Chapter 3

As soon as they stepped outside the venue, a chilly wind smacked Brynn in the face, jolting her out of her headspace.

“Brynn,” Dominic’s voice broke through her jumbled thoughts.

She glanced up at him, and before she could react, he was holding out a card.

“What’s this…?” she asked, squinting at it.

“I’ve got something to handle soon, so I can’t stick around to help you get settled,” Dominic said, looking right at her. He paused, then added, “My place doesn’t have much for a woman. You’d be starting from zero if you moved in.”

Brynn’s brain hit a snag. “Your place? Get me settled?” she repeated, totally thrown. She hadn’t seen that coming—he was legitimately asking her to move in.

Sure, she’d gone full-on dramatic at the wedding, all fired up and serious, but this guy? She’d known him for maybe an hour.

“Isn’t this a little quick?” she said, giving him a skeptical look. “We just got married, like, five minutes ago…”

Dominic caught the doubt flashing across her face and raised an eyebrow. “So you’re not planning to live with me?”

His mouth twitched, almost smirking. “What, was all that back there just you letting off steam?”

“No chance,” she fired back fast, meeting his gaze head-on. “I meant every single word. I’m not chickening out—I stand by it.”

“There you go.” Dominic let out a low, laid-back laugh and took her hand. “Come on, let’s head home.”

His car was parked just a few feet away—nothing fancy, just a regular, no-frills ride. Brynn gave it a quick once-over, figuring her new discount husband probably wasn’t swimming in money.

She peeked at the card in her hand and mumbled to herself, “Handing over his bank card like that… what if I just ran off with it? He’s too trusting.”

But even as she grumbled, a weird warm feeling snuck up on her. They’d just met, their marriage was barely official—no papers or anything—and here he was, handing her his card like it was no big deal.

Before they hopped in, she stopped short and shoved it back at him.

“I’ve got my own cash to handle things,” she said, keeping her voice steady. “You keep this.”

She’d saved up a solid stash over the years—winnings from contests, some lucky stock moves. She could cover herself no problem. No need to raid his pockets.

Dominic glanced at the card but didn’t grab it. “This is what husbands do—take care of their wives.” He tossed in casually, “No PIN. Use it whenever you want.”

Brynn groaned inside. This guy was stubborn as a mule. She was trying to be cool about it, yet he just couldn’t get it. She wasn’t cheap—setting up a place would cost a pretty penny, and this guy? Yup, he’s handsome, but with his basic car and plain clothes, he probably wasn’t loaded. He didn’t need to act like a big shot for her. Brynn was just trying to do him a favor…

“We haven’t even signed anything,” she said, softening her tone a bit. “It doesn’t feel right taking your money.”

Dominic opened the passenger door and nodded for her to get in. She gave him a look, then slid into the seat. He got in on his side, buckling up as he talked, all calm and straightforward. “You said it yourself—no regret, no second thought. We had the ceremony. No papers yet, yeah, but we’re married. Me giving you money to get settled? That’s just how it goes. Don’t overthink it.”

Brynn was about to argue, but Dominic cut her off. “Or… how about we grab the license first?” he said, his tone light and playful. He shot her a look, that half-smirk of his showing off a glint of mischief in his eyes.

Brynn’s cheeks went hot—half embarrassed, half annoyed—and she looked away quickly.

“I didn’t say that,” she grumbled. “Alright, fine—if you’re so set on me taking it, I will.”

She grabbed the card and shoved it into her pocket with a sharp little move. This guy, she thought. Whatever. I’m just not going to use it.

Dominic’s mouth quirked into a small smile as he watched her give in. Without a word, he turned the key and started the car.

“Uh, I need to stop by the Everetts’ place first,” Brynn said, staring out the window.

Dominic’s hands stilled on the steering wheel. “The Everetts…?”

“All my stuff’s there—IDs, papers, all of it,” she said, a hint of irritation creeping in. “How am I supposed to officially marry you without them? Or are you fine just playing house forever with no paperwork?”

“Nah, I’ll take you there now,” Dominic said, dropping the teasing vibe. He gave a quick nod and turned the car toward the Everett family’s place.

The idea of seeing her parents again shut Brynn up. Dominic didn’t pry, just let her space out, watching the scenery zip by outside.

Soon enough, they rolled up to the Everett villa. Brynn blinked back to the moment, took a deep breath, and reached for the door.

“Want me to come in?” Dominic asked, his voice calm and even.

She stopped, then turned to look at him. A tiny smile tugged at her lips. “Nah, I can handle it.”

He just nodded, keeping it simple. Brynn stepped out, and Dominic started to pull away. She caught a glimpse of him through the window and paused.

“Hey,” she called.

He glanced back, eyebrows up like he was waiting for her to say something.

“Drive safe, alright? Take it easy,” she said, tripping over her words a bit. They were married now, kinda—checking on him felt like the natural thing to do, or so she figured.

“Yeah. I will.” Dominic said, letting out a quiet laugh as he shot her a grin. Then he drove off, leaving the villa in the dust.

Brynn watched the car fade away, a weird warm feeling settling in her chest. It was nice, almost. Like they’d been married forever.

She shook her head. “No, hang on—we are married. Just need the papers to back it up,” she mumbled to herself. She slapped her cheeks to shake off the daze, letting the weird thoughts go away.

Toughening up, she strode up to the villa and pushed the door open. Before she could even step inside, laughter hit her ears.

“Chase, you’re so clever! I’ve been stuck on this riddle forever,” Kylie said, her voice all perky and bright.

“You’re just not used to these games. I’ll show you some tricks next time,” Chase said, chuckling back.

In the living room, Kylie was cozied up next to Chase on the couch, both of them hunched over a tablet. Across from them, Maris sipped her tea with a smug little smirk on her face.