Page 29 of Marrying Off My Husband

She’d find out when my sweet Spencer was sliding that sparkly five-carat diamond onto Eve’s finger. “Maybe six,” I muttered to myself, tightening my fingers around the handles of my handbag.

I forced myself to walk away, though every fiber of my being screamed at me to storm my way back in there and protect my newfound best friend. Eve was a sweet girl who allowed the world to walk all over her.

As I marched away, a familiar ache clenched my chest–the same one that tightened every time I remembered my own struggles with my controlling mother. I saw too much of my past reflected in Eve’s timid acceptance of her sister’s harsh words. No, I wouldn’t let Eve face what I did. Not if I could help it.

I took a deep breath, my resolve hardening. If I could give Eve the kind of support I never had, maybe she could avoid some of the pain I went through. Yes, Spencer was a part of that plan, but it was more than matchmaking—it was about empowerment.

When Eve was rubbing elbows at every upscale party in Newport this season, her sister would see who’d won.

I slid behind the wheel of my car and fired the engine, planning a few girls’ outings in my head as I drove back to Spencer’s. I figured we could do a spa day sometime next week and gab about her first date with Spencer while I prepared her for the second.

I still hadn’t decided if that should be the beach picnic or something more formal by the time I’d pulled up to the house. Maybe Spencer had a preference.

Leaving my car behind, I pushed into the quiet house. My eyes flicked to the second level, certain I could detect the clicking of keys from Spencer’s office.

After dumping my purse next to the weird abstract sculpture Spencer had been gifted, I climbed the stairs and navigated to Spencer’s office.

With a slight smile, I leaned against the door jamb, watching him work. His typing never ceased for twenty straight minutes before he finally leaned back, his eyes narrowing at the text-filled screen.

“Break time?” I asked.

He startled, his chair nearly toppling as he flailed his arms.

“Lou.” He pressed a hand to his chest as he swiveled toward me. “Please stop sneaking up on me like that.”

I arched an eyebrow as I sauntered into the room and perched on his desk. “Sorry. I’ve been standing there for a while, and you never noticed.”

“I heard you come in. I figured you were…busy.”

“I am, but there are a few things we need to discuss.”

He tapped a few buttons on his keyboard before he minimized the window and returned his attention to me. “Divorce stuff?”

“Yep,” I said as I leapt off the desk. “Meet me at the pool for a Pina Colada?”

“All right,” he agreed as he rose from his chair, carefully pushing it into the desk.

We made our way downstairs, and I whipped up a batch of the sweet concoctions before joining him poolside.

“So, what do you need? Our prenup should be more than capable of giving any attorney what they need to draw up our separation,” he said.

I sipped some of my drink before I set it on the table. “We need to talk about your date tomorrow.”

His features crinkled. “You said this was about divorce stuff.”

“It is,” I insisted. “It’s about your life after the divorce. Your life with Eve.”

Spencer flicked his gaze to his lap, coloring rising in his features. “I think you may be getting ahead of yourself.”

I clicked my tongue. What was it with these two being so sure they’d hate each other?

“Well, I am determined to make certain you two have a nice time. Especially after what just happened?”

Spencer snapped his gaze to me. “What happened?”

“Eve has a horrible family member, just like me. I just…I felt for her. I know how it is to live with someone like that.”

I twisted to face him again, grabbing my icy drink. “Spencer, I just want her to have a nice time.”

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