Page 31 of Impending Consent

Too late, that was what I had done. No matter what he said, I could feel this perfect day crumbling around us. There wasn’tmuch I could do about any of this so I responded with a short nod and left things as they were.

Once we arrived at the house, Rival handed me his phone and told me to order whatever I wanted for dinner. When I asked about him, he reiterated that he wasn’t picky and I could choose before asserting he was taking a shower.

As soon as he was gone, I crept into my room, closed the door, and called Sky. This was not a subject I was well-versed in but she was. Skylar and Gray were happily married. Did I want to be happily married?

Oh fuck me…

“If it isn’t the newlywed,” she sang as soon as she answered my call. I flopped back on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

“I saw Dad tonight.”

“Oh shit, how did that go? Did you tell him?”

“Not great, I was with Rival, and no, I didn’t tell him. I wasn’t ready and you don’t just spring a surprise marriage on a man like Torrance Addison.”

“You do if you’re prepared to endure his wrath.”

“Well I wasn’t, so I didn’t, and now my husband is angry with me.”

“Oh, this is that kind of call.”

I frowned. “What kind of call?”

“The ‘I fucked up and need your marital advice’ kind of call.”

My eyes rolled hard. “If you’re going to gloat, I can hang up and dial Indi.”

“Call her, I don’t care. She’ll give you the same advice. Hiding your husband from your parents is a terrible fucking idea and your husband has the right to be angry because you did so.”

“I’m not hiding him, I just…”

“Don’t want to admit to our parents that you got pissy drunk, married a man to have sex with him, and that man is forcing youto honor your vows for a year or he’s going to empty your bank account.”

The smugness in her tone pissed me off but she was right and I had no argument to present. Imagine that, me speechless.

“I don’t want him to be angry with me, Sky. How do I fix this?”

“Well now, is my very self-absorbed sister concerned about someone else’s feelings? Herhusband'sfeelings. A husband she is adamant about insisting she does not want.”

“Sky…”

“Let me have my moment, Sail. This is rich and I’m enjoying giving you shit.”

“Enjoying it too much.”

She laughed. “Can you blame me?”

“Yes, I can. I’m already struggling with the idea that I’ve messed this up. Stop gloating and tell me how to fix this with the least effort and time constraints possible?”

“Why do you care? I thought your sole mission in life was to make Rival miserable so he would end the marriage. If he backs out, you’re free and clear.”

It had been, but now…

“My sole mission is to ensure we don’t lose the firm and he doesn’t empty my bank account. The two are my only vested interests.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, Sky, I’m very sure.” Sure I don’t want Rival angry with me. “My position hasn’t changed. I need us to be cordial so I survive this year and we can end this sham of a marriage.”

---