Contents
Chapter 8
Overview
Jasper, wracked with guilt, contemplates his proposal until Eloise arrives and agrees to stay married through his ex-wife’s June wedding. Eloise explains a past lawsuit that damaged her parents’ confidence and her bid to secure the family hotel. They decide to live together to make the marriage believable, culminating in renewed intimacy and Eloise agreeing to move in.
Summary
Jasper stands outside his A-frame, grappling with guilt over revealing the secret marriage and debating his plan to stay married until his ex-wife’s June wedding. When Eloise unexpectedly arrives, she admits her car “drove” there and, after a quiet start by the fire, agrees to remain married, attend the wedding, and divorce afterward.
They discuss stakes: Eloise hopes maintaining the appearance of a real marriage will preserve her parents’ confidence so she can inherit the family hotel. She recounts a damaging episode—hiring a housekeeper who repeatedly skipped shifts, was ultimately fired by her father, then sued for wrongful termination and sexual harassment. Though the family won, the ordeal rattled everyone’s trust and forced Eloise to harden boundaries and prove herself for years.
Eloise worries her parents will see Jasper as taking advantage, but Jasper reassures her. She asks why he’s attending his ex-wife Sam’s wedding; he explains the complicated history and that the invitation feels like a dare testing his happiness without her.
Turning to logistics, Eloise suggests they live together to make the marriage credible. Attraction overtakes the conversation; Jasper initiates intimacy, and they have an intense sexual encounter on the couch. In the afterglow, Eloise agrees to move into the A-frame, solidifying their decision to cohabit while they carry out the plan.
Who Appears
- JasperNarrator; proposes staying married through his ex’s June wedding, shares motives, initiates intimacy, and secures Eloise’s agreement to move in.
- Eloise EdenAgrees to remain married and cohabit; reveals past employee lawsuit that shook her parents’ trust; aims to secure the family hotel; becomes intimate with Jasper.