Page 36 of The Best Friend Power Play

"You have to get married, Culver," Pa says.

"Yeah, well, I kinda need a girlfriend first."

"Mention you're in line to score an inheritance of fifty mil, and I don't think you'll struggle," Farrow says.

"I have, like, a ton of friends I can set you up with," Bianca offers. When Malik pulls a face, she smacks his arm. "What's wrong with my friends?"

"Nothing, honey…"

As Malik deals with that situation, Ma and Nonna come over to us.

"I agree with your father," Ma says. "This is a life-changing amount of money. Keep whatever feelings you have about the man out of this. Play this to your advantage."

"But I?—"

Nonna interrupts. "But nothing, mio tesoro. Be smart and do what needs to be done."

I blow out a long breath through my nose and glance over at the lawyers. "Does it say for how long I need to be married?"

They scan the will. "It only states that you must be married within thirty days of this reading and still be married at the time of the disbursement of funds," the older lawyer says.

"And when will that be?"

"That can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the complexity of the estate, legal challenges, tax issues…"

I zone out until he's done. "Give me a ballpark estimate. Are we talking a week? A month? A year?"

"You're most likely looking at somewhere between six to twelve months. But that's a very rough guess and in no way a legal opinion."

I smile tightly. "Noted. I won't sue you if you're wrong."

I blow out another heavy breath and rake my fingers through my hair. "I can't do this," I tell everyone. "This isn't me. I don't want to be the guy who marries someone I don't love just to inherit some money." I point at my parents. "I want what you guys have. Real, long-lasting love."

I expect my words to be met with a modicum of support, a few nods of understanding, but no.

"Bro, this isn't some money. It's fifty million dollars."

"My friend Simone would be perf for you. She's vegan, has just hit one hundred k followers on Insta, and is about to launch her own line of ethically sourced pom-poms."

"Think about it, son. You don't want to make the biggest mistake of your life."

"You guys!" I cry out, trying to control my family before this gets even more out of hand. "This is all purely hypothetical. I don't have a girlfriend. I don't even have anyone I could ask."

"Wrong."

A voice that's been quiet this whole time finally speaks.

Every head in the room turns to look at Hannah.

She raised her hand to cut above the noise, and now she lowers it back down, a little self-consciously. "You have me," she says, peering up at me.

I blink. "What are you saying?"

I hear Nonna groan and mutter something that sounds like silly man in Italian.

"I'm saying I'll do it."

"I…I can't ask you to do that."

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