Page 57 of Mic Drop

Tris rubs his hands together. “I did pretty well on pinball myself.”

Luke laughs. “Can’t say you guys aren’t competitive.”

I don’t know what I missed, and frankly don’t care. I was with my wife, which beats every arcade game ever invented, in my book. A different flight attendant is on duty this time, and he offers us all drinks. The jet lifts off and soon we’re hurling high above New York State, on our way to the final leg of our U.S. tour, which can’t come soon enough. I’ll be back in Jenna’s arms in no time.

Somewhere above Illinois, Luke’s voice rouses me. “All right guys, we need to discuss how we’re dealing with this whole Lissa situation.”

I prop myself up in the chair, using my palm to cover my massive yawn. “Did you tell them what Curtiss told me?”

“Sure did,” our manager replies. “Spoke with our PR team as well. Now that your wedding is over, it’s time to focus on making Lissa disappear.”

I like the sound of that. “Good.”

Río adds, “For what she’s done, she deserves more than to disappear.” I offer himmy fist.

“B, are you sure this Curtiss guy will go on the record with what he told you?”

“Absolutely. He owes me, if nothing else.” Besides, it was his kid.

“Great. This is what I’m thinking,” Luke dives into great detail about how we’re going to bury my ex. I only half listen, my mind firmly on my wife back in Aroostook. I text her:

Missing you

Soon. Need to do some clean up over here.

Clean up? What’s she talking about?

What happened?

Michelle found out we got married. Posted it on all the gossip sites in the Hamptons

“Fuck!” Five sets of eyes bore into me. “Seems like the media found out about my wedding. Jenna’s handling the fallout on her own.” I give Luke a dirty look.

For his part, our manager scrambles to his phone. “Shit. I’m calling the PR team.” He shakes his head and stalks to the back bedroom.

Coop is the first to speak. “You knew this was going to come out in the media. Better get it over with sooner rather than later.”

“I know,” I grit my teeth. “I was only hoping it would come to the surface when I was back there with her for two weeks. I hate she’shaving to deal with all of this on her own, not to mention helping her mother.”

“She looked pretty good yesterday,” Tris offers. “I knew she was sick because you told us, but she seemed in good spirits, man.”

I force a sad smile. “Thanks. None of us know how long she has. But yesterday was a good day.”

Luke reappears. “Change of plans. We can deal with Lissa later. Right now, we’re focusing on your big day, B. Are you sure Jenna can’t join us out here?”

“Positive. Remember her mother.”

“Gotcha. Well, this is what we’re going to do.”

Chapter 16

Jenna

Bennett will be back tomorrow. I’ve managed to get through the paparazzi shitstorm (as Bennett calls it) about our wedding. The moment he stepped foot off the plane in Seattle, he was ambushed by more reporters than I even knew existed. His gray wedding band is the number one trending video on TikTok, with men vowing to purchase one and women demanding their husbands wear one.

All I want is formyhusband to be at my side.

“The remodel is going according to schedule,” Court points to the plans. “I kept them on their toes.”

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