Page 90 of The Marriage Policy

Eric changes position so he can look at me. “I don’t want to divorce you. Not ever.”

“I don’t want to divorce you either.”

“Then it looks like we’ll need to have a conversation with our families.”

I close my eyes and groan. “They’re going to kill us.”

He presses his forehead against mine. “Probably. At least we’ll go together.”

And then we dissolve into laughter, spending the next hour talking and touching and kissing, until we both fall asleep.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Eric

We decide towait until my eye is mostly healed before we make the drive to the high desert to talk to our parents. The past few weeks have been awesome. Being in love is like, twelve out of ten stars, easily. Highly recommend. At least when you find the right person, and Donovan is mine.

All my stuff is officially moved out of the spare room and into his. I’ve changed my address on my license, and we decided to officially hyphenate our last names. We went with Markham-Carter.

“Are you nervous?” I ask as we make the drive. We’ve taken Donovan’s car again because it’s in better shape than mine.

“Yes and no. I know they’ll be supportive that we’re together, but I don’t think they’ll be happy to find out we’ve been married for months. Like they missed out on something.”

“I feel the same.” The thing is, I don’t want them to have missed out on something. I feel likewemissed out on something too. What we did at that tiny chapel in Vegas was the start to this all, but it wasn’t enough for me, and I want more for Donovan too.

I keep that to myself for now.

We continue talking the rest of the drive, before arriving at my house. When we told them we wanted to talk to all three of them, Donovan’s parents said they would go over to our place this time.

As soon as we step onto the porch, Mom opens the door, wearing a huge smile, and instantly pulls me into a hug. “This visit is such a nice surprise.”

I should come and see her more than I do. LA isn’t too far from here. “We’ll visit more often.”

Mom beams, and I don’t think it’s just the promise of a visit making her smile so widely.

“Hey, Donovan. Good to see you too.” Mom hugs him next, just as his parents come up the sidewalk behind us.

“Hey, baby.” His mom hugs him.

“Hey, Mama.”

“How you doin’, kid?” asks his dad before they embrace as well, followed by the same hellos to me.

I feel like the news could burst out of me any second, like if I don’t tell them right now, I’ll explode with it.

I can’t help the guilt that churns in my gut either. Are they going to think Donovan felt forced to marry me because I don’t have my shit together?

He frowns at me slightly, as if he can see the turmoil going on inside me. I give him a small smile, not wanting him to think I’m having any regrets.

I signal toward the couch, and we walk over. Donovan sits down first, and I do the same, keeping close, legs touching, drawing courage from him.

“Donovan and I are married!” I blurt out, and Maggie gasps. I slap a hand over my mouth.Oops!It wasn’t supposed to come out that way.

Donovan sighs. “I thought we were going to slowly work them into that part?”

“Married??” Mom asks at the same time as Calvin’s, “What’chu mean you’re married?”

Before I have the chance to explain, Donovan says, “It was my idea.”

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