Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Aidan was silent, and I could practically see him gaping at the phone. “Wife?” he finally choked out.
“Well, not quite yet. Which brings me to why I called. Do you think you could get Judge Lambert to waive the waiting period and marry my fiancée and me tonight?” Aidan had worked with Dillon Lambert for years, and he’d performed a quickie wedding for Aidan and Bianca. “I’ll explain it all another time, but for now, I just need to get my ring on my woman’s finger before she changes her mind.”
Aidan burst into laughter, and I waited impatiently for him to get control of himself. “Sure, D. I’ll give him a call. He’ll text you if he’s available tonight and you can meet him at his office.”
“Thanks, Aidan. I owe you.”
“Just come to dinner. You make my wife happy and you don’t owe me anything.”
“Deal.”
We hung up, and I entered Skye’s little apartment again. She was just zipping up her little carry-on, and when she saw me, she picked up a shoulder bag and set it on top of the suitcase before wheeling it toward me.
I took the bags from her and carried them as I placed my other hand at the small of her back to guide her out of the apartment. Once we were outside, I led her to my SUV and put her bags in the trunk, then helped her into the passenger seat. I went around to the driver’s side, and just as I was hopping in, my phone dinged with a text. After pulling my door closed, I retrieved my cell from my pocket and checked the ID. The message was from Judge Lambert. He was available for the next hour, then he was leaving town for a week.
Well…no time like the present.
I checked to make sure Skye was belted in, then latched my own and started the car.
“Where are we going?” she asked softly as I eased out onto the narrow, one-way street.
“The courthouse.”
6
Skye
When I called Dempsey to share my decision to go through with the marriage of convenience that he’d proposed, I expected to have some time to get used to the idea before we actually said our I do’s. Considering how quickly he’d talked me into an engagement, I shouldn’t have been surprised to find myself at the courthouse only a couple of hours after agreeing to be his wife.
“I thought we were going to have dinner and talk about everything?”
Keeping one hand on the wheel, he reached over to thread his fingers through mine and squeezed. “One of my friends was able to pull some strings for me, so there’s been a slight change of plan.”
“The kind where we can skip the line to get our marriage license?” I asked hopefully. “Waiting in government offices is the worst, so that would be awesome.”
“Then you’re going to be very happy with what I’ve set up for us,” he drawled.
His smug grin made those butterflies swirl in my belly again, but from nerves as much as attraction. “Is there a special waiting room for VIPs or something?”
“Even better than that.”
He avoided telling me what to expect when we arrived at the courthouse, and I finally understood why when we were led directly into a judge’s chambers. Getting married right away was just about the only thing I hadn’t guessed because I didn’t think it was possible, but Dempsey had somehow managed to get the twenty-four-hour waiting period waived.
I was in a stunned stupor as he introduced me to the judge his friend had talked into marrying us today. Glancing down at the simple cotton dress I’d thrown on for what I’d expected to be a casual dinner out, I grimaced. “I’m sorry that I’m not exactly dressed for the occasion, your honor. But I didn’t know that I was getting married today.”
“Don’t worry, dear. This isn’t my first time officiating a surprise wedding for an unsuspecting bride. And please, call me Dillon.” He quirked a brow at my very soon-to-be husband. “Although I hadn’t realized how much you and Aiden were alike when it came to your women until he called me with your request. When you boys fall, you don’t let the grass grow beneath your feet, that’s for sure.”
“Oh, that’s not—”
Dempsey stopped me from spilling our secret—or at least I assumed that’s what he was doing—by squeezing my hand and saying, “I’m just glad I caught you before your vacation.”
“Me, too.” Dillon beamed a grin at his assistant, Brian, as he joined us so he could serve as our witness. “I would’ve hated to miss out on helping with another of these rush weddings. They’re a lot of fun.”
“You won’t hear me complain about witnessing them either.” Brian shot a lopsided smile at Dempsey. “Even without the front row tickets at the fifty-yard line that Aiden promised me on your behalf if I finessed Dillon’s calendar so he could squeeze you in today.”