Page 95 of Axe-identally Married
Chapter Thirty-Two
Willa
“Do you want extra butter or kettle corn?” Magnolia asked, holding up two boxes of microwave popcorn.
Lila raised her wineglass. “Both. And bring the M&M’s too.”
We were camped out in Magnolia’s living room. Scratch that.Living roomwas too pedestrian a term for this space. A great room would be more fitting. It was a massive cathedral that opened up to the lakefront, with several seating areas, a wet bar, and a projection screen that descended from the ceiling with the push of a remote.
We’d pushed the couches together and created a fort with her Hermès cashmere blankets and pillows for girls’ night. We’d been doing this since middle school, camping out here and watching movies while eating snacks and talking all night.
It had been ages since we’d done it, but Lila was on winter break, so Magnolia declared it girl time.
I was reclined, wearing monogrammed silk pajamas—Magnolia had brought each of us a matching set—with a facemask on while the girls busied themselves in the kitchen.
I’d missed this. The carefree fun of being with my friends. It transported me to a simpler time. Back before adult responsibilities had taken over.
Magnolia had inherited the house from her mother, a disgraced New York society heiress who’d had a torrid affair with Magnolia’s father, a starving artist, and had caused her prim and proper family great shame. She was barred from the family compound in Kennebunkport and was instead given this home in the “stick,” as Magnolia’s mother called it. She hated it here, so she stayed away. But when school was out each summer, she would send Magnolia up with her nanny. Eventually, her mother gave it to her as a twenty-first birthday gift.
It was way more house than any one person needed. A massive clapboard colonial on twelve acres, with several outbuildings, one of which I lived in. There were at least seven bedrooms in this house, and the dining room sat twenty. It was just down the road from my quaint little cottage, but when I stepped inside, I instantly felt as if I were a world away.
But Magnolia loved it. She’d furnished it with pieces that fit her eclectic style, and she continued to support the caretakers, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, who’d become like grandparents to her. This place was part of her, and despite her New York career and roots, I knew in my bones she’d come back here for good someday.
Tonight Magnolia had cooked for us, and after we’d eaten, we’d played several hyper-competitive rounds of Uno and then changed into our pj’s and settled in to marathon theHunger Gamesmovies. We’d all been obsessed with the books in high school—another thing we’d bonded over.
“Liam really is the hottest Hemsworth brother,” Lila mused.
I rolled my eyes at her. “He’s no Thor.”
“I mean it.” She slapped the cushion beside her leg. “He’s underrated.”
Magnolia plopped down next to me with a fresh bottle of wine. “Look at the Doc over here.” She nudged me. “She couldn’t appreciate Liam’s hotness if she tried. She has eyes only for her husband.”
My face heated as I darted a glance at Lila.
“She’s in deep,” Lila mused, one side of her lips tipping up. “I’ve never seen her clam up about a guy. Usually she tells us all about her hookups.”
“I’d say she’s dickmatized.” Magnolia raised her pierced brow, the expression full of subtle judgment. I’d sworn to her I wouldn’t let things get physical, and although I hadn’t told her anything, she knew. It was her superpower.
They didn’t even know the half of it. I was completely infatuated with Cole. And while I’d never held back with details about the few guys I’d dated, this was different.
What had happened between us was precious, special, and I wasn’t about to spill all the gory details. He was my husband, after all.
Huh. It felt weird to think of him in that way. We’d been married for over two months, but typically, I thought of him as my friend, my roommate, Cole.
Legally, though, he was my husband. And I was his wife.
I stared down at the ring on my finger, the one we did eventually purchase, and tried to piece together how my feelings had changed in such a short time. The last guy I ever thought I’d trust had turned into the one person I’d opened myself up to entirely.
“She’s got that dreamy look in her eyes,” Lila said, wrapping a blanket around herself. “She’s in love.”
God, I felt terrible lying to her while Mags glared at me. Lila was a far better friend than I could ever deserve. Cole was her ex, after all, and despite the shock and tension in Vegas, she’d been supportive, never saying a single bad word about him. Mystomach clenched at the thought of her discovering the truth. But now, the lines had become so blurry I wasn’t even sure what the truth was anymore.
So I did what any person who didn’t want to face the consequences of their actions did. I redirected.
“What’s going on with the inn?” I asked Magnolia as I grabbed a handful of popcorn.
She had made some noise about buying it and renovating it, and she certainly had the money to do so, but there was a good chance she’d changed her mind. The woman didn’t keep the same hair color for more than a month.
