Hannah’s heart beat ferociously. “I think marrying you is a little beyond help.”
“Look at it like a business arrangement.”
He was nuts. He actually thought they should get married. He had gotten it into his undeniably handsome head that he was going to rescue his niece. Now he needed to figure out the logistics and she was the easiest solution.
“Business arrangement?”
“You and I get married. You move into my place, help me raise her. I’ll pay you for your help.”
“I can’t let you pay me.” Hannah crossing her arms across her chest.
“Why not? You’re providing me with a service.”
“So am I the nanny slash housekeeper?”
“No, I want you to help me care for her. I have a housekeeper and cook already. I need you to guide me, and take care of the day to day stuff that a baby would need.”
“How long is this arrangement for? Am I going to drop my life, sell my house, and move in indefinitely?”
“That’s the gist of it. And you’ll have enough time to continue school. I’ll pay your tuition. I don’t want you to give that up.”
This was ridiculous. Hannah felt a nervous shiver creep up her spine as he stared determinedly at her. It was easy for him to say drop everything and leave. Her house, her home was everything to her. It was the first place that no one could take away from her and now…
“Hannah, I need you, Emily needs you.” He needed her? It was wonderful to think that he meant her, but she knew of course he meant that he needed her for Emily. And Emily, how could she let go of the little baby that she already desperately loved?
“I couldn’t possibly live with you though, you, you’re…you’re…”
“Handsome, rich, and irresistible?”
“Obstinate, arrogant, and domineering.”
“Ah, but that’s all a front.”
“There’s really a guy with a heart of gold under there?”
“Exactly.”
“So, if I agree to this…”
“We go to city hall the day after tomorrow. I’ll have my lawyers take over the adoption process. I’m not going to lose Emily. We’re not going to lose her.” Hannah believed him, but marriage? Living together? She had to think of it as a business arrangement. Emily would have a great home with her uncle. Hannah would be able to sleep at night knowing she’d fulfilled Louise’s last wish, and she would get to be in Emily’s life. What more could she want?
“In the meantime, if you want to get your things from your house, we’ll lock it up, and get you settled into my place in the city,” Jackson said, as casually as if he’d mentioned grabbing a sandwich for lunch.
Hannah stared blankly at him. “Now?”
He nodded. “I thought we had gone over this?”
“Settling into your place, like right away?”
“We’re obviously going to have to live together in order to be the family we say we are to adopt Emily. This is your area of expertise, Hannah. I shouldn’t be the one telling you how this works. We can come back here on the weekends or something.”
Hannah felt her heart beat painfully. “Jackson. This is a pretend marriage. Once you get Emily, I’m out of the picture.” She didn’t realize those words would or could actually cause her pain. For a second she could see herself with Jackson and Emily, as a real family. But she’d never be the right woman for Jackson. What if one day, when his attraction to her wore off, he’d decide he didn’t need her around? She couldn’t let herself get attached to him, or the idea of being a real family.
“Hannah, what are you worrying about now?”
“In the span of two hours I lost my job, am getting married, adopting a baby, moving out of my house to God knows where—”
“My penthouse,” he said with a laugh, “is not God-knows where. It’s like an hour from here.”
“Fine, so I’m leaving my little town for some playboy penthouse.” She drummed her fingers against the table while he laughed.
“You really have got me all wrong don’t you,” he said, smiling.
“You did have that basket of female toiletries at the cabin.”
His loud laugh interrupted her again. She glared at him.
“So you assumed that I bring hoards of women up to my cabin, seduce them, and then give them gift baskets?” His grin was starting to bother her, and so were his logical explanations. “You’re the only woman who’s been up to my cabin, Hannah,” he said, his voice low and throaty. “That basket was left by the designer.”