Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
I glance at my best friend, who is snuggled up on her husband's lap. I might never find that kind of love, so this… this will give me a small taste of what that kind of love and devotion would feel like. If I know anything about Legend, it’s that he’s a good man and a man of his word. He’ll be good to me. I just have to remind myself that this isn’t real.
Let the adventure begin.
CHAPTER
FIVE
Legend
It’s Monday morning, and I’m dragging ass. I slept like shit last night. I’m not sure what I expected, considering my life just got flipped upside down.
I’m getting married.
To Monroe.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around all of this. She volunteered without hesitation, and no matter what I tossed at her, she wasn’t backing down. That girl has a heart the size of Texas. Is this a good idea? Probably not. Are we doing it anyway? Yes, we are.
Starting today.
Everlasting Ink is usually closed on Sundays and Mondays. However, we shut down on Saturday for the wedding, so we moved the clients that were able to today. Monroe is not in today. She works four ten-hour days. Her day off fluctuates, but today she’s free. She’s bringing me lunch, and we’re starting small. Letting the Everlasting Ink staff know about us. Forrest referred to it as a soft opening. It sounds crazy, but when you think about it, it makes sense. Small doses to get the word out there and for us to get used to being… close to one another. Closer than our flirting and banter made us before.
It’s a ruse. All of it. However, I still find myself watching the clock, waiting for the moment my new girlfriend gets here with lunch. It’s not because I’m hungry. That alone tells me this is a terrible fucking idea, but even knowing that, I’m not stopping it. There’s something about the idea of her being mine. She’s not really mine, but she will be for a while, and that’s fucking with my head. I’ve never thought much about getting married. I assumed one day I’d find the one I couldn’t live without, and it would happen. Now that it’s here, it feels wrong, yet there’s a small part of me that knows it also feels right.
The money can do a lot of good for the people I love. I wouldn’t be doing this if it were anyone other than Monroe. She’s a fucking knockout, and she’s going to be my wife. There’s a reason why I’ve always shamelessly flirted back with her all of these years. It wasn’t just for fun. I can admit that.
Since the moment she spoke up last night, she’s all I can think about. Not the money. Not deceiving our families. Her.
Just Monroe.
I’m fucked. This is going to be the hardest and probably the best eighteen or so months of my life.
“You’re all set,” I tell my client. He’s a regular who just had a baby and wanted to add his name to his tattoo with his other kids’ names. “You know the drill,” I tell him.
“Thanks, man.” He slides his shirt over his head and stands at the same time Monroe walks into my room.
“Hey, babe.” She smiles. “You ready for lunch?” She holds up a bag from the deli down the street.
“Babe?” Martin asks. He looks from me to Monroe. “You didn’t tell me you had a steady girl.”
I hold my arm out for Monroe, and she steps into my side, wrapping her arms around me. “Can you blame me for wanting to keep her all to myself?” I ask, placing a kiss on her temple. Her body relaxes into mine as if she was always meant to be there.
Martin chuckles. “You got to show them off, Legend. Let her know you’re proud to be her man.” He winks at Monroe, and she laughs.
“We hid it for so long because all of our friends are friends. We just wanted to see where this was going before adding more complications,” Monroe explains.
Martin nods. “Makes sense. Not hiding now?”
I look down at Monroe as she peers up at me. “Nah, not hiding.” I brush Monroe’s hair out of her eyes.
Martin huffs out his approval. “Enjoy your lunch.” He waves and makes his way out to the desk, where Lyra is working today.
“How did I do?” Monroe asks. Her arms are still wrapped around my waist, and my hand is still sitting firmly at the small of her back. Before I can reply, we’re interrupted.
“Hey, Legend.” Lyra walks into the room and freezes when she sees us. “Oh—I—I’ll just — ” She points over her shoulder.
“It’s fine, Lyra. What’s up?” I pretend like having Monroe wrapped up in my arms is a normal everyday occurrence. Maybe on a day when we’re teasing and flirting, but every moment since the words “your wife” fell from her lips last night has felt different.