Page 104 of After the Vows

“I knew I should have stopped atPirates Pastrieson my way here.” Maya aims for the door. “If we’re going to persuade Chloe to stay with Lucas, we need drinks. I’ll make mimosas.”

I rush after her. “You are not getting your hands on my bar.”

Maya giggles. “But I got you out of your chair, didn’t I?”

Sophia, Nova, Maya, and Paisley perch on the barstools while I gather champagne and orange juice to make mimosas.

“I’m first,” Sophia declares. “Leaving Lucas is stupid.”

Paisley frowns at her. “How is this a good argument?”

Sophia shrugs. “Chloe hates it when she does stupid stuff.”

She’s not wrong. But leaving Lucas isn’t stupid.

“You love him,” Maya says. “You should be together.”

I shrug and pop open the champagne bottle.

Sophia slams her hands down on the bar. “Holy bootleggers in heaven! Chloe loves Lucas!”

“What are you talking about?” I hedge. I haven’t told Lucas I love him yet. I’m not telling my friends first.

“Maya claimed you love Lucas several times now and you haven’t contradicted her once.”

Time to change the subject before I end up declaring my love for a man I can’t have. “Whether I love Lucas or not doesn’t matter.”

Maya gasps. “How can it not matter? Love is the only thing that matters.”

“You really need to stop reading romance novels.”

“You can pry my romance novels from my cold, dead fingers.”

“Don’t tease Maya,” Nova urges. “She loves romance. There’s nothing wrong with a little fantasy now and again.”

I salute her. “Yes, Ms. Sunshine.”

“Being an optimist is not a negative personality trait no matter how much you make fun of me.”

Ugh. Now, I’m being a bitch. “Sorry, Nova. I love your sunshiny personality.” Just not right now.

I concentrate on mixing our drinks as I explain, “If Lucas has a better chance of winning a custody suit if I’m out of the picture, it’s better if I leave him.”

“This is ridiculous!” Sophia shouts. “You married him to give him a better chance of winning a custody suit.”

“True. But we assumed his bitchy ex-wife wouldn’t find out about our arrangement.”

Her brow wrinkles. “She found out? How?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I trust every single person who knows the truth.”

“I believe it’s immaterial,” Paisley says.

I pause pouring the champagne. “Explain.”

“Your relationship is obviously real now. A judge will observe the two of you together and conclude the same. There’s no reason to leave Lucas.”

Is she right?

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