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This time the woman from earlier walked in, unaccompanied by her children.

Did that door lock? Bekah needed to find out if people walking in randomly was a thing she needed to be prepared for or if it was just a thing that was happening right now because they all knew this meeting was going on.

“What do you think, Bekah?”

She blinked and looked over at Joe. The conversation must have been on-going, but she had no idea what the question could have been.

How was she supposed to get out of this?

CHAPTER 4

Given Bekah’s deer-in-the-headlights look, Josiah guessed she had no idea what they were talking about. She looked like she’d zoned out for a minute or two prior to Ben’s question.

“Why don’t we get out of here?” Katrín suddenly came to their rescue. “These two have been through quite an ordeal and need some rest. They may not be conventional newlyweds, but then, neither were we.” She stood. “I’m sure they’d appreciate all of us staying out of their business, just like we did.”

Ben and Thor joined her, though Thor’s look was one of barely-concealed amusement.

“We’ll talk more in the morning,” Ben gave Josiah a sort of sideways look that meant the conversation wasn’t over.

Not that Josiah expected it to be.

He didn’t know what his older brother was keeping from him, but there had to be more to the story than was meeting the eye.

A minute later, he was alone with Bekah. Flipping the lock on the door, he leaned back against it. “Did you have a good nap?”

Bekah shrugged. “It was fine.” She looked down and picked at an imaginary piece of fuzz on the pajama pants she wore. “Thanks for the clothes.”

“They’re actually too small for me which means they’re still too big for you.” He grinned and pushed off of the door. “Are you hungry?”

She shook her head. “Not really, not yet. How does that even work in a place like this?”

Josiah chuckled and sat back down. “There’s a kitchenette in here, but I doubt it’s stocked. We could check. It’s possible someone brought some food in once they knew we were coming. We can go down to one of the kitchens or call and ask to have something made and brought to us.”

Bekah had visibly recoiled when he mentioned going to one of the kitchens, not much, but enough that he noticed.

“Why don’t we order something in? What sounds good? We can tell them what time we’d like it delivered.”

She hesitated before finally telling him what she wanted to eat. He suspected she didn’t want to inconvenience anyone. He’d never really thought about it too much. It was just the way his life worked.

He called down to one of the kitchens and talked to whoever answered the phone, asking for sandwiches, choosing simple for a reason. They would be delivered shortly then could be stored in the apartment’s refrigerator until they were ready to eat.

“We probably need to talk,” Josiah said with a sigh after he hung up the phone.

“Probably.” She didn’t sound too sure of herself.

“We’re here and safe, but legally, we’re married and likely to stay that way for a while.”

“I know.” She looked around, though Josiah wasn’t sure what she could be looking for as she wrapped her arms more tightly around herself.

“I don’t know what that looks like or how long we’ll have to stay married.” The very thought of being the first known Quatremaine in history to divorce didn’t sit well with Josiah, but these were extenuating circumstances, and he didn’t think it really counted - especially since their vows were bare bones and didn’t include “until death parts us” or much of the usual language. “But Thor was right. The PR people will probably come talk to us, but what it will amount to is that we need to act married - at least in public from time to time until they get this whole thing sorted out in Athmetis.”

“So hope someone has something I can wear that’s not your old pajamas, and we go to church?” Bekah shivered slightly. “Can’t wait.”

Josiah stood and opened a drawer in a cabinet along one wall. He pulled out his favorite blanket and took it to her, shaking it open as he did. “Here.”

Bekah wrapped it around herself. Maybe she needed a barrier between her and the world more than she needed to be warm. He could see that.

He took his seat again. “Meantime, what do you want to do? We can sit here and stare at the wall or watch something.”