Page 11 of The Marriage Negotiation

"This is us the last time we all got together."

Yeah, he was right. Not a single one of them looked like the flamboyant gay stereotype my father seemed to think all gay men looked like.

I, unfortunately, fell into the stereotype.

I stood a hair under five feet ten inches tall and was more on the slender delicate side of things. I'd inherited my mother's blond hair, which looked exotic when next to my almond shaped brown eyes and pale skin.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Patrick asked as he put his phone away. "I have to be honest here. I don't think Peter is coming back."

"I no longer care if Peter comes back. I'm more concerned with how freaked out my parents are going to be that I'm not getting married than I am that he left me. If he wants to pull something like this on the day of our wedding, then I feel as if I dodged a bullet."

"This is probably totally inappropriate to ask, but did you love my brother?"

I winced. "No, but I did like him. He was very charming when we first met. I didn't really want to get married, but I was under a lot of pressure from my parents. I figured I could do worse." I widened my eyes dramatically. "Guess I was wrong."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Patrick. This all lies at the feet of that brother of yours."

"He's no brother of mine," Patrick retorted vehemently. "I cut ties with Peter ten years ago. I only agreed to attend the wedding for my parents."

"I'm sure they appreciate it."

Patrick's eyes rolled once again. "They are totally convinced that their perfect little golden boy has cold feet and he'll come back."

I snorted rudely. "Wouldn't matter if he came back crawling on his hands and knees and begging for my forgiveness. I wouldn't marry him, not after this."

There was only so far I was willing to forgive someone and the groom standing me up on my wedding day crossed the line. There was no way I'd ever forgive Peter and take him back.

"You could always marry me."

I tilted my head, leaning closer because I was positive I'd misheard Patrick. "Come again?"

"Well, I just figured, since your father is so insistent that you get married and marry someone from my family, I'd fit the bill. Besides, we obviously have similar interests. I'd never belittle you or ask you to quit your job."

"Yeah, but—"

"There's just one little thing."

Here it comes.

"I'd need you to move to New York."

My eyebrows lifted. "New York City?"

"Yeah, as soon as my two weeks are up, I'm moving to New York. I already have a place waiting for me."

"Where do you live now?"

"Texas."

Enough said.

"So, New York City, huh?"

Patrick shrugged. "I have a lot of friends there so it made sense."

I stared at Patrick, wondering why I was even considering this. I should be laughing him out of the room. Not contemplating if he was being serious or not.

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