Page 20 of Fake Wife
I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. There’s nothing left to say, really.
“Whatever.” She shakes her head and turns to me, flashes me a smile that doesn’t come close to reaching her eyes. “Only two more years, right? It’ll give me time to get everything in place. This will work out perfectly. Really.”
“What’s your dream?” She hasn’t said anything. She’s mentioned goals and something about a horse farm at lunch, so I can imagine, but what she says rocks my world.
“Equine therapy.” She pulls her hand from mine and this time I let her. Unfortunately, it means my hand lands on her thigh, and holy fuck, the warmth practically sears my palm. I yank it off and slam it back onto the steering wheel. “After my parents died, my grandma raised me on her farm. I’ve read a lot about how horses are really good animals to work with special-needs kids. And ever since I learned that, I’ve always wanted to start my own farm to help them. It’s a pipe dream, really.”
Fuck, this woman. She’s more pure, more full of goodness than I’d even imagined. “Sounds fulfilling.”
If I could slap myself upside the head, I would. Fulfilling? That’s the word I use?
“Yeah,” she huffs out on a laugh. “It’s also a dream, really. Maybe I should think of something more suitable to my background or experience.”
“Which is?”
She laughs harder, cold and just as emotionless as her voice turns again. “Nothing. I’m a college dropout, just a girl who followed a guy she thought she loved across the country, and the only experience I’ve picked up along the way is shelving books, dishing out library cards, and waiting tables.”
I hate that for her. I’m not sure where the emotion comes from, but her ex has to be a special kind of asshole not to see the goodness he had warming his bed, lead her on, and throw her away when all she did was love him.
In an effort to keep her mood from dissolving further, I try to stay light and encouraging. “So do it, Teagan. You’ve got two years. Go back to school, start working with horses. I am providing you the opportunity to go after this dream of yours. Take advantage of it.”
“School requires money, which I won’t get for years,” she reminds me.
“I’ll help in any way I can. We’ll be married. It’s my job to take care of you.”
“I’m not the gold digger those women claimed I am. I agreed to the financial payoff, but I’m not taking more of your money.”
The urge to argue with her burns on my tongue, but I keep quiet. The ferocity in her voice makes it clear what she thinks. I want to pound my chest in victory. I’ve finally found a woman who doesn’t want just my money, but she’ll need it at some point.
I slow down, driving through the quaint shop-lined streets as we reach the small town of Cannon Bluffs and pull into a parking spot outside the mom-and-pop grocery store.
“I suppose I could get a job first, maybe go back to waiting tables. Then I could take some night classes or something to learn business management.”
“One thousand a month,” I say, and her eyes slam into mine with the speed of a wrecking ball.
“What?”
“One thousand a month. It’s nothing to me, but if you want, we can take it out of the two hundred and fifty. If we do your plan, get married in a month, that’s twenty-five grand and you’ll still get two hundred twenty-five grand at the end.”
I’ll also buy her whatever the hell I want. She’ll need clothes and dresses fit for social events.
“Thanks, Corbin.” She reaches out and squeezes my arm. A friendly gesture, one I like way too much. What is it about her touch the sets me on fire? “I appreciate this.”
I laugh softly, unable to stop from reaching out and tucking her hair behind her ear again. Soft and silky, it falls through my fingers. “I’m pretty sure you’re doing me an equally large favor. Don’t worry, Teagan. Everything will work out just fine.” I pull back from her reluctantly and her hand, unfortunately, falls from my arm. “Let’s go get the groceries. We’ve got a weekend to finish getting to know each other and then we have to get back to the city.”
“The city?”
“Yeah, where I live. I can’t do my job and live all the way out here.”
“Oh.” Her eyes flicker out the window. “Of course. I hadn’t even thought of where we’d live.”
“You’ll stay with me,” I say before she can begin to worry. When she jerks her head in my direction, I continue. “I like your idea. Whirlwind romance, love at first sight. People will eat it up. We’ll go back to Portland next week, have our first public date at whatever next event is on my calendar, then we’ll get engaged. Within a month we can be married.”
She blinks rapidly, shocked. I am, too. But she’s right. The sooner we do this, the sooner we can end it. The sooner I can finally get Eleanor’s house in my name and out of my father’s twisted grip forever.
“Sound like a plan?” I ask when she continues blinking, not speaking.
She makes a face, like she’s smelled something sour, but eventually she nods. “Yeah. Sounds like a plan.”
