Page 16 of Why Not Forever?

Spencer nods. “August first is available. We left it in case we needed the extra time. As a bonus, it’s a date that holds significance for you, Vic, since it’s the day of the Pride Parade. Of course, the new location is in Surrey and not Vancouver, but if you want to get married during Pride Week in Vancouver, you’re looking at like five years from now.”

They turn to me, questions in their eyes. All of a sudden, everything feels incredibly real. August first is only a month away. I don’t let the anxiety show and nod. “August first sounds great.”

Vic writes that down on her paper. “We have to assume Dad will drag his feet on signing over the shares. You said six months, he’ll likely take the full time. I figure, once he has, we wait at least three months before we transfer my shares. It should be relatively straightforward since we’ll be married. Then, to make it extra convincing, we remain married for another three-to-six months after that.”

She doesn’t look at me as she’s marking out the details of our marriage and eventual divorce on her sheet.

I swallow, all the hope I’d felt when she agreed to marry me draining away. “That sounds great to me.”

Over the past several years, I’ve gotten really good at showing people exactly what they expect to see from me and nothing more. She expects that this means little to me. That’s what she needs to see right now.

“Where are you guys going to live?” Wyatt asks.

“I have a second bedroom at my apartment,” Vic says. “You’re welcome to move in there. You can even keep your house and maybe rent it out for the time we’re together. Dad would believe we kept it as an investment.” She looks up, meeting my eyes again. “Whereisyour house?”

“Oh.” I clear my throat, then curse myself because I know it’s a sign of nervousness. “I don’t own my place, so I could move in with you.”

“That makes things easier.” She glances down at her terms. “We’ll have to set up a time for me to come over, so we can figure out what you should bring with you and what we can put in storage.” She runs her finger down the list. “We’ll need a prenup, of course. What are you doing on Sunday?”

“Sunday?” I repeat.

“Yes. It’s Derek and Ava’s wedding. No one will believe we’re a real couple if you don’t come with me.”

“Right. I have plans with Juliet and Rebecca. I can tell them I have to reschedule.”

Vic taps her fork against her plate, thinking. “It’s unfortunate, and I don’t want to interrupt your plans with your nieces and nephews, but I think this one is important.”

“Maybe we can make it up to them,” I say. “Take them out together the following weekend?”

“Weekends are hard for me in July,” she replies absently, looking down at her sheet again. “I’m sure we can make something work, though. And it makes sense we would do more things together in the lead up to our wedding.”

“Okay. I need to stop you guys here,” Spencer says, drawing our attention. He looks at Wyatt. “Are you as concerned as I am?”

Wyatt nods.

“Good.” Spencer turns his attention back to me and Vic. “These details are all important. But you’re both skipping over the most important one. What is your relationship going to look like?” He focuses on me. “Vic said you won’t be seeing anyone else, and she won’t be either. How real is this real marriage going to be? You’ll be expected to kiss at the wedding, at the very least. What is that going to look like? If you start sleeping together, what will that mean to the relationship going forward? Will you still be getting a divorce? What happens if you catch feelings?”

“We won’t,” Vic says. She sounds so certain.

“Right,” I agree. It’s not exactly a lie since I can’t catch something I already have. “Won’t be a concern.”

Spencer sighs. “Does Wyatt know about before?”

I assume he means the one night me and Vic slept together. I nod, because I’d told my brother everything when it happened, how I’d been so excited to finally be with Vic, and later how I’d been cut out when I got the job with Sterling.

“Okay,” Spencer says, looking from me to Vic. “You want to tell me you won’t be having sex for over a year when there is a person you’re attracted to sleeping on the other side of the apartment? Someone you’ve slept with before.”

“I never said I was attracted to him,” Vic says.

“Don’t lie to me, Vic,” Spencer retorts. “I’ve known you far too long for you to get away with it. Look me straight in the eye and tell me you’re not attracted to Tanner.”

He stares at her. She glowers back. “The fact is completely irrelevant,” she finally says, but I note she hasn’t refuted the claim.

“I’m worried, Vic,” he says, and he sounds like he is. “I don’t want you to get hurt if this all goes wrong. I don’t really want him to get hurt, either. If you remember, he was my friend, once, too.”

It’s nice that he’s concerned about me, but I know he’s more worried about his best friend. I’m glad she has him in her corner. Everyone should have at least one person they can count on. Vic has more than one. She’s really lucky that way.

Her gaze is steady, her back is straight. She looks completely composed when she says, “It won’t go wrong. And the intimate details of our arrangement will be discussed between me and Tanner. Privately.”

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