“Do you want the real truth or the other one?” I folded my hands so he wouldn’t see them tremble, but they steadied a little when a spark of amusement lit those green eyes as he looked back at me.
I liked when that happened. When I could see humor flare to life inside him despite how serious and cold he came across.
“Let’s go with the other one,” he said. “Just this once, because I think if we start delving into the real truth now, we’re all going to need alcohol and I didn’t bring any.”
I bit back a laugh and nodded. “Then I’m fine. You?”
“Oh, fine.” He waved a hand like this was nothing, but I could see him trying not to laugh too.
For a moment, we just looked at each other, something soft and fragile but unexpectedly exciting humming to life between us. He stepped closer then, not touching me, but close enough that his warm breath ghosted across my cheek.
“I’m glad you’re here, Jane.”
It was stupid how those five simple words lodged in my chest like an anchor. I swallowed, unable to answer him honestly right now, so I gave him the same shielded, practiced smile I’d used on lawyers, bankers, and creditors for five years.
“Of course.”
His gaze lingered on mine like he knew that wasn’t the whole truth, but he nodded anyway. Then the judge entered, saving me from whatever Alex had been about to send my way. The older man clapped his hands briskly as he walked in, glancing between us with a curt nod.
“Alright. You’re both here. Let’s get started.”
My heart slammed painfully hard into my ribs as I took my place beside Alex, his shoulder inches from mine and his presence a steady heat I couldn’t stop myself from leaning into. He was so calm and confident, completely unshaken.
Whatever this already was and whatever we would become, I wasn’t ready for it, but he seemed to be. Maybe. Maybe if I actually just kept letting myself lean into his calm certainty, this wouldn’t be so bad.
The ceremony was quick, clinical, and almost brutally efficient. There was no music, or flowers, or witnesses other than Nate and my mother, who was openly tearful, like she still thought this was the most beautiful moment she ever could’ve imagined.
I forced myself to focus on the judge’s voice, steady and practiced as he guided us through the legalities. Alex answered with a firm, evenyes, like he was signing a contract he’d already reviewed and was completely confident about. I matched his tone, trying not to let my nerves show at all.
The judge nodded at Alex. “You’ve got rings?”
Alex reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and my breath caught when I saw the ring he pulled out. It was vintage, not flashy or ostentatious, but gold with tiny etched detailsengraved into it that caught the light when he held it between his fingers.
It looked old, like it’d lived a life before this moment and it was exactly my style. So much so that my knees went weak for a beat.How on earth did he know?
When he took my left hand, his fingers were warm and steady, sliding the ring onto my finger like he’d done this a thousand times before. It fit perfectly, and for one suspended moment, I just stared at it, the weight unfamiliar yet oddly comforting.
Nate stepped forward and handed Alex a simple gold band for himself. Without ceremony, Alex slipped it onto his own finger and the sight punched straight through something raw and vulnerable inside me.For better or worse, this is real now.
The judge cleared his throat, obviously sensing some of the tension in the air, and a glint of humor entered his eyes. “Alright, then. Now for the fun part. You may kiss your bride.”
My heart lurched, an actual skip, then a heavy, echoing thud.How the hell did I forget this was going to happen?
Alex turned to look at me, and for a split second, the world narrowed to just the two of us. His eyes dipped to my mouth before he sharply cut them back to the judge, scowling for a beat before he took a step forward and leaned over.
He smelled like crisp soap, mint, and something warm underneath. His lips brushed my cheek, so close to the corner of my mouth that I could almost taste the faintest hint of his toothpaste. He was gentle and deliberate, his mouth as warm as his hands.
It was nothing, and at the same time, it was also just entirely too much. My pulse was a skittering mess by the time he pulled back.
Nora let out a shaky laugh, fanning herself dramatically. Nate quickly slipped an arm around her shoulders and gaveher a friendly smile. “Why don’t I take you home? Douglas is planning a small reception in a week or two. You can help him coordinate.”
Mom brightened at the opportunity and let Nate guide her out, waving at me enthusiastically as they left. Meanwhile, I was stuck in some kind of Alex-induced haze, my skin still buzzing where his lips had brushed across it.
Suddenly, with them and the judge gone, the courtroom felt too big and too quiet, but Alex turned slightly, silently offering me his arm. The gesture was formal and almost old-fashioned, but I wrapped my fingers around it, feeling the iron tension in his muscles beneath the fabric of his suit.
We walked out together, down the hall, through the double doors, and into the late morning where Nate was already helping my mother into the black sedan that had brought us here. I moved toward it automatically—because what else was I supposed to do—but Alex’s hand closed around my arm.
His grip wasn’t hard or bruising. It wasn’t demanding, just firm enough to redirect me. “We’re not in that car.”
