Page 107 of My Wife
I whisper to him. “Apparently, she’s very busy. Mr. Ellis is a demanding man.”
He arches an eyebrow.
Going back to my finger phone, I fake listen for a moment and then say, “Excuse me, I’d like to report that your boss seems to have completely come off his hinges, you know, lost the plot.” I pause for dramatic effect. “I see. Okay. I’ll let him know.”
His frowns.
Hanging my invisible finger phone on the phone’s base, to Liam, I say, “The Beast’s PA also thinks that’s hilarious and rescinds all her comments about how you lack a sense of humor.”
He waves his first two fingers between us. “I mean you, Jessica. Me. We get married.”
I puff out an exasperated breath. “Sure. Yeah. Okay.”
“You’ll do it?”
“That makes no sense.” My eyes are the size of saucers, waiting to hear the punchline of the greatest joke of all time.
He shakes his head slowly. “You’re practically part of the furniture, almost living here rent-free.”
“When you put it that way, this just gets more and more romantic.”
The corner of his mouth lifts. “I don’t mind.”
“Thanks, Liam.” I puff an exhale.
He softens. “I mean, I’m kind of into it. I, um, like you, Jessica.”
“Well, that’s progress, considering where we started, but I think you’re supposed toloveyour wife.”
His eyes search mine.
I pump the brakes. “We need to slow down. You just got really big news. Let’s think this through.”
He takes my hand. I should let go, but I don’t.
“I’d planned to leave. Was thinking about Wyoming. A dude ranch. Denver was nice. In fact, I was just about to check out some job openings there. But then I got distracted.” My cheeks warm because I was browsing the latest entries to #MrDarcysAbs.
He nods solemnly. “I don’t want to hold you back.”
“I only intended to be here in Cobbiton long enough to get back on my feet.”
“And marriage is furthest from your mind.”
“Exactly. Funny though that Pamberlie is back in my life.”
“I see no humor in it.”
I lift my shoulder. “Maybe we need to bake a cake.”
“I don’t think there’s anything to celebrate.”
I grip his upper arms and they’re like rocks under my palms, but I give him a little shake to draw him back to my future-is-bright reality. “We’re going to come up with a solution.”
Liam follows me to the kitchen where I set to work, sifting the flour, mixing the eggs, and setting the cake in the oven to bake.
Just before the oven dings, I get a brain wave. “I’ve got it.”
Liam looks at me expectantly.
