Page 10 of The Retreat

Owen

Idip my pen in the inkwell before bringing it over the page, but I’ve already lost my train of thought. Not that I’m sure I ever had one. I’ve been derailed since I decided to marry Colin. I cannot face my parents, at least for thirty-ish days, so Nevada is less likely to grant an annulment.

I can do this.

If I tell myself enough, I’ll figure it out.

I can do—the world is closing in—this.

I can…

My forehead hits the seventeenth century writing desk.

I bang it a few times until I’m sure I have a bruise. Lifting my head, I realize I’ve splattered ink all over the desk.

“Fuck.”

Oliver will kill me. I shove backward to get a rag to mop it up. I turn around to Colin not three paces from me.

“For fuck’s sake, can you warn a man? You’re going to make me jump out of my damn skin.”

“We’re married now. What’s mine is yours.”

“You signed a prenup.”

“On a napkin.” Colin waves me off. “Won’t hold up in court.”

“It will so, there is case law to support it…” I trail off when I notice the look on his face. “What?”

“I don’t care about money. I don’t want yours. I’m going to live here.”

“Is this some plot to annoy Oliver? Because I do not have the mental fortitude to deal with the two of you making this some sort of sparring match when it’s just an arrangement.”

Colin doesn’t reply right away. He draws his gaze down my body, but I refuse to let him make me uncomfortable. At least not visibly.

I cross my arms. “Say it.”

Colin steps closer. “It’s not a ploy. We both got something we wanted.”

“Right. For me not to marry your sister.” I nod, reassuring myself.

“Yes, my sister…” he mutters something else, but I can’t quite make it out.

“What?”

“Nothing.” A grin springs onto Colin’s mouth. “But we have to make it believable. So I obviously have to live here.” He’s right. I know he’s right.

“Fuck.”

“Oliver already knows.”

“He might move out or kill you if you move in,” I mutter. “Whatever. It’s just two years.”

Colin’s brow pops. “We have a timeframe?”

“Sure, to make everyone believe it. We agreed to that.” At least, I think we did. It’s still all fuzzy on the details. “Right?”

Colin’s eyes narrow while he searches my face. “Right, but I think we have very different ideas of how to convince everyone.”

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