Page 68 of The Reason I Married Him
“What the hell is wrong with you? What is a moo ma me ma?”
I shrug. “No idea, but your staring made me nervous, and I just said what was on my mind.”
“If that was on your mind, then you have some serious issues.”
“Possibly, but it also makes me a great writer.”
“Does it? Is moo ma me ma winning you all the bestseller titles?”
My lips turn up. “I’ll include it in my next one and let you know.”
“We’re getting off track,” she says as she leans back in the truck bed. “We need to come up with a plan, something that?—”
Ding.
We both look toward her phone, which is between us. I see Hattie’s name scroll across the screen so I say, “Uh, that’s your sister. Do you think she knows?”
“Please, it doesn’t happen that fast,” Aubree scoffs while she sits up and snags her phone.
I watch as she unlocks the screen, opens the text message, and reads it. Her eyes scroll, and her lips turn into a frown.
Yup . . . Hattie knows.
Slowly, Aubree’s eyes lift to mine, and she says, “Mother . . . fucker.”
I try not to crack a smile.
I really do.
But . . . it’s just so comical.
The news in this town travels faster than the truck we’re sitting in.
“Let me guess.” I lean back on one hand. “The news got to her already about me being your boyfriend?”
“Yes, and she’s asking why I didn’t say anything to her.”
“Yeah, why didn’t you? I can’t imagine what it’s like to find out your sister is dating your brother-in-law’s brother . . . wait, would I be your brother-in-law?”
She pinches her nose, her frustration starting to boil. “Wyatt, this is not helping.”
“Okay, then how can I help? Should I get down on one knee and propose? Make this official? Draw up a contract about our impending marriage? I have a lawyer who can create something tonight.”
“I’m not marrying you, Wyatt.”
“Uh . . . what do you mean? I thought you called me your boyfriend because you were heading in the direction of making a deal. Remember, your hand for my land?” I wiggle my eyebrows. “Catchy, isn’t it?”
She pushes her hand over my eyebrows. “No, it’s annoying. And I said you were my boyfriend because Amanda was making such a big deal about me being a lonely, old spinster. I just wanted to show her that I wasn’t.”
“Well, now everyone in town, including your siblings, thinks you’re not a lonely, old spinster. The only question is, what are you going to do now? You know I’m open to hitching my wagon to your . . . truck. Is that the term? Either way, I’m here for you.”
“You say that as if you’re doing me a favor. I wouldn’t be in this situation if you hadn’t followed me around for the last couple of days, calling me Mrs. Preston and wife. You’ve slipped into my subconscious and now that has trickled out into the real world. Technically, this is all your fault.”
I throw up my hands in surrender. “I’ll take the blame. I know what I did. The question is, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to take back your words, or will you venture into the realm of a marriage of convenience and play along? You have a lot to gain.”
“And a whole lot to lose,” she answers while setting her phone down and lying back again. Her hands go to her face, and she groans.
“What would you really have to lose? Your first marriage? Sure, if you’re the type of person who is stuck on only being married once, that might be a hit, but divorce is okay. Sometimes you’re just with people for certain seasons in your life. You and I? We can be a one-year season. Not to mention, you’d get your land, I’d get my cabin, and I could always give you a parting gift on our divorce, like a new truck or something. You know, a little pat on the ass as a thank-you.”
