Page 26 of Married in Misty Mountain

“But the entire reason for us getting married is so I could protect you.”

She smiles and twists a lock of hair around her finger. The smile is strange and doesn’t meet her eyes. I didn’t know she could smile and look mad at the same time, but it sure feels like that’s what’s happening. “Well, husband, I’m protected by virtue of the fact that I’m married. I’m now unusable to the man betrothed to me as a child.”

I wince. “I don’t like that word.”

“What word?”

“Unusable. Nobody should use you. Nobody should use anybody.”

“But I’m using you to protect me, am I not?”

“That’s different.”

“I don’t see how.”

I lean forward, my body simply needing to stay close to her, even if we disagree. “You knew that marrying me was the best choice. The only choice. Getting married is the only way to ensure that those creeps are going to leave you alone, permanently.”

Shenna mirrors me by leaning forward and tilting her face up as if begging to have those swollen lips kissed again. “I always have choices. And I don’t want to go camping. I don’t like it. I don’tlike bugs. I don’t like peeing outdoors. And I don’t like the weird tent smell. It gives me a headache.”

This is not how I thought my morning was going to go. “You do realize I’m so good at wilderness excursions because I was forced to make my own shelter and forage for food until I found my way to Misty Mountain?”

She blinks up at me. “No, I didn’t realize that. You don’t talk about those times.”

“Well, now you know. What else do you want to know?”

“Why do you barely eat anything?”

“I do eat. I just don’t eat meat. I chose veganism because of the food poisoning I got from the squirrels I managed to catch and eat. I was 16 and I didn’t know what the hell I was doing, trying to dress and cook wild game.”

“Oh, god,” she says, covering her mouth.

“I can’t stomach the smell of meat. Ever again. But I don’t care if you eat it. There. Now you know everything.”

“I’m so sorry that happened to you, Hurley. Thank you for telling me.”

“You’re welcome.”

“But I’m still not going camping with you.”

Chapter Eleven

Shenna

Hurley and I come to an agreement.

I’ll work at the store while Hurley leads a day hike.

He put his contact information in my phone and the exact coordinates for where he’d be that day. Not that I even know how to use coordinates.

The day drags a little because, it’s true, Jack doesn’t have a lot for me to do. We have a mid-morning rush when the tourists wake up, and again in the afternoon when tourists return from their daytime excursions. But overall, it’s a simple job, and I manage not to screw it up.

When Hurley doesn’t return at 6 like he promised, I start to get antsy.

Jack is about to lock up the store when I get a text from Hurley.

Hank and some of the guys in town want to throw me a bachelor party.

Did you tell them your wedding was yesterday and that you’re no longer a bachelor?

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