Page 24 of Miss Understood

“I know that,” I tell him, a little offended. I don’t need his validation. And even if he knows the truth, it’s not going to change how people will see this. “This makes me look impulsive and flighty. I mean, what were we thinking, Jesse? Of anyone in the world, you and I know better than to get married without thinking about it. We end marriages for a living. Imagine what they’ll say.”

He stares at me for a long minute. “Unless…”

The way he slowly drags the word out of his mouth, the way his eyes flick over my face as he thinks something over—I get a very bad feeling.

“Unless what?”

“We control the narrative,” he says, nodding his head like he’s making a decision and only telling me half of it.

“What are you suggesting?”

“What if this marriage was real?” he says, looking as uncertain about saying it as I feel hearing it. “At least for a little bit, while we get through this case, figure out how to separate without people talking too much. Like you said, it looks bad for the two of us to get divorced a week in. We know better. So what if we ride it out for a bit?”

“Ride it out?” There goes the room spinning again. He can’t actually be considering this.

“We can wait until we figure out the right way to handle it,” Jesse says, stepping forward again. “After all, the Marchetto case is big. Huge. Once we win that, people won’t give a fuck what we’re doing personally.”

“We can barely stand being in the same room together more than five minutes,” I remind him.

Jesse waves his arms out to the side. “Same room. Right now,” he points out. “We’ll figure it out.”

I start pacing. My body can’t physically sit still and process what he’s suggesting.Stay married to him?Like it’s that easy? Pretend this was our plan all along, that we love each other, that this isn’t an accident but the real thing?

Sure, sticking it out would help soften the blow. It would at least make it look less like I was screwing the boss and more like we fell in love and couldn’t help ourselves. And they’d believe it, right? People trip all over themselves for a good love story. They’ll believe anything.

Plus, he’s not saying we’d have to do this forever, just long enough to hold the vultures at bay. Wait for them to move on to something more interesting and then strategically part ways.

“So you’re suggesting we stay married?”

“Yes.”

“Just for now?”

He nods.

“Like a business proposition?”

Jesse steps closer, and that’s when I realize I’ve stopped pacing and I’m standing directly in front of him.

“Just until we get through this six-week case. It will give us both the chance to prove ourselves before we give them more to talk about,” he says.

Prove myself—not like that’s new territory for me. And this case has the power to change everything. Once we win, nothing else will matter. Not only will we bring in boatloads of money for the firm, but my reputation as the city’s best will be solidified.

Proven.

Established.

Untouchable.

Six weeks, and it won’t matter what is happening with Jesse and me. I’ll win against the Marchettos in court, and every firm in town will want a piece.

“Okay.” I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this. “Six weeks.”

He looks as terrified as I do, but we both nod in agreement. I’m a professional, after all. I’ve dealt with him this long while despising him. Who says I can’t temporarily pretend that we’re married?

Jesse’s lips part like he’s about to say something, but his office door opens and stops him.

“I hear congratulations are in order.” Brad’s head dips into Jesse’s office, and we both freeze at the sight of him.

---