Page 86 of Marrying the Gardener
“Which will be?”
“Never.”
My eyes roll as I flex my fingers and consider what’s happening, what he’s done.
I am marrying aBachelor. That alone grants me social protection. That alonemeans I am free. But, beyond that, Kaleb has poached my father’s clients and handed me everything that was meant to be mine. I can tell just by who’s in this crowd that he has gone behind my father’s back to get the women who aren’t under loyalty contracts. Judging by the faces of the men I know, it seems like he’s outright stolen clients whose contracts are on the brink of closure, too.
This…is more than I could have possibly dreamed of.
Straightening, I head toward the bridge. “I can’t deal with you right now. I need to handle the damage you’ve done, see what you’ve set up, and make sure I can fulfill expectations.”
Kaleb says, “Excellent plan, Mrs. Bachelor. One oversight—I think they’re expecting us to kiss.”
I stop myself halfway across the bridge.
I have been without germ sharing for an entire week, and I hate how often I have thought of it. Scanning the group before me, I flush because, yes, it is exceptionally clear that they are all expecting us to kiss.
And they actually seem quite concerned that we haven’t yet.
Well, except for Crisis.
Crisis has thrown her arms out in a manner that suggests I’ve rejected Kaleb in favor of her. Her eyes sparkle, welcoming, and I have missed her so much this past month. Texting and calling one another is not enough. I require seven face-to-face hours of Crisis a day to maintain optimal emotional growth.
Lifting my chin, I look back at Kaleb and plant my hands on my hips. “I’m not kissing you in front of my wife. I am going to talk about this business you’ve started with everyone. Then,later. Maybe later we can share our germs.” Definitely later. Once the adrenaline spikes have settled and I’ve had a chance to lay this crazy plan out better in my brain, we will kiss.
But for right now? For right now, I need to come to terms with the insanity of the situation.
I’m going to become a Bachelor. And gain a real family.
Soon enough, Crisis and I are going to be real sisters. Real identical twin sisters. Like we’ve always been. Naturally.
Just far less disputable since our last names will match.
I can’t believe it. I can’t believe this.
Am I really free? Are all these people really here on my behalf? Because someone told them that I neededhelp, and instead of telling me to figure it out or that the world is cruel, they simply saidyes?
Behind me, Kaleb clears his throat, then he calls out above the sound of the fountain, “She saidyes. She’s just not interested in snogging with an audience. Wait till I tell her how a proper wedding works.”
Laughter mixed with cheers rise into the space all around, sweeping through my bloodstream, drawing the truth home.
I’m free.
For the first time in my life,I am free.
Epilogue
?
Born for this.
Crimson
“I’d consider a partnership,” I say, toying with a pen on the desk in my penthouse office. To my left, a male bodyguard. To my right, Esmee. In front of me, seated in the chair where my potential clients often wind up…Jared Nightingale. My father and the man my crumbling family sent to try and stop the dynamite I’ve been lighting under their businesses for a slim few weeks now. I continue, “That is to say, Iwouldconsider a partnershipifit brought anything to the table for me. But it doesn’t.”
As angry as the red hair on his face, my father lunges out of his seat and spits, “You ungrateful, heartless, useless girl.”
I sic Esmee on him, because I know it’ll hurt so much more to have a woman drag him out of here. Very calm, I say, “Now, Father, please. Don’t get emotional.”
