We Do For Now Three
1280 Words
Outside, the night air hit Selena like ice. Her legs felt weak, but she refused to let it show.
“Where did you park?”
She asked as he turned. When he saw her, he walked back and held his arm out.
“I’ll take you to my car.”
He said as their gazes met, but she frowned.
“If this is supposed to be a contract marriage, why is he acting this nice to me?”
She thought about it and walked past him.
“I can walk.”
She said, and he chuckled, following behind her.
The moment they got into his car, she asked for the window to be rolled down and leaned her head out.
Her breath was shaking.
“Selena, are you okay?”
Dale asked, and she nodded quickly, wiping the tears from her face as she pulled her head back inside and rolled the window up.
She sniffled. “Where are we going now? Because I don’t want to go home tonight.”
She said, and he stared at her without saying a word.
“You don’t have to hide your tears when you’re with me. I might look cold on the outside, but I’m the type to make people who deserve it feel safe. I’ve been in your shoes before—lost and confused—so I know what this feels like.”
He said, his voice steady and soothing.
She didn’t want to, but something cracked the moment he spoke. In that instant, Selena buried her face in her hands and broke down.
“I did everything he wanted. After my mother died, I became his puppet, only because I thought I’d inherit everything from him. And now he gives it all to some guy who just showed up with a sob story from another country? It’s not fair. It should have been me. I should have been the one standing beside him, greeting people with him. It should have been me!”
She cried, but Dale’s expression didn’t waver.
“It’s okay to be sad, but…”
“I’m not sad, I’m mad. So mad that I trusted him. I always told my mother I wouldn’t make the same mistake she did when it came to trusting him, and I did anyway.”
She shot back.
“Good! Being mad is good. Honestly, it’s better than being sad. It gives you clarity and the drive to take back what’s rightfully yours.”
Dale replied, and she turned to meet his gaze.
“We’ll get everything we set out to do. Just give it time.”
He said, and she nodded. Silence settled between them for a few minutes.
Suddenly, Selena sat up straighter and nodded to herself.
“You know what? Let’s do it!”
“Let’s do what?” He asked, confused.
“Let’s get married. Right now. I know a place in Vegas.” She said, and he frowned.
“Excuse me? Do you know how far Vegas is from here? And we haven’t even signed the contract yet.”
He said, nearly bursting into laughter.
“The contract can wait. Start driving. I don’t want to change my mind. Start the car!”
She demanded, and he did, laughing under his breath.
“You’re crazy, you know that?”
He said as she typed “Get married Las Vegas” into Google Maps.
It took them nearly five hours to get there. By the time they arrived, it was already past midnight.
When the car came to a stop, Dale turned and saw Selena asleep, her phone resting on her lap.
He tapped her gently. “We’re here.” He said, and she nodded, sitting up.
“Good. Now let’s go get married.”
She said, like someone who hadn’t been asleep seconds ago. They both stepped out of the car and walked into the chapel, where two men stood in front of a priest dressed in white.
“I pronounce you husband and husband. You may now share a kiss.”
The priest said as one of the men tossed his bouquet and cupped his husband’s face, pulling him into a passionate kiss.
Dale and Selena exchanged a look but said nothing as they walked quietly to take a seat. They watched the two men sign their marriage certificate with wide grins and walk out hand in hand like no one else existed in the room.
Then the priest turned to them with a smile. “Come over, children.”
He said, and Dale got to his feet, holding out his hand. Selena took it, and they walked up to the altar together.
“May I have your names?”
The priest asked, and Dale cleared his throat. “I’m Dale Farmington, and this is Selena Laurent.”
“Wait a minute—is your father Jacob Laurent?” The priest asked, and she rolled her eyes.
“Father, could you just marry us already?”
She asked, clearly irritated, and the priest laughed, reaching for the olive oil behind the pulpit.
“I understand you’re in a hurry, but this takes patience—unless you’re being forced.”
He said, giving Dale an icy look when he raised his hands in surrender.
“I’m not being forced, Father. I’m just tired, but I really want to do this.”
She said. The priest smiled.
“Well, in that case, let’s proceed.”
He marked both their palms with the oil and placed Selena’s hand in Dale’s.
“I want you to look each other in the eyes and say your vows.”
The moment they looked at each other, they both pulled their hands back and turned to the priest, who was already frowning at them.
“This is a fake marriage, Father. We don’t need vows. We just need to sign the marriage certificate and leave.”
Selena said, and Dale nodded.
“I hope that’s possible?”
He added, and the priest nodded, setting the oil back down.
“It is. You can sign over there. But I need you two to know—you’re meant for each other. Don’t lose the spark you have.”
Selena laughed.
“There’s no spark, Father, trust me. You said we sign over there?”
She asked as she walked toward the table with the marriage certificates. Dale followed, and they each signed one.
“Thank you, Father.”
Dale said as Selena waved at him, and they both walked out of the chapel.
As they drove out of the parking lot, Dale laughed out loud.
“That was stupid,” he said.
“I know.”
“You just married a stranger. Do you realize that?”
He asked.
“You’re not a stranger. You’re Jacob’s worst nightmare. That’s a win for both of us.”
Dale slowly pulled over to the curb and looked at her properly for the first time. Really looked.
“Apart from the plan, why me? I know your father has plenty of enemies. Why choose me?” he asked. “You could’ve picked anyone.”
“Because you hate him more than anyone he’s ever wronged in this city. And because you won’t sell me out for money. Unlike those ungrateful assholes.”
He didn’t answer that. Instead, he pulled out his phone and handed it to her.
“I think I need my wife’s number, don’t you think?”
He said, and she laughed, typing her number in.
“So, where are we going now? Obviously I’m not going home, so…”
“We’re going somewhere Jacob and Carlos can’t find you tonight.
Tomorrow we begin.”
- Writer
