My Best Friend's Weddings - Part 1

Poe Dameron has made a bad habit out of falling in love, getting engaged, and then leaving his bride-to-be at the altar. But when he must marry in order to get his inheritance, he goes to the one person he knows he can count on: his best friend Rey Skywalker. Will their friendship survive a year of ‘pretend?’

Damerey Modern Alternate Universe. Part 1 is Rated R for innuendo and language.

Summer

Under the Cottonwood Tree

“I’m going to marry you when we grow up.”

Rey Skywalker’s voice was soft but determined as she looked over at her best friend, who was lying on his back with his arms behind his head. They were under the big cottonwood tree next to Jakku Creek, the same one they had been spending time under since they were toddlers. Back then, Poe’s mother Shara would bring them here; she babysat Rey a lot in the early days as Rey’s mother had died when she was only a newborn. Shara would read to them under the tree, and eventually they had begun reading out loud to her. When they had been old enough, the two children visited the tree by themselves, reading, writing, fishing, daydreaming. Now, one year after Shara’s untimely death, they still came often to their favorite place.

Poe Dameron scoffed at Rey’s words. “No, you’re not!” he argued. “I’m not ever getting married!”

“Yes, you are,” Rey snipped back, grabbing a handful of grass and throwing it at him. Though a few months younger than Poe, both their fathers had often remarked how mature Rey was for her age. Usually this was said when Poe had done something naughty. Rey didn’t feel very mature right now, though.

“Besides, we can’t get married,” Poe told her in a matter-of-fact way, sitting up and brushing the grass off of his chest.

“Why not?” Rey demanded.

“We’re best friends,” Poe answered.

“So?”

“So, when best friends get married, they stop being friends.”

Rey scrunched up her face. “That’s not true, you dweeb!” she disagreed. “Who told you that?”

“It’s just a known fact,” Poe stated, nodding his head sagely, trying to look older than his eight years.

“Your parents were best friends, weren’t they?” Rey asked. Then in a softer voice, she said, “I think mine were.”

Poe was silent for a while, contemplating Rey’s words.

“I don’t want to hurt like my dad is,” Poe whispered. “So, I’m never getting married.”

Rey didn’t bother telling him that they would still feel that same hurt if one of them should die, married or not. Instead, she looked at the dark-haired boy sitting next to her under ‘their’ cottonwood tree and said in an unyielding voice, “I’m going to marry you, Poe Dameron. Just you wait and see.”

***

Twenty Years Later…

Rey Skywalker pushed through the door of the run-down dive on the outskirts of Aldera, her eyes adjusting quickly to the dim light inside. She focused on the far end of the bar, then strode across the hardwood floor, her heels clicking loudly. She knew she looked very out of place in her black satin and tulle mini-dress, but at the moment she didn’t care about all the people staring at her. Only one person mattered.

Sliding onto the bar stool next to that person, she nodded at the bartender. “Rum and Coke, please,” she told the older woman. Then she looked at the man hunched over next to her nursing a Whiskey Sour. This morning, he had looked immaculate, his hair perfectly styled, his tuxedo fitted and sharp. Now his hair was a disaster and his wrinkled tux was missing the jacket and tie. He looked at her finally, his eyes clear but fatigued.

“This is a new place for you,” Rey told him as she accepted her drink. “Trying to hide from me, now?”

Poe Dameron shook his head. “I knew you’d find me.” He took a deep breath and lifted his drink. “How mad is she?”

Rey shrugged, taking a sip from her glass. “No more than the other three women you left at the altar.” Though her voice was soft, her tone was scathing.

Poe groaned, set down his drink, and dropped his forehead down onto his folded arms. “What is wrong with me?”

Rey stared at him for a moment. “I’ve been asking myself that question for a decade,” she finally said, sarcasm heavy in her voice.

He lifted his head and glared at her.

“What?” she asked, responding to his look. “It’s your own fault. You find a beautiful woman who worships the ground you walk on, not to mention your wallet, you convince yourself you love them, you spoil them rotten, you propose after dating them for less than three months, then suddenly you remember you swore you would never get married.” She shook her head. “I guess it’s good you recall that fact before the wedding instead of after. Good for you, anyway.”

“Well, you could maybe try and stop me before I get this far,” Poe groused, taking a gulp of his drink, his face screwing into a grimace as it went down.

“Poe, I’m not your keeper,” Rey argued back, then grimaced herself. Just following him here to this bar made her a liar of sorts. While she might not be able to change Poe’s mind when he was set on something, stupid or otherwise, it always seemed she was the one left cleaning up after him. “You need to stop looking for your mom in these women.”

He looked at her, his eyes wide. “I’m not!” he exclaimed. “I’m looking for…” he stopped suddenly, his eyes narrowing. Then he shook his head and looked back down at his drink. “My mother has nothing to do with this.”

Rey tilted her head at him, wondering what he had been about to say. Looking for what? She sighed, taking another large sip of her drink. “We should probably go,” she told him. “You’ve got a few people to reimburse for their time today.” Musicians, caterers, the minister…

Poe nodded, then looked up at the bartender passed by. “Can you put her drink on my tab?”

Rey had been reaching for her purse and she looked up, surprised. “He come here a lot?” she asked the woman.

“A time or two,” the woman nodded, a smirk on her lips.

Rey looked at Poe, her eyebrows raised.

He shrugged. “What? This is the only place in town no one from Organa Enterprises comes to. Sometimes I need to get away.”

Rey tilted her head at him. “It’s amazing Leia hasn’t fired you, yet.”

Poe snorted. “She’ll never fire me,” he grumbled. “She grooming me to take her place.”

“Keep pulling shit like you did today and she’ll disown you and give the business to Ben.”

“And it will be bankrupt in less than half a year,” Poe retorted.

Rey couldn’t argue. Ben was many things, but a businessman was not one of them. He took after his late father, more creative and artistic than intellectual and focused like his mother. Poe had begun working at Organa Enterprises right out of college, quickly rising from Junior Architect to Vice President in the span of six years. Leia often said she knew from the day he graduated from Coruscant University that he would someday run the company, but that didn’t mean she coddled him. If anything, she pushed him harder than anyone else in her employ.

The two best friends slid off their barstools and slowly made their way toward the exit.

“You know,” Poe said, his hands in his pockets. “If I wanted to make sure I stay on Leia’s good side, I should marry you.”

Rey stopped and glared at him. “In your dreams, Dameron.”

He laughed, then reached for the door, holding it open for Rey to pass through.

Never noticing how hard Rey worked at controlling her breathing and slowing down her suddenly racing heart.

******

Poe was just shutting down his computer and setting aside a file to look at Monday when Leia stepped into the open door of his office.

“Why are you still here?” she demanded. “It’s Friday!”

“I’m just getting ready to leave,” he told her, standing up from his chair and grabbing his suit jacket. “Besides, I could ask the same of you.”

She shrugged. “I don’t have plans tonight,” she said. “You do.”

Pulling his jacket on and grabbing his worn messenger bag, he moved toward the door and Leia. “Just dinner with the crew,” he confirmed. When he wasn’t ‘looking for a new almost wife,’ as Rey called it, Poe always spent his free time with her, Finn, and Rose. The four of them had been best friends since High School, and tried to have dinner with each other every Friday. “You’re welcome to join us, you know.”

Leia gave him a soft smile, but shook her head as the two walked together to the elevator. “Thank you, but no. I’ve had a bit of an upset stomach all afternoon. Dinner is the last thing on my mind.”

Poe immediately became concerned. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Of course, I am. Probably just a little stressed from the last couple of weeks.” She nudged him on the arm. “No thanks to you.” They entered the elevator and Poe pressed the L button.

Poe grimaced. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “Finn promised to lock me up the next time I start obsessing over some woman I just met.”

Leia gave a bit of a laugh. “Maybe you should start looking at what you already have, Poe.”

He tilted his head at her. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that I can’t help but notice that you have a type.” She cocked an eyebrow. “Every woman you have almost married is a tall, athletic brunette.” She paused. “Sound familiar?”

Poe was struck dumb for a moment. “What are you implying?”

Leia gave him a soft smile and shook her head. “I’m not implying anything. Just trying to get you to open your eyes.” The elevator door opened and they stepped out, heading for the front doors.

Poe shook his head, his heart racing. “Nope. I’m not going to go there.” He knew without a shadow of a doubt she meant Rey. Poe had admitted to himself long ago that he compared every woman he had a relationship with to his lifelong friend, if only because she was his ideal. But she was too perfect for him, not to mention that she looked on him as a brother. Romance was out of the question.

Leia shook her head again, this time in exasperation. “Poe, you need to settle down. And not with some gold digger whose only positive attribute is that she’s good in bed.” She suddenly covered her mouth over a yawn.

“You better get home,” Poe told her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Good thing it’s Friday.”

