Chapter 1
Mason Reynolds and I had planned to meet at the County Clerk Office to get our marriage certificate. I’d reminded him over and over to bring my mother’s wedding veil.
But before Mason even showed up, I got a video from Bree Vincent.
In the video, the veil I’d carefully designed was being torn apart by Bree’s Alaskan Malamute, who was treating it like a chew toy.
[Sorry about that, Hazel! My Alaskan Malamute got hold of your veil and totally destroyed it. Just let me know how much it cost and I’ll transfer you the money.]
While I was still staring at my phone in shock, Mason called.
“Bree’s dog is sick, so we’re taking it to the vet. We’ll have to reschedule getting the certificate.”
I asked quietly, “Mason, what about my mother’s veil?”
Mason sounded irritated. “God, you’re so annoying! It’s just some old piece of fabric–why are you making such a big
deal about it?”
Then he hung up on me.
My eyes started to water. The staff member looked at me with sympathy.
“Miss, are you still planning to register today?”
I took a deep breath and nodded. “YES, I am.”
I dialed that number.
“Can you come register for a marriage certificate with me?”
“Congratulations to you both, may you have a lifetime of happiness.”
The clerk flashed that practiced smile they probably perfected after years of dealing with couples, sliding two marriage certificates across the counter toward me and River Crawford.
A weird mix of emotions hit me all at once.
A month ago, Mom got T–boned by some idiot running a red light. Now she’s barely hanging on, hooked up to machines that are basically keeping her alive. Her one dying wish? To see me settle down and get married.
And in the month leading up to today, my boyfriend Mason had stood me up six freaking times.
First time: his “best friend” Bree was sick and obviously needed him to rush over and play nurse.
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Chapter 1
Second time: Bree just had to have some influencer’s autograph, so off he went to wait in line for hours.
Third time: Bree landed a new job and celebrating was apparently more important than our wedding plans.
…and on and on.
After getting ditched for the sixth time, I finally lost it and had a massive blowout with Mason. But that bastard just grinned and leaned in close with those puppy dog eyes.
“Come on, Hazel, I messed up. Just forgive me this once? If I pull this crap again, I swear I’ll never deserve to marry you, okay?”
He grabbed my hand and made me slap him playfully, and like an absolute idiot, I bought into his act. Again.
Today was strike seven.
Not only did he bail on me again, but he somehow managed to destroy Mom’s vintage veil that she’d saved for me.
The one thing I had left of her dreams for my wedding day.
The doctors say Mom probably won’t make it through the week.
That’s when River popped into my head – my neighbor who’d just moved back from overseas.
Calling him my neighbor was kind of a stretch. He’d been my shadow since we were kids, following me around like
a lost puppy.
But after Mason and I got together in college, River took off for grad school abroad, and we basically lost touch.
Six months ago, he came back to start some tech company and moved into the apartment across the hall. That’s when we started hanging out again.
When I called him up in desperation, River didn’t even hesitate. “Hell yeah, I’ll marry you.” His only condition? I had to move into his place and play the part of his girlfriend to get his grandfather off his back about all the blind
dates.
“I’m flying out tomorrow for a week–long business trip. Here’s my spare key – move in whenever you want. Hey,
Hazel? You still there?”
River’s voice snapped me back to reality.
I nodded, carefully tucking the marriage certificate into my purse like it was made of glass.
After we left city hall, I headed home to pack my stuff.
Now that River and I were legally married, living with Mason would be all kinds of wrong.
God, the irony was killing me. When I was head–over–heels in love, I’d scraped together every penny to buy that condo near Mason’s office – paid cash, no mortgage.
Instead of being grateful, Mason just bitched about how I was “financially irresponsible” and “had no clue how to
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Just a Stand In?! My Billionaire Hubby’s OTHER Wife…
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Chapter 1
manage money.”
Looking back now? What a joke.
When the elevator opened on my floor, there was Mason holding hands with Bree right outside my door.
The second he saw me, he dropped her hand like it was on fire, guilt written all over his face as he scrambled to
explain.
“Bree got transferred to a new location – her commute’s gonna be brutal, like an extra twenty minutes each way. Poor girl’s gonna be exhausted, so I figured she could crash here temporarily.”
Poor girl? When I was killing myself with overtime to afford this place, walking home alone through sketchy neighborhoods just to save on Uber fees, he never once called me a “poor girl.”
Thinking about the realtor I’d already contacted, I paused before saying, “She won’t be staying here long.”
Bree immediately grabbed Mason’s sleeve, putting on that wounded puppy act she’d perfected.
“Mason, I don’t think Hazel wants me here. Maybe I should just go… I feel terrible that I’m causing problems
between you two.”
Mason patted her shoulder like she was some fragile little bird.
“Hazel, quit being such a drama queen. Bree doesn’t know anyone in this city – where the hell is she supposed to
go?”
“I’m not being-”
“Still throwing a tantrum about this morning? Look, something came up, okay? We’ll hit the County Clerk Office first thing tomorrow. Don’t embarrass me in front of Bree.”
But this time, I didn’t cave like I always did. Instead, I just calmly told him I’d already gotten married.
“Stop being ridiculous. Everyone knows we’re about to tie the knot. Who else would even want you at this point?”
Mason headed straight for the kitchen after dropping that bomb. He always said that a man cooking for his woman was the ultimate sign of love.
So whenever he screwed up, he’d whip up some elaborate dinner and go on about how much he adored me.
It always worked. I’d melt, forgive him, and the cycle would start all over again.
But this time? I was done. Completely fucking done with his bullshit.
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