A Bride for 100 Days

four: a contract marriage

"You're fucking nuts."

"Most probably," Jeb exhaled. 

I winced. Suddenly my foot began to hurt again and maybe it was the dryness in my body but everything was sore. 

"You want some water or ice? You keep licking your lips."

I nodded and Jeb moved off for a while. When he returned, he had a small cup of ice water. I sipped carefully. 

"What's going to happen when he realizes you ran away? This Finn guy?"

"Uh, he gets a sudden pox and become grossly disfigured?"

The corner of Jeb's mouth twisted. 

"Seriously? I've had the worst day of my life and it's all because of HIM."

"Really?"

"Of COURSE!! He cheated on me! He set me up!!"

"What was your back-up plan?"

"What's with you and back-up plans? You know? Who plans in case their wedding falls apart? I mean, really?! I was gonna marry Finn and live happily ever after. There. THAT was my entire life plan until about 9:45AM."

Jeb lifted on freaking eyebrow. "How old are you?"

"22, why?"

"And how old is Finn?"

"23."

"And how long have you known him?"

"Why does that matter?"

Jeb stared at me and said nothing.

"4 months," I admitted. "All right, yes. It was pretty quick."

"I take longer to buy a new brand of jeans."

"That sounds like a problem."

"I'm just saying," he shrugged. "What's going on with your mom?"

"Huh?" 

"You haven't mentioned her."

"Well, you haven't mentioned yours either."

We stared at each other like it was a contest. 

He broke, first. "Fair."

I nodded, graciously. Because I'm Southern and, frankly, raised to be gracious. So there. 

"So?" He asked.

"So...?"

"Have you decided yet?"

I stared at him. I could hear the blood rushing in my ears like waves. 

Jeb held out the ice water to me. "You're turning red."

I took a sip. 

"OK, talk to me about your options."

"You really..."

"Or not."

I sighed and handed back the cup. "I have a little money saved from working..."

"Where?"

"Stacey's Craft Store? Off Ballard?"

"OK. You quit?"

"Yeah, last January. On top of my internship, I had to take another class to graduate so it was too much. But I had a meal card on campus and I never drive my car, so I could save. Except..."

"Except?"

"That coffee shop," I winced. 

"What's so...oh, you're shitting me. He made you pay?"