around. Wouldn’t it be nice to come home to this? It’s a business arrangement. I get a roof over my head rent free for a time, my ex off my back, and you get a tavern and help at home. When the time is right, you can pay me a minimal agreed upon amount, we’ll sever the marriage and I’ll go on my merry way, hopefully as soon as Nick realizes he’s being used.”
“What? Hell no!” He’s pacing, angry, and probably more annoyed now. “Let me get this straight. You want us to get married so you can sell the bar to me, but also live at my house and pretend to be my wife? If you haven’t forgotten, I’m already married, Perry. You’ll have to find someone else, and don’t you dare ask one of my boys. They’ve got their own problems.”
“You’re widowed. There’s a huge difference, and being with you would be easy for locals to accept. Everyone would believe it. We see each other a lot. We’re both single. I’m attracted to you, and you might deny it, but I’ve seen the way you look at me. Stop being stubborn, Buck. Look at what’s in front of you. I need security. I need to feel safe. I can’t go back to my father’s house. I wish I could explain why, but you have to trust me. There is no going back for me.” I sweeten the deal with a reminder. “If you marry me, that bar will be yours. I’ll sign everything over to you the same day if I can. That’s how serious I am. I’ve given you a nest egg if you pretend to be my husband, and allow me to keep working until I can save up enough to get out of town again.”
If this works out I’ll have no reason to leave, because I’ll finally be with a good man who appreciates the love of a familiar woman. I’d never ask him to stop loving Layla. I value him more for being loyal.
“You’ll give me the bar with some major strings,” he adds. “You’ve lost your fucking mind.” I’m not used to hearing him curse. He seems strong and in charge, exactly what I need to feel safe at night.
I take my hand, grab his arm, and force him to spin around. “I’m desperate, and you’re interested in something I have. Maybe this is crazy, but I’m out of options at the moment. I don’t have a place to go home to, and I refuse to give my father a dollar for that business. I deserve that much. Buck, in the matter of a day I’ve lost everything I care about. Everything! I need support. I don’t have anyone else.” Tears are falling down my face. I’m worried he won’t approve. He’ll never approve of this. I can already tell he’s losing interest. I’m going to be out on the street, living out of the tavern by next month, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.
“I can’t. My kids have been through enough.”
His eyes seem lost again. “Your kids are grown, at least most of them. It’s not like I’m asking you for forever. It’s a business arrangement.”
He takes both hands and holds my wrists while speaking in an angry tone. “It’s a crazy idea, one you’ll change your mind about in the next day or so. I’m sorry, Perry. I know why your father would implement those pretenses, but I’m not about to commit fraud for a business, no matter how sweet the perks might be. I get that you’re upset about your son, and probably scared what will happen with your ex. You have every right to want to protect yourself, but I can’t be the answer. I won’t be. I’m sorry, but my friendship can’t extend to a marriage certificate.”
He’s right. It’s a stupid idea. As my hope starts to fade, I’m left feeling embarrassed for putting myself out there to Buck, so I gather my few belongings and storm out of the house.
Chapter 9
After the convoluted conversation with Perry, I start cleaning the fresh flounder for tonight’s dinner. I can’t let her problems get to me, even if I do care about her safety. The dream might have screwed me up, but I’m thinking clear enough to know her offer isn’t appropriate, nor will I take
“What? Hell no!” He’s pacing, angry, and probably more annoyed now. “Let me get this straight. You want us to get married so you can sell the bar to me, but also live at my house and pretend to be my wife? If you haven’t forgotten, I’m already married, Perry. You’ll have to find someone else, and don’t you dare ask one of my boys. They’ve got their own problems.”
“You’re widowed. There’s a huge difference, and being with you would be easy for locals to accept. Everyone would believe it. We see each other a lot. We’re both single. I’m attracted to you, and you might deny it, but I’ve seen the way you look at me. Stop being stubborn, Buck. Look at what’s in front of you. I need security. I need to feel safe. I can’t go back to my father’s house. I wish I could explain why, but you have to trust me. There is no going back for me.” I sweeten the deal with a reminder. “If you marry me, that bar will be yours. I’ll sign everything over to you the same day if I can. That’s how serious I am. I’ve given you a nest egg if you pretend to be my husband, and allow me to keep working until I can save up enough to get out of town again.”
If this works out I’ll have no reason to leave, because I’ll finally be with a good man who appreciates the love of a familiar woman. I’d never ask him to stop loving Layla. I value him more for being loyal.
“You’ll give me the bar with some major strings,” he adds. “You’ve lost your fucking mind.” I’m not used to hearing him curse. He seems strong and in charge, exactly what I need to feel safe at night.
I take my hand, grab his arm, and force him to spin around. “I’m desperate, and you’re interested in something I have. Maybe this is crazy, but I’m out of options at the moment. I don’t have a place to go home to, and I refuse to give my father a dollar for that business. I deserve that much. Buck, in the matter of a day I’ve lost everything I care about. Everything! I need support. I don’t have anyone else.” Tears are falling down my face. I’m worried he won’t approve. He’ll never approve of this. I can already tell he’s losing interest. I’m going to be out on the street, living out of the tavern by next month, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.
“I can’t. My kids have been through enough.”
His eyes seem lost again. “Your kids are grown, at least most of them. It’s not like I’m asking you for forever. It’s a business arrangement.”
He takes both hands and holds my wrists while speaking in an angry tone. “It’s a crazy idea, one you’ll change your mind about in the next day or so. I’m sorry, Perry. I know why your father would implement those pretenses, but I’m not about to commit fraud for a business, no matter how sweet the perks might be. I get that you’re upset about your son, and probably scared what will happen with your ex. You have every right to want to protect yourself, but I can’t be the answer. I won’t be. I’m sorry, but my friendship can’t extend to a marriage certificate.”
He’s right. It’s a stupid idea. As my hope starts to fade, I’m left feeling embarrassed for putting myself out there to Buck, so I gather my few belongings and storm out of the house.
Chapter 9
After the convoluted conversation with Perry, I start cleaning the fresh flounder for tonight’s dinner. I can’t let her problems get to me, even if I do care about her safety. The dream might have screwed me up, but I’m thinking clear enough to know her offer isn’t appropriate, nor will I take
Similar Books
