Page 44 of Yours, Forever

"I'm good with that," Javier said.

"That makes me feel like such a crappy hostess."

"What kind of husband would let you sleep on the sofa, when your bed is right there? No," I insisted. "Javier can sleep in my bed. It's a little short, but it's better than the sofa."

"The bed is short?" Eva frowned, worry in her voice.

"Better not to dwell." I shrugged. "But maybe we could move? Get a bigger house?"

"Move?" Her voice thinned.

I backtracked. "Or if you don't want to move, we can build a second story. Make a bigger principal bedroom for you, a proper office, a bigger main bathroom... I have a vision."

"Wait a second..." She tried to stop me with a hand but lost steam, and her train of thought.

I continued, "We'll tell people we need a bigger house because we want to have a fútbol team worth of children."

"Then you better get cracking," Javier joked.

"Stop. No. We're not having children," Eva said. "I'm not having children with my contracted husband."

"Don't fret. I'm saying that for the benefit of the heritage committee. We're not having children. I'm not making babies that I don't get to spoil forever."

My friend chuckled. "Guys, you don't have to spiral. Last I heard, this is fake."

"It is," both Eva and I said.

The three of us stood in my small room, facing each other, everything but our quick-fire conversation forgotten. Except for the napkin in my pocket. Even if they had no idea of its existence.

"Look. I know this has to look real." Javier stole a glance at my tapping fingers and frowned. He gazed at me, but continued with his thought. "From the outside looking in, it looks perfect. I'd buy your marriage any day, if I didn't know why you're doing it."

I stopped my fingers and dug my hands in my pockets. "That's… great. You know more than anyone why I'm doing this."

Eva looked at the floor; I couldn't read her. My fingers played with the haphazardly folded napkin, rubbing it between index and thumb.

"Your dad has been asking questions," Javier said. "He called my dad. Went for dinner at home. My dad invited me; I didn't know Carlos was going to be there—"

"Carlos is my dad," I explained to Eva, but I kept my eyes on Javier. "Was he an asshole to you?"

"No, he tried to be subtle. You know he can be very charming when he wants to. He asked me about the wedding and why I wasn't there, if we're supposed to be such good friends. What did I think of Eva, of how you two fell in love."

"And?" Eva studied my friend.

"I gassed you both up." Javier shrugged and smiled. "I told them how happy you sounded on the phone when you told me you'd met her in Vegas, and how you couldn't wait to make it official."

I nodded once. "Genius to tell him I'd called you. This shouldn't ever have to go to court for them to try to find the ghost of a call that was never made—"

"But you did call me," Javier said. "You don't remember?"

I didn't. No stray memories of it resurfaced. All I found inside was the stillness of surprise.

"I don't." I bit my lip. "Do you remember, darling?"

She shook her head.

"And youwerehappy." Javier scratched his eyebrow. "I thought you were glad that this whole thing with your dad would finally get settled."

"That must be why." Eva crossed her arms. "And if I was in the call, I was happy because my business was finally secure, and Laguna Island would get the influx of capital it needs."