Which happened frequently.

“I will. It’s going to be fun. I really need this.”

“I’m sure you do. I just don’t know why it couldn’t be after exams. You don’t need a distraction right now.”

She thought the same thing, but sometimes Bethany didn’t think of anyone but herself. Didn’t mean she wouldn’t support her best friend.

“It’s fine. I’ve got it covered.”

“You always say that,” her mother said. “See that you do this time also.”

She rolled her eyes and hung up after that.

Why did they always think something bad was going to happen?