Knot So Lucky (Destination Love, #1)(20)

“Listen, when we walk in there, just smile and nod. And whatever you do, lie about remembering last night… You two were blackout drunk. Understand? I figured an annulment was best, and that defense is our only hope. God willing, in the next ten minutes, it’ll be like last night never happened.”

Eleanor tilts her head toward me, so I lean down for her to whisper in my ear as Josh knocks on the door.

“Nice lawyer. Do you have to pay extra when he encourages you to lie?”

There she goes, pulling another smile out of me. I capture my bottom lip between my teeth and let it drag out slowly before I launch more playful sarcasm in her direction. I can’t help it. This girl brings out the devil in me.

“You’re right. We should tell the truth. Do you want to tell the judge about when your mouth was around my cock while your pussy was getting double-fed? Or should I?”

I don’t miss how her eyes turn into saucers as she chuckles quietly, breathing, “I hate you.”

I wink. “So we are lying, then?”

My hand drops to the small of her back, ushering her through the door and feeling her pinch my side before she follows Josh, and I hold back a laugh.

A portly, half-balding, older man in a black robe sits behind a massive oak desk, smiling tightly as we walk in, and Josh greets him.

“Judge Reynolds. Thank you so much for doing this on such short notice. We understand how important your time is. We’ll be as quick as possible so we’re out of your hair.”

Josh motions to two chairs in front of the desk for Eleanor and me as he continues, placing a thick packet of paperwork on the judge’s desk.

“I’ve prepared the paperwork. It’s very straightforward. Both parties agree to no exchange of any personal assets, and there is no community property. They’re also requesting an annulment. Neither party was capable of agreeing to the marriage due to the level of alcohol in their respective systems. To be frank, Judge, my clients got blackout drunk and then married. Both parties would appreciate a swift no-fault wrap-up.”

Jesus, way to cut to the fucking chase. I look at Josh, shaking my head, but he shrugs.

The judge nods as I stand beside Eleanor’s chair until she sits before taking my own.

Everyone is silent. The only sound is the crinkling of the paperwork as the judge flips through it.

Josh has stepped behind us, standing between our chairs, but I don’t get the sense he’s nervous about anything. I figure it’s a good idea to treat this like the rules on a plane.

If the flight attendant panics, then we’re going down.

I’m midway through my thought when the cell in my hand vibrates, catching my attention. A smile burgeons on my face. Sneaky, sneaky.

That girl I married: I just want you to know that you’re my soulmate. They can take away my last name, but they can never take away our love—also, refresh my memory? What’s your last name?





I look up, trying and failing to hide the smile on my face. She’s ridiculous. My eyes tick over to her, but she’s staring straight ahead at the judge, who’s still looking at the paperwork.

We’re like two kids in middle school passing notes when we’re not supposed to.

And I like it.

I’m already texting back, ignoring Josh as he taps my shoulder.

Me: LISTEN. I’ll call this thing off right now. Don’t tempt me with a lifetime of YOU. But how do I know you’re not just leading me on? You’re an admitted heartbreaker.





That girl I married: No, YOU listen… There’s nothing sweeter than meeting your soulmate and finding out he likes it when his friends fuck you too. Now I know why the lord gave me one heart and three holes.





I cough. It’s all I can do to hide the laugh that refuses to stay in. It’s not fair that she’s this funny.

Fuck, now everyone’s looking at me. Even the judge.

“Are you okay, son?”

I tap my chest with my fist a couple of times, pretending to clear whatever’s there before he adds, “Crew. Matthews. This is quite the surprise seeing you here.”

I smile and nod, just like I was told, not even tempting fate with a glance in her direction. We’re not allowed to sit together anymore. No more divorces for us.

The judge’s voice commands the room as if he’s comfortable pontificating.

“I would have thought in the weeks leading up to training camp, you would only have football on your mind.” He glances at Eleanor and then back to me. “But I guess there are distractions everywhere, even for the best of the best.”

What the fuck?

All the humor I felt is immediately gone as my brows pull together while he looks down at the paperwork.

I don’t like his tone or his implication. But mostly, the way it involves Eleanor. I start to lean forward to say some shit, but Josh’s hand lands solidly on my shoulder, a whispered “smile and nod” added. So, I let out a silent breath and relax back into the chair.

Judge Reynolds lifts the paper before addressing us again.

“You understand that your attorney stated you didn’t know what you were doing. Because in order for me to agree to an annulment, that would mean you were too incapacitated to understand what you were entering into.” He looks up, adding, “I believe the term was blackout drunk…”