“That is none of your business. Goodnight.” I yanked my hand away.
“I’m right. You’ve got yourself a new boyfriend. Who is he? Whoever he is, he can’t provide for you like me.”
I didn’t want to have this conversation any longer. In the old days, I’d have taken his bait already. But the time I’d spent alone after that eventful day had taught me that arguing with Samuel Marsh was as useless as trying to carry water in a sieve. So, I made an attempt to leave.
Unexpectedly, Sam grabbed the collar of my dress and shook me. “I’m not finished talking to you.”
“Let me go, Sam.” I tried to break free of his grip.
“You’re nothing without me, Simone. You won’t survive. You’re too stupid to fend for yourself. You’ll die.”
“Let me go!”
All of a sudden, Sam’s hand jerked away from me. Luke had come out of nowhere. Everyone in the diner gawked at us.
Sam didn’t seem to recognize Luke. He only saw a man in uniform and dismissed him lightly. Since becoming a lawyer, Sam held little regard for people in uniforms. “Piss off. I’m talking to my wife.”
Luke bristled but he kept his composure. “Simone is your ex-wife. She’s my fiancée now.”
I was shocked to hear that from Luke. Fiancée?
A forced laughter came from Sam. “You wish. Not in your wildest dreams.”
I don’t know what possessed Sam to take a swing at Luke, especially when Luke was still in his sheriff’s uniform. Luke dodged effortlessly and returned the favor in full force. Luke’s powerful punch landed on Sam’s beer-belly gut. My ex doubled over and sunk like the Titanic.
Wasting no time, Luke arrested Sam and Mirandized him. “Samuel Marsh, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say and do can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?”
Sam was cursing a storm as Luke handcuffed him.
Luke’s deputy, a young man named Jonathan, acknowledged me. “Ma’am, would you come with us to the station to make a statement?”
I barely registered what Jonathan had said. I knew I should be upset with what had just happened, but what Luke said had made me pause.
He said I was his fiancée.
Chapter Seven
Sam spent the night in the sheriff office jail. Luke released him in the afternoon after advising him to never contact me in any way ever again. Luke even persuaded me to file an order of protection against Sam to stop any harassment in the future.
Meanwhile, the news about Luke being my fiancée had spread across town like wildfire. In a way, it was a blessing in disguise. I didn’t need to choose one of the brothers. I’m not sure if I could do it anyway. And the next night, I entered the bizarre relationship with the Codys. Nate drafted our secret polyandry contract. As their life partner, I would love and respect and treat them equally. For the legality, I would marry Luke so I could establish my status and be protected in the eyes of the law.
Nate volunteered himself as my attorney and took care of any loose ends with Sam’s problems. Exactly one month after Sam’s fiasco at the diner, our divorce became final. Not only had Nate successfully helped me to sever any connection to Sam, he also renegotiated the divorce settlement as well. Instead of ending up with nothing, I received about forty percent of the assets Sam had accumulated during our twenty-years of marriage. I was so thankful. Even though they didn’t see me that way, I didn’t want to be a charity case in the eyes of the Cody brothers.
On the weekend that my divorce became final, Luke and I drove to Las Vegas to get married. We were to rendezvous there with Jamie and Nate. They drove separately. Luke and I got married in a small chapel with Jamie and Nate as witnesses. After the nuptials, Nate and Jamie left us newlyweds to enjoy our honeymoon. Nate had booked us a posh suite at the Venetian as a wedding present.
That night, we dined at Bouchon before retiring to our suite. We got complimentary champagne from the hotel and to our surprise, a small wedding cake. Luke corked open the champagne while I slipped into something more comfortable.