Page 58 of One and Only

“Out with it,” I told him.

“You got married.”

There was no question in the gruffly spoken sentence, which didn’t surprise me from our foreman. Cameron and his friend Jax traded a silent look, and I shifted my weight to one leg, arms crossed over my stomach. “Good news travels fast, I see. Did you get me a present?”

“Nope.” He scratched the side of his face. “I coulda done it.”

My eyebrows arched.

Cameron narrowed his gaze at Wade. “Done what?” he asked.

“Married you,” he said.

Jax choked on his coffee. Cameron dropped the measuring tape in his hand. My stomach bottomed out because if my big brother told our foreman what we’d done, I would punch him in the throat.

“I…” My voice trailed off. Words escaped me, at least polite ones, because Wade was old enough to be my father and had never been even the slightest bit inappropriate with me.

He huffed, exasperation heavy in the sound. “I mean, I could’ve done the ceremony for you. If you were in a hurry.”

My head tilted to the side. “What?”

He shifted his weight between his feet, clearly uncomfortable. “I’m one of those internet pastors.”

My jaw hinged open.

“You arenot,” Cameron said.

Jax might have been smiling, but his face was hidden behind his mug, and I wasn’t actually sure I’d ever seen him smile anyway.

Wade puffed his chest out. “Am so. My cousin got married in her backyard and asked if I’d officiate. Paid forty bucks and filled out something on her computer.” His face actually blushed the slightest shade of pink, and I fought to keep my laughter at bay. “I coulda done it for you. As a friend.”

Moving slowly, so as not to scare him off, I laid my hand on his forearm and leaned in to kiss him on his grizzled cheek. “Thank you, Wade,” I said. “I’m sure you would have been great.”

He could hardly make eye contact, clearing his throat and mumbling a congratulations as he practically sprinted out of the trailer.

“Oh my,” I breathed. “These guys just never cease to surprise me.”

“Just think,” Cameron said, “if Wade had done it, you wouldn’t have had to steal the license from an actual man of God, and you could’ve just told him what you were doing and why.”

I rolled my eyes. “Glad to know your promise to keep this a secret doesn’t extend to Jax.”

The man in question gave me an inscrutable look.

“I know,” I said. “You don’t care, and you won’t tell anyone.”

“Nope.”

That was all he said. Cameron smiled at the tersely spoken reply.

“You know how when someone tells you a secret, you get an unspoken pass to tell your spouse?” Cameron said.

“Is that how it works?” I asked.

He ignored me. “Jax is the spouse I get to tell.”

“Thanks,” Jax said dryly.

I nodded sagely. “Considering the complete lack of a woman in your life, I will concede that point.”

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