“Not true. It’s totally what’s best for me. I get my inheritance and an inconveniently sexy as hell wife. You’re the one who gets the short end of the stick. You have to be off the dating market while we’re married and go to a bunch of society parties and boring benefits. It basically hijacks your life to preserve mine. And I’m sorry that I assumed it would be a win-win for us both. I figured, hey what woman wouldn’t want to quit her job to be rich and go shopping and have her hair done? I’m guessing the answer to that question is you,” he said, setting his fork down.
“It isn’t that I don’t want to be rich or that I was looking forward to being downsized by the Wicked Queen. It’s that I don’t want to be married. Not to a total stranger, not to anyone at all, really. I think I’m happier and more secure when I’m not in a relationship. I can go out for fun, but nothing gets too heavy and emotional. Like I said, I’m sick of the whole game. Or maybe I’m burned out.”
“So sit the game out and stick with me. This could work for you, Marjorie. It could work for us both. I’m not saying that just because of the money. I’m saying it because when I upset you earlier, I felt really bad about it. I wanted to make everything okay for you. I realize that may not be possible in the long run, but in the short run, it could be. We stay married. You’re out of the game for a while and being happy and confident and have nothing to worry about financially or romantically because I’m here for whatever you need. We make the deal up front to be friends, to support each other and be honest, no games.”
“You’re playing me now, Cates. I’ve watched you try to manipulate me all night. First with the extravagant date, then with the flattery and emotional appeal, now with a deal in which we’re supposedly on equal footing. I’m in marketing, dude. I’m not this easy.”
“Except that it’s true. As a strategy, it would be scattershot and suspect at best. As the truth, it just is what it is. A man asking a woman to help him. And promising to be straight with her, and look out for her while they’re together. And then there’s this.”
Brandon stood and retrieved a document from his briefcase.
“My team faxed this over earlier. I told you from the beginning that there would be a nuptial agreement providing for you in the event of a divorce after a certain period had elapsed. I want to make sure you’re taken care of, that when this is over, you don’t have to work again if you don’t want to. You can have your independence. If you’ll review the terms, they’re set at ten million dollars post-tax settlement for a six-month duration. If the arrangement continues to one year, you get an additional four million free and clear. Consider this a very well-compensated short-term job.”
“Like a hooker,” she said dryly.
“Not at all. In fact, this requires not a sex worker, but a clever woman willing to extend herself in social situations to represent a multinational corporation as part of the public face of my father’s business. The love story and the image building are things you, as a marketing professional, understand. Your training and experience make you uniquely well suited to this position as my temporary wife.”
“You will not quit trying to sell me! You’re offering me money,” she said rather grimly.
“It’s a fair compensation for the service you’d render Power Regions, Ltd.” He protested, “And I’d thought you’d be pleased that you wouldn’t have to give up Starbucks to make rent ever again!” he said.
“I am—I just, I can’t believe you’d do this. That you’d make sure I was taken care of. That you thought of the life I’d be going back to and what I have to contend with now on my salary. It doesn’t seem like anything that someone like you would concern himself about.”
“Someone like me?”
“A rich guy, someone who’s used to getting whatever he wants without worrying about consequences for anyone else. If I do this, I come out of it divorced but I have enough money to live where I want and not have to scrimp and save. I’m not even sure I know how to do that. But I always thought Ireland would be nice. I look good in a sweater,” she said, her voice thick with emotion even as she tried to make light of it.
“Is this something that you want to do? Because, not to belabor the point on the whole marriage thing, but it’s a commitment. You have to stick with it for at least six months or I basically lose my ass. So I’m asking you to promise to stay with me for half a year. At least. If it’s working out well, I’d rather stay married for a year. The six months is how long it will take to probate the will. The extra six would be for appearances,” he said more awkwardly than he had intended.