Page 59 of Marrying Off My Husband

He’d shuffled through the door after I’d arrived home from my first fake date. I’d successfully driven my match away, and I couldn’t wait to tell him I’d struck out. On purpose, but he didn’t need to know that.

“Spence? That you?” I called from my seat on the couch, wrapped in my fluffy robe.

“Yep,” he said as he strolled into the living room, his mood excited.

I immediately thought he’d kissed Eve. I couldn’t wait to hear about it, but I tempered my own enthusiasm as I patted the cushion next to me.

“How did it go?” he asked as he plopped down.

“Mm, it went, and it’s gone.”

“What happened? Tell me all the details.”

I chuckled at his best impression of me. “Oh, darlin’, you aren’t doing it right at all, but I’ll forgive you. Well…he seemed nice enough, but before I knew it…he was asking me back to his place.”

“What?” His eyes went wide.

For a moment, I felt sorry for Spencer. He looked crushed, his features pinching. “Uh-huh. He wasn’t looking for romance or a relationship. When I told him no, he got mad and stormed off. At least he paid for the meal.”

“Louise, I’m so sorry,” Spencer said with a shake of his head. “Gosh, I didn’t think he seemed like that based on his profile.”

I patted his hand as guilt temporarily washed over me. “It’s all right, darlin’. You couldn’t know.”

Spencer wrinkled his nose. “I’ll pick better next time.”

“Well, you have some time. Don’t schedule anything until after Savannah. I need time to prepare for this.”

“Of course. Also, Eve said I picked the wrong person, so I’ll take her advice, too.”

I snapped my gaze to him. “You discussed my date with Eve?”

“I did,” he said, shooting me a terrified glance. “Sorry. She said…I picked someone who looked like a male model instead of a real person.”

A chuckle bubbled up from my belly. “Oh, she didn’t. That’s funny. She’s right.”

“Yeah, sorry. I’ll…I’ll find someone better.”

“Don’t sweat it, sugar.” I patted his hand before I dove into what I really wanted to know. “Now, how did your date go? Did you kiss her?”

He shifted uncomfortably on the cushion, refusing to meet my gaze, his eyes clouded with a mix of guilt and something else–perhaps a longing he couldn’t even admit to himself yet.

“Oh my word, you didn’t. Spencer!”

“I couldn’t…I…think I did something wrong.”

My eyes went wide as my heart stopped. “What happened?”

His nose wrinkled. “Well, I…she…her sister showed up.”

My nostrils flared at the words. “What?” I growled. “Audrey showed up at her door?”

“No, on our date. We were…” He hesitated before he cleared his throat and continued. “Out and Audrey happened to be there. She introduced herself, and I…”

He slid his eyes closed, slapping a hand against his forehead. “Introduced myself as Eve’s boyfriend.”

“Aw, well, that’s sweet, darlin’, I’m sure Eve didn’t mind.”

“I think she did. I mean, she said it was okay, but…when we got to her place, she practically ran out of the car, said she didn’t need me to walk her to the door, and just went in.”

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