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So there’s only one thing a girl can do in a situation like this—pretend she can’t remember a thing. Yes, that’s the only solution. It’ll take us both off the hook, because let’s face it, it’ll do no good to acknowledge what we said last night. No good at all. It was all nonsense anyway. So, we should just pretend it never happened.
Unless…
What if he does want to marry me and have babies that look like us and grow old together and carry me around when I’m too weak to walk? Because I could totally get on board for all of that. Especially the being carried around part. I’m already sick of walking, I know I won’t want to do it when I’m old. I stare at his face, a thrill running through me at the idea of being his wife. Well, so long as he’s not an ice cube chewer with a sex room.
No, idiot, that’s not going to happen. I have to trust everything he’s told me when he’s not completely whacked out of his mind on drugs. He doesn’t want to get married. He doesn’t want children, and he sure as hell doesn’t want someone like me. I need to get out of here a.s.a.p.—it’s my only chance to save my poor heart. And also to save my sanity and keep my work family, because if I come home married to Ty Sterling, the devil himself, they’ll all hate me forever. Not that he wants to marry me, because he definitely doesn’t.
I wiggle away from him and go in search of my clothes, which are strewn around the cabin. Quickly getting dressed, I then take one last look at him, just to torture myself. God, he’s perfect. I’m tempted to crawl back into bed and continue snuggling his perfect, warm, naked body. But I can’t. I have to get the hell out of here. Fast. I slip out the door and hurry to my cabin, hoping no one sees me.
An hour later, I’ve showered, put on some makeup and done my hair up in a bun, hoping to erase the memory of last night’s Boho Gwen in her flowing skirt with her hair down and her inhibitions nowhere to be seen.
I throw on my cargo pants and a T-shirt and make my way down to the open-air restaurant for breakfast. My heart pounds in my chest as I walk along the wood path through the trees. My feet slow down because they know exactly how embarrassing it’s going to be when I get there. But I have to go. It’s not like I can hide in my cabin for the rest of the trip.
When I arrive, I see the rest of the gang eating already, except Ty, who is at the buffet. “Oh God,” I mutter, my stomach flipping.
I lift my chin, throw my shoulders back, and walk across the restaurant with as much confidence as I can muster. Yes, this will work. This is how I’ll convince everyone I don’t remember any of it. I pick up a plate and offer Ty a bland smile. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” he says, looking slightly wary.
Damn, that’s not the expression of a man who wants to marry me. Oh, wait, not that I want to marry him either. Because, no way. “The eggs look good today,” I tell him, thinking of making a joke about how they look ‘unfertilized, just like I like ‘em.’
“Yes, very good,” he says, scooping some onto his plate.
“So, last night was weird, wasn’t it?” I ask, my heart thumping. Before he can say anything, I add, “I totally blacked out right after that thing Karen was saying about being Mrs. Universe.”
Ty gives me a knowing look and I can tell he’s going to go along. “That is weird because I don’t remember anything after that either.”
“It must have hit us both at the same time,” I say, piling some fruit next to my eggs.
“I guess it makes sense since we drank it at the same time.”
“Exactly. So, do you know what’s on the agenda today?” Oh, that’s good, Gwen. Casually change the subject.
“Not a clue, but I’m assuming we’ll find out right after breakfast,” Ty says, gesturing for me to lead the way back to the table.
I give him a polite nod, then start to walk back, hyper-aware of the fact that he’s right behind me and what I really want is for him to reach his hand around my waist and pull me to him, then plant kisses down my neck.
“Da dum da dum, da dum da dum!” Karen sings.
“Here comes the bride,” Savannah says.
“Are you fully pregnant, Gwen?” Niles asks.
Oh fuck. They’re not going to let us off the hook, are they? Setting my plate down, I give them a blank look, then say, “What? What’s that about?”
I take a seat, then look at Karen with an innocent expression.
Ty, who sits next to me, says, “Yeah, what are you talking about?”
He’s good. He’s scary good at looking innocent, actually. Mental note: do not trust this man.
“Come on, you know what happened last night,” Karen says. “You two were adorable by the way. I mean, it’s a little fast for you to be pledging your undying love to each other, but hey, sometimes love at first sight happens.”
“Pledging our … pfft,” I say, shaking my head. “I don’t recall that. Ty, do you recall that?”
“Nope. Never happened. Maybe you imagined it, Karen,” he says.
