Page 19 of The Accidental Honeymoon

So my task is…

Find another bride.

Save the company.

Become the kind of man who asks near-strangers to fake matrimony for content clicks.

This is a fucking nightmare.

seven

CALLA

Despite the very-distractingfact that I somehow got married last night, I’m not thinking about it right now.

No, I’m thinking how Jay’s house is not what I expected from watching his videos. I’ve been here already, of course. But now I’m getting the chance to look around.

I say this, because it’s literally picture perfect. It’s easy to imagine curling up on the sofa with a blanket and a good book. The kitchen is immaculate and infinitely Instagram-worthy. And Jay’s office is truly a work of art, with dark wood paneling, sleek brass fixtures, and a large desk of dark wood that’s undoubtedly an antique.

For a man who runs a lifestyle brand, I imagined Jay would have a flashier, more ostentatious home. Instead, it’s intimate, expensive, and cozy. The kind of place you’d find in a home décor magazine, sure, but understated. Tasteful.

We sit at his reclaimed wood dining table, the kind with a distressed finish that probably cost a small fortune. He runs a hand through his hair, which only makes it look more artfully tousled. “The sponsors are my biggest worry,” heexplains. “I spent years wooing them. I can’t lose them now.”

“Back up. What is a sponsor? I mean, I know the word, but not in this context.”

Jay sucks in a breath and then blows it out. “A lot of my posts feature sponsored content. Like a sporting goods company that wants me to feature their gear when I post from a hiking trail. Or a tailor wants me to post about having my wedding tux fitted there. That kind of thing.”

“Right. That makes sense.”

“In this case, I have three months’ worth of tourist traps and off-the-wall places to visit. Each one has several sponsored content posts lined up.” He traces lines in the kitchen island. “My agent lined them all up months ago.”

“Your agent?” My eyebrows fly up. “I thought you were a one-man operation.”

He laughs. “Far from it. My company, Alto & Ash, employs twelve full-time employees. Not only do I have camera and sound people, but I have an agent, a lawyer, a PR firm… There are a lot of moving parts.”

I breathe out, trying to grab reality and hold on for everything I’m worth. This whole situation is surreal. Yesterday, I was just a cake baker, rushing to get Jay’s order completed. Now, I’m in Jay’s house. And I have a new last name.

I’mtechnicallyMrs. Jay Rustin. Thinking about it nearly gives me a panic attack, so I shove that thought aside, not giving it room to dominate my thoughts. Instead, I focus on what Jay is telling me.

“What are your options?” I ask. I’m genuinely curious. But selfishly, I also might be a little concerned. After all, if Jay tanks after marrying me, it could reflecton me and my business.

“My agent hasn’t been here yet to remind me of what I already know. I have close to half a million dollars in sponsored content that is supposed to play out as my ‘Honeymoon Road Trip’. If I cancel any of the posts, it’ll cost me serious money. So… yeah, I don’t know what my options are, really.”

“Whoa! Five hundred thousand dollars?” I swallow. “That’s some serious cash.”

“My agent has been working his ass off to ink these deals. He’s panicking right now.” He squints. “He dropped by earlier and was extremely displeased with the whole situation.”

“It sounds like Blake just screwed you both over.”

“Not just the two of us. Everyone in the company will be affected. I’ll have to fire people. Basically, if I don’t go on this road trip, I’m going to have a week to replace the honeymoon trip’s sponsored content. It took my agent four months to set those dates up.”

“Oh.” I purse my lips. “Well, let’s game everything out. Let’s talk about all your options. Surely you have more than just begging Blake to still go on your honeymoon with you.”

“Ugh. That’s never going to happen. I had a bad feeling about Blake going into the wedding. Then she ditched me at the altar and I woke up married to you!” His shoulders slump. “But how can I play this off as a ‘Solo Honeymoon’? Sponsors want real newlyweds, not a solo vlogger.”

I put my fork down. My face suddenly feels flushed. “So… you’re saying you can’t do it alone?”

“I could. It just won’t have the same impact. The whole point was to show a genuine, relatable experience. If I go by myself, it looks sad. Pathetic, even.”

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