Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“I dunno, babe—just do what you want,” he’d said, whenever Molly had the temerity to bother him with a question about the wedding.
Things with Torus couldn’t have been more different.
The big Kindred helped her pick the flowers and the music and even discussed the reception which was going to be held in the parkland around the Sacred Grove afterwards. Kat assured them that everything was going to be beautiful.
“We’ll have the Sacred Grove all decked out for you—you’ll see,” she had promised. “Don’t worry that it’s last minute—we’re used to pulling things together on the fly here.”
After that, it was getting late and Torus suggested that they go back to the Kindred Information Department and invite all of their coworkers to the wedding.
“Unless there’s anyone else you’d like to invite?” he asked.
Molly thought sadly of her family back on Earth. Even if this was a real wedding and not just a subterfuge, she still couldn’t have invited them. Or rather, she could have, but she knew they wouldn’t come.
“No,” she said softly. “What about you? Do you have any friends or family to invite?”
“No family, but I do have a few friends—some of the Jorgen Kindred who came with me to the Mother Ship will probably attend.”
“Are…are you going to tell them that the wedding isn’t, you know, real?” Molly had asked.
Torus frowned.
“But it is real. We’re going to be married in the Sacred Grove by a priestess.”
“Yes, but it’s not like we’re, you know, actually in love or anything,” Molly protested.
“We need to work on pretending we are, though,” Torus murmured. He had reached for Molly’s hand and entwined their fingers. “From now on, we need to act like a couple everywhere we go,” he told her. “And we need to be sure everyone thinks we’re completely in love.” Then he bent down and pressed his lips to the back of her hand, looking into her eyes for a long moment. “Don’t you agree?” he rumbled softly.
“Oh, yes—absolutely.” Molly’s heart started pounding at the way he was looking at her.
“Good.” He rose to his full height again. “Then let’s go invite some wedding guests.”
The reaction at work had been complete, stunned silence for almost a full minute after Torus had gathered everyone together and announced that he and Molly were getting married and everyone had the day off work and was invited to attend.
Then Lana began clapping loudly and exclaimed,
“Congratulations! You two are perfect together!”
Molly was endlessly grateful to her friend—Lana was so good at breaking the ice. Suddenly, all her coworkers were looking at her with new eyes. They all came up to congratulate her and Torus. Molly smiled and thanked them, still feeling completely unreal. When Lana came up to hug her, she whispered in Molly’s ear,
“You’re going to have to tell me everything later! Because, girl—this is crazy, you know?”
“I know,” Molly whispered back. “But everybody has to believe it—okay?”
“Got it.” Lana nodded and later Molly heard her whispering to some of the other women in the department that Molly and Torus had “been in love for months, but they didn’t want to tell anyone.” She was glad Lana was spreading the rumor to help their ruse—even though her friend didn’t know the details.
Lana would definitely be one of the few people who knew the truth about her wedding to their boss, she decided. She knew she could trust her friend to keep their secret.
The only coworker who didn’t come up to congratulate her and Torus was Karen Geners. She just stared wide-eyed in shock when Torus made the announcement. And then, instead of coming up to say anything, she stayed in her cubicle with her face turned away.
Molly didn’t think much of it—she would be just as happy if her snooty coworker didn’t come to the wedding. Lana was the only one she really wanted to attend—everyone else could come if they wanted or just stay home.
After the announcement and congratulations, Torus appointed Lana as the temporary head of the department while they were gone on their honeymoon, which had made Molly’s best friend even more excited. Not just being the temporary boss—she was happy about that, of course—but it was the honeymoon she wanted to know all about.
Molly had to promise to tell her the details later because she didn’t know any of them herself. All she actually knew was that she and Torus would be going to Earth where the Press could see them and document their “love.”
Following the excitement at their work, Molly had thought she would probably just go home. But Torus had insisted on taking her out to a romantic restaurant that served Twin Moons cuisine. However, when the waiter asked if “the little lady would like to try some of our famous Bonding Fruit mousse for dessert,” Torus had cut him off with a sharp, “No!”