Chapter 2
ANOTHER HURDLE
Kenzie sat on the bed, pulling her canvas sneakers on her feet. As much as she wanted to change, Nelson wasn’t giving her the time or privacy to do that. And the last thing she wanted to do was shower and fear he’d take off on her.
She needed him around long enough to get his information so that she could figure out the next step.
The fact her new husband had a smoking ripped body on him wasn’t helping matters any.
She was grateful he’d put his shirt on while she changed. Was even considerate enough to turn his back.
When her eyes landed on the open condom on the floor she wanted to cry.
Did they have sex last night?
That would mean that an annulment was out of the question.
Oh God. What did she do?
Those stupid three shots she and Bethany had before her best friend was going to tie the knot.
Only she remembered now—Bethany and Joshua were fighting, with Joshua storming out of the chapel, Bethany giving chase.
It left her there alone.
Obviously not alone if she came back here with Nelson and a marriage certificate.
Not only that, but a small silver band on her left hand that looked to match his.
Nelson came out, his eyes clearer, his hair combed, his neck moving side to side as if he was trying to stretch the tension out. “Don’t suppose you’ve got any aspirin on you?”
“In my purse.” She stood up and walked closer to it by Nelson. He was next to the table where it was sitting. She opened it up and peeked inside to see if her wallet was there. It was. Would she offend him if she checked for her cash and credit cards?
“You can look,” he said. “I didn’t take anything.”
The sarcasm wasn’t lost on her. The dude was staying at the freaking Bellagio, there was some fancy watch on his wrist she didn’t even want to guess the cost of, and his phone looked like the newest and biggest model when hers was barely working at five years old.
She found the aspirin and handed it over after shaking a few out for herself, then checked her wallet. Her two credit cards, that were almost maxed, were still there along with the two hundred in cash she had.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to insult you.”
“Don’t worry about it. I did the same. Seems we are in the same boat.” He put his hand out. “Nelson Carlisle.”
That was kind of sweet of him. Any other situation, she’d bet he’d be a great flirt.
His eyes were troubled, his lips held a grim expression, but his grip was firm in hers. Soft skin, lingering a touch longer than might be polite.
“McKenzie Raye. I go by Kenzie.”
“Nice to meet you. Wish it was under other circumstances.”
She let out an unladylike sound. “Tell me about it. Let’s get some coffee and food and try to figure this out.”
“Do you need to check in with your friend or anything?”
How could she have forgotten that?
“I should, but the last I remember, she and Joshua were fighting. That’s how I ended up there alone.”
“So you do remember last night?”
They left the room and walked down the hall to the elevators.
“I do. Mostly. We came to Vegas for Bethany’s wedding. She’s eloping. Her parents were driving her nuts with wedding plans. But then she and Joshua fought and he stormed out. Bethany went after him. Prior to it, we’d had like three shots. One each of us bought. Guess they hit me late and hard.”
“Sounds it,” he said.
When the elevator doors opened, they walked through the lobby following the scent of food.
Her new temporary husband was almost a foot taller than her. Good Lord.
“Do you live around here?” she asked. Might be the first thing they had to figure out.
“No. I’m here on business.”
Which didn’t answer her question. “What kind of business?”
He hesitated as if weighing his words. “Consulting.”
It didn’t seem like the time to ask much more. Hopefully they could part ways soon enough.
But even she knew it wouldn’t be this weekend. Nothing could be that fast.
And she had class on Monday.
So much to think about and nothing that she needed on her mind.
There was no way she could hide this from her parents either. They were going to be livid with her.
One thing at a time.
“Kenzie?”
“What?” she asked, turning her head. Nelson had handed her a cup of coffee. “Sorry. My mind was wandering.”
She tossed the aspirin in her mouth the same time Nelson did, both of them swallowing after taking a quick drink.
“What do you do?” he asked.
“Right now, I’m studying for exams while I work part time as a server. I took the weekend off to come here and only added to my debt.”
He groaned and slowly asked, “How old are you?”
“Twenty-four. I’ll be twenty-five in the fall. What about you?”
“Twenty-seven. Kind of late to still be in college, isn’t it?”
She hadn’t wanted to add this part but guess she had to. “Not if you’re in law school. I should be home studying for my finals. I’m graduating in a month. But noooooo, I had to let Bethany talk me into this.”
Her eyes filled with tears. It was the last thing she wanted to do. Break down in front of this... stranger. Who happened to be her husband.
“Come over here,” he said, ushering her to the side. “I’m sorry. I’ve got a raging headache and feel kind of shaky. It’s something more than a headache. I know it is. I’ve been drunk enough in my life and never woke up with no memory of it. Something isn’t adding up.”
She frowned. “Do you think someone drugged you?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Did you?”
“No,” she said quickly and sat up straighter in the chair. “Why would I do something like that? I’ve been in two places since I got here yesterday. My hotel and the chapel. I know that for a fact.”
“I don’t remember either place. I’m piecing together being in the casino yesterday afternoon, but it’s all fuzzy.”
“I think you need to go back to your hotel room and see if maybe that helps.”
“I will,” he said. “But we should at least exchange information first.”
“After we get food in us,” she said. “I’m starving and we’ve got to talk about a few things.”
They sat at a table away from everyone. Both of them had pancakes with their coffee.
“What’s on your mind?”
“Lots of things. But first is... I don’t know that we can get an annulment. Did we have sex last night?”
She whispered the last part. “No clue. You saw what I did on the floor. Doesn’t mean it happened. Normally I don’t forget things like that.”
The heat filled her face, some of it traveling to her gut where it swirled around and threatened to upset the food she was slowly consuming.
Not in a bad way and that might be worse.
“So divorce,” she said. Which went against everything her parents stood for. Just another hurdle they were going to have to get over.
“I’m not any happier about this than you.”
They finished their breakfast in silence. She had too much to process and he didn’t appear to want to talk either.
Once back in her room, she asked, “Can I have your number? I don’t want to be a jerk, but unless we are glued to each other, how will I know you won’t take off on me? And I’ve got to return to school tomorrow.”
“Where is that?”
“Salt Lake City,” she said. “I go to the University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law. You didn’t say where you lived or are from?”
“Right now I live in New Jersey, but work in Manhattan, when I’m not traveling.”
A long way away. Not going to be ideal for getting their situation taken care of.
“Well, guess we have to make the best of it, right? I mean, how much worse can it be?”