"Are you going to visit your mother?"

A nervous laugh escaped me. I can't meet a stranger's family overnight. I'm definitely not mentally ready. Gabrielo shakes his head and stands up, holding out his hand to me.

"I'll drop you off at home first. I'll go see her later."

"I don't live in Vegas," I replied.

"We're in New York. I'm sorry, but we opened your wallet yesterday to look at your ID last night."

"We?"

"A friend of mine moved us onto the jet. Long story."

"I've got time," I said without moving.

Gabrielo sighs. He looks me in the eye before running a hand through his hair.

"We went back to my hotel to sleep. According to him, I told him we got married. And he dragged us both into his private jet. Happy?"

"Delighted, actually. Let's go."

We leave his flat through the lift. We arrive directly in a car park full of cars. Gabrielo stops in front of a huge black car. The kind of car whose price must have seven or eight zeros in a row. I sit down gently on the seat after Gabrielo opens the door for me.

"Where should I drop you off?" Gabrielo asks.

"In front of the Time Warner Center, please."

After a fifteen-minute drive, Gabrielo drops me off in front of the mall before starting off to work again. I take my mobile out of my bag from yesterday and call Meavy. After the second ring, she answers the phone.

"I know you're back in New York, I saw your post. Meet me at Magnolia Bakery now."

I hang up without another word. Twenty minutes later, Meavy comes trotting in on her heels.

"I'm here! I'm here," she huffs as she sits down. "What's up?"

"I got married."

"What about my invitation?" Meavy takes offence. "I thought we were friends."

"Meavy, I married a stranger last night," I hissed through my teeth.

Meavy frowns as she looks me in the eye. She shakes her head and smiles.

"Stop with those bad jokes. Tell me the truth now. How did you manage to get home alone at the last minute."

I raise my left hand in front of her so she can see properly. Meavy chokes on her coffee. A coughing fit jolts her body and she tries to regain her composure. She grabs my hand and moves it around to look at the band on my ring finger.

"You can still get a divorce, can't you?"

"I signed a prenup that will ruin me if I ever get divorced.

"What if he cheats on you ?" Meavy exclaims. "No divorce?"

"He'll owe me a whopping $600 million. That goes for me too."

"I can't do anything for you now. Who would voluntarily sign such a paper? What were you thinking? Did you think you were in a fairy tale?"

Always so straightforward. Meavy sighs before finishing her coffee. She avoids my gaze and fiddles with her empty cup. She suddenly gets up and sits down next to me on the banquette. She hugs me before taking my face in her hands. She looks me straight in the eye.

"We'll work this out. If he ever touches a hair on your head without your consent, I will bury him alive. If you needed a date, I would have dressed up in an incredible wig. I would have been perfect for you! You know that?"

"I know that."

Far too much so.

"We can kill him and pretend it was an unfortunate accident," Meavy offers. "I can help you hide the body if you want."

"No, Meavy. We're not going to commit a crime. Not yet anyway."

"Take care of yourself anyway. And call me if you have any problems, okay?"

"You'll be the first person I call. Shall we go?"

The last Saturday of the month is usually the only shopping day Meavy and I are allowed. We always meet for lunch before spending the whole day together.

"Alma, I haven't asked you yet, but what is your so-called husband like?" Meavy asks as we leave a shop.

"6'3. Black hair, blue eyes and a muscular build. He's really handsome."

"Let's hope he's just a normal, cute guy you met at a club and not a creepy stalker who was waiting for you to get drunk", she adds. "Come on, I hooked up with him. I might have an STI. What if I get pregnant?"

"You used protection, right?" Meavy asks.

She stops in the middle of the clothing aisle. She turns to me with a tight smile.

"Alma?"

"I don't know. I don't know anymore!" I panicked. "What am I going to do?"

"You'll go to the doctor then. And do some tests. You can also take the morning-after pill."

"Meavy!"

"What? One of us has to panic and the other one has to think for the both of us. I have to stay calm if I'm going to think about anything."

Our shopping day ends peacefully and I call a taxi to go home. Now that I think about it, I don't have Gabrielo's number. But never mind, it's not that bad.

I finally get home and put all my bags in the hall. My phone rings in my bag. The screen shows: Gabrielo. When did I give him my number?

"Hello?"

"Are you free now?"

"Yes, I just got home. Do you need anything?" I asked.

"Can you send me the address," he asked. "I want to talk to you about something."

I send him my address before quickly putting my new clothes away. I start to make dinner after showering and the doorbell rings. Gabrielo is on my doorstep waiting. I open the door for him and he starts to smile.

"Sorry to come so late," he said, running a hand over the back of his neck.

"Not at all, come in. I was just making some food. Would you like something to drink?"

"A glass of water, please."

I leave the kitchen and join Gabrielo in the living room. I sit down opposite him after putting a glass of water on the coffee table. It's a good thing I didn't change when I got home.

Like this morning, he's dressed in a black shirt and black trousers. His shirt is wrinkled and his blazer is lying on the sofa, perfectly folded.

"What do we do now? We're married, sure, but we need a plan."

I have no idea.

"What do you suggest," I asked, watching him take a sip of water.

" We can get to know each other, live like a real married couple, or we can work out a divorce."

"Because you can afford a divorce? Because I don't think my bank account will ever recover."

"If need be, I can arrange for us to get a divorce. It may take a long time or it may never happen, but I can try," he admits.

I don't know if you're a shady guy sitting in my living room. The problem is that I can't spend all my money on a stupid divorce. I have plans and I need the money.

"Why don't we live like a real married couple and see what happens? We could get to know each other every day."

"Doesn't it bother you that we don't like each other?"

A laugh slips out of my mouth and I look Gabrielo in the eye. He looks totally confused.

"Love isn't everything. It comes and goes without warning."

"What are you getting at?"

"I don't need to marry someone I love. I want someone I like first. We can love each other later."

I've already been betrayed. Love makes people blind, it's true. If I had opened my eyes, I would have seen what was going on between James and Mila before my eyes.

Gabrielo starts to smile before holding out his hand to me. I shake his and nod.

"We should live together, if we want to live like a married couple," I say in front of the stove.

"That's not a bad idea, do you want to look at flats? Or houses, maybe?"

"I prefer to live in a flat. How about you?"

A rumbling stomach cuts him off. Gabrielo looks away, blushing. I purse my lips to keep from laughing.

"I think we'd better eat before we make any decisions. There's nothing urgent after all."

"I think so too," Gabrielo agrees.

Dinner was spent in a good mood discussing our day. It's been a long time since I got along so well with a man. Maybe this marriage will work out after all. Time will tell.

"Gabrielo?"

He turns to me with a raised eyebrow. I hope he doesn't take it the wrong way. But after my talk with Meavy, I need to know.

"What's up?"

Come on, I'm going for it.

"Would you mind if we got tested?"

"For STDs? No, not at all. I'll do a test and give you the results as soon as I have them."

"Thanks, I'll pass them on to you as soon as I get them too. Are you leaving?"

"I have some business to attend to. I'll see you soon, Alma."

Gabrielo waves to me before opening the door and leaving. I take out the sketches from the day before to work on them. I have to finish making this wedding dress before the end of next month.

I kind of like him so far.