Page 21 of Hitched to my Boss

"I'll call you later. Right now, I have a breakfast meeting with the client who thinks my new wife is proof that I'm stable and reliable."

I hear him hang up and immediately dial another number.

"Zennika? Before you say anything, let me explain." His voice drops to a barely audible tone. "Yes, I married Natalia. No, I can't remember proposing. Yes, it's complicated. No, I'm not having a breakdown."

Even through the door, I can hear a woman's voice responding in rapid-fire questions that make Jason wince.

"We're handling it," he says firmly. "We're both adults, and we're figuring it out as we go. I'll call you tonight with more details."

The conversation ends, and silence falls in the next room. I emerge from the bathroom to find Jason sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed in a fresh suit, staring at his phone like it might explode.

"Family pressure?" I ask, sitting beside him to put on my heels.

"Jude thinks I've lost my mind. Zennika wants to fly to Vegas immediately to stage an intervention." He looks at me, taking in my appearance with an appreciation that makes my skin warm. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." The compliment feels more significant than it should, coming from my husband. "Are you ready for this?"

"Define ready."

I reach for his hand, noting how natural the gesture feels despite the surreal circumstances. "Ready means we walk into that restaurant as a married couple who are happy, committed, and completely normal. No matter what questions Hartwell asks or what assumptions he makes."

"And if he asks how we met? How long we've been together? Why we decided to get married in Vegas?"

"Then we tell him a version of the truth that supports the narrative we need." I stand, pulling him up with me. "We met through your business. We've been working closely together and realized we had strong feelings for each other. Vegas was spontaneous but felt right."

"That's not entirely false."

"The best cover stories are mostly truth." I smooth the lapels of his suit jacket, trying to ignore how the gesture feels like something a real wife would do. "The key is believing it ourselves."

"And after breakfast? After we sign the contract and Hartwell goes back to his ranch convinced that his new contractor is a stable family man?"

I pause in the middle of checking my purse, struck by the realization that we haven't actually discussed the practical aspects of maintaining this arrangement. "We figure out how to make this work, day to day, without destroying either of our careers."

"Which means?"

"Which means we establish some ground rules." I turn to face him fully. "Professional boundaries, living arrangements, how long we maintain this arrangement, what happens when it ends."

Jason's jaw tightens slightly. "You're already planning the exit strategy."

"I'm being practical. Jason, we barely know each other, and we just made a decision that affects both our professional reputations. We need parameters."

"Right. Parameters." He moves toward the door, and I can see him retreating behind familiar walls. "Wouldn't want this to get too complicated."

"It's already complicated." I follow him, noting the tension that's suddenly appeared in his shoulders. "I'm trying to make sure we both survive the complications."

We ride the elevator to the restaurant in silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts about what we're about to attempt. I can feel Jason's frustration with my need to establish boundaries, but I can't help it. Boundaries are what keep me sane, what keep me professional, what keep me from making emotional decisions that destroy everything I've worked for.

Like accidentally marrying a client in Vegas.

The restaurant is elegant but not ostentatious, exactly the kind of place where successful ranchers conduct business overeggs Benedict and perfectly brewed coffee. Hartwell is waiting at a corner table, rising to greet us with the kind of genuine warmth that makes it clear he's genuinely happy about our marriage.

"There they are!" He embraces me carefully, then claps Jason on the shoulder with enough force to stagger a smaller man. "The happy couple! You both look wonderful, considering the celebration last night."

Jason's hand finds the small of my back, a gesture that feels natural enough to convince anyone watching that we're genuinely together. "Thank you for accommodating our somewhat unconventional timeline."

"Unconventional?" Hartwell laughs, pulling out my chair before Jason can. "Son, I've been married for thirty-seven years. Started as a Vegas elopement just like yours. Sometimes you know what you want when you see it."

"That's exactly how it felt," I say, accepting the role I need to play. "When you find the right person, timing becomes irrelevant."

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