Chapter 36
THIRTY-SIX
Lottie
Dad settles into his recliner, remote in one hand and a cup of green tea in the other. Mom curls up on the sofa, absentmindedly folding the throw blanket across her lap.
“Thanks for dinner, Mom,” I say as Wes and I join them in the living room, the last of the dishes loaded into the dishwasher. “You didn’t have to cook, we could have brought something over.”
She dismisses the suggestion with a wave of her hand. “Do you really think I’m going to have you two over for dinner and not give you a home-cooked meal?”
Wes and I sit together on the love-seat opposite them, close enough that our knees touch. Close enough that his hand finds mine and he gives my fingers a reassuring squeeze.
We had spent the better part of the afternoon talking through what comes next. But it wasn’t really a decision at all. We both agreed that if we were going to build a marriage that was real, it couldn’t be built on the biggest lie we’d ever told.
My parents believe we got swept up in a whirlwind romance and made an impulsive decision to get married after falling hard and fast for each other. The truth is so much messier than that.
Our wedding hadn’t started with love, it had started with an agreement.
Well, an argument and then an agreement.
It was meant to be a solution to a problem.
But a lot has changed since then, and my parents deserve to know all of it—even if it disappoints them.
Our fake marriage has become painfully, beautifully real, and if we are going to build a life together, we don’t want its foundation to be a secret we’ll spend years trying to outrun.
I swallow hard and glance at Wes. His expression is calm and steady, and it reminds me of the way he looked at me the day he promised he’d never let me face anything alone.
He nods at me, his gray eyes saying, I’ve got you.
I look at my dad and the happiness I’ve felt for the past few days falters.
He’s thinner than he was a week ago. The hollows under his cheekbones are more pronounced, the skin beneath his eyes bruised with deep purple shadows that no amount of sleep could erase.
Even sitting in his favorite recliner seems to take more effort than it used to, his shoulders slumped against the cushions.
His smile is still there, it always is, but it doesn’t quite reach his tired eyes anymore.
He catches me looking at him and offers a reassuring grin, the kind he’s worn my entire life whenever he wanted me to believe everything was okay.
“It’s made my entire night seeing the two of you so happy,” he says, looking from me to Wes.
“We are, Dad.” My throat burns as I feel the weight of his gaze. “We need to talk to you both though,” I say, my voice breaking on the last word.
He nods, his expression as calm as ever. “Then start wherever you need to start,” he says softly. “I’ve got all the time in the world.”
My chin wobbles. God, I hope he’s right. Two tears spill over before I can blink them away. Relief crashes through me so suddenly it almost hurts. I’ve been carrying this secret for so long that the thought of finally setting it down makes my chest ache.
“Are you okay, sweetheart?”
I shake my head. “I just…I never wanted to disappoint you and Mom.”
“Just tell us what has you so upset,” he says, softly. “We’ll take it one piece of the puzzle at a time.”
I draw a slow, unsteady breath.
And I tell them everything. By the time the last word leaves my mouth, my throat feels raw. Not once do either of my parents interrupt. Mom’s hand finds Dad’s somewhere in the middle of my explanation, their fingers lacing together as they listen.
Dad’s expression barely changes, but I know him well enough to catch every flicker.
The tightening of his jaw. The crease that settles between his brows.
The slow exhale he lets out when I explain why Wes and I got married in the first place.
Mom’s emotions are written all over her face.
Surprise followed by disbelief. She dabs at her eyes as she listens.
I leave out the parts that belong only to Wes and me—the quiet moments, the kisses, the nights that changed everything.
Some memories are ours to keep. Everything else, I give them.
The truth—every painful, messy piece of it.
When I finally fall silent, the room seems impossibly still.
The only sound is the grandfather clock ticking in the hallway.
Dad leans back in his recliner, his gaze drifting toward the ceiling. He stays there for several long moments, saying nothing at all.
“I should’ve known.” He lets out a slow breath, his eyes meeting mine.
“That something didn’t add up. You’re my daughter, Lottie.
I’ve known you your whole life. You would’ve never gotten married without us unless something bigger was going on.
I kept telling myself you were just swept up in the excitement.
” He shakes his head. “But every now and then I’d think… ” He pauses. “This isn’t my Lottie.”
My heart cracks. “I’m sorry.”
Dad gives me a small shake of his head. “Don’t apologize for trying to protect me.”
His eyes drift to Wes before returning to me. “Just answer me one thing.”
I nod.
“If you could go back to that day…” His voice is quiet. “Knowing what you know now… would you still marry him?”
