Page 45 of Finding Hayes
twelve
. . .
Savannah
Renovationson the farmhouse were well underway, as was my fake relationship. It was not lost on me that out of the three relationships I’d had in my adult life, this one was by far the easiest.
Maybe it was because we knew it wasn’t real and that it would have an expiration date.
I was having a great time with this. Even the big grump didn’t seem to mind it. And today was the day.
He’d been at the firehouse the last three days, and we’d come up with our plan. I had six days left to tie the knot, and we figured today was as good a day as any for a fake wedding. Nash and Kingston had started the renovations at the farmhouse, and I’d be moving into the guest room at Hayes’s house today.
I’d refused to move in with him until we were officially married, which we’d joked about over the last few days, because the irony was not lost on either of us.
The marriage wasn’t real, so why was I holding out?
He thought I should just move in while he was at the firehouseso I could at least take a hot bath at the end of the day. But I didn’t want it to look any more suspicious than it already did.
“You sure you’re okay not telling your parents?” Hayes asked as we drove to the courthouse. We’d filed for a marriage license this morning, and now we were off to make it official.
“Yes. We’re eloping. People do it all the time,” I said, as he parked in the lot behind the building. “Harry’s going to be pissed because I told him he could be ring bearer someday.”
“I’m glad you two have a relationship. I know the way everything went down was hard, but you got a brother out of it.”
“Touché, hubs. That was a very glass-half-full response for you.” I chuckled. “Anyway, I’ll just tell him that we eloped.”
He turned to look at me. “Eloping is usually two people running off to some luxury beach to tie the knot before rolling naked in the sand.”
“That’s one thing I’ve never wanted to do.” I shrugged as I turned to face him, because he wasn’t in any hurry to get out of the truck.
“What? Elope?”
“No. Roll naked in the sand. I feel like it’s one of those things that sounds really good in theory, but imagine the shower you’d need after.” I chuckled.
He sighed. “This isn’t really an elopement. So I just want to make sure you’re okay with everything.”
“Well, it’s not really a wedding either, so I’m fine.”
His brows pinched together. “What will you tell your parents?”
“I’ll tell my dad that we just couldn’t live another day without being husband and wife. He always loved you, and it’ll make him happy. Cancer has softened him in that way—you know, emotionally. He’s always all up in his feels now. He’ll be an easy sell.”
“And your mother?”
“My mother has become much less judgy now that she married my high school theater teacher and got knocked up.” I gave him a knowing look before continuing. “A torrid affair will do that to you.”
“All right. So, we’re doing this.”
“As long as you’re okay with it?” I asked, because he seemed a little off today. “Are you having second thoughts?”
“Not at all. I said I’d do it, and I have no intentions of breaking my word.”
“That’s very honorable, though not very romantic,” I said over my laughter. “So, why are you acting weird and hesitant?”
“I’m just thinking about the elephant in the room.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, as I tried to hide my smile. “The communication in our marriage is already deteriorating, and we haven’t even said I do yet.”
