by G. Benson
“I got married.” Hayden said it like ripping off a Band-Aid. Which was exactly how it felt.
Abuela and Sofia went silent. Sofia’s mouth hung open for several seconds.
“Married?” Abuela asked. At Hayden’s nod, she shook her head. “¿Estás casada?” It was as if she needed it in Spanish to believe it.
“Yes.” Beaming beatifically was asking way too much of her tired brain, but Hayden at least tried.
“You?” Sofia asked. “You got married? You think marriage is a useless institution with zero use in today’s society.”
“I never said that.”
“In fact, that’s exactly what you said. Word for word.”
“Nieta, you are married—¿en serio?”
“Sí. Really, I’m married.” And Hayden said it with conviction.
“And without your family?” Even the terrible speakers couldn’t hide the tone in Abuela’s voice.
“Abuela, no. It wasn’t like that. It was a small thing for us. There wasn’t a ceremony.”
Actual tears were in Abuela’s eyes, and Sofia put an arm over her shoulder. “Seriously, Hayden?” Sofia sounded alarmed. “You’re actually married?”
“Yes. I am.”
“Why we not know him?” Abuela asked. “Or her? This person? Why?”
“It’s new. And it was fast.” True. All very true. “It was a bit of a whim.” Also true.
“You do not marry with someone on, on this…whim, cariño.”
“Abuela, I know. But I’m really happy.” She thought of the money, and smiled harder.
Sofia and Abuela peered at their screen.
“I think she means it, Abuela.” Sofia still sounded shocked. “Like, she looks happy.”
Abuela sniffed. “She does. Tell us about this person. I cannot believe you married with them without us.”
Hayden swallowed. “Well, her name is Sam. She’s a surgeon.”
“A surgeon?” Abuela asked. “Can she fix my varicose veins?”
Hayden chuckled. “She’s not that kind of surgeon. She’s a neurosurgeon.”
Her eyes lit up. “Can she fix—”
“No, Abuela.”
The question her abuela was about to ask was no use. Sofia looked away quickly, and Hayden wished that she could give her a hug.
“Well… How we know she is good for you? Alejandra, what if she is bad person, and you no know because you’re blinded with the lust?”
Hayden burst out laughing, and even Sofia snorted. “Well, you’ll meet her. When I come.” That was a random, fast decision. But Sam got her in this damn mess, and if Sam was going to get out of having to tell her own family and deal with this, she could deal with Hayden’s repercussions instead. She grinned at the idea and hoped her family assumed it was because she was just so deliriously happy. “She wants to meet you all.”
Okay, that was her first real lie. But at least it was a funny one.
“When?”
“Soon, Abuela.”
“Hayden.” Sofia sounded so serious the smile melted off Hayden’s face. “You’re actually married?”
“Yeah.”
“Well.” Sofia seemed lost for an appropriate reaction. “She must be amazing to have got you to agree to that.”
Abuela narrowed her eyes. “She better be.”
What a mess.
CHAPTER 11
After the video call from hell, Hayden fell asleep on the couch for thirty minutes while watching a show on her laptop. She woke up with a startled look at the time, ran to the shower, and rushed through waking herself up enough to meet Luce at the café on time.
Luce and Sam.
On her way out the door, Hayden pulled on her leather jacket, wrapped a scarf around her neck—it was really starting to get cold—and paused at the kitchen counter, shoving her phone in her bag. She eyed Frank, curled up on the sofa still.
“You all right there? Need anything, Frank? A mani-pedi? Massage?”
He opened one eye. Then closed it.
“I’ll get right on that.”
She hiked her bag onto her shoulder and sucked in a breath. Okay. Social time. Luce and Sam. It would be…great. Not at all awkward. When it was over, Hayden would come home and sleep forever. Tomorrow, she had all day to lie around in her bed and do absolutely nothing. She might even binge-watch something. And make pizza.
No. She’d get delivery pizza.