“Oh, I haven’t looked forward to a weekend since Han died,” she told him softly. “But Ben is bringing Kaydell to lunch with him on Sunday, so that’s something to look forward to.”

“How are they working out?” Poe asked, glad for the change in subject.

“So far, so good,” Leia answered. “They are much better suited to each other than he and Rey were.” Rey had started dating Ben shortly after she came back to Aldera after college. Poe had been the recipient of several tearful rants from Rey for the next three years as she and Ben worked through a tumultuous relationship. When they finally broke up, everyone had been relieved. “They were always more like siblings than lovers.”

“Rey is everyone’s little sister,” Poe grinned. “Ben, Finn, me.”

“Oh, I think the dynamic between you and Rey is much different,” Leia argued. “Despite the fact that you’ve known each other the longest.”

She stifled another yawn, and Poe smiled at her. “Go home,” he told her, leaning down to kiss her softly on the cheek. “Rest.”

“Goodnight, Poe,” she told him, then pointed her index finger at him. “Remember what I said. Settle down. I’m not going to hand this business over to a heartbreaker.”

“Yes, mom,” he told her sarcastically as they separated and headed to their vehicles. “Goodnight.”

***

While Rey and Poe had been friends since they were toddlers, Finn and Rose had entered their lives during High School. Finn had moved to Aldera with his dad during their freshman year, and Rose had come with her big sister Paige after their parents had died in a car accident during their junior year. They had all gone to different colleges after graduating High School together, but they had all found their way back to Aldera afterwards. Finn worked as a counselor for Social Services, Rose as a medical tech at the regional hospital, and Rey was a physical therapist at a clinic connected to that same hospital. Within five years of their High School graduation, Rose and Finn had connected again with Rey and Poe (who had never lost touch during their college years) and were now even closer than they had been in school.

The only downside Poe could see in this group friendship was the fact that in the past few months it had become apparent that Finn and Rose had become more than friends. Poe was very worried about how this would change the dynamic of their foursome, but he tried not to show it, and since Finn and Rose were doing their best to be discreet, he would just continue to hope for the best.

They were just finishing up their meal, listening to Rose as she told a funny story about a coworker, when Poe’s cell vibrated. He pulled it out and gave it a glance. The name confused him, and he frowned. Giving his friends an apologetic glance, he answered. “Ben?”

Silence greeted him. He glanced up at Rey, who was tilting her head at him, and as he did so he heard a loud sigh. Then, someone cleared their throat.

“What’s going on?” he asked, assuming it was Ben on the other end.

“Mom had a heart attack tonight,” Ben finally said, his deep voice monotone.

“What?!” Poe demanded. “I just saw her a few hours ago!” His mind instantly recalled his boss’s fatigue and yawning.

“She collapsed right after she got home,” Ben continued, his voice still dull. “Her housekeeper called 911 and they got her to the hospital.” Silence.

“Ben?”

“She’s gone.”

******

The funeral was concluded, the burial complete, and the reception was over. There was only one more thing to do.

Poe sat slumped in the chair in front of the desk belonging to Ms. Larma D’Acy, Esquire. Next to him sat Ben Solo, who looked just as exhausted as Poe felt, his tall, lanky body hunched over as if it was ready to slide right out his chair. Larma sat across from them, her eyes just as tired, but her posture still ramrod straight. There was no one else in the office, which said quite a bit about what Leia Organa’s Last Will and Testament contained.

“Gentlemen,” Larma started. “I’m sure you know most of what I am about to tell you. Leia was never one to beat around the bush.” She stood slightly and reached over the desk, handing each of them a sheet of paper. “Here is a list of the charities and non-profits that will be receiving a share of Leia’s fortune. None will be a surprise, as they are all organizations that she donated to in life. The total of her final donations will equal one million dollars.”

Poe nodded. Nope. Not a surprise. Leia had always been generous with her wealth. While she had been born into an affluent family, her marriage to the talented engineer Han Solo and her own degree in architecture allowed the creation of Organa Enterprises, and within a decade the Solo’s had increased the Organa fortune by tenfold.

“This still leaves a substantial fortune, of course,” Larma continued. “Three-quarters of it, approximately fifty-two million dollars, is yours, Ben.” She nodded her head at Leia’s son. “Leia’s house on Rosencrest Avenue, all the furnishings, art, and appliances within, as well as the summer house on the coast with all its contents, have also been willed to you.” Ben nodded, his expression showing no surprise. He glanced at Poe.

Poe felt his heartrate increase. She hadn’t said anything about Organa Enterprises.

“Poe,” Larma looked at him. “You are to receive the rest of the money, approximately seventeen million dollars, as well as the cabin on Naboo Lake, its furnishings, art, and appliances.” Poe felt a surge of joy at the words; he loved that cabin. However, he could tell Larma wasn’t finished. She hesitated, looking down at the papers in front of her and licking her lips. Then she raised her eyes to meet his again. “You are also to receive Leia’s fifty-one percent controlling share of Organa Enterprises…” Poe felt his heart surge. “But there are conditions,” Larma finished.

Poe held his breath for a moment. “Conditions?” He could feel Ben’s eyes on him.

Larma took a deep breath. “Keep in mind, these conditions are unusual, but Leia and I talked them over several times in the last year or so, and she was absolutely mentally sound when she decided on them.”

Poe felt a chill go up his spine at her words. He frowned at Larma. “Go on.”

“You are to marry in order to secure Organa Enterprises.”

Ben snorted next to him. Poe looked at him, wide-eyed, then looked back at Larma. “Excuse me?” He couldn’t stop the squeak in his voice.

“You are to marry within six months of the reading of the will, today. It must be a legal, binding marriage. Exactly one year after the marriage is performed, if the board and myself decide the marriage is still acceptable, the controlling share of Organa Enterprises will be signed over to you. If you fail to marry in the required time, or we find that said marriage isn’t authentic, the share will go to Ben.”

Again, Ben snorted. “Well, I don’t want it!” he exclaimed. He looked at Poe. “Don’t worry. I’ll just sell it to you when I get it.”

Larma cleared her throat. “Actually, Leia has made sure that whichever one of you gets the share, it may not be sold for at least ten years.”

“Seriously?” Ben shook his head. “She never misses anything, does she?”

Poe had watched the exchange with his mouth open, still shocked. He finally pulled himself together. “Why?” he demanded. “Why is she doing this?”

Larma shrugged. “Poe, Leia loved you like a second son,” she said. “She trusted you to take care of Organa Enterprises, prepared you as best she could to do so, but your behavior these past few years concerned her. She believed that if you couldn’t have a steady personal life, a family to take responsibility for, the business would consume you and possibly ruin you.”

Poe shook his head. “That’s ridiculous!”

“Maybe,” Larma said. “But this was her decision.” She looked down at the papers in front of her. “Your spouse, whoever it may be, will also be given a percentage share in the business upon completion of the year. The money and the house are yours with no obligation and you will, of course, become CEO of Organa Enterprises until the final decision of the company is made.” She handed both men more papers. “Here are all the details, if you have any questions.” She sat back and folded her hands in front of her. “Leia was very meticulous in regard to the specifics of this will. There are no loopholes.”

The two men left the office together, Ben with a bemused look on his face and Poe with a frown. Ben nudged him as they walked down the hall to the elevator. “Well, Dude. I’m thinking all the women in the area are wise to your shenanigans, so maybe you better start looking at the men.”

Poe glared at him.

Ben raised his hands, laughing. “Not me! I KNOW I’m not your type!”

“Shut up,” Poe said without any real anger. “This is a nightmare,” he murmured. “There is no way I can find someone to legit marry in six months.”

“Seems to me you never took that long with any of the others.”

“And look what happened to all of them,” Poe groused.

“And whose fault is that?”

Poe rubbed a hand over his face. “Yeah, yeah. You sound like…” he stopped suddenly, focusing on Ben, his eyes wide. “Rey.”

Ben blinked at him. “You’re not thinking of asking Rey to play this game, are you?” He shook his head. “Don’t do that to her.”

“What do you mean?” Poe asked. “We already see each other every day anyway. We can live with each other for a year, then end the marriage when Organa Enterprises becomes mine.”

Ben was silent for a while, then he closed his eyes and sighed. “You don’t even know, do you?”

“Know what?” Poe asked, but he wasn’t really paying attention. He was already planning. His condo had a guest room. Rey’s apartment was small and old, and he had been pushing her to move out of it. With the share in the business, she could afford much better accommodations after the year was up. It was perfect!

“Never mind.” Ben threw up his hands. “Sure. Fine. Ask Rey. Just be aware that your goals are not the same as hers. Don’t push her.”

Poe finally focused on his pseudo-brother. “As if anyone can make Rey do anything she doesn’t want to!”

******

“You want me to what?!”

“Marry me,” Poe repeated. “But not really. And just for a year.”

