Page 106 of Clinically Delicious
“I mean, she’s clearly been enjoying the kitchen a bit too much. What do you feed Megan, dear? Deep-fried everything?” She laughed. That high, cruel sound that used to make my skin crawl. “I’m sure Child Services might have something to say about—”
“Don’t talk to my wife like that.”
The words were out before I could stop them. Before I could think. Before I could process what the hell I was saying.
The room went silent.
Tonya’s mouth fell open. Richard’s pen stopped mid-note. And Cate, well, Cate looked like I’d just told her the Earth was flat. Her face went white. Then red. Then white again.
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I’d just called her my wife.
Mywife.
We hadn’t even talked about what we were. Hadn’t defined anything beyond stolen moments and midnight texts and thekind of sex that made it impossible to think straight. And I’d just told my ex-wife and her attorney that Cate was mywife.
“Your wife?” Tonya’s voice was sharp, disbelieving. “You remarried?”
I should have taken it back. Explained that it was a slip of the tongue. A mistake. But when I looked at Cate—at the shock on her face, at the way she was still holding that dish towel like it was the only thing keeping her upright—I couldn’t.
Because Tonya had insulted her. Had looked at this woman who made my daughter laugh, who’d turned my house into a home, who’d somehow become the best part of my day, and had tried to tear her down. And I’d be damned if I let that stand.
“Yes,” I said, my voice steady. Final. “My wife.”
Richard cleared his throat. “Mr. Lyon, if you’ve remarried, that’s... relevant information. It affects the custody evaluation. We’ll need documentation. Marriage certificate, date of marriage.”
“Of course,” I said, not breaking eye contact with Tonya.
Her face had gone hard. Calculating.
“How convenient,” she snarked. “You remarry right before I file for custody. Almost like you knew I was coming.”
“I didn’t know shit because I haven’t seen or heard from you since you left.”
“Still.” She stood, smoothing her coat. “Richard, make a note. We’ll need to investigate the timeline of this... marriage. Make sure it’s legitimate.”
“Noted,” Richard said, scribbling.
Tonya’s smile was cold. “I’ll be in touch, Gabriel. We have a lot to discuss. Custody arrangements. Visitation schedules.” Her eyes flicked to Cate. “Making sure Megan is in a... suitable environment.”
She walked toward the door, Richard following.
At the threshold, she paused. “Oh, and Gabriel? Congratulations on your marriage.” The words poison. “I’m sure it will hold up beautifully in court.”
The door closed behind them, and I was left standing in my living room, having just claimed Cate as my wife, with absolutely no idea how to explain what the hell I’d just done.
I turned to face her.
She was still frozen in the doorway, dish towel clutched in white-knuckled hands, her eyes wide and unblinking.
“Cate.”
“Yourwife?” Her voice came out strangled. “You just told your ex-wife I’m yourwife?”
“I can explain.”
“We’ve never even talked aboutdating! We’ve been having sex for aweek! And you just—you just—”
She couldn’t seem to finish the sentence.
Neither could I.
Because I’d just told the biggest lie of my life.
And the terrifying part?
It hadn’t felt like a lie at all.
