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“Thank you.” It makes me feel better for some odd reason, and Gareth only nods.
“Sign here and here.” He walks me through initialing each page until we get to the end. I put my name down, hand shaking only slightly.
Nolan does the same thing, flying through it, scribbling like he wants to set the pages on fire. When it’s done, Gareth takes the papers back, and stands.
“I wish you both good luck,” he says, glancing at me with a slight frown. “I hope you don’t need it.”
“Thanks for your help, Gareth. Though next time, stick to the legal stuff.” Nolan shakes his friend’s hand and seems genuinely pleased, despite his harsh tone.
Gareth leaves without a backwards glance. I’m alone with my husband, the contract like a ticking timebomb.
I look over at my husband. He looks back at me, leaning into the corner.
“I’d like to go home now,” I say, turning my eyes to the table, unable to hold his gaze. “Unless that’s too much of an inconvenience?”
“I’ll have the jet prepped in an hour.” He puts his hand on my thigh. “Don’t look so upset, my wife. This is going to be a good five months.”
“Good for you, anyway.” I get up and turn my back on him. “Do you mind if I eat alone? I just want some time to myself before the flight back.”
“I’ll see you at the room.” He leaves without an argument, which is surprising, but Nolan seems good at reading my mood sometimes.
I watch him go before sinking back down into the booth.
Five months with that man, then five million dollars, whatever else I buy during that stretch—and a baby.
Chapter19
Nolan
Igive her some space to think about our marriage on the flight back to Boston. I can tell the meeting with Gareth knocked her off balance, and now she’s trying to figure out how she feels about the situation.
I didn’t mean for the five million offer to confuse her. It’s supposed to be an enticement, a reward for her to make it all the way to the agreed-upon five-month mark. She could, technically speaking, divorce me sooner than that—although I’d never let her, even if she tried—but I don’t want things to reach that point.
Instead, I’m starting our relationship out on a positive note.
Or that was the idea anyway.
Now it feels like I made some unspoken mistake, like offering her that money is in some way admitting that I don’t think we’ll go the distance.
While I think it proves the opposite.
I have all the faith in the world that she’ll never collect.
The plane lands in the late afternoon. Roger gets us from the airport. I sit in the back of the SUV with Keely while she stares out the window, distracted by her thoughts. The trunk is laden with a dozen bags from designer stores packed with clothes for her, each the product of my overzealous desire to solve all her problems.
I can’t help myself. When there’s an issue, I sink my teeth into it, and I don’t let go until everything’s settled. Whether it’s a brewing gang war or my wife’s clothing situation, I approach everything with a single-minded determination.
Some people find it a little too intense.
But I think Keely likes it.
I lean closer to her when we’re still twenty minutes from my house. “You’ve been quiet. It’s not like you.”
She glances at me. “I’m tired. Long trip.”
“You’re sure it has nothing to do with the contract we signed?” I figure she’s had enough space to figure out how she feels by now.
“I’ve already forgotten all about that.”