Rey sat looking at him aghast. For twenty years she had imagined Poe saying those words to her, but not like this. And not for this reason. Taking a deep breath, she looked back down at the paper he had given her just before ‘popping the question.’ She scanned the document as he continued talking.

“We’ll have to go out a couple of times, just the two of us, to plant the idea in people’s minds that we’re more than friends. We’ll play it off as if it was inevitable. That we were destined to marry. Then we can have a quick courthouse wedding.” He was pacing in front of her, his expression getting just a little more worried the longer she stayed silent. “It’ll be good for you to get out of that damn apartment. I know the only reason you stay is because you refuse to move back in with your father and your job doesn’t pay you even a quarter what you’re worth. You can have the guest room, but we’ll dress it up to look like you share my room with me. You’ll get a share of Organa Enterprises when it’s over and I’ll make sure your savings account will always be loaded.” He paused and swallowed. “You’ll never want for anything ever again.”

Rey finally looked at him. “So basically, you’re offering to be my Sugar Daddy,” she said, unable to keep the snark out of her voice. “Only with a fake marriage to start it off.”

“Well,” Poe stuttered. “The marriage will be real. I mean, it has to be. But not real.” He shrugged. “You know what I mean.”

Rey glanced back down at the paper. “It says here the share can be sold after ten years. Why don’t you just let Ben take it? He’ll keep you as VP and then sell it to you when the ten years are up.”

Poe shook his head. “I don’t trust him to do that!” he argued. “He and Armitage Hux are good friends, and Hux wants control of this company as much as I do. You really think he won’t talk Ben into turning on me and giving him the share instead?”

“He wouldn’t do that!” Rey said.

“Do you not remember how much of a manipulative prick he was in High School?” Ben had been a year behind them.

“He’s changed,” Rey reasoned. “He’s grown up.”

“Meaning I haven’t?” Poe groused.

“In a lot of ways, no, you haven’t,” Rey pushed. She took a deep breath. “What about my personal future?” she queried. “What if I want to get married in the Church? I can’t do that if I’ve been divorced.”

“Not an issue,” Poe countered. “If the marriage isn’t consummated, then an annulment is a piece of cake.” He paused. “You, ah, aren’t thinking about someone, are you?”

She wished his slightly worried expression was jealousy, but she knew better. She pursed her lips and shook her head. “No. And nobody will be thinking about me if I’m ‘married’ to you.”

“It’s only for a year!” Poe exclaimed. “We won’t even be thirty yet when this is over. You’ve got plenty of time!”

Rey’s heart was still thudding in her chest and it was getting harder and harder to keep her nerves hidden from him. “This is insane,” she muttered.

“Rey, you’re the only one I trust enough to do this with,” he pleaded. “You know very well I can’t commit for real. Not in six months, anyway.”

“And Leia must have known that!” Rey argued. “Why would she do this to you?”

Poe shrugged and sat down heavily on the couch. Beebee, his ginger cat, jumped up immediately and asked for pets. He complied almost automatically. “I don’t know,” he whispered. He took a deep breath and looked at her with pleading eyes. “Please, Rey. I don’t know what else to do. I can’t lose Organa Enterprises.”

Rey felt her heart stutter. She didn’t want that, either. She knew how much Poe had given of himself to this company, and how much he loved it. But the idea of marrying him, of pretending to be his loving and loyal wife, all while knowing that for him it would all be an act, a farce…

“What about your personal life?” she enquired suddenly. “How am I supposed to feel if you find some pretty little thing to spend the night with? However discreet you might be, someone is liable to find out.”

Poe shook his head. “No! Fake or not, I’ll be faithful to those vows. I won’t cheat on you.” He tilted his head. “I’ll expect the same consideration from you.”

Rey snorted. “Not a problem,” she mumbled. She hadn’t had a lover since her break up with Ben. It just wasn’t possible for her to enjoy sex without love, and unlike Poe, she didn’t fall in love at the drop of a hat.

Poe nodded, and Rey told herself the relief in his eyes was her imagination.

They were silent for a while, then Poe said softly, “Well?”

Rey wanted to say ‘no.’ Oh, how she wanted to. This whole situation was bound to make her miserable. Ten years ago, she would have had hopes that this sham would lead to something more. That maybe Poe would suddenly realize he loved her as more than a friend, and there would be no annulment. But any hope that he could love her that way had been destroyed ten years ago; he looked on her as a sister, his best friend. Nothing more.

But he would always be more to her, and she couldn’t let him down.

She nodded. “Okay,” she whispered.

His grin was huge as he stood and walked over to where she was perched on a stool next to kitchen island. He reached for her hand. “Let’s do this, partner!”

She took it, then looked him in the eye. “Don’t make me regret this, Dameron.”

“I won’t. I promise,” he told her, his smile becoming soft, his eyes warm and affectionate. He squeezed her hand softly, and she felt her heart squeeze right along with it.

******

“You said ‘yes,’ didn’t you?”

Rey looked up from the remains of her meal and eyed Ben on the other side of the table. She had called him this morning and asked if he could join her for lunch and they had met at their favorite restaurant just before one. It wasn’t an unusual thing for them. They had long ago learned, after three turbulent years, that they made better friends than lovers. Their conversation had revolved around their jobs, their friends, and how Ben was doing without being able to talk to his mom every day. Now, at the end of their meal, he had finally asked about the subject Rey wanted to avoid but knew she couldn’t.

“I asked him why he couldn’t just let you have it,” she said, answering indirectly. “You could keep him as Vice President and let him control everything and in ten years he could buy you out. You know what he told me?” Rey watched as Ben’s eyebrows lifted inquiringly. “He said he didn’t trust you, that you’d probably sell to Armitage before him.”

“Hux?!” Ben exclaimed. He shook his head. “He’s a shrewd businessman and a clever financier, but I would never give my parent’s company to him. He doesn’t have an altruistic bone in his body. My mom and Poe both kept Organa Enterprises focused on the work and not the money.”

“So, you agree that Poe is the rightful heir?

“Of course!” Ben nodded. “And if I could, I would ensure he got the controlling share without any hassle.”

Rey nodded in return. “This is the quickest, easiest way for him to get that share,” she stated.

“Quick and easy for him,” Ben argued. “But what about you?”

She shrugged. “Poe and I have been in each other’s pockets for over twenty years. It shouldn’t be hard being his roommate for a year.”

“Oh, sure,” Ben continued. “Except when you have to go out in public and pretend to be a couple hopelessly in love.”

Rey shrugged again, biting the inside of her cheek. In a soft voice, she said, “Well, then I won’t have to pretend.”

Ben shook his head and sighed deeply in frustration.

“Look, I know you don’t like him…”

“I don’t like him because of the way he hurts you!”

Rey’s hackles immediately went up. “He doesn’t mean to hurt me,” she argued. “He would never knowingly hurt me!”

“So, he’s just gonna divorce you at the end of the year? And that won’t hurt you?”

Rey sat back in her chair, taking a deep breath. “It’s part of the deal,” she told him. “Besides, he said we can get it annulled, which would let me marry in the Church later if I so choose.”

“On what grounds?” Ben had been raised Catholic, though he didn’t practice anymore.

Rey paused, then licked her lips nervously. “Non-consummation.”

Ben snorted. “That comment right there probably hurt you.”

“Ben. Stop.” Rey readjusted her seat and crossed her arms on the table top, leaning forward. “It is what it is.” She paused. “We probably shouldn’t have lunch together in the future, either. I don’t want people to question anything.”

Ben nodded. “Is he going to behave, too?”

Rey tilted her head questioningly.

“I know Zorii is itching to get her claws in him again,” was Ben’s response.

Rey winced. Zorii Bliss, one of the share-holders and a member of the board, had dated Poe off and on in the past. “She doesn’t know about the will, does she?”

Ben shook his head. “No. I’m the only one on the board that knows the specifics. But she does know that Poe inherited a lot of money and quite possibly the business, so he’s got her interest again.”

“Well, too bad for her,” Rey wasn’t afraid to say. “Poe already promised me he would be faithful to the wedding vows. So, she’s SOL!”

Ben chuckled. Then he became serious again. “Have you told your father, yet?”

Rey blanched. “No! I’m not going to until the deed is done! Once it’s official, he’s less likely to murder Poe!” She was joking. Mostly. “He hates Poe, and I don’t know why. He and Kes are best friends to this day.”

“He hated me, too,” Ben reminded her. “He hates the idea of any man with you. You are his precious princess, and no man is worthy.”

Rey scoffed at his words, but she knew there was an element of truth to them. Luke hadn’t been so hard on Poe until Kes’ son had reached maturity and started dating. Poe had been very popular in High School; a musician with a quick wit and great looks, not to mention stellar grades, he had been as celebrated as the school’s jocks.

“Dameron hates me, too,” Ben continued. “Probably for the same reason.”

