Page 23 of Be My Wife

Rolling over on my back, I let my arm fall against my forehead and stare at the ceiling. All the reasoning in the world can’t stop my senses from reeling with equal parts dread and panic.

Marriage.

I never thought I’d fall into that trap again.

My divorce did a number on me.

Broken trust.

Dark arguments.

Long bouts of restlessness.

The memories haunt me now, as hot as the flames that had scorched my hands in a last ditch effort to save my broken relationship.

I smile grimly.

This is different.

There’s no disguise between me and Elizabeth.

No need to pretend that what we’ll have is love.

It’s an arrangement.

A mutually beneficial exchange.

Seven days.

And then it’s over.

This isn’t like Lana.

I’m not going to be blindsided.

Pulling my laptop to me again, I book the tickets to Vegas and then fill out my part of the pre-application for the marriage license online. After, I send the blank part to Elizabeth.

It’s a little unsettling to realize I don’t know something as simple as her middle name or when she was born and yet she’s going to be my wife for seven days.

I feel the bitterness creeping in my heart again.

Gran knew exactly where to hit me to make it hurt. I’ll give her that.

With a sigh, I climb out of bed and grab a glass of water to take with my sleeping pills. Under usual circumstances, my insomnia would torment me.

But tonight?

On the eve of my second marriage?

There’s no way in hell I’m getting a wink of sleep without external help.

After setting my alarm, I lie down on my back.

The clock on my nightstand ticks loudly.

I sigh. Roll over on my side.

The bed feels empty.

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