Page 43 of Bound To Be Mine

I didn’t have the energy to argue anyway. I texted back a thumbs-up and went to the shower to clean up. By the time I was dressed in jeans and a loose tee that I had planned to fly home in, there was a knock at my door.

I opened it to find Cleo and Callum standing there with coffee and pastries from some fancy bakery I’d never heard of.

“Emergency intervention,” Cleo announced, pushing past me into the room. “With carbs.”

“And caffeine,” Callum added, following her inside. “The two essential food groups.”

I took the coffee gratefully and sank onto the couch. “You guys didn’t have to fly out here.”

“Are you kidding?” Cleo settled into the chair across from me, already pulling out a croissant. “Our business partner just accidentally married our cousin. This is absolutely worth the flight. I was going to get you a card, but surprisingly, Hallmark doesn’t make one for that.”

I rolled my eyes. “Haha. But still, you didn’t have to come. I’m a big girl. I can figure this out.”

“It’s like a forty-minute flight on the jet,” Callum said with a shrug. “Barely counts as travel.”

I took a sip of my coffee, letting the blessed warmth roll through me. “I’m sorry. This whole thing is such a disaster.”

“It’s not a disaster,” Cleo said firmly. “It’s unexpected. There’s a difference.”

“Cleo, I got drunk at a client’s wedding and ran off to marry a man I barely know. That’s the definition of a disaster.”

“Or it’s a really efficient way to solve a problem,” Callum said.

I looked at him. “What problem?”

“Briggs was worried about working with someone who wasn’t in the family,” he said, grinning. “And now that’s not a problem. Welcome to the family, cousin!”

“That’s not funny,” I said, but I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips.

“It’s a little funny,” Cleo said. “Come on, Mandy. Of all the Blackwell men you could have accidentally married, Briggs is probably the best option.”

“How do you figure that?”

“Well, he’s responsible. Successful. Not a total asshole, despite first impressions. And he’s not out there being a man-slut like some of the other Blackwell boys. That doesn’t hurt.” She took a bite of her croissant. “Plus, he’s as mortified by this as you are, which means he’s going to want to handle it professionally. You could have ended up with someone who tried to leverage the situation.”

I hadn’t thought of it that way. “I guess.”

“And honestly, this might actually work in your favor,” Callum said. “People love a good romance.”

“Except we didn’t fall for each other. We got drunk and made a terrible decision.”

“Details.” Cleo waved her hand dismissively. “The point is you can spin this. Make it work for you instead of against you.”

I wanted to believe them. I really did. But the anxiety still sat heavy in my chest, making it hard to breathe. “I’ll just be happy if my clients don’t think I’m irresponsible and a liability. Trust is everything in my line of work.”

Cleo set down her coffee and leaned forward. “Mandy, you’ve built your reputation on being excellent at what you do. One unexpected marriage doesn’t change that. If anything, it makes you more relatable. You’re human. You made an impulsive decision. People understand that.”

“She’s right,” Callum said. “And besides, the Blackwell name carries weight. Being married to Briggs, even temporarily, gives you connections you didn’t have before. It opens doors.”

“That is definitely not the point of any of this,” I said.

“It’s practical,” Cleo said. “You’re not using him. You’re making the best of a complicated situation. There’s a difference.”

I picked at my croissant, letting their words sink in. Maybe they were right. Maybe this didn’t have to be the end of everything I’d worked for. Maybe I could find a way to make it work.

“I’m meeting him for dinner tonight,” I said. “To discuss terms.”

“Terms,” Callum repeated, smiling. “Very romantic.”