Page 142 of Marrying Off My Husband

Louise shifted next to me, a squeal escaping her. “She’s here!”

My stomach turned over, and I groaned.

Louise kissed my cheek and grinned. “You’re going to be great. Good luck, darlin’. I won’t be far.”

“Wait, wait,” I said, grabbing her and glancing at her phone screen. A video feed of Eve spotting a note that read “Meet me at the Beach” played.

Her delicate features crinkled as she held the note. “Lou?” she called.

Louise giggled at the phone. “Oh, she’s going to be so surprised.”

Unpleasantly, my mind added. She was going to be unpleasantly surprised. She expected Louise, probably imagining a lovely beachside evening, and then she’d find out that it was actually me here to badger at her.

On Louise’s screen, Eve followed the rose petal trail, her features still pinched as she slid open the door leading to the pool and stepped outside.

“Here she comes.” Louise bounced on her toes before she gave me another tight squeezed. “Good luck, darlin’. I’ll be waiting for the celebration.”

Louise hurried to race away and hide behind a large rock down the beach. I wish I shared her enthusiasm, but I could barely breathe.

I stared down the pathway made by tiki torches and rose petals.

A second later, from behind the beachgrass, Eve peered at me. The pink of her dress matched the rosy color in her cheeks. She looked absolutely beautiful.

The confusion on her features gave way to another emotion, but I couldn’t read it. Was it disappointment? Fear?

I swallowed hard, trying to force a smile, but it faltered, replaced by my tightening jaw as I struggled to stop it from trembling. The weight of the ring in my pocket reminded me of all the things I needed to say, but they mashed together in my mind rather than being the clear, coherent thoughts I’d practiced in front of my mirror earlier.

It had seemed so easy then. But now…

Now, it seemed like a daunting task that would end in disaster.

“Spencer?” Eve wandered down the sand, glancing behind her. “I think…I think I’m supposed to meet Louise here.”

Her eyes went wide, and she froze. I assumed it finally dawned on her what was happening. “Oh, is this…”

She leaned closer, dropping her voice to a whisper. “Is this for Louise?”

“What?” I asked.

The question had taken me completely by surprise. How had she thought I’d planned this for. Louise?

“All of this. Louise she’s been texting me, but…I’m sorry, I’m confused.”

“Oh,” I said, completely thrown and struggling to find my place. This wasn’t at all how it had gone in my mind. “Umm, no, this isn’t for Louise. But Louise, she helped me.”

Eve stood in front of me, a lock of her hair dancing in the sea breeze across her creased forehead. “I still…don’t understand. I’m sorry.”

I slid my eyes closed, realizing I’d said absolutely nothing so far except confusing snippets of statements. I reached for the ring before I shook my head. “I’m sorry.”

I opened one eye then the other, scanning her still-confused features.

“I’m sorry,” I repeated. “I, umm, wow, this is a lot harder than I expected it would be.”

Eve stuck her hand into the pocket of the beach dress and pulled all the tiny objects from it, holding them out in her hand. “Louise left all of these for me.”

“No, I…I did that,” I answered, drawing strength in the plan we’d created. “They were designed to remind you of all the nice times we had together.”

I picked up the arcade game. “When we won Street Fighter in the arcade.”

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