She really shouldn’t get stupid with her money, but she could splurge, just this once.
This was all still too weird and scary, and Hayden couldn’t quite shake the feeling that it was all going to explode one day and she’d have to give the money back. It didn’t seem likely—how would Sam demand it back? Why would she? This money was for the parts of the agreement Hayden had followed through on. So it was hers.
But it still seemed too good to be true.
Hayden opened the door and pulled it closed behind her. When she turned around, she came face-to-face with a guy standing at the opposite apartment doing the same, his hand still on the door handle.
Something about him was familiar. A common feeling after all the faces she saw coming in and out of the hospital.
She smiled, mostly at the irony of their mirrored position. He seemed young, early twenties, maybe even younger. He had floppy blond hair that made her think younger. Rather than smile back, he cocked his head.
“Hi,” she said.
He looked her up and down and turned fully from his door. He slipped his hands into his gray coat’s pockets. “Hello.”
His voice was cool.
Talk about friendly neighbors. Hayden decided this wasn’t worth hanging around for and reached over to press the call button for the elevator. She really should take the stairs, but she was exhausted. And it was going to be winter soon. She needed the few extra pounds to keep warm.
He was still staring at her. “Are you new?”
“Just moved in about four days ago.”
His eyes widened. The elevator rumbled behind her, and she wished it would hurry up. He was acting kind of weird, wasn’t he?
“Strange we haven’t run into each other, then,” he said.
Finally, the elevator pinged. “I’ve been on night shift, so keeping pretty irregular hours.”
“You work at the hospital?”
He followed her into the elevator and leaned against one wall, appraising her. He had the look of someone very well-cared for—neat clothes, neat haircut.
“Uh, what do you mean ‘the’ hospital? There are a lot in this city.”
“Oh, I meant the same one as Sam. You’re living with her, right?”
The neighbor and Sam were friends? Or at least close enough that he knew which specific hospital she worked at. This would be someone to play it up to. “Yeah, we work together. It’s how we met.”
“That sounds like you’re dating.”
He was smiling now, a dimple popping in his left cheek. He had a charming air around him. He must slay in bars.
Hayden winked at him. “More than that. We just got married.”
That was still so, so strange to say.
His eyebrows raised, the smile disappearing for a second before it appeared again. “Really?”
“Yeah.”
The doors opened, and Hayden breathed a sigh of relief. She slipped out, and he walked behind her, both of them greeting the doorman on the way out. On the street, the light was muted, the sky a dark gray. It was already getting dark. Wind lifted up Hayden’s scarf and her hair. She hunched her shoulders against the shock of cool air. The guy’s face was already kissed a little pink from it.
“Well.” Those dimples popped again. He looked like a cheeky kid. Now his age was even harder to place. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks… What was your name?”
Already walking a step backward to head down the street, he said, “Jon. Short for Jonathon, though no one calls me that.”
“Well, Jon, it was nice to meet you. I’m H
ayden. Alejandra to my grandmother, but no one else.”
“Cute.” He winked and turned completely before disappearing into the masses walking down the sidewalk.
Maybe he was a friendly neighbor.
The bus ride was short, and Hayden managed to slip through the door of the café right on time. Inside was buzzing with warmth, and some kind of folk music was playing over the speakers. The staff moved between tables, bringing out coffees and teas and clearing empty spots. Hayden loved this place. The chairs were all mismatched; a mix of old-school armchairs and sofas. Different colored cushions were scattered over each one. It had an eclectic, comfortable atmosphere.
A quick glance located Luce, sitting in a corner, holding their e-reader. Hayden wove through the tables and flopped into the worn red armchair opposite Luce.
“Hey, stranger.” Luce slipped their e-reader into their bag. “So you survived night shift? You look, uh, great.”
“The word you’re looking for is ‘crap,’ Luce. I look like crap.”
