Free Unhurt by K.S. Thomas Page B

Contractor Derek? Is that like my title, or something? I mean, I’m not complaining, it just sounds so formal.” He was mocking me, clearly entertained by this unexpected turn of events.
    “Somebody tell me what the hell is going on, or there will be no fajitas for anyone between the ages of five and fifty!”
    Hell, I’d face permanent humiliation before I’d pass up a lunch that Aunt Deb made. My eyes flew back open and I reluctantly turned to face her. “It’s just to even the playing field when I go back to court. I tried to get Mattie, but he’s busy playing house with Bree.”
    “But she got lucky because hot contractor Derek was available to fill in and take his place.” He was still smirking as he came to stand beside me.
    “Is that going to be your thing? Talking about yourself in third person? Because it’s weird.”
    “Weirder than talking to yourself while brushing your hair?” Damn .
    “Yeah, a bit.”
    Aunt Deb slammed her spatula down on the bar between us to get our attention again. “You’re serious. The two of you are getting married?” She wasn’t exactly pissed, but there was definitely something happening with her tone. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. “How exactly is this going to work?”
    “Well, we got our marriage license today, but we have to wait three days until we can go through with it. Then, Derek will move in and pretend to be my husband while I deal with Travis. After everything is all done and over with, we’ll get a quickie divorce and life can go back to normal.”
    “What about Wyatt?”
    “What do you mean, what about Wyatt? Who do you think I’m doing this for?” I hissed, trying to keep my voice down so he wouldn’t hear me. The Lion King had been on in the living room when we walked in and he’d already gotten bored with the conversation and wandered off to go watch it.
    “How are you going to explain to him that this is just pretend?”
    I shrugged. “I’m not. I can’t risk it. They’ll ask him questions this time around. He’ll need to tell them that we’re a real family. He’s just a baby, Deb. He’ll get over it in no time once everything goes back to how it was.”
    I didn’t really believe that. I just really wanted to.
    “And what about the wedding?”
    “What about what wedding?” There would be no wedding. There would be a guy in a suit, two I dos and then that’d be the end of it.
    “You can have it here. I’ll bake the cake, cook the food. It’ll be easy.” She turned her attention back onto lunch, suddenly satisfied by her line of questioning.
    “There’s going to be cake?” It was the first thing Derek had said since Aunt Deb had started her inquisition.
    “No, there will be no cake.” I went after my aunt. “There will be NO wedding.”
    She completely dismissed me. “Of course there will.”
    Next thing I knew I was following her around the island in the kitchen while she went about finishing lunch. “I don’t think you’re understanding this. This is a sham. We aren’t getting married for real.”
    “No, honey. I don’t think you’re understanding this. You got a marriage license. Promises will be made and your marriage will be legal and very, very real. So, there will be a wedding. Besides, can you honestly tell me odds are in my favor I’ll ever have another chance to throw you a reception?”
    She kinda had me there. If I hadn’t been backed into a corner by Travis, she wouldn’t be having this chance now. Ugh. Fucking Travis. And fucking weddings.
    “I’m going to want chocolate. None of that fondant shit. I want real icing. I don’t care if it’s not as pretty.” Shoulders slumped I surrendered and walked over to the cupboards lining the back wall. The table still needed to be set and I was starving, so there was no time like the present to make that happen.
    ***
    F or a minute or two I just sat by on a bar stool and watched while Joss moved around the kitchen, collecting what she would