Page 13 of Make Your Play

She squares her shoulders, challenging me as she stares at me head-on. “Fine, if it makes you feel better, you can come stay with me.” There’s resignation in her tone and I’m immediately caught off guard by the fact that she just agreed. “But only for the night.”

“Of course,” I agree, nodding with her. “I won’t hold you hostage.”

Though the idea is extremely tempting…

“Well, that’s good to know.” She laughs softly before letting out a yawn. “Are you ready to go?” She slides her hand over her bump. “I need to get a bath and go to bed.”

I smile at her, nodding as I get out of the booth and hold my hand out. “Your chariot awaits.”

I lead her out to my car and help her into the passenger seat before walking around to my side. She’s pulling her seat belt across her chest, securing it around her body as I get into my seat. I follow suit and start the engine before turning to look at her. It’s already dark outside and the lights in the parking lot illuminate her face.

“I think I’ve found a solution to your insurance issue.”

Riley whips her head to the side, her body turning partially as she looks at me. “If it has to do with you saying you’ll cover my medical costs or something, I can’t let?—”

“Marry me.”

Her eyes widen and her jaw goes slack. “What?”

“Ford’s cousin plays for the league and he did it with his fiancée. She got a new job and lost her insurance and was having some medical issues, so they got married so she’d have his insurance. They didn’t have a ceremony or anything before the real wedding, so it was purely on paper so she could get the amazing coverage we have.”

Riley doesn’t speak. She doesn’t say a fucking word. She just stares at me with that same shocked expression. Anticipation swirls in the pit of my stomach and I don’t even know why. I’m not asking her to marry me for real. It’s just to help her out while she’s in a shitty position.

“Nash, isn’t that insurance fraud?”

I can’t help myself as I laugh. “Really? That’s your response?”

Insurance fraud is something I thought about when first thinking of the idea, but really, there’s no way for anyone to prove that it’s fraud. And technically, she’s not marrying me for my insurance without me knowing. She’s not at fault if I’m the one who’s proposing the entire idea.

“I mean, that’s a legitimate concern,” she snaps at me, her energy not matching mine. I can’t tell if she’s annoyed or pissed off or what the hell happened, but she’s not laughing. “I’m not going to do something that could get you in trouble.”

Her words catch me by surprise. “Wait, you’re considering it?”

“I didn’t say that,” she tells me, shaking her head. “I’m just saying, I wouldn’t ever do anything that could possibly get you in trouble. And I already told you, I’m not letting you pay for my insurance.”

“It’s covered by the organization,” I explain to her, not completely sure how it works for spouses, but what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.

She’s silent as her eyes roam across my face. “So, you want to come stay with me tonight and you want me to marry you?”

“It’s all just temporary,” I tell her, stressing the point she tried to make earlier when I told her to come stay with me. “After the baby is born, we can get an annulment.”

I cannot believe she’s actually considering this.

“I can’t believe I’m really giving this any thought right now.” She pauses, letting out a breathy laugh as she shakes her head. “If we do this, I don’t want anyone to know.”

“Of course not,” I assure her, nodding convincingly. “It won’t be real. It will just be on paper for the insurance.”

“This is crazy, Nash,” she says, her eyes wide. “I don’t even know what to say to this right now.”

“You don’t have to decide right now,” I tell her as I begin to pull the car from the parking lot to head to her house. “I just want you to know you have other options and this one doesn’t involve me paying for it.” I pause, my foot pressing on the brakes as I glance over at her. “You are going to have to do something soon, Riley.”

Her throat bobs as she swallows. “I know.”

She’s quiet for most of the ride back to her house and I don’t push the issue. This is a decision Riley has to make herself, but she knows she’s out of options. She has to know this is her best one, but I don’t want to press her on it. I don’t want to make her feel pressured or forced.

I just want her to be okay.

I want her to say she’s fine—that everything is fine—and have it be the truth.

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