Page 4 of Legally Yours

He moves over as if inviting me to sit next to him and so I do. We sit for a while, sharing our stories when suddenly I’m struck by an idea that even surprises me – revenge. “You know, we could get even,” I say, certain that the heat and the stress is the only explanation for why I’m feeling so bold.

“Oh, yeah?”

I take a deep breath and look him square in the eye. “Will you marry me?”

He looks back at me wide-eyed.

“So, hear me out. What if we pretend to be in love and get married? We tell David and Eunice that being left at the altar was the best thing that ever happened to us and that we found the one we were meant to be with. Not only that, but we can thank them for bringing us together.”

There are a few moments of stunned silence, and I find myself wondering if what I’ve just suggested is as absurd as it sounds. This white man is going to think I have lost my sense. But then he smirks at me, and that look tells me all I need to know.

“Well, what are we waiting for, Cassandra? Let’s go get married.”

4

LIAM

My eyes keep drifting up to the large screen overhead:New York, New York DEP - 10:00 Nevada, Las Vegas ARR - 15:00.I check my watch for the hundredth time, just makingsure I’m on schedule.

9:15 a.m.Any minute now, I’ll be boarding through the gate. On my way to get married. My hands tense around the envelope nestled in between them, a physical reminder of what I’m here for.

I think back to Eunice. I haven’t seen her in ages. We don’t talk often anymore. Our lives always have scheduling conflicts. I wonder if she still wears her hair in that grandma-style bob? The corners of my mouth turn up at the idea, and what breaks me from my thoughts is the loudspeaker. It blares a polite-sounding woman’s voice.

“Flight two-two-six for Las Vegas, now boarding at gate twelve.” That’s my cue.I stand and grab my carry-on.Here goes nothing.I walk to my gate, standing in the slowly growing line as they check our boarding passes.

As I sit in my window seat, I stare out at the slowly shrinking runway and think about my mom. All of this is for her. I would do anything to make her happy, even if it means marrying someone I don’t love.

It’s not long until we land, the five-hour flight feeling a lot shorter in the rush to the altar. Checking my watch again, it’s a little after 3 p.m. We’re supposed to meet there around 4, so I’m making good time.

I go through security and get out onto the sidewalk fast, not having much to collect as all I brought was a carry-on. Hailing a taxi, I give him the directions to my destination, and he looks back at me with a quirked brow.

“Usually people have a partner when they go there. Are you planning on marrying your bag?” His gruff voice, probably from smoking, breaks into a wheezy laugh.

I shake my head, a tad annoyed by his questioning. “No, I’m meeting her there.” I check my watch again, to impress the idea that I’m running behind. The man seems to get it and starts driving down to the Strip.

We arrive with ten minutes to spare. I pay him, then step out. He’s much faster to leave, not striking up any more conversation.Good.

I open the door for two women coming out, their hands joined and eyes locked on each other. They offer me a quick thanks and go rushing off down the street. There’s a lot more people in the hotel than I would have thought, mid-day on a Thursday – and no Eunice.

My hands clutch the envelope tighter, and I start to rationalize with myself.I did get here early. Maybe she’ll be on time.

Time passes by slower here. Every five minutes I check my watch and am more annoyed every time I see that she’s still not here. The first fifteen minutes pass, then twenty. By the hour mark, I’m calling my mom’s number.

“Hi, dear! How’d it go?” I hear her cheerful voice over the phone, and it makes me more upset.

“It didn’t. Eunice is an hour late.” I hear my mom gasp over the phone, and her cheerful tone turns to an apologetic-seriousness. She sounds stressed,and that’s the absolute last thing I want with her condition.

“Oh, my! Maybe her flight was delayed. I’ll find out for you right now, dear, don’t worry.” We wish goodbyes to each other, and the next number I dial is my secretary.

“Mr. Anderson, what can I do for you?” he chirps in the same neutral tone he always does.

“I need you to hire a P.I. and find out where Eunice Solace is.” He agrees fast, and our goodbyes are curt. I don’t want to go home until I find out where she is. We had a deal!

It feels like forever until he gets back to me, but eventually my phone rings. I answer right away, hoping he has a lead.

“Sir, Miss Solace was confirmed for a flight booking and she is currently in...Europe right now with...” By the time he stops talking, my stomach is clenched. I could not be more on edge right now.

“With who?” I say slowly through gritted teeth, and the next words out of my secretary’s mouth are meek.

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