Page 53 of Crazy Love

My wedding day.

I spent a little extra time on my hair this morning and it still looks good by that afternoon. The minute I’m able to leave work, I get out of there, hurrying home. It’s the earliest I’ve left since I started. I rush home and brush my teeth, touch up my makeup, and pin one side of my hair back with a pretty clip.

By the time I put on my dress, my hands are trembling. I glance in the mirror and then the clock. Penn should be here any minute, which makes my stomach churn. When I hear a knock at the door, I grab my clutch and swing the door open. Penn is standing there, looking picture-perfect in his suit. He takes me in and I’m glad I made the effort because he definitely notices.

“You look stunning, Addy,” he says.

“Thank you. You’re looking pretty stunning too.”

A muscle ticks in his jaw as we stare at each other.

“Last chance to get out of this,” he says.

“I’m sure about this, Penn. Are you?”

“Yes,” he says.

I can tell we’re both feeling the weight of the day, and that’s not all bad. This is bigger than the two of us. We’re doing this for a good reason, and I don’t think either of us wants to lose sight of that.

“You ready?” he asks, his eyes searching mine.

“Ready.”

We’re quiet on the way to Sam’s school, nerves thick between us. Penn’s fingers tap against the steering wheel. When we pull in front of the school, Sam is walking outside, and when he sees us coming, he grins, jogging toward the SUV.

“Hey,” he says, tossing his backpack onto the floorboard as he climbs into the back seat. He leans forward, looking between the two of us. “What’s going on?”

Penn and I exchange a quick glance before we both smile back at him, maybe a little too brightly. His eyes narrow. The kid’s quick. I don’t think there’s much that gets past him.

“Hello?” His head veers from Penn to me and back to Penn.

Penn clears his throat and tips his chin toward the garment bag next to Sam. “I brought a suit for you.”

Sam blinks. “I don’t have a suit.”

“You do now.” Penn grins. “You can change at the courthouse if you want. We’ve got a wedding to go to.”

Sam’s eyes bug out. “We’re…getting married today?” His voice lifts in surprise. “I mean, you guys? I get to be there? Is everyone else meeting us there?”

Penn shakes his head. “We’re just doing something simple for now.” When he glances at me, there’s something unreadable in his expression. “Maybe we can do the bigger thing later, but we decided we didn’t want a big to-do when Addy’s just started working for the Mustangs.”

That’s a good reason for what we’re doing. A logical one. But I can’t help but wonder if there’s a part of Penn that still isn’t sure about this. I’m nervous too, but I haven’t changed my mind. I still believe this is the only surefire way to get Sam with Penn, and now that I’m getting to know Sam for myself, I want to be part of his life too.

“That makes sense,” Sam says, nodding. “Well, I’m really happy that I get to be there with you.”

His voice is so sincere, so full of excitement, that it melts my heart all over again.

The courthouse is quiet when we arrive, the halls nearly empty aside from the occasional person passing by. When Sam comes out of the restroom in his suit, Penn and I both go onabout how good he looks until the poor boy’s cheeks are bright red. He fidgets with the lapel of his suit jacket while we wait. When we step into a small, unremarkable room, the justice of the peace greets us with a friendly but slightly frazzled smile.

“Are you ready to be married?” he asks.

Penn’s eyes are heated as he turns to look at me, and my heart flip-flops.No, no, heart. Don’t get all twisted up in Penn Hudson. This is a business arrangement.

But the way he’s looking at me does not feel at all businessy.

“We are,” he says, his voice husky.

I nod. “Yes.” It comes out as a squeak and I clear my throat and try again. “Yes.”

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