Page 74 of Married to Lies

33 Rei

I grabbed my outfit from my locker in the storage room and went to the bathroom to change. The theme for Lulu’s dance recital was “Dance In Color,” so I wore a bright-color block dress that reminded me of one of my favorite movies growing up—Thirteen Going on Thirty. Instead of having one claw clip, I picked four that matched my dress and did my hair a little more intricately with two clips toward the top of my head twisting down to a third and fourth clip that kept my loose French braid together.

I had to redo my braid at least three times to make it perfect because I didn’t want to have anything else for my parents to comment on. They’d have enough with my surprise fiancé showing up.

Trying to slow my racing heart, I got out my phone and texted Jada.

Rei: Is it a bad idea to have my parents meet Quentin at my niece’s dance recital?

Jada: That sounds fun. You’ll be occupied the whole time, so they’ll have less of an opportunity to grill you about him. I think it’s a good idea. How did they react to the wedding news?

Rei:

Jada: You haven’t told them???

Rei: I was planning on it tonight.

Jada: ... I mean, at least they won’t make a scene at their granddaughter's recital?

Rei: You’re not helping.

Jada: It’s not like you have a lot of time left to tell them. It’s kind of now or never.

I nodded at my phone in agreement. There wasn’t going to be a perfect time, so I’d just have to settle for now.

Rei: Say a prayer for me.

Rei: And if my parents kill me, I want my ashes spread at New York Fashion Week.

Rei: It’s so dirty in New York no one will notice a vaporized dead body.

Jada: OMG stop. It’s going to be fine. Want me to come for moral support?

Kind of, but also...

Rei: Quentin will be there. He has this calming effect on me. I can’t explain it, but…

Jada: You like him, don’t you?

Rei: I mean, I’m marrying him.

Jada: You know it’s not the same.

A new text came through, this time from Quentin.

Quentin: I’m outside in the car whenever you’re ready.

I swiped back to my thread with Jada.

Rei: Okay, I gotta go. Remember. NYFW.

Jada:

I took a deep breath to soothe myself, only to remember Quentin’s rumbling voice this morning as he called me “good girl.” My sex clenched of its own accord, and I placed a hand over my stomach. “Calm down, girl,” I muttered to myself. “He was trying to keep you from having a panic attack.”

A salacious voice in the back of my mind wondered what other lengths he might go to to soothe me, and I quickly shook my head at the thought. You’re such a horn dog, I chastised myself and walked out of the storage room.

A loud whistle came from the coffee bar, and I looked over to see Dominic grinning at me.