Page 37 of Operation Annulment
It may be a trial marriage, but I can see it lasting forever. We just need to focus more on each other and not let the past get in our way. I am so much wiser than I was a few days ago. It’s as if the blinders have been removed, and I can see our relationship moreclearly.
I was jumping to conclusions before. As his wife, I need to give him the same benefit of the doubt he’ll give me.
He lifts a box, and his forearms tighten.
That’s my husband.
Dr. Husband…ooh, I like that a lot.
At least the universe honored part of my request—the man’s a doctor.
He catches me staring and winks. “See something you like, Mrs. Davis?”
Mrs. Davis?
I could get used to the sound of that.
“Always, Mr. Davis. Are you getting hungry? I could order us some food.”
He places the box near the front door and cracks his neck. Just as he does it, there’s a knock. He shoots me a puzzled look, and I shrug.
Nate unlocks the front door, and all hope for a drama-free sixty days flies out the window.
Jeremy is standing there, holding a big bouquet of roses. I should mention that I hate roses. It seems I always end up getting pricked by the thorns.
Speaking of pricks…
He glances at Nate briefly before returning his full attention to me. “I was out of town on business when you called, but after hearing your message, I cut my trip short,” he says.
My message?
“But I didn’t call you?—”
“Jeremy! It’s Kate! So, I’ve been thinking… we should go to Vegas together. We could spend the weekend in bed, recreating our first date, if you know what I mean. Sex, Jeremy. I’m talking about sex.”
In case I wasn’t convinced drinking is the worst idea in the world, this voicemail has ensured that I’ll be sticking to nonalcoholic beverages for the remainder of my natural life.
A muscle under Nate’s eye twitches as he rubs at the stubble on his face before chuckling—not in a ‘my wife is just adorable’way, but more of a ‘trying to decide where to bury her body’ laugh.
Oh, this is bad. Really, really bad.
“You called him first? So, what was I? Your backup plan? Cute, Kate. Real fucking cute.”
Jeremy slides his phone into his pocket before approaching him with narrowed eyes. “What are you, her parent?”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Nate mashes a fist against his mouth as if trying to rein in his temper is taking everything in him. “Parent? Try husband.”
So. Bad.
It was almost as bad as when Dakota convinced herself she was Spider-Man and scaled our swing set. She reached the top and stood up in victory before promptly falling and breaking her arm.
“You got married, Kate?”
“Surprise!” I exclaim, weakly lifting my arms above my head and wishing the carpet would swallow me whole.
Jeremy’s eyebrow shoots up, and he takes a step back, probably deciding how fast he’ll have to sprint to outrun Nate. “Okay. Well, I’m going to go?—”
