Page 73 of Just (Fake) Married
“We’re the main story in town until something new comes along and replaces us.”
“I hope you flashed them that ring.”
She smiled and looked down at it. “It kind of flashes itself.”
“So, what have you been telling them?” I asked her. “About us, I mean. I’m sure they want to know how it happened.”
“That we had a forbidden high school romance.”
“Fascinating,” I mused. “Forbidden because of the feud?”
“Of course, but not even your father’s hate for all things Calloway could keep us apart. And after you left for school, we wrote each other constantly.”
I shook my head. “No way. Most of that time I was in medical school. It was hard enough finding time to take a piss, and you think I was able to squeeze in email writing?”
She pouted. “So you’re saying I poured my heart out to you for years and years and you never wrote me back?”
“I feel like this fake email scenario is upsetting you,” I pointed out.
“Of course, I’m upset. I can’t believe you wouldn’t take just a tiny amount of time to say something. Anything!”
“You didn’t write me any emails!” I reminded her.
“Well, if I had, you should have written me back.”
“If you had,” I said, trying to mollify her. “I would have found a way to reply.”
Another shy smile that made me want to kiss her.
“Now, if we’re all done sorting out our complicated past,” I said. “Let me feed you.”
She left the lights on for the animals, and locked the front door behind us.
“Does your mom still make that meatloaf sandwich at the café?” I asked her.
“Amity runs it now and she’s got a new cook in the back. Everything is different.”
“Is it good?”
“Very.”
“Then Last Meal it is.”
From her store, we had to cut through the town square again to get to the café. We passed the gallows statue and stopped at the community board.
The first part of the board was taken up with an announcement.
Emergency Town Meeting Wednesday 8:00 PM!
The second half of the board featured a new Wanted Poster, again with both my and Harmony’s picture on it. Only, instead of our high school yearbook picture, it was a picture of Harmony’s face super imposed on the statue of the Widow Calloway and a picture of my face on Duncan McGraw.
Wanted: Location of where this “happy” couple has been hiding since they got married.
“We haven’t been hiding,” Harmony said, commenting on the poster.
“What’s with the rabbit ears around the word happy?” I said, at the same time.
“I’ve been at the store every day since we’ve been married,” Harmony said, as if she was debating the author of the wanted sign.
