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“Not impossible. Your grandfather and I were married after three weeks.”
Caroline scoffs. “It was a different time, Gram! You just said so yourself!”
“My word is final.” She slides my contract onto the coffee table.
This situation is bad enough; having Jude in the room just makes it worse. I can see her out of the corner of my eye, trying not to look but looking all the same. How fucking embarrassing. She’s probably pitying me.
I pick up the contract and scan it. There are clauses upon clauses. But there is one that summarizes the horror all at once.
“…party will be required to be married before party’s fortieth birthday and produce an heir within…” I shake my head. “No, no. This is not happening.
“You need an heir, Chase.”
“I need no such thing! I’m not ready for any of this!”
“Then you’re saying you don’t need my money!”
I hesitate. In truth,no,I don’tneedthe money from the inheritance. We have more money than we know what to do with. But it’s the principle of the thing. It’s my birthright. I’m her grandson. “Caroline’s hoops are much easier to jump through than mine.”
“Caroline’s younger than you. Although Iamworried about your clock, Caroline,” Gram says.
Caroline’s face droops.
“Chase, you have spent quite enough time dilly-dallying with your every flavor of the week and –”
“For God’s sake, Gram –”
“Don’t use that tone with me,” my grandmother snaps.
I seal my mouth closed and then get to my feet with a sigh. I run my hands over my face, through my hair, and then begin to pace back and forth.
“Are you just going to make us wait or…” Gram says.
“I’m thinking. Aren’t I allowed to think?” I ask.
“Not too hard, you might hurt yourself,” my grandmother grumbles.
My head is spinning. The last woman I dated was over a year ago. No relationship I’ve ever had has lasted over six months. Yeah, I guess that’s mostly my fault, but I’ve been busy. I have a career. Most women couldn’t handle that. They didn’t want to come second to my work. I stop suddenly and fold my hands in a prayer position. Gram might believe in the almighty power of God, but I believe in the almighty power of Gram. “If I could just have a little bit more time, then maybe –”
“Chase –”
I look over at Jude. She’s taken a couple of steps forward, lips parted, eyes wide. Clearly, she has something to say, but doesn’t speak. “What, Jude?”
She licks her lips, shining rubies. Then she takes a deep breath and speaks.
Chapter 3
Jude
“Everydayisarisk, Judy.”
My heart pounds so loudly I can barely hear the words of Mr. Ulster echoing in my brain.
Chase stares at me, waiting for me to speak. His heavy, dark brow is furrowed. He always looks so severe, even when we were kids. I’ve always liked that about him. His seriousness.
I know he doesn’t like me much. Or if he does, he doesn’t really know how to express it.
But this could be my chance to be closer to him.
