Chapter 19
More than a week later on Sunday evening, Wes and I are squeezed together in one oversized chair in the living room of the cottage Grace shares with the three youngest girls.
There’s usually exactly the right number of seats for the entire family, but Wes’s presence has disrupted the normal seating system.
We’re playing charades today, so the dining table isn’t a good option. When Wes volunteered to sit on the floor, Parker declared that he and I should snuggle together in my chair instead, teasing that caused Tessa to roll on the floor with hilarity.
I was about to give the girls the response the taunting deserved, but Wes replied that he’s always up to a challenge, and he squeezed into my chair with me.
It’s one of those they call a chair and a half, so there’s definitely extra room. But both of us fitting into it means he has to put his arm around me and our hips and thighs are pressed together.
I’m not opposed to such an arrangement, and it’s a fitting response to the girls’ teasing.
But it also means I’ve had to be far closer to Wes than is entirely comfortable.
Slightly uncomfortable because it keeps… giving me ideas.
The game of charades is predictably loud fun with frequent breaks to eat the variety of appetizers—tapas, Grace calls them—that make up our dinner tonight. But I’m relieved to get a few minutes of breathing room when it’s Wes’s turn and he gets out of the chair to check the prompt.
For such a contained man, he’s actually pretty good at charades.
Plus he got a really easy prompt.
I can see the flash of amusement in his eyes as he reads.
Then he steps over, bends down toward me, and presses a kiss on my lips.
Just a brief, light one, but it sends a pleasure apocalypse rushing through me.
Then he clutches his chest and drops to the floor, stretching out in a limp sprawl.
“A kiss before dying!” Audrey calls out less than two seconds later.
On its heels come loud recriminations from Tessa on the opposing team about how it was too easy and Wes somehow cheated and how next time Wes was absolutely, positively going to be on her team.
All these are ignored in the general laughter and applause. Wes stands up, gives a mock bow, and then lifts me partly out of the chair so he can sit down and pull me back into place beside him.
And I have the most ridiculous feeling.
Like I’m proud of him.
Proud that he’s so clever and quietly funny and that he fits so well with my family.
Proud that he’s attached to me.
I’ve never experienced anything like it in my entire life.
After the game concludes and most of the platters of food are empty, we’re still sitting around chatting.
Aunt Grace has made a couple of hints about how it’s getting late, but the girls are pretending they haven’t heard them, and no one is pressing the issue.
The girls don’t want the evening to end.
Neither do I.
The laughter and camaraderie tonight has been broken by very few tiffs or whines, something that doesn’t always happen. I’m pretty sure it’s Wes’s presence. Even Tessa is old enough not to want to embarrass herself or act childish in front of a cute guy.
For whatever reason, it’s been a great evening, and I don’t want it to end any more than the girls do.
Plus Wes is still right beside me, his arm draped across my shoulders. He’s idly playing with my ponytail, and I really like it.
We’ve been rehashing all the tests Parker and Iris have this week and when they’re possibly going to study for all of them. Then the conversation trickles into a stretch of silence, and I’m afraid Aunt Grace is finally going to wrap things up.
But then Parker gives me a mischievous look and asks loudly, “So are you two really going to get married or not?”
My throat tightens in a clutch of nerves.
Wes’s hand stills in my hair.
Aunt Grace murmurs, “Parker, don’t embarrass them.”
“It is a good question,” Audrey says, shooting me a significant look. “And I’ve never heard an answer to it. Are you just pretending for a while until you call off the wedding, or are you going to get married for real?”
I turn to meet Wes’s eyes. They offer no revelation.
“We could… we could go either way. I always assumed the social media attention would die down again like the first time, but we’re still getting a lot of action.”
“There’ve been tons of requests for collaboration and partnership from influencers and wedding businesses, including wedding-day possibilities.
” Natalie has a way of speaking that comes across as authoritative without being bossy or obnoxious.
It makes people listen. It makes people think she’s right.
“I think y’all should do it. A few more months of this, and we’ll be rolling in money for at least three years. ”
I’ve been looking at the schedule and the accounts every day for weeks now, and I agree.
So much extra has been coming in that we could fully pay off our debt by the end of the year, and the next couple of years could net us plush-enough savings to take us through a decades-long downturn.
It could change everything.
And if it means getting married to Wes for real, well, I don’t have a problem with that.
“Ooh.” Tessa’s eyes are wide and excited about the idea of rolling in money. For most of her life, we’ve had enough but little extra. “Do it! Do it, do it, do it!”
“You should definitely marry him,” Parker chimes in. “Wes isn’t too bad. He’d be okay as a husband, wouldn’t he?”
Wes laughs. “What a claim to fame. An okay husband.”
