“Jury’s out on that one,” she said, only a hint of a smile on her lips.
At least it wasn’t a given.
Just moments later, Maya came into the office. She had a massive paper calendar tucked under her arm, along with two cups in her hands. She set both drinks in front of Jada and then put the calendar on the table.
That’s when I noticed she also had a black leather pencil case tucked under her arm. It had blended in with her blazer. When she unzipped it, she dumped an array of colored pens on the calendar and snatched up a red one. “I’ll mark Xs through Bryce’s already booked days for the next three months,” she began.
“Two months,” Jada said. Then she looked at me. “Please, meet me in the middle.”
Maya looked at her for a moment like she was trying to figure out the urgency, then to me for confirmation. I gave a short nod, and Maya continued. “For the next two months.” She compared my calendar on her phone to the calendar before us. There was the weekend I had to go to DC to speak with Congress about AI. Then more Xs for meetings with potential partners, our IPO advisor, my brother Hayes’s birthday.
Jada marked off one weekend too, explaining she was covering a friend’s shifts. Then she circled this Friday in blue ink. “We should have dinner with Glamma so she can see us as a couple.”
The thought of dinner with her sassy grandmother had me smiling. Especially since I never got to know my own grandparents. “Absolutely,” I said, but then my gut clenched with guilt at the thought of hiding this from her grandma.
I promised myself right then and there that I would do everything I could to make this marriage real.
Maya circled several weekdays in pink, saying, “These would be great days for you two to go on public outings. They align with events Bryce will already be attending or free evenings he has.”
Once Maya finished, I said, “That leaves us three weekends.” I picked up a random pen—green—and circled three weekends. “One for us to take a weekend away and get to know each other well enough that people will actually believe we’re in love.” I circled another weekend. “One for you to meet my family in Cottonwood Falls.” I looked up to notice Maya giving me a small smile.
Then, I circled a date just shy of two months from today. One week after the company gala.
“What’s that one for?” Jada asked.
I met her gaze, my throat feeling tight. “That’s our wedding day.”
28.Jada
When I walkedin from work, Glamma was sitting in her chair, fussing over a chain while the TV blared. It seemed like she wanted the volume louder and louder these days. Another reminder of her age, of the way she was changing right under my own nose.
“Glamma,” I called out. “I’m home.”
She looked up at me, a relieved expression crossing her face, and she muted her show. “Good, you’re here. I’m trying to thread this scarf through my new necklace, but my arthritis...” She pinched her lips.
“I’ve got it,” I said, taking it from her. A small knot of worry loosened in my chest, because my marriage to Bryce meant Glamma would be taken care of in ways I could never do on my own. Maybe I could even hire someone to stay home with her and help with little needs like this when I was working.
At least while we were married.
There was that knot in my chest again.
Taking a deep breath, I went to sit on the end of the couch nearest her chair. She passed me her necklace—a chunky gold chain with rattling charms—and a red silk scarf. The tag wasstill attached to the scarf, and I inwardly cringed at the price. Hopefully I’d be able to figure out where she bought it.
“What did you get up to today?” I asked.
“I lit a candle at the church for you.”
My eyebrows shot up. “You did?”
She nodded. “Prayed for something to happen with that man of yours. I want you to get married and give me a great-grandbaby—in that order, mind you.” She gave me a look that told me exactly what she’d think of my current predicament if she knew about it.
I looked back down at the project in my hands. “God works in mysterious ways,” I murmured, wondering when exactly she’d lit the candles. And if she’d considered her prayers answered if she knew the wedding was fake and the baby I carried wasn’t his.
“He sure does. I was about ready for you to give me that endometriosis story again. I keep telling you, miracles happen.”
My throat felt tight, so I simply nodded.
“How was work today? Esther and I chitchatted earlier, and she told me you’d missed a couple days. Why didn’t you tell me you were under the weather?”
