She shook her head. “I wouldn’t. I mean, I won’t. I know this isn’t real, but it wouldn’t feel right. For me.”
He could remind her, as she had for him, how long a time frame they were talking about. But he liked her answer too much, and besides, she knew.
They both did.
Two years would be a long damn time. But if his choices were meaningless sex with a stranger while the woman he loved was waiting at home, or nothing?
Nothing it would be.
5
“I can’t believe I agreed to this.”
“I think this is the best idea you’ve ever had.”
Mia looked at Claire, who was sitting in the passenger seat. “Even though you wanted Noah as your backup?”
Claire snorted. “Please. I’d never do that to you. I’ve always wanted you two to get together and I was just trying to get the conversation going. I didn’t know Noah had already popped the question by that point.”
Mia dropped her forehead to the steering wheel. “You’re talking about it like it was a real proposal.”
If he’d actually gotten down on one knee like he offered to, she might have legitimately swooned.
“Real proposal, real marriage,” Claire said. She pointed to her retro blue-and-white polka-dot dress. “Thank you for not making me wear a real bridesmaid dress, though.”
“That’s because this is atemporarymarriage,” Mia corrected. She straightened and pinned Claire with as stern a stare as she could muster. “That part’s secret, though.” Adding that had been more for her benefit... She knew Claire would run down I-70 naked before ratting them out.
Claire pulled down the visor to fluff her blond curls. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“I will.” Little else had been on her mind over the last week.
Butterflies filled her stomach. She swept her eyes across the brick building, CITY HALL displayed in large letters above the door. The parking lot seemed empty for a Friday morning. Mia took the day off, but Noah planned to head to the office after. “Do you think he’s in there already?”
“Probably.”
Mia’s phone buzzed.
Noah:Stop thinking so hard. Get in here and marry me.
A laugh escaped her lips. It was humorous because their roles were reversed—Noah was usually the thinker—and it was exactly what she needed. “Okay. I’m ready.”
Claire met her at the front of the car and they took a few steps before Mia gasped and doubled back, flinging open the rear door. “I almost forgot the license.”
Claire snorted. “Get yourself together, Adrian.” She paused. “Wait, should I call you Agnew from now on?”
“No.” Mia slammed the door, paper in hand. She waited until she was next to Claire again, and whisper-yelled, “This isn’t real! I’m not changing my name.”
Claire shrugged. “Okay. Lots of people keep their names these days.”
They entered the courthouse and found Noah sitting on an old wooden bench along the wall, one ankle propped on the opposite knee. He was the picture of comfort, like marrying women by judge was something he did every other Friday.
He looked up as they entered, his red hair swept to the side in a style more polished than usual. He wore a tailored navy suit, white dress shirt, and a tie.
A tie.
Mia slowed to a stop a few feet away. She looked down at her simple pink dress, feeling her lips turn down at the corners. “I feel underdressed.”
He stood, his expression serious. “You’re beautiful.”