Chapter 2
Oliver
“I can’t believe you gave up a weekend of no-strings, never-see-you-again sex for a girl you see all the time.”
It’d been three days since they returned from Vegas and Braeden still couldn’t seem to wrap his head around Oliver’s decision. No matter how many times Oliver tried to explain it to him, Braeden continued to be baffled by the thought of anyone wanting to settle down. When his phone rang as he walked out of work, Oliver knew he was going to have to go over his decision with his friend for the millionth time. He just didn’t realize he’d have to repeat himself multiple times in the same phone conversation.
“How many times do I have to go over this with you? I like Meghan. I want to spend time with her, not random strangers.”
Oliver pulled into his driveway, putting his car in park. Instead of immediately heading into his house, he stayed in the car, the cool air in the vehicle preferable over the unseasonably hot weather outside. Grabbing his cell phone out of the hands-free holder, he turned off the speakerphone so he could finish his conversation with Braeden.
“I know you don’t get it Braeden, but I want a relationship with this girl. I’m not going to jeopardize that in any way. I’m having a hard enough time as it is talking her into giving us a shot, I don’t need to screw things up.”
“Why work so hard to end up with one woman for the rest of your life?”
“Someday you’re going to find a woman that takes your breath away; someone you can’t live without. Then you’ll understand what Gabriel’s been talking about since he met Savannah. I’ve always been open to being in a relationship, but before Meghan, there was never anyone who interested me enough to bother. She’s the only woman I’ve ever been able to picture a future with. I just have to prove to her that we can be more than just a casual hookup.”
“You sound like a fucking chick, man.”
“Whatever. Someday you’ll meet someone you can’t live without.”
“Never going to happen.”
Oliver laughed as he opened the car door and got out. “You say that now, but I have a feeling your time is coming. We’re all going to settle down and you’ll realize you want more out of life than a random girl every night.”
“That will never happen,” Braeden scoffed.
“Never say never buddy,” Oliver said as he checked the mailbox in front of his house. “I should be recording this call so I can play it back for you when the time comes.”
Oliver allowed Braeden to change the subject knowing that if he kept ribbing him Braeden would get mad. He unlocked the front door and headed straight for the kitchen to grab a beer. It had been a really long day filled with pointless meetings and absurd questions. He knew it would be a beer night before the clock struck twelve that afternoon. Oliver was pretty sure that was a new record.
Massaging the back of his neck with his free hand, he listened to Braeden talk about work. Braeden wasn’t a fan of his job because of who his boss was, but as a lawyer, working for Richard Archer was a big deal. It put his name out there to some of the more prominent potential clients in the area. He just hated that his boss was the asshole father of one of his best friends
“So, let me know if you want to go to the Mariners game this weekend,” Braeden said, his abrupt change in topic startling Oliver. He’d been alternating between drinking his beer and flipping through his mail, only partially paying attention to his friend’s rant.
“Yeah, that sounds good. Are you going to check with the guys and see who else wants to go?” Oliver said as his eyes landed on an envelope postmarked from Las Vegas with important documents stamped on the outside. “What the fuck is this?”
“What’s going on?”
Oliver ignored his friend’s question opting to concentrate on ripping open the envelope and finding out what kind of important documents the city of Las Vegas could possibly be sending him. He was pretty sure he didn’t get a ticket or anything while he was in town, although there had been a little bit of drunk and disorderly the second night of their trip. Then there was the insane moment of public indecency he and Meghan had enjoyed in the stairwell. There was a lot he could have gotten in trouble for in that short period of time. The memories made him smile.
Pulling the sheet of paper out of the envelope he unfolded it. The words at the top of the tri-folded page shocking the hell out of him.
“Oh shit…”
“Dude, what the hell is happening over there?”
“Fuck…hey Braeden, I gotta go, man. I’ll call you later,” Oliver said, hanging up the phone before his friend could respond.
He stared down at his counter, reading through the words on the document again to make sure he hadn’t been imagining things. There at the top of the page were words he never thought he’d read and beneath that was his and Meghan’s names.
“Oh shit…” Oliver said again knowing he was going to have a hell of a time explaining to her what he was holding. He was fairly certain she didn’t remember that night just as much as he didn’t. If she did, he would have hoped she would have reminded him of something as huge as them getting married.
Oliver cringed at the thought of having to tell her about what they’d done in Vegas. He knew, without a doubt, she was going to be pissed. The fact she’d been avoiding him since they got back to Seattle was going to make telling her more difficult. Hopefully, he could avoid having his balls handed to him when he approached her.
◆◆◆
Stepping into Arrow, Oliver wondered again if confronting her at work was a good idea. Meghan was going to be angry he was bothering her, let alone doing it in public, but he knew he couldn’t wait to tell her about the fact they’d gotten married while drunk in Vegas. Things weren’t going to go over well, either way, he might as well make sure she listened to him.
