Page 56 of Marrying Mr. Majestic

But instead of laughing at me, Way took a minute to consider it.

And then another minute.

I watched his jaw work as he thought, like he was angry, not confused, and I rushed to apologize. “Nope. Never mind. That is absolutely none of my business?—”

“Huh?” Way blinked. “Oh. No. I’m not upset with you for asking. I was just thinking about my answer, and my instinctive reaction kinda surprised me. I was thinking?—”

The sound of a woman’s bright laughter cut him off. “This is the most fun ever! On rappel!”

Way’s entire face changed in recognition of the voice as he sped up to where the trail curved through the trees. “Eden!”

When we turned the corner, the trail opened into a wide, flat area at the base of a giant rock face. A petite woman was flying down the rock on a set of ropes, kicking at the granite surface every few feet like air hops.

When she reached the ground, she called, “Way!” and shot him a huge grin over her shoulder as she unhooked herself from the ropes and thanked a woman who’d stepped up to help her. Both women were fit and dressed in climbing gear with helmets and harnesses. The one with the big smile pulled her helmet off and dropped it lightly on a pack of gear before approaching.

She was tiny and strong, and lean, cut muscles in her shoulders, arms, and legs were shown off perfectly by her running tights and thin, long-sleeved athletic top. Her hair was golden honey-colored with whiter highlights, most likely from the sun instead of a salon visit. The wind had whipped little wisps of it around the edges of her hairline, but the rest of it remained in a loose braid to her shoulder blades. Her eyes were the same blue as the big Wyoming sky, and I stood transfixed as they sparkled for my husband as she dove into his arms.

I suddenly realized why the entire town of Majestic had wanted these two beautiful humans to get together.

They were fucking Barbie and Ken. Mr. and Mrs. Perfect Blond Beauties.

And I immediately hated her with every fiber of my being.

NINETEEN

WAYLON

I was relieved to see Eden testing the preliminary climbing routes on Clara Peak for the exhibition. I should have known she’d take care of it, but with the whirlwind of the past week and everything happening with Silas, I hadn’t even thought to ask her.

“Hey, you,” I said, surrounded by the familiar scent of eucalyptus bug spray and the organic lavender deodorant she wore. “When did you get back?”

“Not until last night. The photoshoot took an extra day because of weather.” She stepped back. Her eyes flicked to Silas, then back to me.

“Oh, uh… right,” I began awkwardly. “This is Silas.” The remainder of an explanation died before I could form the words. How exactly did you explain to the person you proposed marriage to that you’d taken their rejection and turned it into a one-size-fits-all opportunity in Vegas?

She eyed him up and down before offering a chalky hand and a polite smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m Eden.”

I felt the tension coming off Silas’s body. Or maybe it was my own. Either way, the clearing in which we stood suddenly felt like a rusted, stifling cage.

And I was stuck in it with the woman I’d always imagined marrying and the man I’d actually married instead.

Silas shook her hand and responded just as politely. “Silas Concannon. I’ve heard good things about you.”

Thankfully, her climbing partner, Miki, joined us after removing her gear. “Hey, Way.” She gave me a fist bump. “You can let Kyle know this route looks good. We’re headed to check the route on Maude next.”

As I nodded and thanked her, Eden and Silas’s simmer seemed to come to a boil.

Before I could try to fix things—somehow—Eden turned to me with accusation in her eyes. “Is it true the two of you got married in Vegas?”

Sweat began to trickle down my neck. “Yes.”

Silas shifted next to me but didn’t say a word.

Eden tilted her head. “And?”

“And…” I glanced at Miki, who’d wandered back over to the pile of gear and may or may not have been out of earshot. It probably didn’t matter since Eden told Miki everything anyway. And while I’d trust Eden with the truth, I didn’t know Miki well enough to trust her. “We’re… married,” I said.

Eden’s eyes narrowed, and her voice lowered. “In Vegas. The day you literally proposed to me.”

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