Page 53 of The Troublemaker

“Sweetie,” Katee says. “You do enough cooking for us on your truck. Let us take care of you. Better yet, let the guys take care of us all,” she adds with a chuckle. “We deserve the break for all we put up with. Isn’t that right, Khloe?” she says to her toddler.

Katee might be complaining, but she’s doing it playfully. The warm smile on her face, and the adoration shining in her eyes is a good indication of how much she loves her family, and I get the sense it’s very give and take between husband and wife. I like that in a relationship. Friends and partners. Taking care of one another. Through good times and bad. In the bad times my ex tossed me to the curb. I can’t ever imagine Cason doing something like that. My heart does an odd little flip in my chest, and I clear my throat to pull myself together when I catch the way the two women are staring at me as I go all dreamy like over my crush.

“I love cooking,” I say, getting back on topic. “Tonight I thought I’d do homemade flatbread pizzas. I wanted to keep the kids in mind, so I’m sure it’s cheese and pepperoni for them. The adult versions will be a little fancier with grilled chicken and pineapple salsa.”

“Get in my belly,” Nina says with a grin.

I smile back, happy that she likes my choice. “It’s good practice for when I finally get my own restaurant, too.”

Katee’s eyes go big. “Ohmigod, that is so exciting. I do love your tacos though. Tell me you’ll still be making them.”

“I will be, but I want to expand, use more locally sourced food, and find more ways to help those less fortunate in our community.”

“I love the pay-it-forward program you have on your truck,” Katee says.

“Okay, that’s it,” Nina says and presses her palms to the table. “I love my brother but you’re far too good for him. I’m sure Mom and Dad would agree.”

I laugh a bit uneasily and say, “Thanks.”

“You’re really not going to meet them?” she asks, and I don’t get the confusion on her face. We explained that we were doing this for my situation, and it was best not to involve his parents.

I shake my head firmly. “No.” Wanting to change the subject I redirect by saying, “Thank you both for all your contribution to the pay-it-forward program. Cason has some really awesome people in his life.”

“We’re in your life, too,” Nina says, like once we get our marriage annulled, I’ll still be in their circle, and coming to their bonfire events at the beach. My heart sits heavy at that, but I keep it to myself.

Speaking of events…

“So uh, I have a favor to ask.” The coffee pot beeps and I fill our cups. Both sets of eyes are trained on me as I hand them their cups. I sit at the table and say, “My parents want to throw a wedding party for Cason and me since they weren’t invited to the actual…” I pause to do air quotes around the word “wedding.” “It will be big and elaborate and I’ll hate every second of it.” Nina takes a sip of her coffee and her lips twist, but it’s not because the coffee is bitter. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” I say quickly when I read her body language. Oh, God, have I gone too far, asked too much?

“Of course, I want to,” she says. “We’d do anything for you. You’re family. But do you think it’s a good idea to throw an elaborate party, when you two are going to get your marriage…annulled?”

“No actually, I don’t.”

“That settles it then,” she says quickly, the smile on her face and the lift of her chin suggesting she’s very proud of herself. “There will be no annulment.”

I give her a look that suggests she might have just lost her mind. “I can’t stay married, just because I think a party for a ‘fake’ marriage is a bad idea.”

“Stay married because it’s what you want then,” Katee says and tugs on one of her daughter’s braids to play with her. “And enjoy the party. You both deserve that.”

“Wait, it’s not…” With all this coming at me fast, my thoughts begin to spin around in my already rattled brain. “I’m saying there shouldn’t be a party. I don’t even want one. But my parents are insisting. God knows they can’t have my sudden Vegas wedding look bad on them.” I frown and look down. “Cason was kind enough to agree.”

“You need this marriage because of your parents?” Nina asks gently.

“Fake marriage,” I correct. “Well, technically it’s real, and I’m not lying, but it feels like I am, you know.”

“You’re not lying. You guys really did get married,” Katee says. She grins. “And from the happy look on both yours and Cason’s face, it’s really agreeing with you.”

“We’ve been having fun, sure, but maybe what we’re doing is wrong—”

“Marriage is never wrong when two people care for each other, Kinsley. You guys just jumped into it sooner rather than later,” Nina says, and Katee nods in agreement.

“Wait, what.” My hair hits my face as I shake my head so hard, I nearly give myself a concussion. “No, you guys have it all wrong. This isn’t something we planned to do later. It was a mistake. Like a colossal mistake.”

God, I wish it wasn’t.

I lift my head when I hear a noise and spot Cason coming into the kitchen. He puts on a smile but there’s a sag in his shoulders that doesn’t go unnoticed by me. Did he just hear me say marriage isn’t something we planned to do later? That it was a colossal mistake? If so, why would that make him sad? He’s told me where he stands, agreed that it was a mistake, just like him falling into my bed that night was a mistake. He thought he was sleeping with Emily for God’s sake.

“You’re back early. What’s the matter?” Nina asks. “Alyssa putting you guys all to shame?”

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