Smash_ A Stepbrother MMA Romance(3)

And so when I got home and tried to register to vote, I got a nice little surprise. In the field for “Marital Status” in the official records website I was browsing, I saw a nice big fat “M.” After a bunch of phone calls, and at least two total meltdowns, I found out that I had been legally married in Thailand to one Mister Cole Redson.

Of course, once I figured it out, I tried to track him down. I tried everything, but Cole Redson basically didn’t exist. I knew he was an MMA fighter, but there were no records of him fighting under that name. I found an old address, but he had moved away from that place a long time ago. I decided not to do too much research about him, because I could tell I was already starting to obsess. I decided I needed to just get the divorce pushed through, with or without him.

Cole Redson had just disappeared. He’d swept into my life during a stupid spring break to Thailand and then had disappeared again, leaving me a married woman and a wreck.

Fortunately, though, all I needed to do was prove that I had tried everything to find him, wait the required amount of time, publish a notice in the newspaper, and then I’d be rid of him. No more husband, no more problems.

“I still can’t believe you actually married him,” Lacey said, probably for the millionth time.

I gave her a look and she grinned at me. “What? I’m just saying.”

“I know. You’ve been saying it for almost a year now,” I grumbled.

She cackled again and I sighed, dipping my head. I knew I deserved the jokes. Frankly, I felt like a total idiot. I mean, how did you end up married without even realizing it? And to a total stranger, apparently one that didn’t even exist?

How stupid did I have to be?

“Anyway,” Lacey said, sipping her drink. “This summer won’t be a total bust, you know? I am making it my mission to get you back on the whores.”

I looked at her. “It’s ‘horse,’ not ‘whores.’”

“No. In this instance it’s definitely ‘whores.’ You need to get laid, and soon.”

I smiled and shook my head. Lacey could think like a guy sometimes.

“I don’t need to get laid, Lace. I’m just in a dry spell.”

“Yeah, a year-long dry spell. Come on, it’s time to make moves. Your husband isn’t really your husband.”

She was right and I knew it. Still, the last year had been busy. I’d switched majors the year before, and so I spent both my semesters overloading my schedule to make up the required credits.

Plus, I felt strange putting myself out there again. The last time I went for a stranger, I ended up married to a guy that may or may not exist. The frat boy douches and college hipsters just didn’t do anything for me, or at least not enough to make me want to step outside my shell.

But my divorce was coming up soon. By the end of the summer I was going to be single again, at least legally speaking.

Cole wasn’t my husband. He never was. How could he be my husband if I didn’t even know where he lived?

“We’ll see,” I mumbled.

“We will see. All those guys you’re going to bang.”

I rolled my eyes as she laughed at her own joke.

I wasn’t looking forward to going home, but maybe it would be good for me. U.C. Berkeley was nice and all, but it wasn’t home.

Maybe I just needed a relaxing summer to get back to myself.

A few days later, my cab pulled up outside my house. Dad wasn’t home, of course, because he was working late. But he promised he’d be back soon, and with my new stepmother.

I unpacked and lay around my bedroom, glad to be home. As much as I was dreading it, as soon as I walked into the familiar foyer, I felt instantly better. There was just something about home that could make things a bit better.

As much as I wanted to deny it, Lacey was right. I was in a rut, but I was also still hung up on him. I probably could have found a faster way to get divorced, but I just didn’t feel all that motivated. Sure, I went out and met people all semester, but nobody felt right, not since Cole.

I just couldn’t stop thinking about the first time I met him.

It was night at the resort, and Lacey had already disappeared with her lawyer guy, or maybe he was a movie producer. Either way, I decided to walk down the beach.

The moon was bright and full, which should have helped with my visibility. Instead, I was too busy looking up at the beautiful view to notice the huge rock down at my feet.

As I hit the sand face-first, he appeared.

Cole. Tall, covered in tattoos, grinning this knowing smile like he could tell what I was thinking about him. He appeared at my side, his strong hands on my arm.

“Are you okay?” he grunted in my ear.