Page 30 of An Inevitable Marriage

I didn’t know, and I never would.

“So I’ll see you right after the ceremony?” Natalie’s voice saved me from my spiraling thoughts. “Zach and I will wait outside.”

New procedures were in place, and civil ceremonies could only have one witness. Since this entire thing was Rafe’s idea, Liam and I agreed he should be the one to witness our nuptials.

After another hug, Natalie headed out, and I was alone.

I didn’t mind it.

These past three weeks, since Anthony and I had broken up, showed me I’d been alone for far longer than I’d realized. We might have slept in the same bed, stayed under the same roof, but were living separate lives for a long time.

And maybe a part of me knew it because I threw every spare minute I had into working or sorting out everyone else’s problems.

Because I would have rather been the other half of a disconnected couple than be alone.

The vibration of my phone against the counter snapped me back to the present. The thing buzzed twice before my favorite Spanish melody filled the room.

I contemplated not answering until I saw my mom’s name flash on the screen. My heart thundered two times too fast as I grabbed the device and hurriedly pressed it against my ear.

“Is Dad okay?”

“Hello is not a cuss word, young lady,” my mom scolded.

The tips of my ears burned like someone held a flame against my skin. “Sorry. Hi, Mom.” I took a breath and repeated, “Is Dad okay?”

“They did more tests a few days ago, but Dr. Cooper thinks he should be ready for surgery as soon as his condition clears up.”

He wasn’t better, but at least he wasn’t worse. That was good, right? Then why didn’t I feel relieved?

My mom blew out a breath. “I just got done speaking with the hospital administrator, and apparently, someone paid a large sum of money to cover our medical bills and get your father moved to a private room.”

My mom paused for a beat.

“Who is Liam Maxwell?”

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what had happened. I knew Liam had overheard my conversation with my mom—he’d admitted it. But what I didn’t know was why he’d paid the bill.

A warm fuzzy feeling blossomed inside my chest, but before it could bloom completely, my mom spoke again.

“Let me rephrase. I knowwhohe is. I can google just fine. But, Evie, who is he to you?”

Okay, how the heck did I answer that? “W-why do you ask?”

“Mr. Abernathy, the hospital administrator, seems to think he’s your husband.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and muttered, “Not yet.”

“What was that?”

I had two choices here. I could lie to my mom and pretend the story we’d be spinning to the public was real. She’d be suspicious of how fast it had happened but still support me.

I hoped.

But lying to my mom didn’t feel right.

That was exactly why I told her everything. From how I’d caught Anthony cheating—for obvious reasons, I didn’t go into details—to the weird Italian man in the park, ending with how I’d agreed to help Liam keep his company.

And in return, he’d help me take care of my family.