Page 7 of It's Holy Matrimony, Baby

It’s okay. It’s fine. Just breathe. The guy I accidentally married, ran out on, and then didn’t bother to make not my husband isn’t even in the room. I’m practically home free. All I have to do is get out of my seat once Liv heads back in my direction and leave the bar. Simple. And she’s coming this way.

I push my chair back and stand up, gripping the strap of my handbag as I move it onto my shoulder. I’m out of here. The Road Runner couldn’t catch me now.

“Oh shit,” I whisper as I come face to face with him. Not the Road Runner. My husband. Damn, he’s gorgeous up close, and he smells like oranges and lumber. It’s not unbelievable that a woman might be inclined to marry him while intoxicated. It’s quite plausible any woman might lose her mind along with her knickers when faced with him. Even dressed in faded, scuffed denim and a checked flannel shirt he has a presence that makes everything else background noise. But I’m not like those other girls. I know better. Love, relationships, marriage are all a boozy cocktail of hormones and chemicals and pheromones.

“Honey.” He rubs a hand over the beard that covers his jaw before he smiles. It doesn’t reach his brooding gaze like it did that morning I ran out on him. “You’re home.”

“I...” don’t know what to say. Nothing seems fitting. I can’t form words anyway.

“Mr. Casey.” Liv pushes in front of me, all smiles. “I’ve heard so much about you. It’s lovely to finally meet you.”

“We met,” he says in a friendly voice, though his gaze stays on me. “But it was a crazy night.” Finally he drops his attention to Liv and takes her hand. “It’s nice to see you again.”

I take a breath, willing my pulse to slow down. Mid-level panic meets full-blown freak out.

“Apparently we all had far too good a time.” Liv takes over the conversation, giving me a moment to catch my breath. “I can’t say I recall much of that weekend. I do remember finding a stripper in my bathtub though.”

“You must have had one hell of a party after we left you.” He chuckles.

“Do you live here, Mr. Casey?”

He gives me a funny look. “It’s Nox, and yes I do. Have all my life.”

Nox. “Is that short for something?” I ask.

“Lennox.”

Means trees, or something to do with trees. Suits him. Even his smell.

“I bought this hotel,” Liv says. “Thought I should come and see the property for myself. We’re staying for a few months it seems. I’m looking forward to becoming acquainted with your town.”

“Do you want to get an annulment?” I blurt, snagging their full attention. Okay, it wasn’t my first thought. I almost asked if he wanted to get a room. There’s just something about the man, and I haven’t been with anyone since him because married is married, and also, I learned my freaking lesson in Vegas. Which is why ‘a room’ became ‘an annulment’. “Or at least we should talk about it.”

“Yeah.” Heavy brows pull together over his eyes before his gaze flicks over my head. “Uh, we should absolutely talk about that.”

“Great. Should I order us some drinks? We can sit down here and—”

“Actually, I have to go right now.”

The guy he was sitting with joins us. He’s taller than Nox, but his coloring is similar down to the eyes and hair. They could easily be related, and probably are. Is that why he doesn’t want to deal with this now? Has he not told anyone about our little Vegas snafu either?

“Are you ready?” his companion asks.

“Yes. Just a minute.” He nods and the other guy smirks as he heads outside through the double glass doors. Nox smiles at me, and there’s some genuine warmth to it like there was that morning. “I do want to talk about that, Beck Casey. How about later tonight?”

“That’ll be fine,” I agree. It’ll give me time to get my head on straight and work out exactly what I want to say to him.

“Does nine-thirty work for you?” He starts walking away while still facing us.

“Sure.”

“Can’t wait,” he says.

“She’s in room 107,” Liv calls out, pointing at me. “She’ll meet you there.”

“Room 107. Got it.” Turning around, he follows the other guy outside.

“Thanks for that,” I say to her. “I could have met him at the bar.”

---