I don’t hesitate. “In a heartbeat.”
A small, tired smile tugs at his mouth.
“You’re not angry?” I ask, my voice barely holding together. “I lied to you.”
Mom is the first to answer, “Oh, sweetheart.”
She scoots to the edge of the couch, her eyes soft with understanding. She exchanges a quick look with my dad before looking back at me. “We’re not mad at you,” she says gently.
“I don’t have the energy for that anymore,” my dad says. “And even if I did, what good would it do?”
I blink back another wave of tears.
“You made a decision because you were trying to protect the people you love.” His eyes drift to Wes. “And from what I can tell, you accidentally fell in love with the man sitting beside you. And he fell in love with you.”
I let out a shaky laugh.
“I did,” Wes tells him.
My dad nods. “Lottie…” He waits until I meet his eyes. “You were willing to marry a man you barely knew because you thought it would help me.”
My chin trembles. “I would’ve done anything.”
“I know you would’ve.” His voice cracks for the first time. “And that’s the part that breaks my heart.”
A tear slips down my cheek.
“You should’ve never felt like my illness was yours to carry,” he says. “I hope I never made you feel that way.”
I shake my head. “It never felt like a burden.”
“I know.” He smiles sadly. “Because that’s who you are.”
He glances at Wes again, allowing the words to settle.
“You’ve always had the biggest heart in the room. Ever since you were little, you’ve been the first person to notice when someone is hurting. The first one to give away your last cookie, your favorite sweater, whatever you had if it meant making someone else’s day a little easier.”
A watery laugh escapes me.
“That part of you…” He points toward my chest. “I’ve always loved it.” His smile fades just enough for my own heart to crack. “I just hate that you felt that sacrificing your own happiness was the only way to help me.”
I wipe at another tear.
“But,” my mom says, clasping her hands together. “Somewhere in the middle of all that, you found your person.”
Wes reaches over and squeezes my hand.
Dad leans back in his chair and lets out a long breath, as if months of unanswered questions have finally settled into place.
“If I’m being honest,” he chuckles. “I don’t really care how your marriage started.
I care how it turns out. And from where I’m sitting, I’ve never seen my daughter this happy. ”
He glances at Wes and smiles. “As a dad, I don’t think I could ask for anything more.”
I look at my dad and without saying a word, he opens his arms to me. I don’t make it two steps before I’m crying again. I practically fall into him as he wraps me in a hug. He kisses the top of my head.
“You don’t ever have to carry the world by yourself again,” he murmurs. “You have your mom. You have me. And now you have Wes. Do you hear me?”
I nod against his shoulder. “I hear you.”
He holds me for another moment before gently pulling back. His hand cups my cheek. “I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you too.”
Wes clears his throat softly, then shifts to the edge of the couch. He looks more nervous than I’ve ever seen him.
“James, Claire…”
Mom and Dad both look up at him. Dad gives a small nod. “Go ahead, son.”
Wes draws a slow breath. “I know I don’t deserve how gracious you’ve been tonight. The way this marriage began,” Wes shakes his head. “It wasn’t fair to Lottie. I never should have asked her to go along with the lie.”
Wes reaches for my hand, intertwining our fingers. “But somewhere along the way,” he adds, smiling at me in a way that makes my knees weak. “She became the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
I look up at him. His eyes never leave mine.
“I love your daughter with everything I have.” His voice catches. “She deserves so much more than the way this started. I can’t change the beginning of our story. All I can do is spend the rest of my life making sure she never doubts how deeply she’s loved.”
The room goes quiet.
“I promise you both,” he pauses. “I’ll take care of her. I’ll stand beside her when life is easy and I’ll stand even closer when it isn’t.”
A tear slips down my cheek.
“I’ll make her laugh when she forgets how.” He smiles at me. “I’ll remind her how beautiful she is when she can’t see it herself, and I’ll love her with everything I have for as long as I’m lucky enough to call her my wife.”
Dad slowly rises from his recliner and takes a step toward Wes. My husband stands, rubbing his hands nervously down his pants. Dad doesn’t offer a handshake; instead, he pulls him into a hug.
“That’s all we’ve ever wanted for her,” Dad says quietly. “I’m proud of you. I couldn’t ask for a better man to take care of my daughter.”
Wes slips his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side.
This man is mine, I think. He’s all mine forever.
And for the first time since we stood in front of a justice of the peace and exchanged vows we didn’t yet understand, it feels like our marriage has truly begun.