When she stepped out into the hall, Harold asked, “Where is Miss Stewart, by the way?”
“At my condo.”
“Hmm. Why don’t you skip the committee work this week? I can’t excuse you from all your classes, but I can ease the workload. I’ll have your TA… I think Kaelee Carpenter is your TA, right?” He glanced at Toni, who nodded. “I’m sure Kaelee would be glad to take a couple of the lectures for you. She’s a driven woman. Maybe she can do a note review if she can’t use your lecture notes.… Truly, my dear, you ought to at least show your wife around the city, don’t you think?”
And Toni couldn’t think of a decent excuse to refuse. Shewantedmore time with Addie, despite it likely being a terrible idea for her already rebellious heart. So Toni offered, “I’ll look at my schedule and see if I have any lectures I can have Kaelee cover.”
First though, she had to email a note her publicist. She waved goodbye to Harold, who walked away, whistling like the meddlesome friend he had become.
Chapter 35Addie
Addie stared at the article. Clipping, really. It was just a clickbait social media post that led to photos from the weekend. She wasn’t expecting to end up as the source of gossip, not for something as innocuous as a kiss. If she’d gotten caught in that garden in Edinburgh with Toni, that would be different. This was a costumed weekend of make-believe. Plenty of people online were making that exact point, but that adoring look in Toni’s eyes, the way her gaze was fixed on Addie, those were hard to explain away.
If I knew who sold or shared these pictures, I’d kick their asses.
But all Addie knew in this moment was that the wedding was apparently officiated by a real minister. Was it legal then? He’d muddled Addie’s name, but he’d also been a real wedding officiant.
We had no marriage license, though.
Addie read the snippet again. It read like they were stealth marrying without telling the guests it was real. The pretense, according to this spin, was that it was a real wedding right under the noses of the guests.
MODERN VICTORIAN BRIDES?
Ingenue Adelaine Stewart was recently cast in the adaptation of her new wife’s book—and at a Victorian ball to celebrateThe WhitechapelWidow’s success the two tied the knot in an elaborate “costume” wedding. The twist? A real reverend! The author wore a custom tailcoat in a ladies’ cut and the actress wore a lovely 1892 dress. From invisible to married in mere months, this couple knows how to make a statement.
So Addie forwarded the link to the studio publicity team and to her manager, June, with a question. “Am I actually married?”
She stared at the email after she hitSEND. Would it be so bad if it were real? She cared about Toni, and she was certain she’d be in love if not for the walls she kept erecting to protect her heart. They talked, laughed, enjoyed both dates and intimacy. In all the ways that Addie could imagine, they fit. They both had their own careers, so no one could be accused of stealing the other’s money. They were building trust—in and out of bed. Marriage would be a bit hasty, but on the other hand, they’d spent ayearexchanging email.
Toni doesn’twanta wife, though. She might want me now, but not forever.
And I don’t want to give up my career for anyone.
That was the crux of the problem. Toni didn’t want a commitment, and Addie wanted a career. On the other hand, she’d watched her parents find ways to respect their desire to be together but not necessarily in all the ways that seemed “traditional.” Maybe there was a compromise to be had here, too.…
Only if we both want it, though. And she doesn’t.
Addie had washed the few not-Victorian clothes she had with her, and she’d decided to ship the others back to LA. The dresses were studio property, so after she’d sorted out her personal things from the studio property, she had a shipping service pick it up.
“Releasing promo photos and video teaser today,” June texted. “Riding wave of viral photos by releasing useful things.”
Addie rolled her eyes. June was as subtle as a brick with her remark on “useful things.” It wasn’t as if Addie intended the photos to leak or be misconstrued. At least some of the responses were focusing on the costumes and on the show—and by extension on the book.
“Live morning show request,” June’s next text said.
That one, Addie couldn’t ignore. “Where?”
“Several. One in Chicago, one in Richmond. Both of you. First on Wednesday.”
“What happened to saying nothing?” Addie frowned.
“Publisher sent a statement. Darbyshire admitted that you are dating, but the wedding was simply part of historical weekend not real. No marriage license. No legal wedding.”
Toni admitted it?Addie read and reread that message again.Toni admitted that we were dating. In writing. In media.
“Details?”
The text included a screenshot:
