Page 7 of Christmas Hearts

He seems to realize I'm not going to agree to his proposal. I want to so badly. How can we make this work for us?

"Of course, you deserve more than a quickie wedding and an instant family, but I think that's crucial that I stand before Woodland Falls like a serious contender for the mayor's position, and a family will help me with that."

He's right. Of course, he's right. Do I really need a courtship? I've had a crush on this man for years. I'm being silly. The thought of raising a family and building a future with him is so tempting to me. It's all I've ever wanted.

"I…"

"Here's my plan. We'll date for one or two weeks, then I'll propose in a public place, and we'll get married after a month. That will give us enough time before the election to show a united front and make the campaign rounds as a family."

Right, this is all about the campaign. A bitter taste comes into my mouth, and I reach for the glass of water the server left at our table.

"I want us to do this together, Ana. You are special to me and to my family. Will you please help me?"

"What about your family?"

"What do you mean?"

"Will you tell them this is a fake marriage?"

"No, they don't need to know that."

"How long will we need to be married?"

His features change immediately, and he frowns as if concerned.

"I hadn't thought about the future. Two years, I guess?"

A chill goes through me. Can I live in close quarters with this man for two years? And there's one thing that's nagging at me. I want children.

"What's in it for me, Justin?"

"I…ah…You'll have a ready-made family."

"What if I want more?"

"Like what? I'll do anything for you."

I'm sure my face is red as a tomato, but I can't keep the next words from coming out of my mouth.

"I want a baby, but it might not be easy to conceive. I want a baby."

His look of surprise is almost funny, but this isn't a funny situation. I just opened up my heart to this man and now I'm waiting to see what he's going to do about it. The hand that is holding me squeezes gently, and my eyes go right up to his.

"I can give you a child." His voice is low and raspy and it gives me shivers.

I let out a breath that I did not know I was holding and reach out with my other hand to hold his so that both pairs of hands are together—like we will be in a couple of weeks.

We'll be married, and I was just able to add a sex clause to our fake marriage.

My heart is beating fast, and my thoughts are racing a mile a minute. This is happening. I'm going to become Justin Hoffer's wife. I'll be his daughter's mother, and I'll have a child of my own. It's not the perfect dream I had, but it's close enough that I'm all in.

"Let's do this, Justin."

Chapter 4

Ana Maria

The past week has gone by so fast. It's been pretty much a whirlwind of dates and outings. I'm not sure how to feel about it all. Justin is fun but also so respectful that I doubt that our fake marriage will ever be consummated.

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