Page 20 of Curvy Alpha Bride
We get out of the car, and Mabel turns around in a little circle, a look of excitement on her face. Warmth blooms in my chest to see her so happy, and I dare to hope that the next week won’t be too awkward.
A chill wind suddenly slashes down from the peaks, and the sky gets noticeably darker. Mabel shivers and hurries to the porch, standing in the little circle of light cast by the overhead light.
“Let’s get inside,” she says.
I hurry to unlock the door, and we step into the main room.
Mabel smiles at the cozy living area, obviously liking the long couch set across from the fire and the thick rugs on the floor. As she takes off her coat, she observes the little kitchen to the left of the door before heading down the hall.
A second later, I hear a shocked cry and bolt down the hallway after her.
“What is it?” I yell, imagining unmentionable horrors.
“There are only three rooms back here!” Mabel huffs.
She’s standing in the bedroom doorway, gesturing into the room that makes up the back of the house. To the left and right in the hall are the bathroom and the study. There are no other bedrooms.
“I warned you it was small,” I say.
“I thought it went back further. Like, there’d be a few bedrooms or something.”
“Nope,” I shake my head. “This is it.”
“Well, it’s unacceptable.”
“I’m sure I could build you an extension, but not tonight, honey. I’ve had a long drive and a big day. You know, with the wedding and all.”
Mabel glares at me. “Stop being such a smartass! You could have told me there was only one room.”
“I thought I did. Well, I tried to.”
“Fine, then! If you want to be a jerk about this, that’s totally up to you, I guess, but I don’t have to stand for it.”
“What exactly do you plan to do?” I ask, chuckling.
Mabel gives me a look that suggests she’s thinking about chaining me up in the front yard like a bad dog.
Chapter 7 - Mabel
Standing in the doorway of the small bedroom, I glare at the bed, then back at Xavier. “This is not happening,” I say firmly.
“I don’t know what you want me to do,” he mutters. “I can’t exactly build a new room in the next few hours, if that’s what you’re suggesting.”
His quick wit and dry delivery have always been something I really liked about him. At the moment, though, all it does is infuriate me.
“Will you be serious!” I snap. “The contract never specified that we share a bed.”
“Did you actually read the contract?”
“Well… no.”
“Then it might specify we have to dance a naked jig on the roof, for all we know.”
“How is she going to know if we go through with the contract or not?” I snap back, ignoring his idiocy. “What is Iris going to do, peek in through the window?”
“I strongly doubt it,” Xavier answers thoughtfully. “Not after the way she disappears the second someone wants to dispute the contract. Of course, I could be wildly wrong, and she’s watching us right now to make sure we fulfill every clause.”
I stare at him coldly, desperately trying to hide the fact that he is getting to me, and I don’t know if I want to laugh or scream at him.
