by Nikki Chase
I hope I’m wrong and he doesn’t mean the proposal.
On the other hand, a part of me is hoping I’m right so we can pick up where we left off.
Of course that’s not possible, considering how much damage we’ve caused, but maybe we can at least try.
“Dead serious,” he says.
I pause as I grapple with this new information. Zeke wants me to marry him—that’s absurd. I ask, “Why?”
“It’s not going to be a real marriage,” Zeke says. “I need your help. I need you to pretend to be my wife.”
“You haven’t answered my question. Why?”
“Because I’ll give you more money than you need to support yourself for the rest of your life.”
For the rest of my life? That can’t be real, can it?
“That’s your reward for me. I want to know why you’re doing this. It can’t be for an inheritance, because I know you grew up in the foster system.”
“You’re right. You still remember. You’ve always been sharp,” Zeke says. The compliment gets my heart beating faster.
Men have been quick to flatter my appearance, but that only turns me off. That tells me they don’t know me, or they’re not interested in getting to know me as a person.
Zeke, on the other hand, he… He likes my appearance—or he used to. But more importantly, he knows my mind.
“So tell me why,” I ask again. “Flattery won’t get you out of this one.”
“Let’s just say that I need a wife to keep some people happy,” he says.
“What, you need me to come with you to business dinners and such?”
I know my parents used to go out with other power couples. Together, they’d steer the conversation toward business and seal the deal before the meal was over. They were a good team, and I can see why that would be something Zeke might need.
“Yeah,” he says. “What do you say?”
“What are the terms?” I ask.
It sounds like a crazy plan to me, but I need to know what it’s about before I make a decision. It’s worth a listen. It sounds like a lot of money is involved.
But even as these thoughts buzz through my head, I know that I’d already be walking out the door if someone else had extended this offer—someone other than Zeke Harris.
“Ah, you’re really your father’s daughter. Always ready to negotiate.” Zeke gives me a smile. “You’re going to be my wife for one year. For doing that, I’ll give you one million dollars.”
“One million dollars? Are you serious?” I ask with disbelief.
“I thought your father taught you to always negotiate a better deal, Ali.” He shakes his head, more out of amusement than disapproval. “He’d be turning in his grave if he knew you’re eager to take the first deal that’s offered.”
“Don’t bring my father into this,” I say sternly.
“I’m sorry, Ali. I was just trying to make a joke. I should’ve known better,” Zeke says.
He has his flaws, but he has always been quick to apologize if he knows he has done anything to offend me.
“It’s okay. You didn’t know,” I say. “So. One million dollars, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“For one year?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s the catch?”
“You’ll have to spend a lot of time with me,” he says teasingly.
“Anything else?”
“Yeah, but it’s not a catch,” Zeke answers.
“Then what is it?”
“Let’s call it an add-on item.”
“Which means…?”
“If you’ll have my baby, I’ll give you another million.”
Zeke
“A baby?” Ali frowns, making horizontal lines appear in her forehead. Looks like that’s the last thing she expected to hear from my mouth.
“Yeah, a baby,” I answer confidently.
I’ll admit I’m not a baby person. Most people wouldn’t look at me and go, “You know what that dude needs? He needs a baby.”
No. I’m Zeke Harris. I don’t do relationships, much less babies.
But desperate times call for desperate measures.
Besides, this is Ali. I’ve always thought that if I were to ever get married or have kids, it would have to be with her.
I was young when we briefly got together—we both were—and I let her go. I haven’t stopped regretting that, all this time.
I’ve gone through woman after woman, and things would inevitably fall apart, as soon as I compared them to Ali. That’s why I’ve given up on actual relationships. I only have one-night stands now.
But as I put my offer of a one-year marriage on the table, it doesn’t seem like long enough.
We’re talking about Ali her. I’ve never been able to forget her, even though so much time has passed. What makes me think one year would be enough?
I’ve spent many years yearning for her, regretting my decision to let her go. Now that she’s here, I want to make her stay.
But after the way things ended, I don’t know if she’ll ever agree to having a real relationship with me.
I’ve been worried that she’d still hate me, so I was relieved when she walked into my office with a smile.
But right now, she’s not smiling.
