She rose, her pallor kind of yellow. “I guess so.”

“You don’t have to do this,” I said. “Just say the word, and we won’t go through with it.”

She shook her head. “I want what’s best for all of us. I’ve come this far to help you, and I won’t stop now.”

With a little help from Benjamin Franklin, I was able to get a license and an appearance in front of a judge by one p.m. Zach stood as witness, along with Judge Brady’s court clerk.

“Do you wish to be married?” Judge Brady asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“And you, miss?” The judge nodded to Zee.

“Sure. I guess.”

“Good enough.” He scrawled his signature. “Both of you sign here, and you’ll be married.”

Zee stiffened next to me.

“Wait,” I said. “What about the vows?”

“That’s just a formality,” Judge Brady said. “It’s not necessary, and I’ve got a full docket this afternoon.”

Zee dropped her mouth into an O while my stomach did a somersault.

Without vows, it didn’t feel like a real marriage.

Then again, it wasn’t a real marriage. It was a marriage of convenience to keep us from having to testify against each other.

So why did a giant lump form in my throat?

The judge handed me the certificate. I signed my name and handed it and the pen to Zee.

Her hand shaking, she signed and handed it back to me.

“Now the witnesses,” Judge Brady said.

Zach and the clerk each signed, and Brady handed the certificate back to me. “It’s done. I assume you’ve already paid the requisite fees?”

His clerk nodded. “They have, your honor.”

“Good enough. Have a lovely life, Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe.” Judge Brady smiled.

Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe.

I didn’t hate the sound of it.

In fact, I kind of liked it.

“Off you go,” the judge said, still smiling.

Why shouldn’t he smile? He was a thousand dollars richer for ten minutes’ work.

Zee didn’t look happy. She didn’t look unhappy either.

She looked, simply, stunned.

No reason for me to be unhappy. I’d just married the woman I love.

But clearly she didn’t feel the same way.

No matter. I could still woo her. Still make her fall in love with me.

We just had to settle my father’s murder first.

My brother’s wife had been arrested. Arraignment shouldn’t be until tomorrow morning, but Rock was working on that.

Yeah, money talks.

Bail would be set, probably at a million dollars or more.

Which we’d pay, and Lacey would be free to go, awaiting trial.

We had to figure this out. Soon.

Tomorrow.

But tonight? I had a wife, and she deserved a wedding night.

51

Zee

I’d felt more with Reid Wolfe—now my husband—than I’d ever felt before.