“He doesn’t hate you,” Rey argued. “He doesn’t necessarily like you, but that’s because it was him I went to whenever you and I fought,” Rey mumbled, glancing at her watch. “I better get going. I still have a couple of appointments this afternoon. Then I have to get ready for dinner out tonight.”

“First act?” Ben asked wryly. “Be seen dating?”

Rey nodded, rolling her eyes slightly.

“Just remember, if you need anything through this charade, you know where to find me.”

“Thanks, Ben. But I will be fine.”

She heard the lie, and she knew Ben did as well, but they parted without acknowledging it.

******

Poe glanced over at Rey in the passenger seat as he stopped for a red light. She sat still, staring out the side window. She had been extremely quiet tonight, their third outing together since she had agreed to marry him. While he was worried about the silence coming from his normally chatty best friend, that wasn’t the only reason he couldn’t stop looking at her.

She was gorgeous.

Of course, he had long ago come to terms with the fact that his childhood friend had grown into a beautiful, sexy woman, but he was able to ignore that fact most of the time. Tonight, as she sat next to him in a skin tight black cocktail dress with a plunging neckline, her hair loose about her bare shoulders, smelling absolutely divine, he knew there was no way he could avoid any improper thoughts tonight. Rey had told him that she had bought the dress, the only ‘fancy’ one she had, back in college, and she had gained some weight since then. If that was true, it sure as hell looked good on her.

He was taking her to The Emerald Grill, the most expensive and elite restaurant in Aldera. On a Saturday night, he knew it was bound to have more than a few guests who were associated with Organa Enterprises, either as a board member, stock holder, or client. It was time to give the Aldera Upper Class something to talk about.

As he pulled into the lot, he slowed and parked off to the side. She looked at him, wondering why he wasn’t driving directly to the valet. He shifted in his seat so he was facing her. “I want to talk to you before we go in,” he explained.

“Okay,” she said softly, her doe eyes huge in the faint light coming from the dash.

He took a deep breath. “I called the courthouse earlier today and made an appointment for Wednesday afternoon.”

Her mouth opened slightly in surprise, but then she nodded. “Okay,” she repeated.

“You sure?” he asked, holding his breath.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Her voice was firm, but her expression still looked a little stunned.

“Okay,” he said, then he reached into his pocket. “I thought it would be a good idea for anyone watching us tonight to get a heads up.” He pulled out his most prized possession and held it up.

Her eyes widened. “Poe!” She looked down at what was in his hand, then back up to his face. “That’s your mother’s ring!”

“Yeah,” he nodded, pleased that she remembered it. He had shown it to her the day his father had given it to him on his ninth birthday. The sapphire and diamond ring had belonged to Shara’s mother, and her mother before that. “I think it would make a great engagement ring.”

Rey stared at him for a moment. “I can’t take that!” she finally said, her voice breathy.

“Why not?” he frowned. “I sure as heck can’t wear it. I never even though about giving it to my previous fiancès… which should have told me something now that I think about it.” He huffed a laugh and shrugged. “The fact is, Rey, this is probably the only wedding I’ll ever have, and I really think my mom would want you to have this.”

She shook her head again, frowning at the ring.

“Please?” Poe whispered.

She looked up at him, bit her lip, then nodded. She opened her hand and he placed the ring in her palm, then watched as she slid it onto her left ring finger.

He smiled. “See? It fits perfect! Must be fate.”

She tilted her head and gave him a disbelieving look. “Yeah, right.” She smirked. “I’m giving it back to you when this is… over.”

“No, you’re not,” he said without hesitating. He laughed at her expression, then turned forward again and put the car back in drive. “Let’s do this.”

And they did, putting on another brilliant performance. What did it matter if he found himself enjoying how she looked at him, as if he was the only man on her radar? Why should he worry about how he let his hand linger longer than it should have on the small of her back as he escorted her into the restaurant? Or how he took a deep breath of her soft floral scent as he pulled out her chair for her? And what about all the teasing and laughing as they flirted through the meal? In fact, he had become so focused on her that he failed to pay attention to who may or may not be in attendance, who may or may not be observing them.

“You are so beautiful,” he finally had to say out loud.

He grinned as she blushed. “Thank you,” she murmured, and he was reminded of the super shy child she had once been.

They had finished their meal before he took notice of anyone other than the server, and then it was only because he was forced to.

“Poe!” The voice was familiar, and while it didn’t make him upset, it was certainly not a person he wanted to talk to tonight. He glanced up as Zorii Bliss stopped at their table. The woman glanced at Rey, giving her a weak smile. “Hello, Rey.”

“Hello, Ms. Bliss,” Rey said with a bright smile.

Zorii turned her attention back to Poe. “I wanted to congratulate you,” she gushed. “I heard you’ve officially become President and CEO of Organa Enterprises.”

Poe nodded. “Yes, well, provisionary,” he confirmed. “Until the board decides in a year if I’m doing a good enough job to make the transition permanent.” Zorii and the other board members still did not know about the true conditions of the will. They would be told once the year was up, then they would make the determination of whether or not his marriage was valid. Ben and D’Acy were the only ones who knew the details.

“Well, I can guarantee you’ll have my vote,” Zorii smiled. She glanced at Rey again, who was doing her best to keep a smile on her face. Poe could tell how fake it was. “I guess that’s what you’re celebrating tonight?” Zorii prompted.

“Actually, no,” Poe smiled, looking at Rey. “We are celebrating something even more important.” As Rey looked at him, he reached for her left hand and pulled it toward him, making sure Zorii saw the ring.

“Oh!” Zorii gasped softly. Her expression went from flirty to dark as she looked back and forth between them. She focused on Rey. “I didn’t realize you were a gold digger, Rey,” she snarked.

Rey smiled at her, and this time it was genuine. “I could say it takes one to know one, but since I have no interest in Poe’s money, I guess your eyesight needs help.”

Poe couldn’t help the soft snort. Rey looked at him again as he began to play with her fingers, totally ignoring Zorii. The idea that he once thought the other woman was a compatible partner made him cringe inside. The woman across from him surpassed Zorii by miles.

“Are you sure you’ll be able to actually walk down that aisle this time, Poe?” Zorii asked in a sickly-sweet voice.

Without looking away from Rey, Poe responded softly, “Wild horses won’t keep me away.” He continued to play with Rey’s fingers, using both hands to fondle the graceful digits, only half aware of Zorii’s miffed exhalation as she walked away.

He was thinking about the strength he knew Rey’s hands held when he felt the slight tug. He looked up, but instead of seeing the soft, playful look he had seen when he took her hand, he saw coldness.

“Laying it on a little thick, aren’t you Dameron?”

Poe let go of her hand and she quickly jerked it away from him, bringing it to her lap as she looked down toward her plate. “Zorii is on the board,” he said, his voice rough. “We need to make her believe.”

She nodded, but didn’t look up. “Right,” she said, an edge to her voice. “It’s all make believe.”

******

It was her wedding day.

Rey looked at her reflection in the courthouse bathroom mirror and repeated that fact to herself in her head.

It was her wedding day, and it was nothing like she had always dreamed.

Instead of a white, flowing gown, she wore a light blue dress with a dark blue floral pattern. It wasn’t too formal while still being pretty and feminine. Instead of a veil, Rose had braided her dark chestnut hair into a tight French braid and dressed it with Baby’s Breath. Instead of a church, or even an outside venue in a garden somewhere, she would be in a courtroom. And instead of a crowd of friends and family celebrating with her, only Rose and Finn would be present.

The only thing that resembled her fantasy was the groom, and even he wasn’t quite what she wanted; the Poe she wished for wasn’t pretending to be in love with her.

Rose walked in the door behind her, her expression sour. “They’re about ready,” she said, her voice tight. She stopped next to Rey and met her friend’s eyes in the mirror. “I can’t believe you two are doing this.”

Poe and Rey had to let Finn and Rose in on the plan. Not only would they need witnesses for the wedding, and they knew their friends would be insulted if they weren’t chosen, but Rey insisted that the pair would be too hard to fool as the four of them were so close. Rose, like Ben, knew about Rey’s true feelings for Poe, but had been sworn to secrecy over ten years ago.

“Look at it this way,” Rey argued. “Now you and Finn don’t need to pretend you aren’t sleeping together.”

Rose’s eyes widened, but then they narrowed. “How long were you going to pretend you didn’t know that?”

“How long were you going to pretend you weren’t together?” Rey countered.

Rose crossed her arms and huffed.

“Just promise me something,” Rey whispered.

Rose pursed her lips and nodded. “Okay.”

“Promise that no matter what happens between me and Poe in the coming year, you won’t tell him the truth.”

“Rey…”

“He’ll feel horrible if he knows how hard this is for me,” Rey continued. “He’ll never forgive himself if he knows he hurt me.”

Rose stared at her through the mirror for a while. “I promise,” she finally said softly. “But one of these days, you need to start worrying about your own feelings more than his.”

