Page 11 of Marry Me, Right Now

“I’m sorry that I don’t have dessert, but shall I open another bottle?” I reached into the tall, slim fridge that was packed with wine. “Moscato okay? I know that men are supposed to drink whiskey and

beer, but I like the sweet fruity stuff too.”

She laughed. “Cool. That’s a healthy attitude.”

Just as I poured us each a glass, there was a slight knock, then my front door opened. “Hey, Jacob. Sorry to interrupt.”

As always, my older sibling had no manners, and the worst possible timing. “Mia, I’d like you to meet my brother, George.”

She came over immediately to shake his hand. “Lovely to meet you.”

“You as well.” He looked her up and down, openly judging her slim figure and soft curves before turning to me. “Cute. You gonna keep this one?”

I smacked him lightly on the shoulder. “She’s absolutely a keeper, and shut your mouth.”

He laughed, and I was glad to see that Mia wasn’t horrified. She seemed to think that it was just brotherly teasing. But I’d noticed that George grew extremely strange whenever I was seen with a girl over the past six months.

He handed me a folder. “I think this is the last round of Uncle Geoffrey’s paperwork. It’s the same old convoluted rambling crap. I just need you to sign it to say that you’ve read it.”

“Anything interesting?”

“Only that he was getting senile along the way. He goes on about ducks, birds, trains. I wouldn’t waste my time on it. Basically, you know you’re getting…” he glanced at Mia for an instant, “A little present on your thirtieth birthday, like I am. That’s pretty much it. You already know where it’s being held. So you just need to sign that you know this.”

I flipped through the forty-page document. “Looks like fun.”

“Want a pen?” George asked, digging into his jacket.

Mia kicked my foot to quickly get my attention while he wasn’t looking, mouthing the word, “No,” while glaring at the papers, then hard at my darker, shorter brother. Then she set her hand on my shoulder. “Weren’t we going to watch a movie?” She looked up at me with doe eyes, looking every bit the sweet girlfriend on a date.

I don’t know why I trusted her immediately. “Actually, George, I’ll take a minute in the morning to skim it. I like ducks. What the hell. To be honest, I’m a little curious how off his rocker he was.”

George chuckled, but it didn’t quite didn’t reach his eyes. “Whatever. I can pick it up or you can run it to Sam. But he needs it by tomorrow night.”

“Okay cool, thanks.”

“I’ll let you get back to your date,” he said, winking at Mia, then leaving quickly.

As soon as the door clicked shut, she said, “He’s hiding something.”

She was so certain that I couldn’t even question her. “Okay. How do you know?”

“He was looking in strange directions, and his shoulders and arm were too tight when he handed you the folder. He was desperate to appear casual.”

“How do you know these things?” I asked, as I led us to the couch.

“I read a lot of psychology articles. It’s just a weird habit. But please believe me, there is something he’s hiding in that folder and he wants you to sign without reading it.”

“I believe you.” She looked slightly surprised, then waited for me to open the folder. “Well, he was honest about it being a pile of rambling.”

I handed her a few pages. “Will you help me start going through this with a fine-toothed comb?” My uncle’s expression was ringing through my mind.

“You want me to help read your family’s private paperwork?” Her eyes were wide as she tilted her head curiously, but she leaned in to take the papers.

“Mia, if you’re going to be my wife in a month or so, you’re going to have access to everything in my life. We’re going to have to make a pre-nup, we’ll be doing lots of stunningly boring things together. And I trust you.”

She gave me a strange look until I laughed. “I know it’s weird, and we just met, but there’s just something about you. I trust you.”

“Okay,” she said, taking a skim of the headings. “What are we looking for?”

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