tipped over from the force.
“I cannot believe you!” she scolded with a wavering voice. “Married? Married! And we weren’t there!”
I hung on to her as best I could with the leather weekend bag between us. “I know. I wish you had been. It was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done.”
She leaned back to look at me with tenderness and worry. “Come on. We need every goddamn detail.” With that, she grabbed my hand and towed me inside.
Katherine pushed the door shut. Rin took my bag and hugged me, pressing her cheek to mine. For a moment, no one spoke, and with Rin hanging on to me like she was, I felt the prick of tears again.
“I’m making tea,” Katherine announced. “This seems like the right moment for tea.”
I chuckled through the burn in my throat, and we followed Katherine into the kitchen.
Val machine-gunned questions the whole way. “What happened yesterday? How did he ask you to do this? Did you have sex? Oh my God, please tell me you didn’t have sex with him yet because if you did, the fabric of my universe is gonna tear, and I don’t know if I’ll recover.”
I shook my head, smiling as I sat at the island bar. “No, we didn’t have sex. The whole thing is for show.”
Each of them froze—Katherine with her hand on the teakettle, Rin standing next to me, Val mid-step on the other side of the island. Their faces swung in my direction.
“Explain,” Katherine commanded.
All three of them had been otherwise rendered speechless.
“Well,” I started, folding my swampy hands on the cool granite, “Tommy’s in trouble. His publisher fired him, but he wiggled his way into a Hail Mary. He’s been tasked with rebuilding his reputation, and nothing short of sainthood will do. So, here’s our story.” I straightened up and recited, “Tommy and I met at the book signing, as documented on social media. We began a whirlwind affair that landed us in Vegas, taking vows. I am his angelic, altruistic counterbalance, the person to put reins on the wild beast and domesticate him. We’ll be appearing publicly at events all over the city, supporting all my favorite charities and causes. We’re publicly reforming him. And I’m the face of the campaign.”
When I paused long enough to indicate I was finished, the three of them broke into conversation at once. Val’s was of the disbelieving variety. Rin’s full of comfort and compassion. And Katherine pointed out everything that could go wrong. I couldn’t really hear her over the noise, but I caught enough to be sure of that much at least.
I flinched from the barrage, and Rin put a hand on Val’s shoulder, staying her. Katherine followed suit. They waited for Rin’s lead.
“I think our first concern is about how you’re going to survive public appearances, given that you haven’t been to the dentist in years because you couldn’t call and make an appointment.”
I frowned. “I have very sensitive teeth, Rin, and I will have you know that my dental hygiene is impeccable.”
Val’s brows knit together. “My first concern is regarding the fact that you’re a virgin. A married virgin.”
“I’m with Val,” Katherine said with a nod in her direction.
Rin sighed.
“Well, my therapist wanted me to do three things that scared me this week. I feel like I overachieved.”
Val rolled her eyes. “I don’t think she meant to get married.”
“Probably not,” I conceded, “but we’ve been working on exposure therapy. This is the ultimate exposure, isn’t it?”
A snort from Val’s direction. “I guess that’s one way to look at it.”
I shook my head. “There are so many reasons to do this. Writing the story will land me my dream job, but that’s just one part of it. Tommy needs my help. He could lose everything—his career, his income. Plus, he takes care of his mom. She…she has Parkinson’s.”
Their faces softened in unison.
I let out a weighted breath. “I’m going to be working with him on his book, which is due in a few weeks. I can help him save his career with the manuscript, and by being part of a narrative for the media, I can save him. And maybe he can save me, too. I wanted to be brave? Well, he’s offering that. I can give Janessa the story and use my editing credits helping Tommy, coupled with what will be my newfound freedom from my shyness, and get a job with a publisher, just like I wanted. Everyone wins.”
“How long?” Rin asked softly.
“A year,”