“Good.” I sit next to her. “Now, it’s up to you, but I figured we could both use some hydration and supplements.”
Understanding dawns on her face. “You got us IVs?”
“Fastest way to beat a hangover.” I gesture to the table. “Especially when paired with some hash browns and maybe a little hair of the dog.”
She wrinkles her nose at the offer of a Bloody Mary or Screwdriver. “I think I’ll stick to water.”
“We have that.” I offer her two bottles of water. “Sparkling or still?”
She blinks slowly. “You really are going to make someone the best husband ever.”
“I don’t know about that.” I scoff, even as pride swells inside of me. “But I plan on being a good friend to you for as long as we’re in this situation.”
“Good friend?” Her face lights up as she lifts a lid on the tray and finds a pile of buttermilk pancakes. “You might be the best friend I’ve ever had. If we weren’t already married, I’d marry you right now.”
I laugh at her joke, but her words churn something inside of me.
I can’t explain it. Even though I know she’s joking, and even though we’ve known each other a handful of hours, her approval matters.
Especially because, if my memory serves me correctly, I was the one who suggested we tie the knot last night.
“I’m really sorry I got you into this.” I cover her hand as she slides the stack of pancakes closer. I wait for her to meet my gaze. “I don’t want you to worry. I’ll take care of everything.”
She holds my stare and nods slowly. “Do you by any chance know how we can go about getting an annulment?”
“I hope you don’t mind, but I already called my lawyer.”
She visibly relaxes, prompting me to continue. “He’s putting together the annulment papers as we speak. He’ll send them over for you and your lawyer to look over, and we can file them first thing on Monday.”
“Thank you.” She releases a breath. “Just… thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
I squeeze her hand before letting it go. Silently encouraging her to eat while we’re both hooked up to our IVs.
She’s halfway through the stack, and I’m finishing up a breakfast burrito, when there’s another knock on the door.
“Is that your lawyer already?” she asks.
“It shouldn’t be.” I frown at the door. “He was going to email a draft of the paperwork.”
“Let me guess. You hired a masseuse or acupuncturist who specializes in hangover remedies.”
“I don’t?—”
There’s the beep of a keycard on the door and it flies open.
A wild-eyed CeCe fills the frame. Seething, she scans the room until her sight lands on me.
“What the fuck happened to you?” she asks, storming inside. “I waited two hours for you, and you never showed. Do you have any idea how worried I was?” She presses a hand against her belly. “Is that any way to treat the mother of your child?”
“Well, considering ‘our child’ is little more than a fake pregnancy test and sonogram bought off the Internet, I’m not too worried about them.” I smirk. “And as for your feelings, I’m not too worried about them either since you were planning on filing for an annulment today.”
Her jaw falls slack. “I don’t know what you think you heard, but?—”
“CeCe, I heard it from your own lips. There’s no use denying it now.”
Fists flexing at her side, she turns her angry stare at Tina. “Who the fuck is this?”
