“I’m pregnant,” Trina blurted.
I stopped short and stared at her and Sinclair having one of their tête-à-têtes. Knowing Trina wouldn’t want me to know her business, I turned around and left the room. I grabbed my purse and left the office, deciding to take an early lunch.
The day was nice, so I grabbed a sandwich and soda at the local deli and sat on a bench at the park next to City Hall. I decided to call Tucker. I could talk to him. He’d probably laugh at me, but he’d be supportive, too.
“Hey, girl,” he said after a ring.
“You busy?”
“Nah. You okay? You sound off.”
“How much time do you have?” I asked.
“That bad, eh? Well, I’ve got all the time you need. What’s going on?”
“First off, did I tell you that there are a couple teacher openings here in Salvation?” Before I spilled my guts to him, I could at least ask him how he was and see about getting him to Nebraska.
“Yes. I’ve looked at them.”
“I got married,” I blurted out before he could tell me what he thought of the jobs.
“What?”
“I got married. To Mo. The mayor.”
“Mayor McHottie. Goodness. Dreams do come true then.”
I burst out crying.
“Oh shit, Brooke. What happened? Is he hurting you? I’ll come kick his ass right now.” The anger in his voice and willingness to protect me filled part of the hole in my chest.
“Yes, but not how you think. He…he…we had sex, and then he told me it was wrong, and now he’s distant.”
There was a long pause, which I’m sure Tucker was using to try and process what I’d said. “He was the first? Like you wanted?”
“Yes, but then he said all that same stuff as before about him being my dad’s friend—”
“Wait, you said you got married. Surely your father would know married people fuck.”
“It’s a fake marriage. Marriage of convenience. It’s a long story, but it’s not a love match, at least as far as Mo’s concerned.”
There was another pause. “You know, maybe you should start at the beginning because I’m confused.”
I told him about my father’s financial troubles and how Mo offered to help but needed a wife to get his trust money. So, we got married, but no one knew except my father and Mo’s lawyer. I also told him how Trina hated me.
Tucker laughed as I knew he would. “I’m sorry, Brooke. I don’t mean to laugh, but your life sounds like a romance novel.”
“Except those have happy endings.”
“You’re right. Clearly, the mayor is into you but has some hang-ups. Maybe he just needs time.”
“For what?” I didn’t mention that we’d need to be married a year for Mo to get the second half of his trust. Knowing him, he’d forfeit it to get away from me. “We’re even less friendly than we were before.”
“That’s because he wants to fuck you again,” Tucker said with authority.
“You’re crazy.”
“No, I’m not. He’s trying to keep distance between you because he knows he can’t trust himself around you. He can’t trust himself because he wants you. And why wouldn’t he? You’re smart, pretty, and sexy. And he’s had a taste. I’m a guy, Brooke. I know how men work.”