Page 2 of More than Paper

“Yeah, to one of your father’s men. Get married to a citizen to keep your status.”

“And who’s going to do that, Mary?” Valeria asks.

Mary addresses me. “Jamison, you could marry Valeria.”

My pulse increases.

“Mary, don’t be ridiculous. This isn’t Jamison’s problem.”

My mouth goes dry. I stare at Valeria.

I could marry her, and then she wouldn’t be forced to get married back in Colombia.

“You wouldn’t have to stay married forever,” Mary states.

“How long would we have to be married?” I ask.

“You’re not considering this?” Valeria furrows her brows.

I shrug. “I don’t know. It’s just a piece of paper, and it doesn’t seem fair for you to have to ruin your life over a technicality.”

“You would do that? You would get married?” Valeria asks.

“I wasn’t exactly looking for a wife this morning when I woke up, but I don’t see the big deal. If we don’t have to stay married forever and it solves your problem, then what’s the issue? If I can’t help a friend out, then what kind of friend am I?”

“See? I knew we could come up with a solution!” Mary hugs Valeria.

“We would have to live together,” Valeria says.

“I’ll kick Chase out. He’s talking about buying a house anyway.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You can have his room and do whatever you want to do. I’ll do the same. You get to stay in the country, and I get to help out a friend. Win-win.”

Mary claps. “This is perfect! Can I be your maid of honor?”

Valeria frowns. “This isn’t a real marriage. We aren’t going to have a big white wedding with a reception.”

I wink at Valeria. “You can wear white if you want.”

Valeria’s face gets red. “No offense, but you aren’t really my type.”

She is definitely not my type, either.Valeria is beautiful and kind, but there is no chemistry between us. I also know Valeria is a lesbian. Most guys make the mistake that she’s straight, but she’s not the least interested. She wants no part of what I can offer her. It’s another reason she shouldn’t be marrying anyone her father picks.

“What’s so funny? You can’t expect her to sleep with you,” Mary accuses me.

“I have no plans of sleeping with you, Valeria, or attempting to. If I kissed you, I’d feel like I was kissing my sister. This marriage will be strictly in the friend zone. You can date whoever you want. I will date whoever I want,” I assure her.

Valeria smiles. “So you will marry me, lie to the government, and we both can live how we want to?”

“Why not? It’s not going to change my life at all.”

And that’s what I had all wrong.

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Quinn

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