He watched for a minute as she rushed from one place to the next. She’d been promoted to manager six months earlier, a job that suited her perfectly. There’d been nights he’d come in to have drinks with Braeden at the bar and found himself watching her as she worked. She was a force to be reckoned with when she was in her element and running Arrow was definitely her element.
“Can I get you a table sir?” a man asked breaking Oliver out of his thoughts.
“No, that’s okay; I’ll just grab a seat at the bar. Could you let Meghan know Oliver’s here? Please let her know that it’s important.”
Without waiting for a response, Oliver walked toward the bar figuring maybe a shot and a beer would help with his nerves before he had to face her. His wife. He smiled at the thought of being married. He’d never really thought about marriage. The whole white picket fence, 2.5 kids thing hadn’t been on his radar. Not until he met Meghan. She’d made him realize there was more to life than what he was living. She just didn’t seem to feel the same way…at least not about him.
“What are you doing here Oliver? I’m busy. I don’t have time for this.”
Oliver sighed. It was exactly the reaction to his presence he was expecting, but it still didn’t sit well with him. He wanted to grab her shoulders and shake some sense into her. If she didn’t fight it so hard, they could be great together. He knew it and he knew she knew it too. She just wanted to keep denying it. But the proof was in the marriage certificate he held in his hand. He’d folded it back up and put it back in the envelope so he wouldn’t shove it in her face. He wanted to talk to her, but he didn’t want her to freak out in front of her employees and her customers. They definitely needed a different venue for him to break the news in.
“I know you’re busy, but we need to talk. Before you put up a fight, I promise you we need to have this conversation. You’re too busy to have it now, but we can meet after you’re off, go to that diner downtown that you like so much.”
“You know this is getting to be borderline stalker territory. When are you going to just let it go?”
“Seriously? Do you want me to start singing that song? Cause, you know I will. Try me.”
“Fine,” Meghan said with a sigh of her own. “Since I know you won’t back off until we have this talk, I’ll meet you there. But this is it. I can’t keep doing this with you.”
Oliver looked over at her for the first time since she’d approached him. She looked tired, physically, emotionally, mentally, all of the above. She’d seemed in such good spirits the previous weekend, carefree and happy, now she seemed like something was weighing on her. Even so, she took his breath away.
When he was near her everything seemed right. He knew it sounded lame and if he ever admitted it to his friends they wouldn’t hesitate to give him shit about it. But he didn’t care because it was true. With Meghan, nothing else mattered. He wanted that to be his norm and now that they were married, he hoped he could make her realize she wanted the same thing.
“What time do you get off?” he asked, ignoring her weary declaration.
“I’m closing, so not until two thirty. I totally understand if that’s too late, we can just have your talk some other time.”
“That actually works perfectly for me. I’ll be back at two thirty to pick you up.”
“What about work? You’ve got to get up early tomorrow.”
“While I like the fact you’re aware of my work schedule, I’ve got it taken care of. I already called in to make sure I could take a vacation day since I knew you were closing tonight.”
“If you knew I was closing, why’d you bother asking what time I got off?”
Oliver laughed. “Cause I wanted to see if you’d try to get out of meeting up tonight. I knew it’d be an easy excuse but was kind of hoping you wouldn’t take it. I’m a little bit disappointed; I expect better excuses out of you Meghan. I’ll be back at two thirty to get you. Don’t try to skip out on this talk. I promise you it’ll be extremely eye-opening.”
◆◆◆
Oliver arrived back at Arrow a quarter past two in case Meghan finished closing earlier than she expected. He wouldn’t have put it past her to rush through things and leave before he came to pick her up. Part of him had wanted to get there even earlier, but he didn’t want to be an asshole. He knew that’s exactly what she’d think if she saw him parked in front of the building long before she’d be able to leave.
As it was, she ended up being fifteen minutes later than what she’d expected. He watched her lock the front door of the restaurant before turning around to look for him. When she found his car, she smiled wearily before walking toward it. She looked beat, her hair up in a messy bun instead of the sleek ponytail she’d had it in earlier. Her shirt was untucked from her pants and she wore ballet flats on her feet instead of the heels she’d been wearing when he stopped by. Seeing her so tired made him feel bad for forcing her to meet up with him. If he thought their talk could wait, he’d tell her to go home, but he knew she’d be angry if he waited another day to tell her their news.
She climbed into the passenger seat, dropping her bag on the floor next to her feet. She didn’t utter a word as she leaned into the seat, her head back, eyes closed. Oliver knew he should just tell her then take her home. He was being selfish taking her to the diner, but he wanted to spend time with her, no matter how exhausted she might be. Turnabout was fair play though. He was just taking advantage of the situation after days of her avoiding him. If she’d just agreed to talk to him when they first got back, he might have been a little more likely to let her go home and get some rest, even with their nuptials hanging over his head.
