Page 31 of Just Dare Me
“I don’t believe you,” Jay presses. “I know you, Dominique. I know you remember what it was like to be human, to have to work to gain somebody’s heart. It can’t be forced. That’s not real.”
“Not real is better than nothing,” she hisses.
“If you really felt that way, you wouldn’t have let me come here tonight.”
“A moment of weakness. Only words. Words can just as easily be taken back.”
“No, Dominique. Face it, you’re a romantic.”
A crazed look creeps into her eyes. “Just as quickly, words can and will be taken back. You have thirty seconds.”
Russo starts to chuckle at her absurdity, but Jay curses under his breath, takes both my hands in his, and blurts, “Go, Danny, and fast.”
“Wait, partner, she’s not serious—”
“Very serious, trust me. Give us the twenty-second version,now.”
“Er, uh…” Russo fumbles for words. I’ve never seen him tongue-tied before.
Jay gives him a prompt. “I, Jay Benner…”
“Yes, yes, do you take her?”
“I do.”
Russo gestures to me. “And you take him?”
“I do, I do. Hurry!”
“Great. Then if anybody knows of any reason why these two shouldnotbe joined in matrimony—”
Dominique opens her mouth, but we all shout “No!”
“Oh, right. Skip that. Let’s see, blah, blah, by the power invested in me by the Internet, blah, blah, blah—”
“Just say it!” Nora pleads.
“Time’s up,” Dominique announces.
Russo spits it out: “I now pronounce you man and wife!”
Jay pulls me in for a quick kiss, then stares challengingly at Dominique. She looks stunned that anybody would defy her so brazenly. Nobody moves. Nobody breathes. I ready the toothpick in my hand, expecting a sudden attack.
But the storm passes all at once, leaving only wreckage on Dominique’s face. Her chin trembles, and her eyes flood. She jerks the door handle and kicks the door open so hard that it completely lays out two of her bodyguards. She jumps down and flings the door shut with so much force that the window cracks, making all of us flinch.
Jay deflates. “I have to go.”
I nearly tackle him. “Wait, wait, no, you arenotgoing anywhere with that woman!”
Jay addresses the others. “Think we could get a minute?”
Russo gives him a fist bump. “Right on, partner. See you on the other side.”
Jay embraces him. “You weren’t just our minister, you know. You’re my best man.”
“Honored, brother. Nothing but love for both of you.” He opens the door.
“Congrats, you two,” Charlotte adds, putting her shades back on. “Somehow, this absolute train wreck of a wedding was just so fitting.”
