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He looks good. He always does, but perhaps not having seen him since that day in his office, he looks even more attractive in his blue suit and snow-white shirt.
“Stella, great to see you.” His hand gently encircles my upper arms, rubbing up and down and he holds me at arm’s length while his eyes rake over me. I’m still in my jeans and T-shirt and haven’t even changed into my bridesmaid dress.
“Hi, Ryan.”
“You look lovely.”
“Thanks.”
Ryan drops his hands from me. “Do you want to go somewhere to talk after the wedding?”
“What will your date say?” I can’t resist asking.
“Oh, Vanessa is just a good friend.”
“Are you sleeping with her?” The words are out before I can stop them, and I wince. “I’m sorry, it’s none of my—”
“No, I’m not sleeping with her. But I’m marrying her.”
Oh crap. That awful gnawing returns, and this time it seems to be chewing right through me. “It’s her then. She’s the one you’re marrying,” I repeat stupidly.
He shrugs in resignation. “Yes.”
It’s the slump in his shoulders, the tightening around his mouth, the muscle ticking madly in his jaw, subtle signs that make me know. He doesn’t want to marry her. He wants to marry me.
He doesn’t want to get married at all, silly, my rational mind screeches at me. But I can’t listen. I’m going with my gut now.
“Do you wish it was me, Ryan?”
“Stella… tell me why you’ve suddenly changed your mind. You said it’s not just about money.”
I shrug. “I, ah, I’ve simply had more time to think it through. It’s an amazing deal. I’d be a fool not to take it.”
He looks somewhat disappointed, and I know he saw through my blatant lie.
“We would be divorced in no time,” he reassures me, and I huff out a derisive laugh.
“Oh, are you asking me to wait my turn right now?”
“Right, that came out wrong. But Stella, can you just tell me what you need?”
“Okay. I need the money, yes… and need the status too?”
His brows knit in confusion “Status?”
“You know, a wealthy man’s wife. Nothing beats marrying into old money.”
“You’re saying that you, Stella Marsh, want to be the wife of a spoiled, sexist rich boy for the sake of it?”
I have the grace to blush. Yep, he’s not buying it. I should really learn how to lie better. Still, I say nothing.
He watches me for a full minute while I look anywhere else but at him. Then he clips, “No can do.”
“What?”
“It’s a no, Stella.”
“Ryan, I…” I clutch as straws, “I could be pregnant.”