The drive to the diner was quick and quiet; the engine providing the soundtrack for the trip. Oliver had thought about turning on the radio, but he figured letting Meghan rest was far more helpful in his situation than a song to sing along to. Although it was late, the parking lot on the side of the diner was nearly full. He found a spot close to the back that was a little tight, but he was able to get his Explorer in with enough room for each of them to get out. Parking was one of the reasons he usually hated going downtown. People in Seattle couldn’t park worth shit which frustrated the hell out of him.
“Hey Meg, we’re here,” Oliver said as he turned the car off.
He watched as she stirred, noting that she’d actually nodded off during the short drive. She must have been truly exhausted to have fallen asleep instead of railing him about wasting her time. He was expecting a lecture or more of her “we don’t want the same thing” lies for the entire ride. The silence actually worried him a little, if he was honest. Of course, he wouldn’t say anything about it since she already thought he was in too deep.
“Let’s get this over with so I can get some sleep,” she muttered as she opened the car door, finally giving him the attitude he’d expected from her.
He smiled as he followed her out of the car and into the diner. They found a quiet booth in the back and immediately began to peruse the menus they grabbed from behind the napkin dispenser. It didn’t take either of them long to decide on what they wanted. When their waitress came to their table they quickly placed their orders.
“Alright, why did you make me come out here? What’s so damn important that it couldn’t wait?” Meghan asked as soon as their waitress had dropped off their coffees and walked away.
“Why are you so hostile? We had a great time in Vegas, every time we’ve been together has been amazing. I don’t understand why you’re so reluctant to see where this could go.”
Meghan sighed, then blew on her coffee. “I didn’t come here to rehash this. I can’t be with you the way you want me to be, okay. That’s it. I can’t give you more than that. Can you please just let it go?”
“Fine, but what I have to tell you is really going to put a damper on all of that,” he said as he slid the envelope across the table.
“What the hell is this?”
“Just open it and find out already. I need you to realize I’m not making anything up. It’s all legal and right there for you to see.”
Meghan glared at him as she picked up the envelope and pulled out the paper inside. She unfolded it slowly, but he could tell the minute she registered the words on the top of the page. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. Meghan seemed just as shocked as he had when he’d opened it that afternoon.
“What the fuck?”
Meghan’s voice was barely louder than a whisper, but Oliver understood her just fine. It was like actually getting to watch his own reaction. Her face said what he assumed his had earlier, her body language the same thing. It was obvious she didn’t remember getting married any more than he did.
“How the fuck did this happen?” she asked, her voice a bit louder now, anger taking the place of denial.
“I don’t really know. I don’t remember a lot about that night, just some flashes of you naked, riding my cock…”
“God damn it, Oliver, this isn’t the time.”
Reaching across the table, Oliver placed his hand on hers. “I know, I’m sorry, I’m just as surprised by this as you are. I looked at my credit card statement online and found a charge to the Clark County Marriage Bureau and another to Forever Love Wedding Chapel. This is as real as it gets.”
“Well shit, at least we didn’t get married by an Elvis impersonator,” Meghan said with a halfhearted laugh. “We’ve got to take care of this. I can’t be married. I can’t do that to you.”
“You’re not doing anything to me. We’re married. What if I want to stay married? What if I want to see if this thing can work between us?”
“Damn it, Oliver. I can’t. You really don’t want me. You just like the idea of me. Someday you’ll find the woman you’re supposed to be with, someone who can give you everything you want out of life. I promise you that woman isn’t me.”
“How the fuck do you know that?” Oliver asked, his voice raising enough that a couple from another table turned to look at them. “Look, I get your scared. I get there are things about you that I don’t know and that you aren’t willing to tell me just yet, but I know you want me, want us. Why can’t you just admit it?”
Meghan glared at him, tears pooling in her eyes. He didn’t understand why she was so hesitant, why she just wouldn’t admit how she felt. He’d hoped finding out they were married would make her realize she was resisting something she obviously wanted. Even though they’d been drinking when they got married, she’d agreed to it. Her signature on the marriage certificate was as even and legible as it always was whenever she signed her name. Neither of them was blackout drunk when they got married, that had come later.
“Fine, I like you. If things were different, if my life was different, we could do this, we could try, but I can’t give you any promises. I can’t tell you that we’ll live happily ever after.”
“I’m not asking you to. No one knows what the future holds. Why can’t we just forget about that and live in the now?”
“We can’t because I don’t want you to waste your time. The more time you spend with me the less time you have to find the right woman. I’m not the right woman, I’m never going to be the right woman, I’m sorry.”
Oliver sighed, seeing the look of defeat and guilt on Meghan’s face killed him. Her desire and something else was warring inside of her. He wished he could give her what she wanted, but he wasn’t willing to just give up. Given what Braeden had told him about their situation, he had time to convince her that he was for real. They would have time to enjoy each other; to hopefully fall in love.
