A Love Like This (Book 1) (23 page)

I interrupt,
 
“
whose Steve?
”
 

“
He
’
s the guy with the dreads. Riley and
 
Nickie
 
really hit it off.
”
 
 
He raises his
eyebrow
s
 
“
I mean they really
 
really
 
hit it off.
”
 

My head is spinning.
 
 
“
Ok skip to the part where we end up married.
”
 
 
I can feel my chest tightening and my breathing becoming rapid.
 
I look down at my hands and there on the third finger of my left hand are two rings.
 
The first is a platinum wedding band with diamonds surrounding it.
 
The second a princess cut solitary that
 
has to be at least four karats.

“
We came home early this morning and everyone crashed.
 
You
’
ve been asleep since the flight back from Vegas.
”

“
I can
’
t breathe,
”
 
I say clutching at my chest.

Tucker springs to my side.
 
 
“
Baby look at me, it
’
s ok you
’
re fine just breathe.
”
 

I put my head between my knees trying to catch my breath.
 
“
But why am I married? I say knowing the question sounds ridiculous before it leaves my lips.
 

Nickie
 
and Sarah come rushing into the room.
 
 
“
What did you do to her?
”
 
Sarah yells pushing Tucker aside.
 
 
Nickie
 
sits down and wraps her arms around me.
 
Tucker stands in the door way raking his hands through his hair looking anxious.
 
Riley and Steve are standing behind him looking confused.
 

Sarah marches over and pushes them all out of the room.
 
 
“
We
’
ll talk to her.
 
Put on a pot of coffee it
’
s going to be a long morning,
”
 
she says before closing the door.

“
Honey I thought something like this might happen let me show you something.
”
 
 
Sarah opens a video on her smart phone.
 
There I am doing the bump with Jazzman the drag queen.
 
Sarah pans the camera over to Tucker.
 
He
’
s sitting there drinking a beer and shaking his head.
 
In the next video
 
Pooky
 
rushes over to the group excited.
 

“
I met a guy who
’
s going to Vegas in an hour.
 
He has a private plane and he said we can all tag along.
”
 

I watch myself throw my hands in the air and say,
 
“
Yes Tucker we
’
re getting married in Vegas.
”
 

The camera
 
goes back to Tucker who is choking on his drink and waving his hands back and forth.
 

The next video shows
 
Nickie
 
and Riley trying to suck one another
’
s face off.
 
 
“
We can delete that video,
”
 
Nickie
 
says swiping at the phone.
 

The next video shows Tucker dragging me off the stage at a Karaoke bar and more footage of Riley and
 
Nickie
 
in a passionate embrace.
 

“
Here are the final two videos,
”
 
Sarah says.
 
There is a picture of me wearing a white sun dress.
 
Sarah
’
s voice comes from behind the camera,
 
“
You
’
re a little drunk maybe you shouldn
’
t do this?
”
 

“
I love him,
”
 
I say to the camera.
 

Tucker is in the final video talking to Riley.
 

“
Bro you
’
re drunk think about what you
’
re doing.
 
You don
’
t know anything about her and she doesn
’
t know anything about you or your family.
”
 

“
I
’
m not drunk and my families not marrying her I am.
”
 
 
Tucker turns and looks at Riley.
 
His face is so peaceful and warm that I feel my heart flutter.
 
 
“
I feel like something
’
s missing when she
’
s not around.
 
I want to protect her, I love her man.
”
 

“
My phone died after that.
”

I
’
m staring at the blank screen wide eyed and confused.
 
 
Nickie
 
is still rubbing my shoulders.
 
 
“
I
’
m so sorry Leila.
 
I should have taken care of you the way you always take care of me.
”
 
 
Nickie
 
says crying.
 

“
I
’
m an adult I can take care of myself.
”

“
You can probably get the marriage annulled,
”
 
Nickie
 
says.

“
I just want to lie down for a minute. Can you guys give me a minute?
”
 

“
Sure sweetie we
’
ll make you some tea and don
’
t worry this will all work out fine,
”
 
Sarah says before closing the bedroom door.
 
I close my eyes and flash
 
backs of the night before come
 
rushing into my head.
 
The little white chapel that I picked out from a hotel pamphlet, the sun dress I found at a boutique on the
 
Las Vegas strip all come
 
back to me.
 
The memory is extremely detailed for a wedding planned in a drunken state.
 
I
’
m lying in Tucker
’
s giant bed for what feels like only a few minutes trying to figure out what to do.
 
I open my eyes and
 
Pookie
 
is sitting on a chair in front of me.
 
I sit up and hug him knowing he
’
ll figure this entire thing out for me.
 

“
They
’
re all out there trying to figure out how to get an annulment on a Sunday.
 
“
 
 
Pookie
 
shakes his head and squeezes the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.
 
I
’
m thinking he must really be worried but he lifts his head and his face shows nothing but amusement.

“
Pookie
 
this isn
’
t funny,
”
 
I say starting to tear up.

“
I know baby, but only you would wake up married after your first time getting drunk.
 
We have to drive
 
home today baby do you want us to take you back to the dorm.
”

“
Does Tucker want me to leave?
”
 
I ask trying not to cry.

Pookie
 
smiles,
 
“
Tucker is freaking out pacing the floor not saying much about anything.
”
 

“
He must feel terrible.
 
I made such a mess of things,
”
 
I say crying.
 

Pookie
 
wipes my tears away with his fingers and smiles sympathetically.
 
 
“
You love him don
’
t you?
”

“
I think so, but I don
’
t really know anything about him.
”

“
You don
’
t have to rationalize it.
 
If you love him
 
don
’
t worry
 
about anything else just make it work.
 
I
’
m going to send him in but I need you to go clean yourself up first because you look a mess.
”
 

I smile and hug
 
Pookie
 
again before grabbing my purse and setting off for the bathroom. I look in the mirror at raccoon eyes and a blotchy ashy face.
 
Inside my purse is a big
zip lock freezer bag with a shower cap, a travel size bottle of my orange body butter, a
 
comb and brush, toothbrush, deodorant and a black lace thong.
 
I
’
m not sure what
 
Pookie
 
thought I
’
d be doing but I definitely need everything he packed.
 
I stand in the shower until my skin gets all wrinkly.
 
I dry off with one of Tuckers thick white towels and peek out the bathroom door before tiptoeing out in only the black lace thong.
 
I
’
m rummaging through Tucker
’
s things for something to wear when the bedroom door opens.

“
Shit, I
’
m sorry,
”
 
Tucker says placing a hand over his eyes.
 
Steve and Riley insisted that I put on a shirt.
 
I cover myself with one hand and reach for a sheet with the other.
 

“
I
’
m sorry. I should have dressed in the bathroom.
”
 

He
’
s standing by the door with his hands in front of his face shuffling his feet from side to side like a child in time out.

“
Will you come in?
”
 
I say looking down at the floor.
 
I
’
m crying again like an idiot.
 

“
Please don
’
t cry.
”
 
He clo
ses the door and crosses the large
room in two steps.