“Maybe,” Rey responded with a soft smile. “Someday.” She took a deep breath, then met her own gaze in the mirror. “Let’s do this,” she said, repeating Poe’s favorite phrase.

Rey and Rose left the bathroom together and moved down the hall where Poe and Finn waited. Both looked sharp in their suits, Poe in dark grey, Finn in dark blue. Rey gave a brief thought that Finn and Rose kind of matched, as her dress was also a navy blue in color.

Poe was fiddling with something in his hands and he looked nervous. As they neared, he reached out and handed something to Rose, then Finn. Rings, Rey realized. Simple gold bands.

Finn looked at the woman’s band he now held. “This isn’t going to make Rey’s finger turn green, is it?” he said snarkily. Rey and Rose both laughed, but Poe just glared.

“Of course not,” Poe griped. “Ten karats, both of them,” he said, tugging on his suit jacket nervously.

The door to the courtroom opened and the clerk looked at them. “She’s ready,” she said with a smile. She held the door as Poe escorted Rey inside, followed by Rose and Finn. They walked down the aisle where Judge Maz Kanata waited for them.

She smiled at them, the wrinkles in her dark face prominent. “All right, are you both ready?”

Rey peeked over at Poe and found his nervous glance meet hers. They both nodded and looked back at Maz.

She nodded as well, but then paused, peering at Poe through her thick glasses. “You’re not going to run, are you?”

Rey couldn’t help but smile at the question. She felt Poe’s gaze on her, then he said softly, “No. No, I won’t run.”

Rey looked over at him and saw the seriousness in his eyes. Of course, he wouldn’t run, she thought. He wanted Organa Enterprises too much. She licked her lips and looked back at Maz.

“Okay,” Maz said. “Let’s begin.” She paused briefly. “Poe Dameron and Rey Skywalker, today you celebrate one of life’s greatest moments and give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, as you join together in the vows of marriage.”

She looked at Poe. “Poe, do you take Rey as your wife?”

“I do,” he said firmly, with no hesitation.

“Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her?”

“I do.”

Maz looked at Rey. “Rey, do you take Poe as your husband?”

“I do,” Rey answered in a whisper.

“Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?”

“I do.” Her voice was much firmer this time.

Maz looked at Poe. “The rings.”

Poe turned to Finn, who handed him the thin band of gold. He faced Rey and took her left hand, where Shara’s ring still adorned her finger. He looked her in the eye. “Rey, I give you this ring, as a token and a pledge, of our constant faith and abiding love.”

Rey felt a shiver run up her spine as Poe slid the ring onto her finger. His expression… no! She couldn’t imagine he meant those words. He looked back up at her as he slowly released her hand and she met his eyes with her own, her heart racing.

“Rey?” Maz said softly.

Taking a deep breath, Rey turned to Rose, who handed her the thick gold band. Her friend looked worried. Rey gave her a small smile, then turned back to Poe.

He lifted his left hand almost tentatively, and with a slight smirk she reached for it, bringing it up and lifting the ring to his finger. Swallowing, she looked him the eye. “Poe, I give you this ring, as a token and pledge, of our constant faith and abiding love.” Her voice trembled a bit toward the end, and she cleared her throat. Then she looked down and slid the ring onto his finger. Without thought, she brought her hand over his, bringing her fingers over to grip it lightly, and she felt his own fingers close on hers.

Everything was silent for a while as Rey lifted her eyes to his once more. He was staring at her intently, and she was captured by the look of wonder in his eye.

Maz’ voice made both of them blink. “Rey and Poe, just as two very different threads woven in opposite directions can form a beautiful tapestry, so can your two lives merge together to form a very beautiful marriage. To make you marriage work will take love.

“Love should be the core of your marriage, love is the reason you are here. But it also will take trust – to know in your hearts you want the best for each other. It will take dedication – to stay open to one another; to learn and to grow together even when this is not always easy to do. It will take faith - to be willing to go forward to tomorrow, never really knowing what tomorrow will bring. In addition, it will take commitment - to hold true to the journey you both now pledge to share together.

“Rey and Poe, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Matrimony, and have promised your love for each other by these vows, I now declare you to be Husband and Wife.”

Maz paused then, her smile becoming huge. “Congratulations! Poe, you may kiss your bride!”

Rey found herself drowning in Poe’s eyes as they remained focused on hers. She heard the words, and pretended they had meaning, but Maz’ last words jolted her out of her little fantasy. She had only ever kissed Poe once on the lips, and they had both been seven years old at the time.

Poe’s eyes had become hooded, and his gaze had dropped to her lips. She saw him move toward her, and she found herself helplessly leaning toward him as well. She let her eyes drift shut a split second before his lips touched hers. It was chaste, with no more passion than the kiss they had shared as children, but there was a spark there that had been missing from that first kiss. Maybe it was just on her end, Rey thought, but as she pressed her lips against his, she felt as if one move from her could change the dynamic from innocent to erotic in a heartbeat.

She didn’t make that move.

As they slowly backed away from each other, Rey blinked and became aware of her friends and Judge Kanata clapping. Poe was also blinking rapidly, as if waking up from sleep, then he looked around them with a smile.

With one last squeeze of her fingers, he let her go.

******

The first week was the toughest.

Oh, who was he kidding? The first day had been the toughest. Because after that short but strangely poignant ceremony (he refused to acknowledge how real it had all felt), Rey and Poe had to tell their dads what they had done.

They briefly considered getting the two older men together and telling them both at the same time, but then Rey decided it might be best to do it separately, because she was sure their reactions would be so different an argument might fire up between the old friends. So, they headed to Rey’s old house first.

As Poe expected, Luke Skywalker was not happy with the news. He laid into Rey, lamenting the fact that she should have worn white, that she should have been married in a church by a priest, that he should have walked her down the aisle, all while adding nasty side comments such as “you could have done better” and “do you realize how many women he’s been with?” and “why him?”

As a young man, Poe had greatly respected the elder Skywalker, and had submitted to his demands and eventual derision, but now he was grown and the (almost) President and CEO of a major business, and he stepped forward, ready to defend himself. But Rey’s soft grip on his arm stilled him, and her calm voice soothed and comforted him.

“It’s done, Daddy,” she said. “I’ve made my choice and I have no regrets. You need to respect that.”

Though he was still obviously unhappy, asking at the last minute if she had signed a prenup (“Yes. Poe made sure of it.”), he let them go without any more fuss, accepting Rey’s promise that both he and Kes would be invited to dinner at their condo as soon as they settled in.

Poe was still shaking with anger and frustration as they walked back to the car, and without saying anything, Rey grabbed his car keys and headed for the driver’s side. Poe didn’t argue. It was only a short drive down the street and around the corner to the house he had grown up in.

Poe didn’t think anything could be worse than telling Luke Skywalker he had married the man’s daughter, but he was wrong. Telling Kes was far worse, and not because the older man was angry about it. Quite the opposite, in fact.

“Oh, mi Señor en el cielo!” Kes Dameron exclaimed! “I thought this day would never come! Oh, I am so happy for you!” He reached for Rey’s hand. “Rey, this ring looks perfect on you! Shara would be so happy to see you wearing it!” He grinned at the couple as they glanced at each other, eyes wide. “You know she knew this would happen,” Kes continued. “Even as small children, she knew you two would grow up to marry each other! I was getting worried she had been wrong!”

Poe felt guilt race through him. While Luke might rejoice in a year when the marriage was dissolved, his father’s heart was bound to be torn to shreds. Poe had not foreseen this at all!

Eventually, they were able to slip away, repeating the promise of dinner at the condo, and rushed back to the car. Once inside, with Poe once more in the driver’s seat, they both sat silent for a while.

“Do you still want to go out to eat?” Poe asked.

Rey shook her head. “No. Let’s go home.”

Home.

Rey had packed a bag with enough necessities to get her through the rest of the week, and Finn and Rose had promised to help them move her belongings from the tiny apartment she lived in to the condo on Saturday. Home was now that condo… for both of them.

After that first crazy day, once Rey was finally settled into the guest room, things started to slowly become routine, and the rest of that first month was comfortable, if not normal.

While Poe always showered in the morning, Rey always showered at night before bed. She said it was because this gave her more time to sleep in the morning, and that excuse didn’t surprise Poe, because he had always known Rey was not a morning person. He would wake first, go for a run, shower, and was usually in the process of making breakfast when Rey finally made an appearance. She would wander out of her bedroom, still half asleep and wrapped in a robe with her hair a mess, grab a cup of coffee, give him a brief wave, then disappear back into her room. When she reappeared about thirty minutes later in her scrubs, makeup and hair perfect, Poe was about ready to head out the door.

While they never had breakfast together, they did share dinner together most nights. Without even discussing it, they alternated who was in charge of the evening meal. While Poe almost always cooked, Rey more often than not got take-out; she hated cooking. When she did cook, it was always something simple and she always apologized for it, which confused Poe, because it was always delicious to him. On Fridays, as usual, they met Finn and Rose for dinner. Everything was relaxed and going wonderfully, and Poe was relieved, thinking the coming year would be a piece of cake; he enjoyed having Rey as a roommate.

