“You’re everything I’ve ever looked for. You’re my best friend, and you make me laugh.”
“And I gave you some great drunken memories!”
“And crazy, wild sex!”
She grinned. “Ah, so it’s the sex, huh?”
“We don’t just have good sex. We have fucking great sex…
“Like sex straight out of a racy romance novel?”
He winked. “Yeah, babe. But on a more serious note. It’s more than just sex. We’re friends and lovers. We talk. We talk about how we feel. We talk about what you want. About what I want. We talk about everything. We keep the lines of discussion open and honest, and I love that. Our marriage is a tale of friendship, deep love, and scorching passion. We’ve connected on a deeper level than just sex. I’ve fallen deeply and madly in love with you. And I’m so glad my father forced his hand. I can’t believe how much I fought him, but he was right. I can’t imagine not having you in my life.”
“I agree. I couldn’t be happier.”
“Hello,” a voice called out. “Who is ready to get ‘all shook up’ and put on their ‘blue suede shoes’?”
Marj turned, and Elvis approached in all his white glory and rhinestones. He had Elvis Presley’s voice down to perfection.
Marj smiled. “You so didn’t!”
“I so did, Mrs. Cates,” Brandon said. “I flew the King out here.”
And it was then that she noticed it was the exact same Elvis that had married them. It was so sweet for Brandon to go out of his way like this for her. It truly touched her heart. After she greeted the impersonator, he reached for his guitar and started playing, “Can’t Help Falling In Love.”
“Would you care to dance, Mrs. Cates?” Brandon sweetly asked as he held out his hand.
Grinning, she reached for his hand. “Yes, I’d love too.”
As the song played, she stared lovingly into his eyes. They moved slow and smooth, dancing expertly to the swooning love song. Marj knew she was smitten by completely in love. She knew she could spend the rest of her life with him and be happy. And she could see the same thing in his eyes. This man standing before her truly loved her with everything he had, pouring his heart and soul into the emotional kiss.
And his kiss…it said it all. She was his forever.
Epilogue
A year later
Brandon and Marj sat in two leather chairs holding hands on the left side while the Wicked Queen sat on the right hand side. Behind the desk was the lawyer giving us the final verdict.
“Brandon, you followed the terms of your father’s wishes. It’s officially all yours.”
The Wicked Queen scowled. “No, they weren’t really a couple! Sources tell me they hatched this up in a bar only hours before the deadline. Marj was paid to be Brandon’s pretend bride. The whole thing is a sham. They’re pulling the wool over your eyes.”
The lawyer looked at her. “Fake? Really? Because Marj is six months pregnant.”
“What? She doesn’t even look it!”
Marj smiled widely as she lightly patted her stomach. “Well, I am.” She reached into her purse and held up the sonogram. “Wanna see?”
“She’s probably screwing other men. Did anyone ever think about that?”
The lawyer peered at her. “We had an amniocentesis done. The DNA confirms it’s Brandon’s baby. It doesn’t matter how they met. It doesn’t matter if they got married by Elvis in Vegas. Brandon got married by the date his father requested. They stayed married, and they shared marital relations. That’s what was what was required. There is nothing you can do to challenge this will. I don’t care how many lawyers you hire. It’s over. You lost. Now move onto to something else to take up your time.”
She let out a loud huff.
“Have a great life, Mom,” Brandon said.
“You always were a rotten son,” she responded. “I hope your son is just as rotten as you are.”
“That won’t happen,” Marj said, touching her stomach. “We’re having a girl. Her name is Emma Caroline.”
Rolling her eyes, the Wicked Queen rushed out as the lawyer laughed.
“And the Wicked Queen was banished from her kingdom forever,” Marj said.
Brandon squeezed her hand. “And they lived happily ever after.”
Marj grinned.
The lawyer shook his head. “Well, this isn’t a traditional fairy tale. The prince met the princess in Vegas and hooked up to scam the system, but Cupid struck his arrow, and they accidentally fell in love.”
How did he know? Neither one of us had said a word. But he had somehow figured it out.