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“It’s just the luncheon stuff. It always gets super stressful a few days before the event. Everyone bothers me.”
I frowned. “With what?”
“Details.”
“Don’t they have invitations that can answer their questions?”
She took a shaky breath and crossed her arms over her chest. “The details they want aren’t on the invitations.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I. Let me get back to work.” She struggled to turn back to the laptop. When that didn’t work, she tried to reach the keys without turning. Mistakes galore appeared on the screen. “Andres,please.”
I growled. “I’m not releasing you until you’re honest with me.”
“I don’t want to talk about it!”
Nothing hurt worse than seeing tears spring up in her eyes. They were tiny beads at first like pebbles skidding along the bottom of a riverbed. But it wasn’t long before they swelled into boulders.
I wiped one with my thumb. “Sadie?”
“I can’t do all this by myself.”
“Ask for my help.”
She glared at me. “I’m your assistant. Why would I ask you for help?”
“Because you’re also supposed to be my girlfriend. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I wasn’t able to assist you every now and then?”
Some of the agitation softened. The rest of her collapsed into the chair, resembling her position from last night. God, the urge to tear open her pantsuit and go to town to relieve her stress was abominably strong. However much I wanted to please her, I didn’t want to repeat her reaction.
Somehow, the lines between us had gotten muddy. I wasn’t sure how to straighten them or fix them. That frightened me as a gifted architect who knew what to do and when.
But with Sadie, I felt lost.
I took her chin lightly. “We haven’t discussed the agreement much. Would that help?”
“Yes, it would help.”
“Dry your tears. Fix your outfit.” I waited until she did as I said, then I pulled up a chair. “I have an agreement in that folder on the desktop.”
She clicked through a few screens and pulled up the agreement.
“It’s a simple document of terms where we’re free to do as we wish with each other as any agreeable couple might while also seeing other people.”
She blinked at me. “Why would we do that?”
“Because this won’t last forever, correct?”
She nodded hesitantly.
“There are no legal ramifications for either of us exiting the agreement. We can do so at any time. This just helps me keep things in order.” I touched her hand. “But don’t keep yourself locked in this position if you find a man who can take my place.”
She laughed once, covered her mouth, and then drooped with what appeared to be shame. Her reaction pleased me for what little offense it had caused.
But I’d never say that out loud. “Your family won’t bother you as long we’re together and pretending to live amicably.”
“What if we don’t live amicably?”