It was at one of those Friday dinners where he was reminded the routine was about to be disrupted.

Finn casually asked Rey and Poe if they could help him move next Saturday.

“Where to?” Poe asked.

Finn cleared his throat and glanced at Rose. “Rosie’s.”

Poe snorted. “It’s about time. It’s not like you’ve been sleeping at your place lately anyway.”

Rey grinned at Finn’s expression. “Looks like we’re both moving up in the world,” she laughed. Finn’s apartment was small and old, but Rose lived in one of the newer buildings on the southeast side and she had plenty of room.

“Yeah, we can help,” Poe told Finn. “But we may have to knock off early.” He glanced at Rey. “We have an event that night.”

Rose leaned forward. “What event?”

“It’s a silent auction charity event for Habitat for Humanity,” Rey told her. “It will be our first official outing as husband and wife.” She grimaced.

Poe noticed her expression. “You know you don’t have to go,” he told her. “They’re expecting me, but not you.”

“Oh, that would look great,” Rey scoffed. “We’ve only been married a month and you’re going out alone already?”

Poe shrugged. “I can say you don’t feel well.” Poe knew she wasn’t too fond of social gatherings. She never had been.

Rey shook her head. “No, I don’t mind. Really.” She frowned and bit her lip. “Unless you don’t want me to go?”

Poe snorted. “As if,” he said sarcastically, his eyebrows furrowed. “I’ll be a lot more confident with you by my side.” He winked at her. “Not to mention it’ll make all the other guys jealous.” He grinned as he saw Rey’s cheeks turn pink.

“Ooooh, Rey!” Rose exclaimed. “You are going to look amazing in a fancy cocktail dress!”

Rey suddenly looked panicked. “I didn’t think about that! What do I wear?” She looked at Poe with huge eyes. “I don’t have anything that fancy!”

Poe shook his head. “I already have an account set up with LaBelle’s downtown. You can stop by anytime this week and choose whatever you like.”

Rose giggled. “You’ll be like Cinderella!”

Rey shuddered. “Oh, this is going to be weird.”

“Well, you better get used to it,” Poe said. “We have at least one of these things a month!” He shook his head. “I don’t know how Leia did it.” His expression fell; just the mention of Leia was enough to make him gloomy.

Rey automatically reached over and put her hand on his arm, squeezing it lightly. He gave her a soft, grateful smile.

Rey nodded. “Okay, I’ll try and stop by after work sometime.”

Suddenly, Poe was very anxious to see what kind of dress his new wife would choose.

******

Rey had only been to LaBelle’s once before, and that was in High School.

She remembered back to how she had begged her father for the money to buy a prom dress, and he had finally relented on the promise that she was going with a group of girls, not a boy. And she hadn’t lied. She and Rose and another friend had all decided to go with each other, but the only reason Rey was going with them was because Poe had said he was also ‘going stag’ with Finn and a couple other guys. So, when Rey made her choice among the formal dresses, she had done it with Poe in mind. Maybe, just maybe, he would ask her to dance.

She had chosen a beautiful emerald green chiffon gown, off-the-shoulder with a long, flowing skirt. She and the other girls had gotten ready together at Rose’s before her sister had driven them all to the school, and Rey had never felt more beautiful. She recalled more than one person looking at her with appreciation when they entered the brightly decorated school gymnasium, but she was only concerned with the attention of one person. Too bad that one person never showed up.

Poe had never seen the dress she had bought for him.

She sold the dress for half its cost less than a week later when she decided that she needed to move on, that she couldn’t keep hoping her best friend would see her as more than a buddy. Believing that had been easier to do in college, as she and Poe had not attended the same school, but they still remained in contact almost daily via e-mail and text, so she could never truly push him out of her thoughts. She dated other guys, but never found one that made her feel as comfortable and safe as Poe, so she remained a virgin. It wasn’t until she settled back in her home town (after another long argument with her father about getting her own place) that she finally found someone she trusted enough to become intimate with. She had hoped with Ben she would be able to let go of her pining for Poe, but somehow her bond with her childhood friend only strengthened during the tumultuous years she dated Ben. Ben’s jealousy towards Poe was the primary cause of most of their arguments.

Now, ten years after her first and only visit to this store, Rey was back. Only this time, she knew for sure that Poe would see the dress she chose. So, she best choose wisely.

As she asked the salesperson where the cocktail dresses were and followed the woman toward the far side of the store, she decided to get more than one. If she was going to be attending at least one high society event a month with her elite businessman husband, she better look the part. Even if it was only for a year.

She left the store an hour later with four overpriced cocktail dresses and one formal gown. She didn’t know if she would ever have need of the gown, but she had seen it across the room and kept looking it so often the saleswoman finally asked if she wanted to try it on, knowing it was her size. The gorgeous ball gown made from tulle and organza was a rich silver green in color. It had a halter style top and was layered with violet and pink tulle underneath the skirt and Rey absolutely fell in love when she tried it on. The sale was complete when the woman told her the dress matched her eyes.

That Saturday, she and Poe followed through with their promise to help Finn move his stuff into Rose’s apartment. They had a pizza delivered as a late lunch, then when most of the work was done, Rey headed off with Poe back to the condo to get ready for the auction.

Rey had been on edge all day thinking about the event. Having grown up in a lower middle-class home, she had never felt comfortable among the rich and affluent. Now she was supposed to pretend to be one. Poe had not grown up with money, either, but he had managed to gradually work his way up the elite ladder thanks to his association with Leia, and knew most of Aldera’s wealthy by their first name. She would just have to follow his lead.

She had decided to go with the simplest dress for her first outing. The black dress was skin-tight and came down to about mid-thigh, with a sweetheart neckline that turned into a black lace halter top. She wore low heels, a sub-conscious decision she always made when going out in public with Poe; she didn’t like being taller than him. She pulled back the sides of her shoulder-length hair but left the rest down, allowing it to stay naturally wavy. She kept her makeup modest; she had never been an expert with it anyway, so she did not want to do anything dramatic.

She came out of her bedroom, focusing on her breathing to keep her nerves under control, when she stopped and looked at Poe, who was staring back at her. He looked dashing, as usual, in a tailored black suit, his hair styled to perfection.

“You look great,” he said softly.

Rey gave him a soft smile. “Thank you.” Oh, what she would have given to have him look at her like this ten years ago, she thought.

As they left the building and headed for Poe’s car, he touched her elbow lightly, getting her attention. “You don’t have to always wear low heels, you know,” he told her with a smirk. “I’m used to women being taller than me.”

Rey shrugged. “I don’t mind,” she told him.

Poe gave her a look. “Yeah, right.” He pressed the key fob to unlock the doors, then moved to open the passenger side for her. “But if you should ever find a pair that you just love and they happen to have six-inch heels, go for it.”

Rey slid into the car. “Poe, I don’t think I could walk in six-inch heels.”

He shook his head. “Oh, I bet you could.” Then as he backed away to close the door, she heard him mumble, “And I’d love to see it.”

Rey felt her face heat. Was he really saying he would appreciate how she would look in such high heels? How she would move? She tried not to guess as he slid into the driver’s side, but she did give him a nervous glance. He still had that smirk on his face, and as she watched, she could swear he was eyeing her thigh where the skirt had ridden up thanks to her seated position. Seriously, they weren’t even in public, yet. Why was he flirting with her?

The drive to the event center didn’t take too long, as Poe’s condo wasn’t far from downtown, and soon Poe had handed the keys to the valet and come around to assist her out of the car. Her heart started racing again as they entered the main doors and checked in at the front desk.

“Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Dameron,” the clerk told them. While Rey had not officially changed her last name, she had given Poe permission to list her as Rey Dameron for business and other formal events. However, she hadn’t been prepared to hear it.

Poe also seemed to start at the woman’s greeting, but only for a moment. “Thank you,” he told her, then with a grin at Rey, he took her hand and led her to the door to the ballroom. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

The rest of the evening was a jumble of names and faces that Rey could only hope to learn someday. Some people she knew as either clients of hers or those she worked with, and there were several names she recognized just by being a resident of Aldera. She and Poe wandered over to the tables where the items up for bid sat, and she helped Poe decide what might look good in the condo. Poe wasn’t too concerned about winning anything as there was nothing there that either of them especially wanted, but if he did get the winning bid on something he at least knew the money was going to a good cause.

The dancing started around nine, and Rey was more than a little surprised by it; she hadn’t known there was going to be dancing. Poe didn’t even seem to notice as he was focused on a conversation with Cassian Andor, the owner of Andor Patrol, the largest private security company in Aldera. She wandered over to the refreshment table, but had no desire for anything there. So, she stood and watched the few couples that had braved the dance floor, enjoying the romantic, jazzy music that was playing.

