Page 27 of Something Forever

She shrugs. “Doesn’t sound very legally binding to me, and I’m pretty sure if I called the landlord or the cops, you’ll be out on your ass before you can say ‘til death do us part.”

A growl escapes me, my body tightening with anger. This is not going the way I expected.

“What about you? If you kick me out, who’s gonna be your rent-a-husband?”

“So it’s a mutually beneficial agreement. You marry me, you can stay here.”

“I still want a cut,” I shoot back. “That’s a shitty deal for me, and you know it.”

She eyes me, her expression wary and suspicious. I’m absolutely certain she’s going to tell me to bugger off and pack my shit when she crosses her arms and meets my gaze head-on.

“70/30.”

“50/50,” I retort.

“65/35, and that’s my final offer. I could kick you out right now, you know.”

I pause. Thirty-five percent of a million bucks is certainly enough for me to honor Luke. Plus, I really can’t afford to move again right now.

“Deal.”

I stick my hand out, waiting to shake. She stares down at it, a mixture of uncertainty and excitement on her face. Something about the openness of her expression churns in my gut, but I don’t have time to examine it.

She’s about to meet my hand when she suddenly pulls back. “Wait. What’s our dating policy?”

“What do you mean?”

She shifts on her feet. “Like, this marriage is obviously fake, and if it’s going to last three years… it’s not like you’re going to be celibate that whole time, right?”

I blink back at her. How had I not considered this? I’d honestly assumed this conversation would not come up, and sex has been the last thing on my mind lately.

“That won’t be an issue,” I say.

An awkward silence settles between us.

“Well,” she starts. “We’re only married on paper. I guess it’s okay with me if you see other people as long as you’re… discrete about it. I feel like it wouldn’t be fair to expect either of us to just stop having sex…”

I don’t bother replying.

She nods, mostly talking to herself at this point. “Okay. That works. We can both see other people, but we have to pretend it’s real for everyone else. We can’t tell anyone. Well, besides Abbi. I already told her.”

“I’m not going to tell anyone.”

It’s not like I even have anyone to tell.

“Alright, then. I think we’ve got a deal.” She reaches out and shakes my hand before collapsing onto the couch. “Am I really doing this?” she says out loud, more to herself than to me.

“Hey, we shook on it. No backing out on me now, Rhodes. Or shall I say, the future Mrs. Clark.”

She shoots daggers at me, her eyes wide. “Oh my God, shut up. There is no way I am taking your last name.”

I guess we’ll see about that.

10

WHITNEY

Iam officially an engaged woman.

---