“Well, I was never gonna say it. Still as gorgeous as ever, though.” They thought they were so charming. “So, how’s married life?”
“Luce…”
“What?” They pouted. “Genuine question.”
“Your smirk says otherwise.”
“There’s no smirk.”
“There really, really is.” Hayden acknowledged the waitress who approached them, her pad already open and pen in hand. “Hi,” she said. “One shot espresso, thanks.”
Luce wrinkled their nose at the order. “Gross.” They turned to the waitress. “Mocha frappe with extra syrup, please.”
It was Hayden’s turn to wrinkle her nose. “Gross.”
“Anything else?”
Hayden shook her head. “Not for me. Though someone else will be joining us in thirty minutes or so.”
The waitress disappeared, and Luce was staring at her. “They are?”
Hayden cleared her throat, and she flicked her thumb along the band on her finger again. She needed to stop that, even though it had replaced the gnawing the inside of her cheek habit nicely. “Uh, yeah. I asked Sam if she wanted to join us. You said you wanted to get to know her.”
“I suppose I did.”
“Did you mean it?”
“What? Of course. It’s just… Won’t it be awkward?”
“Not if you behave.”
“Me? Whatever do you mean?” Luce even tried to flutter their lashes innocently.
“You look like you have something in your eye.”
“I do. It’s insult at your insinuation.”
“You’re a drama quee—kin—uh, drama quing?”
Luce’s eyes lit up. “I love that.”
“Excellent. Henceforth, quing is the gender-neutral term for royalty. I may have read it online, but we can pretend I came up with it.”
“Great. But, back on track, I am not a drama quing.”
“You really are.”
“Well, awfully sorry if your shotgun wedding has brought out my more dramatic side.”
Their coffees appeared in front of them, and they both threw a thankful expression at the waitress.
“It’s not a shotgun wedding.” Hayden reached for her tiny espresso glass, stirring it slowly with a spoon in the hopes it would cool faster. She needed it to get through the next two hours until she could fall into bed.
“Isn’t it?” Luce sat straighter. “Are you pregnant?”
Hayden didn’t know if they were being serious. “No.”
“Right. You have to have had sex for that.”
Instantly, her cheeks warmed. “Still going with that theory?”
“Well, I haven’t seen your legs for a while in the change rooms, but last I saw they weren’t the smooth you go for when you’re getting lucky.”
“Well, now they are.”
More lies. And, damn it, now she was going to have to shave them all the time. Far too much effort.
“Well, I assumed you’ve shagged now. Done it at the hospital yet?”
“No. Seriously, Tasha insinuated that the other night. Who has sex in a hospital?”
Luce paused with their glass halfway to their mouth. “Uh—everyone?”
“Who? Who is everyone?”
“Like, everyone. The amount of affairs going on there is scary.”
“I think you’re thinking of TV shows. Who has time to have sex at the hospital?”
Luce sipped their drink, shrugging while they swallowed. “Look, it happens.”
Wait. “Have you had sex at the hospital?”
And suddenly Luce couldn’t look at her.
A slow smile crawled over Hayden’s lips. “Holy shit. You have. Haven’t you?”
“Well, it was just once.”
“Once?”
“Okay, twice.”
Hayden stared at them, and even though they weren’t looking at her, she knew they could feel it.
“Fine!” Luce looked at her. A blush wasn’t always obvious on their skin, but it was right now. “Multiple times. But with one person.” They held up one finger. “One. So. That’s the same as once.”
“It’s really not.” A laugh rippled out of her. “This is hilarious. Who? Oh! Coffee Girl? Have you two already hooked up? Did you go on a date? Is she nice? And you’ve already slept together multiple times at work?”
Luce put a hand up in the air in front of them. “Whoa. Slow down. It was a couple of years ago, with the radiographer I was dating.”
Hayden fell back against her chair. “Oh. Still interesting, though not as exciting.”
“As much as I appreciate your investment in my sex life, that’s creepy. And no, I have not hooked up with Coffee Girl.”
