Page 17 of Ropers Can't Tie Knots
six
Hunter
“Idon’t know how Gabe wears a suit every day. This would drive me nuts.”
Thankfully, it’s a cool day, the full summer heat isn’t on us yet, but I’m already feeling the chafe on my balls with this suit.
“It’s only for a few hours. You’ll survive.” Jackson quips as he smooths his tie before helping me with mine. “If you showed up in jeans and T-shirts, Riley wouldn’t be happy with you.”
“He’s your problem, not mine.”
Jackson just laughs as he adjusts my tie and smooths it down with a pat to my chest. “I know this isn’t real, but I’m still honoured you asked me, Hunter. It’s a big deal no matter what. Thank you for letting me do this.”
Jackson’s sincerity has me pause. “You’re always my go-to, Jack. Real or fake. You’re the only one I trust with anything important. I hope you know that.”
“Hunter…dammit. That means a lot, and you made my eyes water.”
He pulls me into a hug and slaps my back before letting me go with a laugh. “Save the mushy stuff for the husband to be.” He checks his watch and motions to the door. “We need to get to the license office asap. Riley runs a tight ship, so let’s get moving.”
We take my truck since it’s not covered in dog fur like his and drive into town. The entire time, Jackson makes small talk, and I feel like I’m surrounded by a cloud of an alternate reality. I’ve not given too much thought to this wedding because it’s not real. I’ve successfully compartmentalized it as just a deed to achieve a means…until now.
“Do you think we need to share bedrooms? How in-depth will these people look to confirm we’re married? They wouldn’t do that, would they?”
I’m not ready for that kind of commitment. My bed is mine. Lots of couples keep separate bedrooms, though. At least they used to. Is that still a thing?
“I don’t think anyone will ask to see your bedroom, Hunter, but have you talked to Gabe about how you’ll handle hookups? I don’t think it’s wise for either of you to be seen out with other people.”
Shit. No, I hadn’t thought of that either.
“Do you ever wonder if someone could fuck up their life more than me? I was so focused on getting him to marry me to get this money, I didn’t think about what the next year will look like.” I like sex just as much as the next guy, but I’m not on the circuit as much as before. The easy bed partners aren’t as frequent, but…a year without it will suck.
Jackson reaches over and squeezes my shoulder. “Nobody is perfect, Hunter, but definitely make sure Gabe is on the same page. You don’t want to risk anything.”
Spotting Gabe’s car out front of the registry office already, I park next to it and once again shake my head at how different we are. His fancy luxury car and my full-size pickup. I certainly hope this arrangement works for both of us.
Jackson leaves me at the registry office to go to the courthouse, where Riley waits. Entering the registry office, I follow the signs to the right room for marriage licences. As I round the corner, Gabe comes into view, and I almost turn around and change my mind.
Gabe is…beautiful. I see him in a suit every day, but not like this. It’s moulded to his body perfectly, and paired with his short, trimmed beard and perfectly styled black hair, he’s a showstopper.
Gabe smiles and awkwardly wraps an arm around me in a half hug and kisses my cheek. “Dashing as always, Hunter.”
His blue eyes smile behind his glasses, and I clear my throat. “Thank you. You look good. Great, actually.”
We fidget in the hallway for a moment and Gabe holds up the numbered ticket. “We’re third in line. She said it won’t take long.”
“Oh…good.” Because I can’t seem to find other words today. Thankfully, Gabe talks a lot for a living and takes it in stride.
“Have you ever had a pet?” Gabe asks.
“Does a horse count?”
“Of course. What about a house pet? Cat, dog, snake…anything.”
Despite the nerves, I laugh. “No snake, for sure. I caught a garter snake once, and my grandma nearly fainted when I showed her.”
Gabe laughs, light and easy. “I’d have loved to see that. I never had pets either. We couldn’t afford the care for one.”
Gabe offers me that information with no reservation, and it catches me off guard. “Why are we talking about pets?”
