Page 77 of Married to My Grumpy Minotaur Boss

I watch him bend over to retrieve the sweat pants and shirt he folded and placed on the ottoman at the foot of the bed. Of course, I do. Can you blame me? What if this is the last chance I get?

When he turns again, I whip my eyes up to his. He gives me a knowing look. “Let’s call them then.” He sighs.

I hold up my phone. A new message from Amy is sitting in a pop-up notification. “No need. I already checked. They’re expecting us in twenty minutes.”

“Twenty minutes!? Damn slave drivers. I thought I was bad.”

I laugh weakly, not admitting to the fact I set that up. The less time I have to stew over what I’m giving up the better. I gather the last of my things and we head to the town car, which Harvey has waiting for us in less than three minutes.

The guy is a miracle worker, I’m sure of it.

“Dearly Be—” Cedric du Monfort casts a wary look at Ronan who is scowling beside the enormous floral archway in the Hearstone Botanical Gardens where they’ve set up the shot for the vow renewal ceremony.

Cedric clears his throat. “Ah yes, well... we’ve come here today for the final vow renewal ceremony to discover if you are brave enough to commit to the final part of the experiment. Up until now, this season has followed the familiar format. However, this week is different. This week, not only are you being asked to choose whether you’d like to continue the experiment, but you’ll have to decide if you can hack it under more challenging circumstances.”

I frown. I didn’t see this coming. Usually week three is the bride’s turn to host and it goes on much as week two does.

Cedric continues. “This year, we’re testing couples to their limits. Giving you the chance to see if you really meant what you said when you vowed to take each other ‘for better or worse’.”

“What?” Ronan leans in, scowling even deeper.

Cedric only grins. “You won’t be staying in luxury this week. Oh no! You’ll be seeing what it’s like when the going gets tough. Because as they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going, and if you’re really meant to be together, this will only bring you closer.”

“Rubbish,” Ronan mutters under his breath.

“Each of you was asked to write on your card your answer to whether or not you’d like to continue. Do you have your card here?”

I hold mine to my chest, covering the way my hands tremble. I’m not sure this is what I want. I only know this is going to hurt less in the long run.

“Do either of you wish to change your answer, now that you know what this week has in store?” Cedric looks between each of us, letting his gaze linger longest on Ronan.

Finally, Ronan sighs. “No.”

Cedric looks back toward me.

“No.”

“Very well.” He clasps his hands together in front of him. “Ronan, do you renew your vows to have and to hold this woman for better or worse?”

Ronan lets the cover on his card fall open, revealing his answer.

I stare in stunned silence at the three scrawled letters.Yes.

I don’t know what to say. I didn’t think he would continue. He even had a chance to change his answer and he didn’t. Even in the face of conditions I know he wouldn’t like.

Have I read this wrong?

Could there be real feelings here?

It’s too late. When Cedric turns to me, I look at him rather than look at Ronan’s face, fearful of what I’ll find there. “Justine, do you take this minotaur as your husband for another week, for better or worse?”

I can’t look as I drop the cover open on my card.

In long silence, everyone takes it in.

When I can’t take it anymore, I glance up and see the shutters come down across Ronan’s expression. For a horrible second, there’s the hurt, wide-eyed stare of a guy who has been stabbedin the back. Then the polite veneer is back. The self-assured smile. The flick of a long ear.

I try to catch his eye. Now he won’t look at me.

---