“Why don’t you just tell me what the rest of the rules are?”
A sigh. “Okay. We need to live together during our marriage. Now, this is the big one. And the only reason I brought this all up was because you’d said you wanted to move back to the States. I figure you can move in with me in Nashville and take the year we’re married to decide what you want to do next in your career.” She huffs out a noise that sounds close enough to a laugh to ease my nerves. “I’ll be your sugar mama.”
Unfortunately, I was drinking tea during that last comment. Luckily, I was facing away from my books when I did a spit take, spraying some towels instead.
“My what?” I choke out.
“Your sugar mama. Like sugar daddy, but I’m the one supporting you financially.”
I’m busy wiping spit and Earl Grey off my chin as I work through her words. “You’re planning on supporting me? And paying me? How do you get any money out of this deal?”
“Creative budgeting.”
That sounds like a lot more work than it’s worth. Especially because I don’t want a paycheck from this arrangement.
“Fine.” I give in, but only for the moment. “What’s the rest?”
“We have to do a hobby together from a list she prepared and provide video evidence of us doing the activity the length of our marriage.”
I settle on my couch. “A hobby? Why a hobby?”
“My guess is, her goal was for me to stay married, even after the first year is up. I think this is her way of instituting bonding time. She and my grandfather took art classes together, apparently.”
“What’s on the list?”
“Let’s see.” There’s the sound of shuffling papers over the line. “Art classes are number one. Cooking classes. Dancing lessons. Couples yoga. Tai chi …” Luna rattles off a few more leisurely activities. “We have until my birthday to decide.”
“I’m good with any of those.”
Once again, a pause comes, long and heavy. I realize then that Luna pauses like this in person, too, but her gaze is so piercing that the conversation doesn’t seem to end when her mouth shuts.
“You’re making this too easy.”
“Am I supposed to make it hard?”
“I guess not. But I called, fully expecting to have to give you the hard sell and still get turned down. I’m not sure what’s appealing about this deal to you.”
You are, I want to say.
And it’s true. Side perks are having someone finally push me to leave the job I’m not passionate about anymore while also giving me a living option closer to my parents.
But the true draw is Luna herself.
I know this entire thing—the engagement, the marriage, living together—is all a ruse to get the inheritance. But I can’t help hoping that maybe her grandmother was onto something.That this could be a real chance to figure out if Luna and I are compatible. Show her that I’m someone she could fall for.
“I like adventure. This is just one more wild life choice I get to make. And you’re not asking for eternity. Besides”—I let my voice sink a note deeper—“I’ve always been on the lookout for a sugar mama.”
That earns me a snort, and I can picture the cute way her nose wrinkles when she suppresses a laugh.
“Fine. It’s an adventure.” Luna’s voice gets serious then. “If I don’t claim this inheritance, then it goes to another beneficiary. We could probably trick the executor on a few of these things, but I don’t want to risk it. I’d rather whoever I do this with stick to the guidelines.”
“Do you know who the other inheritor would be?”
“Yes. And let’s just say, he’ll do anything he can to get this money. Luckily, he doesn’t know about it.”
I wonder who he could be. Not Dash. She already told me her younger brother gets the same payout when he’s thirty. I doubt it’s Leo or else Luna would want the money to go directly to her twin.
I let the question go, not secure enough in my position to ask her. Which is strange because if we go through with this plan, Luna will be my wife.
