Page 78 of Operation Annulment
“Fucking hell, Nate! No, Dad, they’re not celebrating. Why? Because Nate did what Nate does—heNateseverything up. Yeah, I just might,” he mutters with a chuckle that raises the hair on my neck.
“What? What did he say, Garrett?”
“Our father thinks it might be time for Kate to get herself a real man, like myself. So, can I get her number?”
“Not if my fucking life depends on it,” I force out through clenched teeth.
He laughs like everything’s one big joke. “Oh, look, Dad. Right here. Kate Quinn-Davis. You bet your ass I’m going to call her. She won’t even have to change her last name when I go and marry the shit out of her.”
“Garrett,” I warn.
“I’m going to have to let you go. I’ve got a hot date later.” He ends the call before I can say another word.
I’m going to kick his ass.
I have to find her. I’ll get down on my knees if I need to, but I can’t accept losing her.
I can fix this, can’t I?
thirty
COMMANDMENT #31: THOU SHALT NOT OVERSTAY YOUR WELCOME
Kate
“What do you mean we don’t qualify for an annulment? Neither one of us had any business making that kind of commitment while intoxicated.” My voice is barely above a whisper as I’m still fighting off some sort of plague.
My lawyer looks over some paperwork on her desk. “You got married October fourteenth. It’s now December second. To qualify for an annulment, you would’ve needed to file immediately after the marriage took place.”
I clutch my heavy head in my hands. “No…that can’t be right. Intoxication was listed as legal grounds for nullifying a marriage.”
“You admitted that you voluntarily cohabitated with Nathaniel Davis until just a few days ago. The court won’t consider an annulment when both parties voluntarily stay together after sobering up.”
My head hurts so badly, and this only makes it worse. I’ve been tested for flu, strep, mono—you name it. Everything has come back negative,though.
Little Ricky said I’m suffering from a broken heart, but last I checked, that doesn’t cause flu-like symptoms and laryngitis.
I croak out, “What about fraud? Nate grossly misrepresented himself.”
The lawyer fights a smile, and I want to punch her in her smug face. “And how exactly did he misrepresent himself?”
I start stumbling over my words in anger. “He—well, he said—he’s still in love with his ex-wife, okay?”
Her eyebrows rise until they disappear under her hair. Someone should have talked her out of the bangs because they only make her face more punchable.
“So, you were unaware that he was in love with his ex when you married him?”
I sigh. “No, I knew—wait, if I said that I didn’t know, could I get the annulment?”
She takes a stack of papers and begins tapping them on the desk to straighten them. “Mrs. Davis, your best option is to file for divorce. I can get the papers drawn up immediately, and either you can give Nathaniel his copy, or we can have him served.”
I sit, stunned. There’s no way to make this go away. I’m going to be a divorcee.
Wait, if I file, am I the divorcer?
“Mrs. Davis? What would you like to do?”
I hesitate until I remember the hate that was in his eyes. “I want him served. Preferably at work. In front of a large crowd. Maybe his family could be invited beforehand?”
