From This Day Foward: Switched at Marriage Part 4 by Gina Robinson Read Free Book Online

friends loved Jus. I felt like I'd gone through the looking glass into an alternate world.
    "I think it's time to cut the cake." Britt took my arm and shepherded me toward it, waving at Jus to join us.
    Jus and I had the patter, our routine, of cutting the cake down like two comedians who played the same gig night after night.
    When we finished, Britt handed us a bottle of champagne. Jus popped the cork, neatly avoiding my dress with the spray as Britt and the girls served the guests.
    Dex stepped forward to make the first toast to us, the ostensibly happy couple.
    "Justin didn't have a best man. As the sole representative of his friends, and also as a relative of the bride, it's my duty to stand in and make a toast." He cleared his throat and raised his glass. "Green, you got the best girl in the family. No matter that she's the only girl. Take good care of her. Or else. You know I can out-prank you."
    The crowd laughed. There was a catch in Dex's voice that made me teary. He usually teased me mercilessly. But here he was, being sweet and emotional.
    Even though I knew this marriage was a lie, a convenience, a job, even, in the comfort of my friends, it was easy to forget all that. To feel what they felt—happiness for Jus and me. Happiness and belief in new and surprising love. Joy. There was so much bad crap in the world all the time. It was fun to celebrate something. Like us.
    I was immensely pleased that my friends, who I'd feared wouldn't approve of my marriage to Justin or would lecture and tease me about marrying him for his money, were one hundred percent supportive. They loved him, were awed by him, were swept away by this illusion of love and happiness we'd pulled off. They, the people who knew me best, could see me being swept off my feet by him . Not his money. Him . Not one person implied otherwise. They were as surprised as I was. I loved them all for it more than I could say.
    I should have felt guilty about fooling my best friends in the world. I did feel guilty. To a degree. But all the champagne I'd had had gone to my head. And made me feel floaty and flirty, like alcohol always did. Elated.
    "Kayla."
    At the sound of my name on Dex's lips, I startled out of my thoughts. He was staring directly at me with that sappy, almost brotherly, teasing look on his face.
    "Justin is one of my good friends. Treat him with love and respect. And please, take the familial pressure off me, and make many beautiful, brainy babies with him to keep our moms happy and off my back about grandchildren! To Justin and Kayla and many, many happy years together!"
    As glasses clinked around us, I smiled up at Jus. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me. Everyone expected it. And maybe it was the bubbles or the buzz of the alcohol, but I felt a spark. A tiny spark of something as his beard brushed my lips. I almost didn't want the illusion to end.
    It was just a week off the summer solstice. Nearly the shortest night of the year. By the time the party ended, dawn was just a few short hours away. I offered to help Britt clean up, but she shooed me away.
    "I can handle this. Go make some beautiful babies with that brainiac of yours!" She winked and laughed. And handed me a white paper bag with twine handles filled with leftover appetizers, a large piece of wedding reception cake, and the cake topper.
    There was enough innuendo in her tone to let me know what she meant. Her advice hadn't changed since Thursday: Get pregnant now . I wished we hadn't run into Lazer at lunch. I wished she hadn't seen me flirt with him. If she hadn't caught the way I'd looked at Lazer, she would have completely believed my charade with Jus.
    The evening had been too good to let anything spoil it, even Britt's outrageous advice. I was high on success. Light. Buzzed to almost drunk on champagne.
    I hung on Justin's arm, gazing at him adoringly in case any of my friends were still in sight.
    Outside, Jus pulled the keys from his pocket. They nearly fell