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“We plan to be married mid-September.”
Zane narrows his eyes at me. “Why so soon? You just got engaged.”
“Foster requested a quick engagement. What does it matter? Soon you’ll have the boys, and I’ll be in the way.”
“Is that why you want to move so quickly?” Lana asks.
“No. I love him, and he wants me to live with him.”
Zane shakes his head. “I guess I have no choice but to accept this. Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”
“Because I knew how you felt about him.”
“You complained about him a few weeks ago. How long have you been dating?”
I have to think fast. I remember the conversation I had with Zane and Lana at the dinner table several about how Foster barked at me to move my ass to get him some files, which hurt. I had cursed him out when I got home.
“Two months,” I state. “Foster is still my boss at the office. He couldn’t give me special treatment because we were dating. It had to be kept secret.”
“I hope this won’t be a trend in your relationship, or he’ll be getting a visit from me.”
“You can’t protect me all the time. I’m not a child.”
“No, you’re not, but you’re still my little sister. I want you to be happy.”
“I am happy, and I want you to welcome Foster as part of our family.”
Zane grumbles, “I’ll try my best, but don’t get angry if I slip.”
“Try to hold your tongue.”
My brother gets up from his chair and comes over to hug me. I inwardly breathe a sigh of relief: one hurdle down, a few more to go.
The next week is crazy, to say the least. Foster convinced a friend at The New York Times to print our engagement announcement for next weekend. He also dragged me to a photographer to have official photographs taken for the paper. It was strange being so close to him. We posed in several ways where we were in each other’s arms, and it was like we were a normal couple.
Foster is true to his word, however. My bank account ballooned to two hundred and fifty thousand the day after my signature was on the contract. I also received an email from my school loan company informing me my loan was paid in full. When I checked my credit card balances, they were zeroed. It was like a life renewal. I am now financially solvent but have to work to make our marriage seem real.
Sitting at my desk, I am entering data when my phone rings. “Paige Butler,” I answer after picking up.
“You won’t be saying that for much longer,” Foster responds.
“No, I guess I won’t.”
“Can you come to my office?”
“As soon as I hang up.”
The phone clicks in my ear. I rise and straighten my blue polka-dotted dress. Coworkers stare at me as I hurry to Foster’s office. The news was out even though our announcement was not in the paper yet. I can only imagine what they are saying behind my back.
Mark smiles at me as I approach. “Mr. Black said to go right in.”
“Thank you.” I push the door open to find Foster at his desk, typing on his laptop. After I close it behind me, he looks up.
I smirk. “You rang?”
“My parents want to throw us an engagement party.”
I groan as I plop down in the chair in front of his desk. “This isn’t easy.”
