He studied me for a second. “Seriously, just for now? You’re not going to put a lifetime gag on me about this?”
“It’s going to come out sooner or later. I know that, but right now, it’s just been a lot. I don’t want to put Kate through anything else and the whole thing with Emma is just so damn complicated. We don’t need that right now.”
A slightly more sober expression took hold of his features. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I didn’t think about it like that, but, I mean, are you happy?”
“Yes.”
Will smiled, but it wasn’t obnoxious this time. “Good, I’m glad.”
“I’m also leaving.” I signaled for the bill before he could order anything else.
When it came, I paid without looking at the total, glancing up at my brother when it was done. “You’re paying next time.” I stood, but I didn’t turn around right away. “If you tell anyone, I will deny everything and have you mentally evaluated.”
“Noted.”
“That includes Jesse, Will. I know he’s also my brother and your twin, but I’m serious, you can’t tell him about this.”
He held up a hand. “Scout’s honor.”
“You were never a scout.”
He shrugged. “Don’t sweat such a minor detail.”
“We’re at capacity,” I said. “Kate and me. We really do have enough on our plates right now.”
Will’s grin turned a little more understanding. “Yeah, I got that part. Seriously. Stop worrying and go enjoy being married.”
I nodded and left him there, still looking much too pleased with himself. By the time I got back upstairs, Kate hadn’t moved.
I slipped back into bed beside her, and this time, when she curled into me, it felt a lot less fragile and temporary. It felt real. Permanent.
Like we were finally starting to settle into anus. The world might never understand how we’d started, or even how we’dwound up agreeing to an arranged marriage without knowing the truth about each other, but right now, that didn’t matter.
For now, this right here, was more than enough.
CHAPTER 40
KATE
The following Friday, we landed in upstate New York ashusband and wife. I still wasn’t used to thinking about us like that. Honestly, it was crazy.
It had been less than a week, but somehow, we’d already settled into a domestic routine, spending early mornings tangled together in the sheets, long days at the office, me filling in for Nate as CFO—for reasons still unknown to me—and then, we always had dinner together in the evenings.
Marital bliss, but for busy people. Heavy on the busy.
The jet engines wound down, the cabin settling into silence. Nate stood, offering me a hand like I might need help standing, but I took it anyway, just because I could.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“No,” I said cheerfully. “But that doesn’t really matter, does it? My parents are waiting for us either way.”
He smirked. “At least we already know your dad likes me.”
“My dad likes theideaof you and the opportunity you offered.”
He thought it over for a beat before he shrugged. “I’ll take it.”
I sighed and followed him to the door, desperately trying to brace myself for the night ahead. I hadn’t seen my parentssince I’d left them in that diner, but with Nate by my side, I felt steadier than I expected, stepping onto the tarmac.
