Marrying Him Was Easy, Loving Him Was Hell

v

rant application. Not a tiny fib like adjusting your weight on your driver's license. No, I'm ta

er, and rule-follower extraordinaire, just told the

alert: I

ein bar and avoiding grading ten research papers on attachment styles. And then-bam. There it

lin

blinked

treat in the mountains. Just me, my "partner," and our shared creative

one too many glasses of red wine. I figured they'd never pick a nerdy psychol

neat bold le

ngles permitted. All selected applicants must

mach f

t would suddenly change to, "Just kidding! Singles wel

t

s st

a good cause-my research on emotional intimacy in long-term relationships. I neede

sane, rational adu

ani

R nurse, always calm in a crisis. Except she laug

ied? Ivy! You haven't even dated

he kept quoting Fight

you nee

Yes,

days until the retre

give up the biggest op

ame in the for

er-jacket-wearing hurricane with stupidly nice chee

there filming a documentary on academic burnout. He drank whiskey straight, told inappropriate jokes, an

ye

between gigs and desperate for cash," I

his teeth, kiss me in public if needed, and survive two months of preten

rt fit

ll, ac

s fifteen minutes late, wearing sunglasses indoors, a

h a lazy smirk. "Still wo

l pretending Red Bull i

ghed.

rriage. The shared cabin. The shared bed. The shared

winkling. "So you want

usband," I

es you in front of people

-but technically, yes. Tha

wo months in the woods.

eyes. "Are y

ers on the table. Th

l do

flood

condition

paused

at means cuddling. Hand holding. Convincing ki

lose, his voic

des kissing you

n

have

to the most romantic mountain retreat in the country-with a man who made my brain

ront of my apartment. Lake arrived wi

isn't a docum

n real life gets in

ne trees took its place. The air smelled fresher alrea

abins. A lake so still it looked painted. Couples wandered the grounds

d. "Romance

a welcome packet and two lanyards that

mach d

ple

s rea

as nestled in the trees, cozy and pri

e

E

t up to encourage intimacy and togetherness. So there's no divider.

hok

. "Togethern

taring at the single bed like

his bag on the mattress.

ly. "You thin

r. Monroe. What's the w

wo

im. That woul

idn't s

my teeth and st

bed. Zero chan

pretendi