Page 84 of The Contract Marriage

I grin. “Good. No time to get sick! We’ve got proposals to review.”

The materials and the contract from the Portuguese facility look great. So it’s time I decided on a diamond inlay supplier.

The week flies by. Liam’s extremely busy, always coming home after nine, closer to ten in some cases. Which is a change—he normally makes an effort to be home before seven.

The worst part is how much I miss him. Even though Frederich makes sure the fridge is full of delicious food, I don’t have much appetite. On the days he’s home late, I miss cuddling with him and chatting about whatever silly thing happened during the day. I roll the Rubedo on my finger and sigh over how lonely I feel, then stop.

When did I become so needy? Being alone has been my default mode for close to twenty years. I can’t afford to become so attached to Liam that leaving him hurts as much as losing Mom and Pochi did. I don’t think I could survive.

It won’t be that bad, I tell myself. Mom and Pochi disappeared before I was ready. With Liam, I already knew our marriage would end—and when.

Besides, he’s a CEO. Of course he’s going to be busy. His company probably has plenty of projects in addition to Luminary & Co.’s request for proposal.

The specs and quality guarantee from Kingswood Stones & Designs are superior to everyone else’s. His company must know what it’s doing to be so confident in its deliverables.

We would never make a deal we can’t honor in good faith, Mike from KSD said in the email during the back-and-forth to go over the deal’s details.

“Have the final contract ready to sign by next week,” I say to Simon. Here’s to a beautiful partnership.

“So you’re choosing your husband’s company after all.”

I tilt my head at the “your husband.” Not that there’s any obvious displeasure, but something that’s half accusation and half disappointment crackles underneath. “What’s wrong with Kingswood Stones & Designs?” I emphasize the company name, rather than calling it Liam’s company, hoping Simon gets the hint. My relationship with Liam has nothing to do with the business decision I just made. His company genuinely had the best proposal.

Simon bites his lip. “It just feels too much like keeping business within the family.”

“I wouldn’t have chosen them if the company wasn’t the best. And if you didn’t think it measured up, you would’ve said so. You might be worried about the appearance of impropriety. But Liam doesn’t know I own Luminary, so he couldn’t have given us a nepo deal. Everything’s perfectly aboveboard.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound accusatory,” Simon says.

“It’s fine. I know your heart is in the right place.”

He nods and leaves. I pick up my phone. It’s Friday, so maybe Liam will be home early? I start typing, then hesitate. I don’t want to sound too eager, but I really miss him. After thinking for a moment, I finally send my text.

–Me: Hey, are you working late again?

–Liam: Hopefully not. I’ll do my best to come home so we can have dinner together. Sorry about this week.

I tap the edge of the phone.

–Me: No need to be sorry. Your work is important.

–Liam: Not as important as you.

I smile. I can just picture his unhappy face. The clock on my desk says 11:30. If I leave now, I can reach his office for lunch. Even if all we can do is gobble something from a food truck for ten minutes, I’d like to spend some time with him.

I head to Kingswood Stones & Designs. The traffic isn’t too bad, and I make it by noon. As I park and walk toward his office, a flower stand catches my eye. Profusions of vivid red, yellow and orange brighten the otherwise mostly gray street. I stop to look at the tulips, roses and sunflowers.

“Yo, how you doing? Aren’t these flowers great? Very fresh,” the young woman at the stand says. She has a beautiful seahorse tat that covers the entire outside of one thigh.

I start to say no. But the pavé ring glints in the sun, and I hesitate. Liam has given me so much—his honesty, the beautiful birthday celebration and pulling me into his family. But I haven’t been equally generous with him. Roses seem ridiculously sentimental, and tulips are a bit too much. Sunflowers are the safest: friendly without any hint of expectation. “One sunflower. No, wait.” I shake my head. Way too anemic. “Actually…give me all the sunflowers.”

Her eyes widen even as she nods judiciously. “Bold move, sis. But hey, who am I to stand in the way of true sunflower love? Thanks!”

I pay for the bouquet, then step inside Kingswood Stones & Designs. I head to the showroom floor’s side elevator, which leads to the corporate offices on the upper floors. Inside the car with an armful of sunflowers in front of me, I stare up at the changing number on the panel. What am I doing? This isn’t like me at all.

What is like you? A voice that sounds like Liam whispers in my heart.

I don’t know, but nothing sweet or nice. I can only look at my goals, my needs. Until I can make Hugh, Deena and Brielle pay, I can’t truly relax.