Page 24 of Hot Mess Wedding

Thankfully my phone has been vibrating on the bedside table for the last fifteen minutes. So, I have an excuse to step away for a bit to gather myself so I don’t fall apart in front of this man.

I reach over and grab it and find that I have several texts from the group messaging I have with my sisters-in-law.

Oh shit.

“I’m going to go take a quick shower,” I say to Ian.

He tries to say something else, but I’m already shutting myself in the room and locking the door behind me. I turn the shower on, then sit on the closed toilet. I glance down at my phone.

Cassia: Excuse me! Miss Ma’am! What is this all about?”

Cassia:

Shitshitshitshit!

Paige: Seriously. Why are you with that tattooed giant and why are people tagging you as Anita Dix?

Cassia: Don’t make us come find you.

Paige: You know we will and then your brothers will be so pissed that you made their pregnant wives go on a road trip.

Cassia: We can’t fly? It’s faster.

Paige: I’m not getting on a plane with this big of a belly and asking for a seatbelt extender! Stupid giant husband and his giant baby.

Cassia: Seriously. I was expecting to have a baby, not a toddler. I haven’t seen my feet in months. Months!

Paige: Cleary, what’s going on? You know you can tell us anything.

I blow out a breath. I love these women. They’re my sisters now and they would legit do anything for me. I know that. It’s part of the reason why I didn’t tell them about my writing. I wanted to prove to myself I could do it on my own.

Me: That’s me. I’m Anita Dix.

Cassia: The author?

Paige: OMG I’ve read you. I’m loving your band of assassins.

Me: Thank you.

Cassia: Why didn’t you tell us?

Me: Wanted to make sure I could do it before telling people.

Paige: So who knows?

Me: Ian. That’s the man in the picture.

I’m not telling them that I got toked up and married him on accident. Nor about the fact that I may or may not have just had some preliminary sexy times with him and then he rejected me. I swipe at my tears, angry that I’ve been such a fool. I just met him yesterday so surely this isn’t real heartache.

Cassia: Cover model?

Me: Something like that.

Me: I’m sorry I didn’t tell y’all. It wasn’t like a trust thing.

Paige: I get that. It’s okay, sweetie.

Cassia: I’m so proud right now, I’m crying.

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