Page 5 of The Marriage Negotiation

My mother's sigh was not reassuring.

"He is," my mother replied. "But I almost wished he wasn't."

"Huh?" That wasn't something I ever expected my mother to say. "Why is that?"

"His fiancé is such a sweet young man. Peter insists that they are in love, but I have my doubts. He just doesn't seem like the type of person Peter would be interested in."

"Peter's gay?"

This was the first I was hearing of this.

"That's just it," my mother stated. "Peter has always gone out with women in the past and then suddenly three months ago, he showed up with his fiancé and said they were getting married."

That was weird.

"Is there money involved?" I asked.

It could be the only answer.

"I don't know, but why would that matter?"

God, my parents had blinders on where it came to Peter.

"I guess it doesn't," I finally answered. It wasn't my wedding after all. None of this was part of my life or the one I planned to build for myself when I moved to New York.

"So, we'll see you in two weeks then?" my mother asked.

Man, I so didn't want to go.

"I'll see, Mom. Work is pretty busy right now."

"Oh?"

"Lots of paperwork."

I wasn't lying.

"Try and make time, Patrick. This is your brother's wedding."

"We'll see, Mom. We'll see."

I wasn't placing any bets on it.

Chapter Two

~ Patrick ~

I should have made a bet.

I'd be rich.

I tugged at the edges of my bowtie, trying to get it straight. I hated these damn things. My only relief was the fact that it was my tux and not a rental. I'd spent my childhood wearing my brother's hand-me-downs. I had a strong aversion to wearing other people's clothes.

I'd hated it then and I'd hate it now.

I frowned at the slightly tilted bowtie. I guess it wasn't going to get any better than this. I grabbed the present I'd bought for the happy couple and walked out of my hotel room and headed downstairs.

Thankfully, I hadn't booked a hotel room anywhere close to where my parents lived. It wasn't too far from the wedding venue so I wasn't surprised to see a few people I knew when I reached the lobby.

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