Page 55 of Collateral Claim

“Will do.”

“You guys sound domestic,” Marquis says. “If I didn’t know better, I’d believe it.”

“Believe what?” Rie walks by and grabs Marquis’s elbow, then looks at me. “What are we believing?”

“That ring on her finger,” Endo says.

Rie seems shocked that Endo answered. When Endo looks over at him, Rie blushes like a schoolboy.

“I didn’t know you guys were engaged,” he barely squeezes out. He gapes at me, bug-eyed. “Am I the last person to find out?”

“No,” Endo says. “First one in town. It’s official.” Endo’s dark eyes look threateningly at me. My dad didn’t come through yet, Endo is pissed, and I’m the collateral that’s going to pay.

“Doctor Pembroke,” Rie says, addressing me formally for dramatics. “Why have you not mentioned that important detail?”

“It didn’t seem that important.”

Rie gasps. “This news will spread like wildfire. My sister does events for the town. I need to call her before that vulture Ica shows up with her plans for your wedding. She can do the engagement party, but not the wedding. My sister needs the wedding. Please.” He inhales a breath and goes on. “Since you’re already staying late today, I’ll call her right away, and she’ll meet you after three.”

Endo leans in and whispers in my ear, “You might want to come with us.”

Goose bumps rise on my skin. “No, thank you.”

“Suit yourself.”

Black SUVs with tinted windows swarm the little square. Dozens of men dressed in military cargo pants step out of the cars.

I retreat behind Endo. “What’s going on?”

“They’re also here for Marquis.”

“Why?”

“Because he took a bullet during a mission.”

“Oh.” I hadn’t thought about it in a mission-type context, but I do now as Marquis opens the clinic’s door and they cheer and hoot, encouraging him to walk to the car where his husband awaits with a bouquet of roses.

I wince every time one of them claps him on the shoulder because I know Marquis must be hurting. But he kind of deserves it for not staying until tomorrow morning.

On my left, Rie is on the phone, and after he hangs up, he approaches me. “Good news. My sister is coming over right now. Mr. Macarley canceled all our appointments for the rest of the day, so we’re free to plan all afternoon.”

“He did what?” I glare at Endo. Too bad he can’t feel the fierceness of my glare daggers because he’s busy celebrating with his men. I intensify my glare.

Nothing happens.

I give up on Endo and tell Rie, “I’m not ready to plan a wedding just yet.”

“But the summer is perfect for a wedding. Not too hot or cold. We’re in season, and the tourism will boom if we do a traditional Macarley wedding.”

I’m afraid to ask. I really am. A traditional Macarley wedding sounds big and formal. It has a name. It’s not just a wedding.

He puts his hands together. “Please. Pretty please.”

“We’re not getting married,” I bite out at the same time that Endo joins us.

The look on his face makes my heart skip a beat, and not in a good way. I never want him to look at me that way again, but I can’t unsay what I said. I’m not sure how I’ll save our fake engagement now that I’ve said we’re not getting married.

“This month,” he adds.