Considering I just gave her such a crazy offer, after seven years of nothing, I’m lucky she’s even still sitting there. I fully expected her to bolt so fast there’d be an Ali-shaped hole in the wall.
“You’re not just pulling my leg, are you?” Ali asks, her perceptive hazel eyes studying me. Even though she has lived here since she was a teenager, there’s still a hint of a Spanish accent in her voice.
“No, Ali.” Joking is the last thing on my mind right now. This is serious. It’s a matter of life and death. Literally
I wish my first meeting with Ali could’ve happened under better, more normal circumstances, but I’m glad she’s here at all. Otherwise, I’d have to find some other woman to be my fake wife, and that sounds about as appealing as a kick in the nuts.
“Two million dollars?” Ali asks.
“Yes, if you have the baby.”
“So, uhh… Will we have to… Uhh… Will it be an artificial insemination?” Ali asks, choosing her words carefully.
That’s adorable. After everything we’ve been through, she’s obviously still uncomfortable about mentioning sex.
“Sure, if that’s what you want.” The corners of my lips pull up. It seems I can’t help smiling when Ali’s around.
“And if we can’t have a baby?” Ali asks, ignoring my implication that we could have the baby some other way if she wants—the natural way.
“Then you’ll still get the one million dollars.”
“What happens after the one year is up?”
“We’ll get divorced, and you’ll get the money,” I say, my heart clenching at the thought of separating from Ali. But I push that worry to the back of my mind. There are more urgent things to take care of right now.
“Why one year?” Ali asks.
“Because if I can’t close this deal in one year, then I would’ve lost the opportunity.” Technically, I’m not lying. But guilt creeps into my chest regardless, just like it used to, when I was hiding Joanne from Ali, all those years ago.
“And if I can’t help you close the deal?”
“You’ll still get the one million dollars,” I assure her.
In reality, this is less about the result, than just knowing that I’m making every attempt I can. There’s no guarantee this is going to work, but it’s my best shot.
“Why do you need a baby?”
“The baby is not necessary,” I admit. “But it will give me a better chance of closing this deal.”
“And if you don’t close this deal, you’ll have paid me one million dollars for nothing.” Ali smiles. At least it’s not an outright no.
“Not for nothing, Ali. I’ll have spent a whole year with you,” I say in a voice that sounds more sincere that I
expected.
“Zeke,” Ali says in a serious tone. “Are we… Does getting married also mean that we’ll actually be seeing each other again?”
“Not necessarily. Not unless you want to,” I say, again hinting at the ball being completely in her court. I’ve wronged her in the past, so it’s only right that I let her make the decisions now.
“Where will I live?”
“At my apartment,” I say.
“And if it turns out we don’t make good roommates?” Ali asks. Her tone sounds more casual. Now that she knows exactly what I’m offering, she has relaxed a little.
“I don’t know. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” I say, deliberately keeping my answer vague.
I used to get into a lot of trouble with my big mouth, saying everything on my mind right away. But thanks to Aiden, I’ve now learned the art of dodging unwanted questions.
“Yeah, you’re right,” Ali says, to my surprise. “There’s no use worrying about something that may or may not happen.”
“Exactly,” I say. I draw breath into my lungs as my heart keeps thumping in my chest. “So what do you say?”
“I’ll have to think about it, Zeke,” she says.
“I understand. Let me know in twenty-four hours.”
“That’s all the time you’re giving me? This is a big decision, Zeke.”
“It doesn’t have to be. Like I said, it’s only on paper. Besides, I’m running on a deadline, so it’s not because I don’t want to give you more time to think.”
“Okay,” she says quietly, obviously already coming up with a list of pros and cons in her head.
“I’ll call you when it’s time,” I say.
“Okay.” Ali draws a deep breath and squares her shoulders. She asks, “Do you have any other work for me to do today? Like, at the office?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll speak to you tomorrow,” Ali says as she gets up from her chair.
“Talk soon,” I say to her full, perky ass while she walks away.
I hope she says yes. That’ll make it so much easier for me to claim her for myself. For real.
End of preview.
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About the Author
Nikki Chase is a contemporary romance author. After having her own real-life insta-love experience, Nikki now lives happily ever after with her husband in the Pacific Northwest.
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