Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 157(@200wpm)___ 126(@250wpm)___ 105(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 157(@200wpm)___ 126(@250wpm)___ 105(@300wpm)
“Do you feel insane?” I ask.
She hesitates only a moment before slowly shaking her head. “No, I don’t. But we should probably figure out how we’re going to move forward. I’m assuming you want me to move with you to wherever you’re going?” She frowns. “Where are you going, by the way? You never said.”
“Boston,” I say, relieved when happiness flares in her eyes. “You like Boston?”
“I’ve never been, but if my remote work goes in person in the next year, that’s where I would have been moving anyway.”
My smile stretches so wide it hurts a little. “I don’t really believe in Fate, but if I did…”
“She’s on our side,” Wendy Ann says, grinning as she pulls out her tray table. “I’m suddenly starving, how about you?”
“Famished,” I agree, pulling out my tray, as well.
Our food is delivered a moment later and we tuck into our lunch, talking nonstop about my teaching job at Boston University, my charming one-bedroom apartment in an old Victorian near Beacon Hill, and the season tickets to the symphony I purchased as soon as my job was confirmed.
“I love the symphony,” Wendy Ann says. “I’ve only been twice, in Minneapolis when I was little, back when Gran was alive, but it was magical.”
“I have two season tickets,” I say, getting more excited for our life together with every passing moment. “I bought an extra, just in case, even though romance wasn’t really on my agenda.”
“I’m glad it’s on your agenda now.” She tilts her head thoughtfully to one side. “Speaking of romance, should we get a prenup? Is that something you can do in a few hours before a rushed Vegas wedding?”
I laugh. “Why? You don’t trust me with half your assets?”
She shakes her head seriously. “No, it’s you I’m worried about. I’m fresh out of college. Thanks to scholarships, I don’t have student loan debt, but I don’t have much to lose, either. I’ve barely had time to start saving up for an emergency fund. You’ve already owned a successful business and sold that business. I’m sure your bottom line is much healthier than mine.”
I nod in acknowledgement of her point. “It’s pretty healthy. I’ve paid off all my loans and have a nice nest egg saved for a down payment on a house when the time is right.”
“Exactly. I wouldn’t want you to feel like you’re putting that at risk. Marrying a stranger is one thing. Giving her half of your life’s savings when the marriage crashes and burns is another. I mean, I can promise you I wouldn’t try to take anything from you, but…I’m not sure that’s enough in this situation. I really want you to feel safe, and to be positive all I want from you is to be your friend and partner.”
I reach for her hand, enfolding it in both of mine. “I am positive. I’m not afraid.”
“But—”
“I see you, Wendy Ann,” I say. “I see what a good person you are. The last thing I’m worried about is you taking me to court.”
“What are you worried about?” she asks.
“Not much,” I say, feeling the truth of the words in the way that eases the tension in my shoulders. “I mean, I’m a little concerned about what our families are going to think, but I’m too excited to marry you to care. And we’ll be headed to Boston together soon, anyway. They’ll have some time and distance to come to terms with everything while we’re getting settled in our new home.”
Her smile widens. “I’m so excited. I’ve never lived in a city before, but it sounds amazing. I want to walk to restaurants and to the park and museums. I want to eat at rooftop restaurants and bring my groceries home in a little cart and ride public transportation.”
I laugh. “Yeah? You’re excited about public transportation?”
“Totally. Think about the people watching! It will be tremendous.”
“And what about doing our laundry at the laundromat every weekend?” I ask, teasing her. “Are you excited about dragging laundry down three flights of stairs in our Victorian and four blocks down the street to the laundromat? Where we’ll have to sit with our clothes for hours to make sure no one steals them?”
She makes a less excited sound low in her throat. “Ugh, no, that sounds awful. We’ll just have to try not to sweat too much and wear our jeans at least four times before we wash them.”
“I’m kidding,” I say. “I sprung for a unit with a washer and dryer in the bathroom. I had enough of the laundromat when I was living in Minneapolis.”
“Tell me about Minneapolis,” she says, as the flight attendant collects our trays. “I want to hear all about your life. Was residency as hard as Barrett says it is? My sister-in-law, Wren, is in med school now, and they’re already stressing about how they’re going to make it work with two young children and Barrett working full time.”