She was more than a little startled when Beau Kin, one of the MDs in the clinic she worked in, came up to her with a smile. “You look entranced by the dancing,” he told her, giving her a bigger smile than he had ever graced her with at work.

She shrugged. “At least they’re not bored.”

He chuckled. “These events are rather boring, aren’t they?” He tilted his head at her. “If your new husband won’t mind, I’d be happy to entertain you on the dance floor?” He held out his hand to her.

Rey glanced over at Poe, who was still talking, then turned back to Kin. What the hell, she thought to herself? “Sure,” she said softly, and took his hand, letting him lead her onto the floor.

She moved with the music, grateful Beau didn’t try and pull her too close, but just couldn’t relax into the dance. Beau continued to offer her small talk, asking about her clients and how she was settling in to married life, but Rey gave him quick answers, trying to be polite without encouraging too much conversation. Finally, the song ended, but Kin didn’t seem to think the dance was over.

Rey was about to pull away and excuse herself when she felt Poe come up to her elbow. “Thanks Dr. Kin, but I’ve got her from here.” His voice was pleasant, but he was frowning, and his eyes were cold.

Beau had the grace to look a bit abashed. “Of course.” He nodded at Rey. “Thank you, Mrs. Dameron.”

She nodded back and smiled politely at him as Poe, without waiting, took her in his arms. Unlike Kin, he pulled in her in close, and Rey gasped slightly at the rather forceful motion. She looked at Poe with a frown.

“Sorry,” he whispered, looking contrite.

They moved silently to the music for a while, and Rey became aware that the song was an instrumental of Eric Clapton’s ‘Wonderful Tonight.’ She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as Poe’s scent enveloped her, trying not to obsess over the fact that she was finally dancing with him. She didn’t think they had been this close since the wedding.

“If you had wanted to dance, you could have let me know.” Poe’s almost petulant words jerked Rey out of her musings, and she opened her eyes.

“You were busy,” she told him softly.

“You’re mad at me.”

Rey frowned again. “What? No! Why would I be mad at you?”

He shrugged. “I was ignoring my new wife.”

She smiled. “Poe, your job here is not to keep me entertained. It’s to gain clients and spread positive recognition. Stop worrying about me.”

He huffed. “I just…”

“What?”

He licked his lips. “Is it wrong that I got angry seeing you dance with Kin?”

She tilted her head at him. “Were you jealous?”

“I don’t know,” he said softly. “Maybe?”

“You’ve always been a bit too protective of me, Poe,” she told him. “It’s why I never dated in High School. All the guys were scared of you.”

He stared at her. “I… I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay,” Rey assured him. “I didn’t particularly want to date anyone in High School.” Except you, she thought to herself. “If you don’t want me to dance with anyone else at these things, that’s okay,” she continued. “I’m not sure how a new wife should act, really.”

He gave her a slight smile. “Neither do I.” He shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, I just…” He didn’t seem to know how to explain his behavior. He looked at her helplessly.

“I know,” she whispered. “I know.”

******

Life in the condo changed after that night, and Poe felt he was to blame. While their daily routine remained the same, there was a new tension. They talked less during dinner and any extra time spent together, like watching movies or just sitting in the living area together reading stopped. In one month, Poe had done the one thing he feared the most with this marriage: he had lost his friend. All because he had been stupid enough to let his true feelings show.

He had no right to be jealous, he thought. Yes, Rey was his wife now, and as he told her, he trusted her not to do anything improper, but that protectiveness, the possessiveness he had always felt, seemed to have only increased now that they were married.

One week after the auction, their marriage scheme was truly tested for the first time. As promised, Rey and Poe invited their dads to the condo for dinner.

Poe cooked, of course, but Rey spent a great portion of the afternoon cleaning, which included moving her belongings back into Poe’s bedroom. Most of her clothing and personal objects had remained in Poe’s room after she moved in, but as the weeks had gone by, many items like books and mementos had ended up in the guest room, as Rey became lazy and never put them back. Both of them were convinced either Luke or Kes (or both) would get snoopy, so they had to ensure everything looked as if they were truly married and sharing the master bedroom.

The meal went well, and Poe was more than a little taken aback by Luke’s open and friendly attitude. Either he had come to terms with his daughter’s marriage, or he just didn’t want to look like an ass around Kes. Either way, Poe appreciated it. Everything was going great… until the end of the meal, when the question neither he nor Rey had expected was asked.

“So,” Kes started. “Luke and I were talking the other day, and we started speculating...” He grimaced. “We don’t want to be pests, but have you two given any thought to when you might start a family?”

Rey, who had been picking up the empty plates they had served the cheesecake dessert on, dropped one. It clanged loudly as it hit the corner of the table, but she caught it before it hit the floor. Poe looked back and forth between her and his father, panic creeping in.

“Uhm…” Rey looked at Poe, her eyes wide. “Uh, we’ve talked about it…”

“But we decided now wasn’t really the time to be thinking about that, yet,” Poe interjected. “We’re both so busy right now,” he continued. “I’m still getting things organized at the company, trying to get more support for the low-income projects, and Rey has been thinking about joining a private practice and getting away from the hospital.”

Rey gave him a startled look.

“Until we’ve resolved those things, we really don’t want to add kids to the mix.”

Luke was looking at Rey in confusion. “You want to leave the hospital? Since when?”

Poe cringed inside. Okay, so he shouldn’t have gone that far.

“Uh…” Rey breathed. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while, Daddy,” she finally said. “They don’t pay well at all and I feel like I could drop off the face of the earth and no one there would notice.” She glanced at Poe, and he recognized the honesty of her words. He had known she wasn’t happy there. “I feel like I’ve got enough of a professional reputation now that I could do well on my own, and now that money isn’t an issue,” she nodded toward Poe, “I could make that break someday soon.”

Luke snorted. “With money not an issue, you could just not work at all.”

Poe laughed. “Rey would go crazy if she couldn’t work,” he said before she could respond to her father. “She loves her job, just not the way she’s treated by her employers.”

Her expression became soft and she gave him a small smile before nodding. “Poe’s right. I love helping people feel better, move better. I would just like to do it on my own terms.”

“Rey, you are an amazing person,” Kes said, smiling at her, his chin on his laced fingers as he rested his elbows on the table. “Mijo,” he looked at Poe. “You two are like peas in a pod, you know that?” He stood straight and looked at Luke. “How did two viejos gruñitos like us raise such kind souls?”

“I think a lot of the credit goes to your wife, my friend,” Luke answered softly.

The two men left a short time later, both in good spirits, and Rey and Poe began to clean up the kitchen together.

“Well, that went well,” Poe said, relieved. He gave Rey an inquisitive look. “You know, I’ve never asked. Do you want children someday?”

Rey gave him a nervous glance and shrugged. “I guess I’ve always assumed that I would have children someday, yeah,” she said. “I always envied those families that filled up a pew at church.”

Poe laughed.

“What about you?” Rey asked.

Poe shook his head. “Well, seeing as I never wanted to get married, the idea of having children never really crossed my mind.” He paused. “The fact that I never even considered it while engaged was yet another warning sign I should have paid closer attention to.”

Rey snorted. “You had plenty of signs you ignored with those women, Poe.”

“Yeah, I know,” he grumbled. He tilted his head and looked at her intently. “The thought of being a dad doesn’t scare me, though.”

“Good,” Rey said with a soft smile. “Because I think you’d make a great dad.”

He smiled back. “I hope you get a whole passel of babies someday, Rey. They’d be the luckiest kids in the world.”

Rey looked away, and Poe saw her cheeks color a bit. She glanced around the now clean kitchen, then back at him. “How did you know I wanted to go into private practice?”

He shrugged. “I knew you weren’t happy with the hospital, and I guess I just started thinking about what would make you happy.”

Rey looked at him for a long while, and Poe found himself, not for the first time, in awe of her uniquely colored eyes. Licking her lips, she turned away. “I better go. I’d like to read a bit before bed.”

“A bit?” Poe smiled. “Five chapters or ten?”

Rey laughed softly, then headed for his room. “I’ve gotta get my stuff.”

Poe followed, his hands in his trouser pockets. “You think they snooped?”

Rey paused in the bedroom doorway. “Well, they both headed this way to use the bathroom during dinner, so I can assume they did a little.”

“We should have messed the bed up. Made it look like we had a quickie before they got here.”

Rey laughed out loud at that. “Oh, my God! Their faces! Could you imagine?” She headed into the room to get her pajamas and book.

Unbidden, an image formed in his mind of Rey sprawled on top of his bed, naked, an inviting smile on her face as she spread her legs. He shook his head, trying to chase the thought away. “Yeah, I can imagine,” he whispered.

******

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Rey became content, if not perfectly happy. After the dinner Poe made for Luke and Kes, things seemed to settle around the condo. The tension that had developed after the silent auction eased, and though Rey still never felt completely comfortable with their act when they were in public, at least at home they could be themselves.

