Page 13 of Trust Me With Forever

“Ah, but swimming is different from being on a boat. I know it’s weird, since riding horses never really bothered me and most cars are okay. But boats are the worst. I learned that in high school during our classes’ senior trip to Catalina Island. Thankgoodness for the BFF Circle hiding how much I puked my guts out. Luckily, I found a bracelet to help me on the way back.”

The BFF Circle were Abby, Katie, Amber, and my sister, Emmy. They’d been inseparable since elementary school.

And they’d been a nuisance to teenage me and West.

Not that I was going to think of West, who was yet another person I’d pushed away after my parents’ death.

I focused back on Abby. “I don’t get motion sickness of any kind.”

“But there has to be something that bothers you. Tell me.”

“Is this some kind of test, then?”

“Rafe, I’m just trying to get to know you a little. If you can’t even talk to me now, here in your kitchen, then how will you fare when the world is watching us if we stay married?”

“Will you be okay with the attention? Because the world, especially in Europe,willbe watching us.”

“You’re changing the subject. But my answer? I think so. As long as you don’t have an ex who will send an army of fans after me.”

“If you mean someone like Nolan’s ex, then no. My longest relationship only lasted a few months.”

Fuck.Why had I shared that with her?

“Well, West went from no serious girlfriend ever to married to widow to married again. So I won’t hold it against you. However, you still haven’t told me something that bothers you.”

She stared at me expectantly. It should be easy to answer her.

However, I wasn’t one of those people who blurted things out freely. Hell, my default was to obsess over things—soccer or sex—and forget about my problems.

And while I didn’t know Abby well as an adult, as a kid, she’d loved to share everything and be the life of the party. I hadn’t seen much of that side of her since returning to Starry Hills, but I suspected that part of her still existed.

So if I wanted her to remain my wife, I’d have to try and meet her partway. So, even though it was like pulling teeth, I replied, “I don’t like roller coasters that go upside down. They make me feel sick, and one time as a boy, I had to rush to the bathroom and throw up.”

She shuddered. “I also don’t like the ones that go upside down or have a lot of turns. The one time we went to Disneyland before my dad died, I always stayed outside with West for the roller coaster-like rides. Don’t tell him I said anything, but West doesn’t like Space Mountain. At all.”

“So if we go to Disneyland, we can avoid the faster rides with the huge lines and save loads of time.”

“That would be perfect. To be honest, I always felt guilty going with the BFF Circle or my family and someone offering to wait with me.”

I hadn’t been to Disneyland since I was a teenager, but now I really wanted to take Abby. Buy her a silly hat, take a picture in front of the castle, and maybe even hold her close while we watched the night show.

Of course, that would only happen—maybe—if she remained my wife. So, even though I wanted to talk and tease Abby some more, it was time to get serious. “Have you made a decision yet about whether you want to stay married to me for a year or not?”

She nibbled on a brownie before answering, “I’m open to it, but I need to know a few more details first. What will the living arrangements be? How much time will you spend in Starry Hills versus England and elsewhere? How much do I have to play up the role? What will we tell our families? That kind of stuff.”

I sat across from her and downed the last of my coffee before answering. “Well, you’d live here with me, but you can sleep in the guest room. And I’ll be spending more time in Starry Hills than Manchester. I’ll need to make a couple of trips to the UK to tie up a few things, and you can come or stay here, your choice.”

“I’d like to go, if my family can spare me.”

“You want to keep working for them? Because you don’t have to. As my wife, I’d take care of you.”

“Thanks, but I need to keep busy.”

Probably to avoid getting stuck in the past, or thinking about her ex, or whatever shit had gone down in San Jose.

I could just nod and say that was fine. I had no problem with Abby working for her family.

And yet, I sensed she wanted more than to give tours or conduct wine tastings. So I blurted, “I plan to have a tutoring center at my training facility, mainly for the local community. However, I don’t have anyone to run it yet. Maybe you could do it.”

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