“But you have gone out?”
Luce couldn’t control their delight. “Yeah, I wanted to tell you, but you’re all newly married and were sucked into the hole of night shift.”
“I am never too busy for you to tell me these things. Or anything.”
“I wanted to tell you in person.”
“When did you go out? Where did you go? Who asked who? Wait, who am I kidding? As if you asked her.”
“Hey.” Luce glared at her. “I might have.”
“Did you?”
The glare fell away. “No.”
“Thought not.”
“She asked me. We went to dinner at the little Thai place near my house.”
“I love that Thai place.”
“I know, right? So we went there. It was nice.”
Hayden narrowed her eyes. “That’s it? It was nice? You got a story of marriage from me, and I get nice?”
“Well, I’ll never top that story.”
“Luce,” Hayden whined. “How was it? What did you think of her?”
Hayden didn’t want to ask “did she misgender you? Do I need to go after her with itching powder?” but really that was where she was going with this.
There was something coy about the look on Luce’s face. “It was nice though. We talked a lot, and she kind of noticed me flinch when she used the wrong pronoun and asked. So I explained I was assigned female at birth, but I’m non-binary, and she was really open about it and interested.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah.”
“And…?”
“Get your head out of the gutter.”
“You’ve been talking about my sex life.”
“And you still haven’t told me anything.”
Hayden pouted. “It’s private.”
“I’m pretty sure you telling me about how flexible that girl was that you went home with months ago was private too?” Luce looked smug. “Or how that guy liked it when—”
“Yeah, okay. I get your point. But come on. Give me details?”
“We’re going out again.”
That made Hayden sit up and take a true interest. “You are? That’s awesome. When?”
“In a couple of nights.”
“Aw. Are you in lurve?”
Luce snorted. “Not all of us move that quickly.”
Ouch. But fair. “Hey.” Hayden pretended to be insulted anyway. “That was unnecessary.”
“Was it, though?”
“Yes.”
“Come on. You got married after a month. I’ve heard you go on rants that last hours about how stupid marriage is.”
Hayden took a cautious sip of her still-hot espresso. She closed her eyes in bliss and quickly opened them again as she felt them get heavy. “Well, I was mistaken.”
Marriage was stupid. But not if it got you enough money to sort your life out. And more.
“Well—”
“Hello.”
They both swiveled their heads. Sam was standing next to them. She looked windswept, her long bangs that normally sat over her right eye blown every which way. Her hands were in her pockets. Hayden shook herself and came back to the moment. Right. Married.
Convincing Luce.
“Hey.” Hayden nudged the chair between Luce and Hayden. “Have a seat. How are you?”
Sam pulled her coat off and hung it over the back of her chair. She was wearing a light-green scarf that she kept on, and that made her eyes incredibly vivid. Hayden knew, because when she sat down, Sam turned those eyes straight on her.
“I’m good. How are you feeling?” Sam’s hand landed on her knee, and Hayden’s entire body started to tense. With a breath, she relaxed. “Did you give in and fall asleep?”
Warmth was pricking up her spine. Must be embarrassment from the fact that, yes, she did pass out on the sofa. “Maybe.”
“I’m not surprised. You barely slept.” She turned to Luce, keeping her hand on Hayden’s leg. Hayden adjusted so she could sit comfortably and have her leg where it looked natural for Sam to do that. The movement pushed her leg into Sam’s.
So much body heat being shared.
So much weirdness.
Luce was looking at Sam’s hand.
“Hi, Luce. How are you?”
Luce met Sam’s eye. “I’m great. Unlike someone, I wasn’t stuck on night shift for four days in a row.”
“Come on,” Hayden protested. “I’m going strong.”
“You blinked while sipping your coffee before and almost didn’t open your eyes again.” Damn. Hayden had thought she’d hidden that well. Luce looked back to Sam. “How are you? Did you work today?”