Poe continued to work with the city in trying to develop more low-income housing, but his biggest issue wasn’t the city council, it was the local businesses he tried to buy materials from. Hoping to keep the final cost as low as possible, he wanted to not only keep his purchases local, but keep them affordable. However, he was a stickler on quality, and he was not getting any help from the suppliers when it came to cost. It wasn’t an issue with them not being able to afford discounting their products, Poe knew. It was simply greed.

Rey wasn’t having any more success in looking for a new place to work. Nobody in private practice had need of a PT, and she wasn’t quite comfortable starting from the ground up on her own. Her bosses, however, knew that she could quit at any time if she so chose now that she was married to a millionaire, and were treating her better. She was the best PT they had, not only in practical training, but because her positive outlook and insistence that ‘mind over matter’ was more than a saying, and it made her a favorite among the MDs. Her patients just did better than others.

As summer turned into fall, Poe insisted they go up to the cabin every other weekend, and Rey never argued. She loved the mountains, and though she had only been to the Solo cabin once before Poe became the owner, she quickly fell in love with it. Small but cozy, it was built into the hillside and faced a small lake. The main floor had an open floorplan, with the kitchen/dining room merging into the living area, which boasted a large screen TV and a beautiful gas fireplace. Two steps led up to the ‘second floor,’ with a large master bathroom with a jacuzzi style tub and two attached bedrooms on either side. Poe often talked about moving to the cabin full-time and getting rid of the condo. It was only a thirty-minute drive to town, but because it was located in the mountains, winter storms made driving difficult if not impossible. He determined that when Organa Enterprises became officially his, he could afford to get snowed in from time to time, but for now it would be best to live full-time in town.

One weekend, Poe invited Rose and Finn up to see the fall colors, totally forgetting they had only the two bedrooms. Fortunately, they didn’t have to pretend with their friends and Poe said he was more than happy to sleep on the couch. Rey thought that was silly and argued that, since they were both adults, they could share a bed, but Poe was adamant. “Nope! The couch is fine.” Rey was both disappointed and relieved by his decision. While their friendship seemed to be weathering this fake marriage so far, there was still an edginess that hadn’t been there before Rey had danced with Dr. Kin.

As Poe had promised, there were more ‘cultured’ events to attend, as well, mostly gatherings dedicated to some charitable organization, but some just elite parties. Poe was very particular about what they attended. He stayed away from political affairs, and any function that was raising money for charity had to be for a cause he had already given his support to. The more of these soirees Rey attended, the more she got to know the other people that also frequented them regularly. She now recognized faces and names, she knew who was friendly and supportive and who to avoid. She spotted Zorii Bliss at more than one shindig, and though she caught the other woman eyeing Poe more than once, she never tried conversing with him. Probably because Rey rarely left his side. She’d seen Poe glance at Zorii a couple of times as well, but other than a friendly nod her way, he showed no interest.

Several of these social gatherings had dancing, but they never danced. Rey had an idea that if she asked him, Poe would willingly dance with her, but because he never showed an interest himself, she didn’t ask. The idea of having him focused solely on her, his arm around her, bodies pressed together… it was dangerous, she knew. One of these days, she was going to slip and do something that would give herself away.

Christmas came and went. It was mostly uneventful. Rey got a tree for the living room and a new leather briefcase for Poe, one more fitting for a CEO than the old worn messenger bag he had had since college. Poe presented Rey with a lovely pair of diamond and gold earrings just before Luke and Kes arrived for dinner. The rest of the evening was pleasant for the most part, filled mostly with the two dads sharing funny stories of their offspring as youngsters. Most of the tales weren’t new to either Rey or Poe; they had created those stories together, after all. But they shared some laughs, and Rey felt an overwhelming sense of completeness at the end of the night. A completeness that turned to sorrow when she headed to her own room by herself, remembering that this wasn’t her ‘happily ever after.’ Next Christmas they would probably all be celebrating separately, and this little family she loved so much wouldn’t exist anymore.

Winter was in full swing before Rey made the ‘slip’ she had been dreading.

It was a particularly cold Thursday night, and Poe had called Rey to tell her he would be a bit late. He wanted to take Friday off and needed to finish some paperwork before he left for the day. She promised she would make something edible that could be warmed over and asked him to drive careful, as the roads were icy. When she disconnected the phone, she smiled to herself. They had sounded just like a true married couple.

Rey had finished her own dinner and was planning on settling on the couch to read when a CD sitting on the TV stand caught her eye. She smiled and walked over to it; Poe must have been listening to it last night when she had to stay late for a staff meeting. The label simply read: Shara. She knew it was a ‘mixed tape’ that Poe’s mom had given him shortly before her death that he had had transferred to CD years ago. Shara had adored 80s rock, and both Rey and Poe had grown up listening to it as well. It had been years since she had listened to this, however. She popped it in the stereo system next to the Blue Ray.

When Poe got home twenty minutes later, he walked in on Rey dancing her heart out to Escape Club’s ‘Wild Wild West.’

She didn’t know he was there at first, until she spun around and saw him grinning at her as he pulled off his suit jacket. He had already removed his coat, so he must have been watching her for a while. She paused for a moment, wanting to be embarrassed, but then decided she just didn’t care and continued to bounce and swivel her hips to the music.

She skipped over to him and grabbed his wrists, pulling him further into the living room. Shaking his head in exasperation, he joined her, raising his arms and moving his hips to the beat. “She’s so mean, but I don’t care!” Rey sang. “I love her eyes and her wild wild hair!” Poe joined in. “Dance to the beat that we like best! Heading for the nineties, living in the wild wild west!”

Rey moved into Poe’s space, throwing her arms around his neck. He grabbed her hips with both hands, and she could feel the heat of him through her oversized sweatshirt and yoga pants. Their bodies seemed to match each other’s, undulating together as the music became more dramatic.

“Heading for the nineties, living in the eighties, screaming in a back room, waiting for the big boom!”

“Give me, give me wild west! Give me, give me safe sex! Give me love, give me love, give me time to live it up!”

Rey stopped thinking. He was so close, his eyes dark and magnetic, his arms tight around her waist now, pulling her pelvis up against his. He stopped moving and she realized she had stopped as well. She licked her lips and saw his gaze drop down to watch the action. Taking a deep breath, she moved in, catching his lips with hers. He responded without hesitation, his arms tightening even further as his tongue dived into her mouth. Rey heard herself whimper as she gripped his shoulders, allowing her own tongue to wrestle with his, pushing her pelvis up into him, and thrilling at the feel of his arousal.

He gripped her butt, pulling her in even tighter to him, making her gasp into his mouth. He groaned in response, then plunged his tongue deep into her mouth again, kissing her as she had never been kissed before.

The ringing of a cell phone caught her attention at the same time it did his. He pulled away slowly, his eyes wide as they stared at her. Feeling her face heat, she backed out of his embrace, then watched him swallow harshly. “You or me?” he whispered.

“Uhm.. me,” she said shakily. “I think.” She moved past him to the counter and grabbed up her cell. “Hello?”

“Rey?” Rose responded. “Are you okay? Were you working out or something?”

Rey tried to control her breathing. “I’m fine,” she said shortly. “What’s up?” She kept her back to Poe, who had moved over to the CD player to turn down the music. Kim Wilde’s ‘Kids in America’ was playing.

“Hey, Finn’s grandmother was in a minor accident this morning. She’s okay, but she has to have surgery on her hip tomorrow and Finn really wanted to be with her. She lives in Toshe. We want to leave first thing in the morning.”

“So, no Friday night dinner?” Rey finished. “That’s okay. We’ll make due. Drive safe and I hope her surgery goes great!”

“Thanks, Rey! We’ll see you guys when we get back!”

Rey disconnected but kept her back to Poe.

“No dinner tomorrow?” Poe asked. His voice was gravelly.

“No. They’re driving to Toche tomorrow. Finn’s grandma is having surgery. Nothing too serious.”

“Well, uhm… We could go to a movie?”

Rey turned to face him finally but she avoided looking at him. “I haven’t been to an actual movie in ages. I don’t even know what’s showing.” Phone still in hand, she called up the local theater, leaning back on the counter behind her. She glanced up at Poe, who would not meet her eyes and was rubbing the back of his neck. “Terrible Tuesday,” she announced. “That comedy with Booster Tarrik?”

“Yeah,” he answered, still not meeting her eyes. “That sounds good.”

Rey nodded. “Okay. Uhm. Dinner’s in the fridge. Just have to warm it up.”

Finally, he looked at her. “Okay.” His eyes were unreadable. His face impassive.

Rey began to make her way toward the hall. “So? Movie tomorrow?”

“It’s a date.” Poe nodded.

Rey stared at him for a long moment, then turning on her heel, she made her escape. “Goodnight!”

******

Continued in Part 2