Page 40 of Just My Luck

Bug clicked her tongue. “Now, is that any way for a brand-new husband to be?”

I really didn’t know how a new husbandshouldfeel, so I stayed silent.

“You should be celebrating. Which is why...” She paused, letting her words linger in the air. “I have a surprise for you and Sloane.”

I let out a deep, annoyed sigh. “We don’t need any surprises, Aunt Bug.”

“Oh, nonsense. First you date the woman in secret and then run off to the courthouse. I suspect if you hadn’t needed a witness, I still wouldn’t know about your marriage.”

Well, she isn’t wrong.

I let out a disgruntled, half-hearted laugh.

“Exactly,” she continued. “So... your check-in at the Wild Iris Bed-and-Breakfast is at five p.m.”

My tongue went thick. “The what?”

“It’s nothing, really. A cute little B&B in Star Harbor. I could only swing one night with such short notice, but at least it’s something.”

“Something?” I was racking my brain, trying to figure out why my aunt had booked us a stay at a bed-and-breakfast.

“Every woman deserves a honeymoon, Abel,” she said with a wistful sigh tacked on at the end.

I audibly gulped.Honeymoon?

It was absurd.

I shook my head. “We can’t just leave. Sloane has kids.”

Her haughty laugh rang through the telephone. “You don’t think I thought of that? It’s taken care of. Bax will be entertaining his great-grandkids for the night.”

I kicked the dirt with the toe of my boot. “Well, we have work.”

I could practically hear her eyes roll through the phone. “You’re the boss. Give yourselves the night off.”

A night alone in some random hotel room with Sloane? No fucking way.

I scrambled to come up with another plausible excuse, but my aunt cut in. “Sylvie already broke the news to Sloane, and I heard your wife is looking forward to it. You wouldn’t want to disappoint her already, would you?”

Sloane knew about this? And she was excited? Well, fuck me.

I exhaled.Why did it seem that my default was always to be an asshole?

Defeated, I lowered myself onto the front stoop and pressed my fingers into my eyes. “Sure. It sounds great. Thank you for doing this for us.”

“Excellent. Now, try to enjoy yourself, Abel. It’s about time you made some happy memories.”

I hung up without even saying goodbye.

Happy memories? Sure, like that’ll happen.

The only memories that would be made tonight were how painfully uncomfortable I made Sloane while we were forced to share a hotel room.

Behind me the front door opened.

I looked out onto the front lawn, avoiding her eyes. “Looks like we’ve got plans tonight.”

Sloane’s soft laugh floated over my shoulder. “Yeah, looks like it. I just got off the phone with your sister. She and Bug sure work fast.”

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