“Because of insider trading?”
He grimaces. “Let’s not say insider trading so loudly. Let’s just say, the match could upset some markets, and we were looking to be opportunistic.”
Of course, Roderick is an obnoxious money man who cares little, if anything, for anyone that fails to advance his cause.
“I didn’t think it was possible, but you’ve actually made me feel better about myself.”
He casts me a dubious look. “Is that so?”
“Yeah, I mean, I might have been left at the altar, but the most I have to deal with is a broken heart, loss of friendship, and the money I’m out from the wedding. You’ll never have to worry about a broken heart, and that is way more tragic than what I’m suffering from.”
He looks at me, confused. “Wow, were you aiming to wound me with that? If so, you missed the mark on that one.”
“If I ever had to choose between love and money, love would win every time.”
“You say that despite love slapping you in the face? And, forgive me for asking, but what do you know of money?”
“I’m a teacher, daughter to a college professor and a housewife, so I know precious little about money. I’ve always been happy, though, and I’ve felt loved. So I know I can be happy without money, and I’m sure I can never be happy without love.”
“Then, let’s make a wager.”
“A wager?”
“The justice of the peace hasn’t gone anywhere. Let’s get married, right now. You’ll have my vast wealth at your disposal to do with as you please, within reason. In a month, if you so choose, you can go back to your life and look for love, taking none of my wealth with you, or, you can admit to me that you can be just as happy with money, minus the love, and we can continue our arrangement.”
My face contorts into an angry rage. “Is this some kind of joke?”
“Absolutely not. I’ll prove it to you, if you’re game.”
“Why would you do that? It’s absolutely crazy.”
“For starters, I want to get back at my parents, and marrying a school teacher just may give one of them a heart attack. But aside from that, you’re acting mighty smug and self-righteous. It’s time someone took you down a notch.”
“Trust me, I’ve already been taken down several notches today.”
“Then what’s one more?”
“Seriously, though, why risk your fortune to prove a point?”
“It’s not really a big risk, if you ask me. I spend my parents’ money, not my own, so if things get bad, you can fight me for my salary, but not my eventual inheritance.”
“What if you like, meet the one? Are we just going to get a quickie divorce and pretend like this never happened?”
“You mean, what if I fall in love?” He chuckles dryly. “Impossible. I’m twenty-eight and have never come close. If I were going to fall in love, it would have happened by now.”
I think about his proposal, wondering if I have it in me to go through what he’s suggesting. On the one hand, it’s the ultimate fuck you to my ex-best friends. On the other much larger hand, I still believe in love.
It doesn’t have to be for long. A month spent in luxury is a great distraction from the bottomless pit of depression you’ve fallen into.
Roderick looks at his watch. “Courthouse closes in twenty. It’s now or never.”
Go for it. You literally have nothing to lose.
“Let’s do this!” I say.
He takes some bills from his wallet, sets them on the bar, gets up, and says, “I’m gonna have fun proving you wrong.”
“I hope you do.”
