Chapter 171

“Do you take this woman?” the justice asks, smiling kindly at Daniel, “to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Daniel beams down at me and I can’t but smile back at him, laughing a little at the joy on his face.

“I do,” Daniel says, and I wrinkle my nose at him. We’re putting on an act, of course, but honestly? Honestly, a lot of it is real. I love my best friend. I’d marry him and live in a sexless marriage of convenience to raise this baby as his child instead of his brother any Of course, I have other plans.

day.

But this? It’s not a bad backup.

“And do you,” the justice turns to me now, looking at me like the fond mother I never had. “Take this man to be your husband?”

“Yup,” I say, laughing a little as I do so, and then I take a step closer to him, squeezing his hands with my own. Daniel rolls his eyes at me and looks at me incredulously, mouthing the word “yup?!” like he can’t believe I just said that and I laugh and correct myself. “Yes!” I say, laughing outright now, “yes, sorry, yes. Yes, I take him, I do.” “Then I pronounce you man and wife!”