Page 114 of Resisting Isaac

We break the news of our fake marriage at dinner that night. Elena calls her agent so she can begin negotiations with the production company based on this new development.

My family’s reactions are about what I expect. My mom is quiet but nonjudgemental. Willow is skeptical. Sutton wants to be a bridesmaid.

Wyatt worked through dinner, so Ivy passes the information along, and I drop by their house the following day to see if he’s disowned me yet.

When I get there, Ivy’s got her laptop open, a Pinterest board pulled up with tabs labeled things like “Sage Green Ranch Wedding Aesthetic” and “DIY Mason Jar Centerpieces.”

I know this because she immediately begins showing them to me the moment I step into their kitchen.

I take off my hat and take a seat beside her. “Hey, I wanted to talk to you about Elena’s?—

“Wedding?” She breaks in excitedly, turning her laptopscreen to face me. “Because I get that it’s mostly for show, but I think we should consider?—”

“Whoa, hold your horses, city girl.” I hold a hand up to stop her before she gets completely carried away. “I was going to say work schedule.”

She smiles. “You’re worried about her.”

“Well, yeah. The doctor says with her hypoglycemia, she’s a prime candidate for gestational diabetes and it’s important to—are you crying? Why are you crying?”

She dabs her eyes. “I’m sorry. My hormones are a mess. I just love how much you care about her. I honestly wasn’t sure if you’d ever?—”

“Hey, I’m a caring person. Who taught you to drive the side-by-side? And made sure my idiot brother pulled his head out of his ass before he lost you?”

“—settle down,” she finishes with a grin. “You are very sweet, Isaac. And very charming. You just always seemed a little…restless.”

She’s not wrong about that. I’ve always felt restless. “Yeah, well, people change, I guess. Look at Wyatt. He even smiles sometimes now. Still creeps me out a little.”

I’m mostly kidding but truthfully, when I think about the guy, I was a few months ago, I don’t even know him. I can’t recall what he was thinking most of the time, or if he was thinking. When he was, it was with the wrong head. And it was mostly just chasing a thrill, both a work and in my personal life. Thrills that were fleeting and always left me feeling empty afterward.

“We’ll be mindful of Elena’s condition, both with her blood sugar and her pregnancy moving forward,” Ivy assures me. “I’ve got meetings coming up with Wes and Darren about writing her pregnancy into the script as well.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, I stand. “Thank you. Iappreciate you looking out for her. She’s stubborn and will work herself into the ground if we let her.”

Ivy grins. “Good thing she has you then. Making sure she’s taken care of.”

I snort. “She doesn’t love that as much as you think.”

She tilts her head. “It can be hard at first, to adjust to someone caring so much. And in this family, a lot of someones. Especially for someone as independent as Elena. But she’ll get there. You’ll see.”

“Let’s hope. And hey, about the wedding,” I pause and wince at Ivy’s computer screen. She’s been researching Hispanic wedding traditions also. “I have some news you may not love.”

Her hazel eyes widen. “What is it?”

“The ceremony is going to be in New Mexico,” I say gently. “Small. Just her immediate family. Elena’s dad is not doing well. He’s not in any condition to travel and it’s really important to us that he walk her down the aisle.”

For a beat, Ivy blinks. Like someone pulled the plug on her enthusiasm and left the room a little dimmer.

“Oh.” She swallows. “Yeah, no, of course. That makes total sense.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, genuinely wishing I didn’t have to rain on her wedding parade.

She waves me off, a too-bright smile returning. “Please. It’s not about me. It’s about you two pretending to get hitched for legal loopholes and emotionally complicated reasons.”

I let out a laugh, grateful she’s keeping a sense of humor about it. “Exactly.”

She narrows her eyes. “Though I do feel robbed of my slow-motion bouquet toss moment. I had a playlist and everything.”

“How about you help me pick out the ring? Willowwould rather die than be reminded of anything wedding-related or hell, wedding-adjacent. And Sutton’s taking a summer class and babysitting for a family neighbor. Seems like your department.”