Page 4 of Runaway Bride's Guide to Love

And as for saying cards, as in plural? That was on purpose. Let’s see what he has to say about that.

“I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you.” I give him credit—his face and body are all showing signs of guilt and being in the wrong. “Things just got away from me. Before I knew it, I had all my credit cards maxed, so I took ours and used that too. I’m going to get out of this, I promise.”

He trails off, either not knowing what else to apologize for, or what else to say.

“You’re right. You should have told me. And you shouldn’t have used our money. Ourweddingmoney. Or our joint credit card.”

He nods. “I know. But I thought I could get it back before you found out.”

How’s that going for ya?

That’s what I want to say. It’s on the tip of my tongue. But I don’t. A smartass comment isn’t going to fix the situation. It’s just going to cause a bigger fight.

Ugh! Why does adult Stella need to be mature? I want to scream and slap him and throw a drink in his face and call him every name in the book for fucking up like this. I mean, what else did he do? Invest in an MLM and now we have to invite his downline to the wedding? Send money to a Nigerian prince?

That’s what I want to say, and in my mind when I’m saying all of this to him, it’s poetic and perfect and I don’t stumble over a word. He gets the tongue lashing he deserves, and I feel better in the process.

Still broke. But a little better.

But I don’t. Because I’m not that girl anymore. I’m not the one who starts shit at bars. Or speaks before she thinks. Plus, Duncan hates when I let the sarcasm slip out. And by the look on his face, he’s beating himself up enough right now.

So I do what I’m sure I’m going to have to do many times over the next how-ever-many years of marriage: I lie to save a fight.

Welcome to wedded bliss…

“It’s okay.”

His face turns from regretful to shocked and hopeful. “It is?”

No. It’s not. But in this moment, I don’t have a choice for it to be anything else but okay. I have guests that are probably wondering where we’re at. We have four hundred people coming to a wedding tomorrow that I’ve been planning for ayear. Is this the best way to start a marriage? Absolutely not. But it’s just money. We can figure it out.

After the honeymoon. That is if there’s even any money for it…

“It has to be,” I say, doing my best to sound comforting and reassuring. “I have my emergency credit card, so I can finish the payments with the vendors. And I’m sure we’ll get plenty of gift money so we can at least enjoy our honeymoon.”

“Oh, babe,” Duncan says in relief as he kisses my cheek. “I knew everything would be okay. What would I do without you?”

Oh, the comments smartass Stella could make…

“We’ll be okay.” I try to be hopeful, though I don’t know if that’s coming through. “Though I really didn’t think we’d be putting into effect the wedding vows of ‘being there for each other through tough times and bad’ so early.”

“For richer, for poorer.”

I narrow my eyes. “Too soon.”

He smiles and dammit, my worries somehow melt a little.

He’s been able to do this since we got together. His smile has always been my kryptonite. It’s how he went from just the guy I worked with to the guy I saw a future with. It’s the smile I hope our kids have.

It’s the smile I want to see for the rest of my life.

Right?

Yes.

Maybe.

Huh?

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