Page 20 of Moonlight & Matrimony
An hour later, I’m pulling up in front of Rosie’s diner. The summer heat bears down on me as I take in the bustling post-church crowd. I learned very quickly that Sundays in Oak Ridge are utter chaos. Blooming flower boxes line the sidewalk, adding to the small-town charm I fell in love with the first time I visited Paige, and I have to sidestep a few vaguely familiar people to get to my destination.
The bell chimes over the door when I enter, several heads swiveling in my direction. It’s not my first time here, but I’m still new in town and my presence doesn’t go unnoticed. I’m not a small guy at 6’3”, and the years of hard labor under my belt have honed my broad shoulders and hulking stature.
Rosie’s diner has a cozy rustic charm to it, with its weathered wood walls, and old vinyl booths. It clearly holds a rich history within its walls, and the owners are an adorable older couple named Rosie and Archie. They’ve been nothing but welcomingsince the moment I arrived in Oak Ridge, and this place has become somewhat of a haven for me these past few weeks.
It’s not long before I spot a familiar bespectacled girl flagging me down from the end of the long weathered countertop. I take the empty stool at Ivy’s side, pulling out the menu that’s tucked between the napkins and the condiments. Ivy lets out a long breath. “Ok, so when do we do this?”
“I’m ready when you are, sweetheart.” There’s a smile on her face when the term of endearment slips out.
“Sweetheart? Ivy girl, is there somethin’ you need to tell us?” Rosie approaches us with a curious expression, her forearms perched across from us on the island. Her shoulders barely reach above the surface. “I noticed you two getting a little cozy at Paige’s baby shower, but I had no idea y'all were together.” Ivy blushes, and my mind wanders to other ways I could get that color into her face.
“Rosie, have you met my fiancé, Luca?”Wow, I guess we’re really doing this now.
“fiancé? You’re marrying Paige’s brother? I can’t wait to hear this story. Wait, where's the ring?”
“Well…umm…you see…” Ivy fidgets with her hands as she shifts uncomfortably in her seat. Rosie’s eyes narrow and I decide to cut in, saving us from an early slip up.
“It’s getting sized. Nana has tiny fingers, and it’s a family heirloom.”
“Oh, how lovely. I’m sure it’s absolutely beautiful.”
“It is,” I agree, knowing the ring I have in mind is perfect for Ivy. I’ll have to talk to Nana about it, but she always said I would pass it on to my future wife. I imagine myself sliding it onto her ring finger, the wayward thought coming completely unbidden and I have to tamp it back down. Surprisingly, I don’t hate the idea, but I can’t afford to get caught up in the pretense.
“Well, congratulations, you two! You be good to my girl here,” she says, pointing at me with the flat end of a spatula as she smirks. I nod in agreement, noting how much this town adores my soon-to-be wife.
“So, what can I get you two lovebirds?” Rosie takes our orders and heads back through the swinging doors to the kitchen. When she’s out of earshot, Ivy turns on her stool, her knees bumping into mine, giving me an assessing stare as she picks at her thumbnail.
“I can go to the thrift store and see if I can find an antique ring.”
“No. If we’re going to pull this off, you need to wear Nana’s ring. Nobody will question if it’s real, as long as you have that ring on your finger.”
She scoffs. “Surely you don’t mean to keep this a secret from our friends? There’s no way they’ll believe it.”
“You said it yourself — Austin has connections in this town. One wrong word or overheard conversation could be bad news. We need to keep this between us. In fact, talking about this in public right now is probably a bad idea.” I say the last part through clenched teeth. “We need to act more like a couple, if this is going to be even a little bit convincing.”
“What do you mean?” Ivy asks.
Before I can explain, the bell chimes from the entrance as a menacing figure steps through the doors, sending a chill up my spine. “Fuck.” I curse as Ivy’s gaze follows mine to the exit. Her face pales and I do the only thing I can think of.
“Just go with it.” I crash my mouth down on hers, hoping she won’t push me away. When she melts into my arms, I close my eyes, reveling in the softness of her lips against mine and the feel of her cheek beneath my palm. She lets out a little mewl and I take a chance, flicking my tongue along the seam. She opens for me and pulls me closer, her arms clutching at my shoulders, onehand diving into my hair. She tastes like sweet tea and chapstick. When we pull away, we’re both breathless and all eyes are on us, including the narrowed gaze of Ivy’s ex-husband.
Her body stiffens a touch, his icy glare piercing us both before he stalks back out the door and onto Main Street. I watch as he walks out of view, then pull Ivy’s trembling body into my arms. “Fuck. Are you okay?” She takes one more stuttered breath, then composes herself.
“Yeah. I’m fine. S-sorry...”
I tilt her head, forcing her to look at me. “I should be the one apologizing. I didn’t know what else to do.” I swipe my thumb along her cheekbone, taking in the little freckles along her nose and her forehead. Clearing my throat, I adjust myself back on my stool as Rosie returns from the kitchen, a mischievous smile on her face and two plates in hand.
“We could do it tomorrow,” Ivy suggests, not meeting my gaze as her fingers fidget with a napkin.
Our plates lay empty on the countertop. Most of the lunch rush has dissipated and leaving only the two of us at the counter. I’ve been subtly touching Ivy throughout our meal, making a show of our budding fake relationship.
“I think there’s a waiting period after you get the license,” I respond. At least that’s how it is in most places, as far as I know. Ivy pulls out her phone and starts tapping away at the screen. After a few seconds, she turns it to face me. Would you look at that — no waiting period in Kentucky.
“Ok. If you’re sure. I don’t want to put any pressure on you. We could stay engaged for a while first.”
“I have a court date coming up…” she inhales a shaky breath, a moment of uncertainty flashing across her features. “I think offering a two-parent household might help. Um... not that I’m asking you to be Rylin’s dad. But, in the past, Austin has threatened to use my single status and my freelance artist work against me to show that I’m not providing a stable household.” She continues fidgeting as she explains her reasoning, and I find the nervous tick almost endearing.
“It’s fine. You don’t have to explain. We’ll get it done tomorrow. You and Rylin can move in with me within the week.”
