Page 27 of One Night Bride
I was going to kill him.
12
Esme
“Okay, first of all, you need to calm down. It’s not what you think.”
I held my hands up, placating the wild anger I saw on my twin’s face. I didn’t blame her. We shared the same tight bond all twins did, telling each other everything. But this had been different. This was just a mistake. One that would be righted shortly—if we ever got that damn annulment filed. Somehow that idea didn’t make me feel any better about things.
“So, you aren’t married?” Izzy asked, her eyes skewering me with accusation.
I cringed. “Well…”
Izzy huffed and slammed the paper down on the table in the entry. “How about you both explain how my twin sister got married, and this is the way I found out about it?”
“I think I can help,” Remington said, stepping forward finally, our bags still in his hands. He set them down against the wall and put his hand on my back. “Let’s all have a seat, shall we?”
Izzy gave him a death glare, but she stepped into the living room and sat, tapping her foot while Remington and I had a seat on the couch. I felt slightly nauseous over the whole thing. I didn’t think for one second Izzy would out me to my clients, but the more people who knew about this sham marriage, the more I worried it would get leaked somehow.
“So, you know how we met in Tahoe. All that was true. I just sort of left out the part where we were so drunk we went to a drive-through chapel and got married. Accidentally. Regrettably.” I twisted my fingers in my lap.
Remington grabbed my hand in his and squeezed. “Not so regrettably on my part.”
My head looked over so fast my hair whipped me in the mouth. “What?”
He shrugged. “I don’t regret it anymore. I think it’s a brilliant situation.”
I tried to pull my hand away, but he wouldn’t let me. “Well, of course you would, because it’s advantageous for your business. Meanwhile, it could tank mine.”
“Actually, it’s got nothing to do with the ranch. I think if you and I had dated like normal people, we would have eventually ended up with a marriage license.”
My mouth dropped open, even as a ball of something unidentifiable warmed in my gut. “What?”
“Um, hello? Still here.” Izzy’s voice held a heavy dose of humor.
I’d forgotten she was sitting right there. I gave her a weak smile of apology. “Sorry, sis. But do you see what I’m dealing with here? He’s impossible!”
Izzy’s gaze darted to Remington and back to me. “I actually kind of like him. I mean, I’m angry you didn’t tell me what was going on with you, but if you had to pick a husband, I think you did a bang-up job.”
I stared at her. “A bang-up job?” Since when did Izzy talk like that?
She grinned sheepishly. “I’ve been watching too many episodes of the Great British Bake Off.”
Remington chuckled silently beside me, vibrating the couch. A car door slammed outside, followed by another.
“Who would be here at this time of night?” I muttered, standing up to go look out the window.
Izzy put her thumbnail in her mouth and chewed on it. “Yeah. So. I may have texted the girls when I saw the marriage license.”
I whirled on her, my voice coming out scary deep. “You texted them?”
Remington groaned and scrubbed a hand across his face, knowing exactly whothemwere. “I’m never getting to sleep tonight, am I?”
“You can just be quiet, Mr. I Don’t Regret It,” I snapped. I stepped out of my heels and got the door before Amelia banged it down, went into preterm labor, and blamed me for it.
“What a lovely surprise,” I said sarcastically, right before I was practically mowed over by Vee, Amelia, and Oakley, barging into my house like they belonged there.
“Remington!” I heard Vee shout. The little hussy already plopped down on the couch next to him, despite knowing he was my husband.