“I get it. I’m sorry you feel that way. Just know I’m not changing my mind.”
“I’m sorry. I really am,” Meghan said as a tear rolled down her cheek. “What do we have to do to take care of it?”
“I talked to Braeden earlier.”
“Great. That means everyone knows by now.”
“Actually, I asked him not to say anything. I only talked to him because he’s a lawyer and he’s familiar with divorce law. I knew he’d know what we needed to do. I promise he won’t say a word.”
“Fine, what did he say? How do we make this go away?”
“We can file the petition, but we can’t file the final orders for divorce for 90 days. Then after that, it can take up to eighteen months to be finalized.”
“Eighteen months? No, there has to be a faster way.”
Oliver shook his head. “I’m sorry, but there isn’t. Braeden said he can have someone in his office file the initial petition whenever we’re ready, but after that, it’ll be a waiting game.”
“I’m so sorry. You deserve better than this. Even though it won’t be final, you don’t have to wait to start dating. I totally understand. In fact, I think it’s best for you to find someone else.”
“You wish you could get rid of me that easily, but I’m not a cheater. As long as we’re married, I’m going to be faithful to my wife; even if she doesn’t want me. I still plan on changing your mind,” he said wishing he could look into her eyes as he did so. “With that said, I have a proposition for you.”
“No. Whatever it is, the answer is no.”
Oliver laughed, unsurprised by Meghan’s response. “Now, now. You should at least wait to hear it before saying no.”
“I don’t need to know what it is to know I don’t want anything to do with it. Why can’t you just move on? I don’t want this. I don’t want to be with you.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it. I see the way you look at me. I know how you shudder when I touch you. I bet if I came over there right now you wouldn’t shy away from me. You’d try to get as close to me as you could because you crave me as much as I crave you. Why can’t you give up the party lifestyle and be with me? We both know you want it.”
“Fuck you, Oliver. You have no idea what I’m going through or what goes on in my life.”
“You’re right, I don’t, but I want to. That’s all I want. A chance to be with you. To be the person who knows your secrets, who helps you through the good times and bad. For better or worse, isn’t that what we promised when we said our vows?”
“Fine. What do you want from me?” Meghan asked, her voice no longer strained by her unshed tears. Instead her voice was tainted by her growing impatience toward the situation and Oliver.
“I will sign the petition for divorce and put this into motion, but only if you agree to date me until the initial three months are over. And I mean really date me. I don’t want you to go through the motions because you feel like I’m forcing you to. I want you to actually try and let yourself feel…everything. Then at the end of the 90 days when we can file the final order for divorce, if you still want to do it, I’ll sign it and you can go on your merry way. I still won’t move on until everything’s finalized, but at least you’ll be free and clear.”
“Why are you doing this? Why can’t you just move on?”
“Because every moment we’ve spent together whether, in bed or out, I’ve been falling for you. You’re all I think about. When we’re not together, I miss you. When I see you, my chest aches. You take my breath away. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known both inside and out. I want to be with you more than anything. I know that prospect scares the hell out of you, it scares me too. I’m willing to spend the next three months giving you all of me knowing that at the end you’re likely going to break my heart, but to me, it’s worth it. To me, you’re worth it. You’re everything.”
Meghan gasped, tears back in her eyes. She sputtered, trying to speak, but unable to. He’d never seen her speechless before and he had to say he kind of liked it. In fact, he loved that he was the one to make her that way. She was always so sassy, always had a smartass comment or even an angry word for him, no matter what. Maybe now she would be able to see how much she actually meant to him.
Oliver didn’t say anything else, instead opting to let his words settle in. The waitress finally brought their food, so neither of them talked for a long while. They ate in silence, murmurs of other conversations in the diner floating around their table, but not really permeating their bubble. He barely tasted his food, while he watched her push hers around on her plate. Neither of them seemed as interested in their food as they had when they ordered. His appetite had pretty much gone away the moment he’d suggested his plan.
He had no idea what Meghan was thinking. She wouldn’t look up from her plate, no matter how badly he wished she would. Oliver wanted to tell her that he’d sign the papers no matter what. That he wouldn’t force her to go through with something she didn’t want to go through with even though it would kill him to let her go. He’d already told Braeden to get the paperwork drawn up since he knew a divorce would be what she wanted. His stomach hurt at the thought of never being with her again. It would be torture to go back to pretending like they were just friends. He’d thought waiting out the three months as a couple was better than waiting alone, but he was beginning to think she didn’t feel the same way.
“Okay.”
Her faint whisper barely registered with him until she said it again. “Okay. I…”
“Okay what? What are you saying?
“Okay, I agree to your terms,” she said softly. “I’ll give you three months of us if you give me a divorce.”