"And because of that," he says, "I want to make sure you're protected."
"Protected from what?"
He studies me. For one second, something almost like pity moves across his face. Then it's gone.
"The first years of marriage can be difficult."
"I’m understand that. I'm marrying Asher because I love him, and I’m prepared for the ups and downs of the life we’ll build together. Life isn’t a fairytale. It takes work. And we’re willing to do that work, together."
"I know that you are."
"He loves me. We're good. So why do this?"
"Love is an unreliable foundation for a life." Dean says it simply. No bitterness. No drama. Just fact. "Assets are better. Commitments are better.Consequencesare better."
My brow pinches. Consequences?
"Children deserve stability," he adds.
The words come from nowhere. My stomach dips. "Children?"
"You're almost twenty-six and Asher is about to turn thirty. So you're young." he says. "You have time. But as you build a life together, as you have a family, stability will matter more than whatever feelings happen to be loudest in the moment."
"You really don't have to do this," I say. "You can tear all of this up, and we'll never talk about it again."
He shakes his head. "No. I've spent a fortune buying my idiot son out of bad situations of his own making."
He has?
"For the first time, I'm putting money into something that may actually matter."
"Asher is a good man."
Dean is silent for a few moments. Finally, he says, "I'm glad you think so. I hope you always feel that way."
A chill moves through me. "He makes me happy," I say, because I need him to understand. Because I need myself to understand. "I would never have agreed to marry him if I didn't think we'd grow old together. This is my forever."
Dean's expression doesn't soften. "That's what I'm encouraging here."
"I don't like the idea of having something so transactional between us."
He inclines his head. "That's because you have the luxury of believing love and transactions are separate things."
My mouth goes dry.
"They aren't," he says. "Not in families like mine."
I look down at the documents again. The numbers. The signatures. The building. My shop. My life. I have to say no. I have to stop this wedding. I can't enter into an agreement like this. "I’m sorry. I can't do this. I won't do this. My business isn’t just about me. It’s my sister, too. Jamie... I just can't do this to her."
He cocks his head and stares at me like I'm a science experiment that's gone off the rails.
"You want to say no? Truly?"
I nod. "Yes." I'm sick to my stomach but I'm firm about that.
"That's… a surprise. It shouldn't be, though. I should've seen this coming. You're made differently, and I respect that. But it’s too late, Julie. All of this, everything you just read, it's already done."
"Done?"