“We can’t put pressure on them to do something so major,” Aunt Grace says, quieting the laughter. “I know it sounds like fun, but this is their lives. They have to do what’s best for them.”
“But why shouldn’t this be best for them?” Parker asks. “Extra money always helps.”
“And I don’t think anyone is assuming it will be a real marriage. It’s a piece of paper. They can end the marriage anytime they want.” Natalie catches my gaze again, and I know why.
She’s trying to silent will me to do this.
She doesn’t have to.
I already know I’m going to do it, but I don’t want to put the pressure on Wes that my agreeing first would place.
“Well?” Tessa has gotten up and is leaning over to give us both what she’s always called her power gaze. “Yes or no?”
Wes clears his throat and shifts in the chair, trying to get a clearer view of my expression. “I’ve been in from the beginning. I’m committed to The Plan. But only if Ella is on board too.”
I exhale with a rush. “I’m on board.”
Tessa and Parker shriek with excitement, and Natalie gives an exaggerated collapse of relief.
“Is it possible to just fake it?” Aunt Grace asks, frowning slightly. Not like she disapproves but like she’s worried. “Go through with the ceremony but not actually make it official?”
“Someone would track that down for sure,” Natalie says. “And it would be embarrassing.”
“It would,” I agree. “If we’re going to do this, it needs to be real.” I glance back up to Wes to confirm he’s not reluctant.
He doesn’t look at all reluctant. Just quiet. “I already said I’m on board. All the way.” After a moment, he adds, “But the marriage can be real and not last very long.”
Well.
Okay then.
When the party breaks up, Wes stays to help us clean up and do the dishes. Then, without even asking, he walks with me, Audrey, and Natalie the short distance to our own cottage.
Natalie and Audrey walk ahead of us, having a whispered conversation that I’m certain is about me and Wes. But Wes keeps pace with my slower walk.
I tend to be as fast a walker as Natalie and Audrey, but I’m not in a hurry to get home.
Despite the slice through the chest of Wes’s remark about the marriage being short, I still don’t want the evening to end.
It might not mean what I think.
Audrey and Natalie are already inside when Wes and I reach the front porch.
Because I’m still jittery and because Wes has been quiet on the walk home, I summon enough courage to ask, “Just between us, are you truly okay with getting married for real?”
He doesn’t answer immediately. “I am. But I’m not sure if you are or not.”
“What do you mean? I agreed just like you.”
“I know. But still…”
“Still what? This is what’s best for Blossom Park, and it hasn’t been bad for us. I mean, it hasn’t been bad for me.” I cut my eyes toward him.
“It’s not been bad for me either.”
“See.” I’m standing at the front door, facing him, my head tilted up so I can meet his eyes. “This has all been too good to halt prematurely. We’ve been getting along fine. And it’s not a big deal overall. Just a piece of paper.”
“It’s not just a piece of paper to everyone.” His voice is soft, slightly thick. “Marriage is important to a lot of people. I think it’s important to you.”
“It is—if it’s done for normal reasons. But this is different. And why would you assume it’s important to me?”
“Because you’ve always been an old-fashioned girl.”
I gasp like he insulted me to my face.
“That wasn’t an insult. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I’ve always… I’ve always liked that about you. I don’t mean you’re narrow-minded or restrictive. I just mean you’ve always wanted what your parents had.”
The mention of my parents makes my throat and my chest ache.
I’ve been thinking about them a lot lately.
“I did,” I admit. “I mean, I do. They had a good marriage just like your parents. But doing this now doesn’t mean I’ll never get that.
Like you said, this doesn’t have to last a long time. This can be temporary.”
He’s been listening. I can tell. “Yeah,” he murmurs. “It can.”
“So I can’t think of any reason we shouldn’t do this.”
I didn’t expect to be in a position to beg Wes to marry me, and I don’t like it.
In fact, I’m getting kind of annoyed.
I go on. “So if you don’t want to do this, you need to just say so instead of placing it all on me.”
“I’m not placing it on you.” He’s looking a bit peeved now too. “I’m trying to be a good guy and not let you get stuck in a bad situation.”
“I’m not getting stuck anywhere. I’ve told you multiple times that I’m fully on board with this. So we need to either call it quits or move forward with The Plan without any more endless fussing.”
His expression changes. Softens. “Fussing?”
“Yes. Fussing.”
“Okay. If you’re sure, I’ll let the topic go.”
“I’m sure. So please let it go.”
I linger for a minute, hoping he’ll say more. He’s not likely to do anything else after he pulled back from the kiss in the car last week, but still…
It would be nice if he were so blown away by his feelings for me he couldn’t stop himself.
Wes has never been blown away by anything in his life.
He nods. Then nods again. Then says good night and walks away.