“Then I woke up this morning, though actually, it’s already afternoon, and you were looking at me like I was Hades, dragging Persephone into theunderworld.”
Tears blurred my vision again. “That’s my favoritemyth.”
“I know. And you hate the Apple of Discord and the entire Helen debacle, even though they’re both basically about a woman being kidnapped by aman.”
“I told you that?” I knew without looking that my face was tomato-red.
Justus nodded. “You also have a very firmly held belief that books made into movies are fine, but movies made into books are not. And for no reason I can figure out, you hate theMuppets.”
My tears ranover.
“What’s wrong? Kaci, please don’t cry.” Justus stood and pulled me into a hug, and I let him, because it felt so good. It felt…familiar.
“I just…I want all that. I want the kissing, and the walking, and the talking, and I want to know you as well as you evidently know me, but I can’t remember it. And without the memories, this is just… I don’t know what this is. But it’s not a real marriage.” I stepped out of his embrace, as hard as that was, and wiped the tears from my face with both hands. “I have to annul this, Justus. I’ll cite my own unwillingness toconsummate.”
His gaze burned into me. “So, you’re just going to let them executeme?”
“No.”Never. “I’ll testify on your behalf. I’ll…I’ll tell them what you told me about Drew.” That much Ididremember. “I’ll be a characterwitness.”
“Kaci, the votes aren’t there, no matter what you say. And after this—after I took a tabby to Vegas and married her—they’ll probably try to kill me on the spot. Hell, Marc may swing the axhimself.”
Marc wouldn’t… Wouldhe?
“So, you’re just going to leave? Even without themoney?”
He shrugged. “Being poor in the Caribbean is better than being dead in the States. But you could still come with me. Even if we’re notmarried.”
“I can’t.”Damn, I wanted to. But no matter how crazy-romantic the whole thing might have seemed during a drunk night I couldn’t remember, in the sober daylight, it seemed just plain crazy. “But I’ll help you get out of the country. We can sell this.” I glanced at the ring on myfinger.
But then I realized it was probably fake. If he’d lost all his money playing poker, we’d probably just snagged a cheap cubic zirconia at an all night pawn shop, or something. “I hate to ask, but how much is thisworth?”
He shrugged. “Around eight thousand dollars. It was the best I could afford at thetime.
I sank into the desk chair in shock, staring at my hand. At the ring. “How the hell did you afford that if you lost all your money playingpoker?”
“I didn’t loseallthe money. I just lost most ofit.”
That explains the lobster and rack oflamb.
“Well, we can sell this to get you out of the country.” I pulled the rings off as I crossed the room toward him. “How much is a ticket to theCaribbean?”
Justus folded my fingers over the rings in my palm. “Keep it. I already bought my ticket. I bought yourstoo.”
“Okay.” I slid the rings back on, because they seemed safer on my hand than in my pocket. “So, I get that today’s evidently supposed to be the start of our honeymoon and all, but…any chance that ticket can be exchanged for one to Houston?” Maybe if I went straight home, safe and unharmed, I could convince everyone that I’d made Justus take me to Vegas. Which wastrue.
No one had to know about themarriage…
And if they were busy being relieved about my return, maybe they wouldn’t have time to chasehim.
Justus shrugged. “Probably. When you get to the airport, if they won’t exchange it, call me and I’ll buy you a ticket toHouston.”
“Thanks.” I picked up my backpack and slid my phone into my back pocket. When I finally met Justus’s gaze, my stomach fluttered. Why was I suddenly so nervous? Why did I feel so guilty? “I’m sorry about…all this. Sorry that I’m evidently the most impulsive, reckless drunk in theworld.”
Another shrug. “It takestwo…”
“Okay. Well. Good luck. And don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone where you’regoing.”
“Thankyou.”
