Page 110 of By Invitation Only

“Right. We like the same thing if you know what I mean.” I smirked at my father, and I knew he got my meaning.

“What about Peyton? Does she know?” Mum asked.

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Is she why you’re getting a divorce?” Dad asked.

I stared at them, contemplating my answer. Carrie asked for a divorce, but that was okay because it meant I could be with Peyton and think about a future with her. Everything seemed to be going to plan.

“I actually asked for the divorce,” Carrie replied. “Book’s able to become a citizen now—has for a while actually—and once he does that, we’ll get divorced.”

“I’ve already started the process,” I clarified. “I should be a citizen within the next five and half months, and then we’ll file the divorce papers which will take six months.”

My parents stared off, obviously contemplating the bombshell I’d just told them. It wasn’t a big deal. Yes, my mum had probably wanted to dance with me at my wedding, but it wasn’t a traditional marriage. In less than a year I wouldn’t be married, and everything would be as though it never happened at all. Though there was still the issue with Peyton and I being on different sides of cases.

“I can’t believe you’re married,” Mum sighed.

“Think of it as though we’re not.” I took a bite of my pizza. We opted to have a low key Christmas Eve with pizza and beer, and my Mum was going to make Christmas Dinner tomorrow. “It’s only so I can stay here and work.”

“What do you need to do to become a citizen?” Dad asked.

I told them everything that I needed to do, and then we changed the subject completely.

“Amelia said she was going to stop by tomorrow after the kids open their presents from Santa.”

My eyes shot to Carrie as she spoke. I hadn’t seen Amelia in months.

“She is?”

“She heard your parents are in town, so she texted me and asked what our plans were for tomorrow.”

“That’s brilliant. I haven’t seen her in a long time.”

“Is she bringing the kids?” Mum asked.

“I think so. I think it will be all of them.”

“Well, I didn’t get the girls anything for Christmas either.” And I still had the issue of what to get Peyton in less than twenty-four hours.

“You’re a shitty uncle,” Carrie snorted.

I rolled my eyes. “How about you try working until eleven at night, sometimes midnight and then tell me how much shopping you do.”

“Have you ever heard of online shopping?” She returned.

“I don’t know what you could get kids on short notice, but you can get Peyton an online gift card or something,” Taylor stated, finally joining the conversation.

“Oh!” Carrie exclaimed. “That’s a good idea.”

“A gift card?” How impersonal was that?

“Then she can buy whatever she wants,” Carrie stated.

“A gift card?” I asked again.

“I’ll put your name on the gifts I got the kids,” Carrie went on.

“Lovely. Thank you,wife.”