was made. I strongly suspected, so when they gave me a chance to say one thing, I said something she’d recognize. She chose me instead of her other two options, sight unseen, officially anyway.”
“Well, your popularity is going back through the roof. Lots of comments about... well, you know and how you’ve got a wife now. Some are on the lewd side, but they’ve been shouted down by people defending you, and that it’s none of anyone’s business. You’ve not made it a talking point like others have at times, so it’s not as much a part of your brand, so to speak. I don’t think it’ll get out of hand. But what about your contract? I don’t remember marriage being part of it.”
“It wasn’t, but the surprises and twists were. We were promised nothing outrageous and Madi’s contract included something about not violating her HEA TV clause. They said they’d provide us with lodging, but never said it would be separate lodging. We assumed. Madi’s aunt is a judge and a lawyer. She took over the negotiations for both of us when it kind of went off the rails for a bit.”
“Good. I’m glad you had someone advising you. Are you sure she had your best interests at heart, though? Or just her niece’s?”
Wyatt laid back down and let his arm flop across his face, covering his eyes. “Mama Beach would be highly offended that you even suggested she’d do less than what was right by everyone.”
“Mama Beach?”
“That’s what almost everyone calls her outside the courtroom.”
“Fine. I’m glad you had Mama Beach on your side. They’re still not allowed to misrepresent anything?”
“Definitely not. No way she’d let that get through.”
The shower stopped in the bathroom. “Listen, I’ve got to get ready to go. Will you get in touch with Lou for me?”
“I already talked to him earlier. I’ll call him back.”
“Thanks. I’ll be in touch.”
Wyatt hung up and just laid there for a few minutes. The bathroom door opened.
“I need to let the steam out of the bathroom,” Madi explained. “I need to finish my hair and make-up.”
He lowered his arm and looked over to see Madi avert her gaze and blush. Had she been staring at him? Liked what she saw?
If so, this could be a very long month.
A limo took them to the conference center. Madi avoided looking at her phone and notifications but needed to sometime soon.
Her newest sister-in-law had been learning to do some virtual assistant things for Jeremiah Jacobs, the political-thriller-in-space author who lived just outside Serenity Landing. Lexi had been given access to Madi’s social media accounts. She was going to share a news article or post or two for Madi but only a good one. Or maybe share Wyatt’s post from his page.
Maybe they needed to work on a post together.
“Why are we here exactly?” Madi asked Wyatt quietly as they started to walk into the building.
“Because the producers thought sending us to a public location neither of us know anything about the morning after our wedding sounded like fun. A great last outing before we’re cooped up alone together for a month.”
“A craft fair is fun?” She made sure to whisper that thought so no one around her would hear.
“I’m sure some people think so.”
A sign welcoming them to the Serenity Landing Christmas Craft Fair greeted them as they walked into the building.
Wyatt leaned down so he wouldn’t be overheard. “I guess it’s better than a yarn festival.” He pointed to the sign announcing one to be held the next weekend. “The only thing I know to do with yarn is wear sweaters.”
“And scarves,” she pointed out.
“That, too.”
A young woman walked up to them. “Mr. and Mrs. Carson, welcome to the Serenity Landing Christmas Craft Fair.”
“Thank you,” they said in unison, exchanging a look. They hadn’t expected anything like this.
The woman held out an envelope. “These are your instructions and budget for your excursion today. We hope you enjoy the fair.”
She stood to the side to allow them to walk into the area jam packed with every kind of craft imaginable.
They found a place off to the side to open the envelope. Wyatt held the paper so they could both read it. Across the top it said to read it out loud.
“For the next few weeks, you’ll be isolated, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be bored,” Wyatt started.
Madi picked up where he left off. “In the envelope, you’ll find enough cash to buy lunch and three crafts - one to do