I'm Still In Love With the Groom novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: The Paper Wedding

Annie's POV

Kat knocked on my door at midnight with two mugs of tea and a very serious face.

"I'm not going to apologize first," she said. "I'm going to explain first. Then you can scream."

"I wasn't planning to scream."

"Good. Move over."

She sat on the end of the bed in her sweatshirt and handed me a mug.

I did not drink it.

"The wedding isn't real," she said.

I looked at her.

"It's real on paper," she went on. "There's a license, and an officiant, and Saturday I'll sign it, and so will Sam. But he doesn't love me and I don't love him. Not like that. Not ever."

The tea sloshed over my wrist and I didn't feel it.

"Say that again."

"It's a paper marriage, Annie."

For a moment the whole room tilted.

I thought of the waitress with the coffeepot, and a man who held his bride at arm's length through a whole song.

I thought of Ryan in the barn saying, I swore to Kat.

"Why?" I said. My voice came out small.

"My grandfather's will." Kat stared into her mug. "He left the ranch in a trust. It goes to me on my thirtieth birthday, and the only condition is that I'm married by then."

"That's the condition?"

"My abuelo was old-fashioned. He said a ranch needs two people to run it." She laughed, short and bitter. "I turn thirty on Saturday."

"October tenth."

"Yes."

"And if you're not married?"

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