Page 23 of Never the Bride
“Have you ever wished that you could tell someone about us?”
“My mom, but she’s also the one person I would never want to find out.”
“Why not?”
“It would absolutely kill her traditional heart. I come from a long line of lasting marriages.”
Camila tilts her head, studying me. “That explains why you’re so gung ho about the benefits of marriage.”
“My parents just had their fortieth wedding anniversary.”
“I’m surprised you agreed to marry me, then.”
“We both had our reasons that made sense to us at the time.”
“You wanted to start a business, right?”
I smile, nudging her shoulder with mine. “Oh, look who remembers now.”
“I’m good at business details. Just not emotional stuff. So”—she looks at me expectantly—“did you start your business with the money?”
“I did.”
“And how did it go?”
“I would say twenty-two-year-old me made the right decision marrying you.”
“Well, good. Ours might be the only marriage that actually paid off.”
“Whose marriage paid off?”
I turn over my shoulder, and there’s the other woman I don’t want to find out about my secret wife. “Shanna! I thought you weren’t coming.”
She presses her body into mine as her lips brush against my mouth. “I was able to leave work early.”
“Great!” My voice sounds strained, like a kid being questioned by the police for lighting a firecracker inside an outhouse.
Shanna looks between me and Camila. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
“Oh, yeah. Right.” I wipe at the newly formed bead of sweat on my forehead. “Shanna, this is Selena’s older sister, Camila. Camila, this is Shanna.”
Shanna extends her arm out. “Hess’s girlfriend, soon-to-be fiancée.”
“Really?” A surprised smile falls over Camila’s lips. “What an astonishing development.”
My eyes narrow on Camila, warning her to tread lightly if she knows what’s good for the both of us.
“When’s the big day?” Her smile is aimed at me.
“There’s nothing official. Shanna is anxious to take the next step with an engagement, but it will be at least another six months before anything like that happens.”
Shanna places her hand on my chest. “Hess is dragging his feet.”
“Is that so?” Camila’s grin shows she’s enjoying this a little too much.
“There’s always something you have to wait on before you can get married. Got to get those ducks in a row.” She smirks with glittering brown eyes.
“Something like that.”
