Page 72

“Yeah, okay. I don’t know if I’m making the right decision. There’s so much to consider—what I’m leaving behind, what I’m gaining, what you’re gaining… heck, what you’re losing too.” She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. “What if we agree to this before we realize everything that is at stake. What if my mother holds my inheritance over my head until we have a child?”

“Can she do that?”

She whipped her head around to stare at Anthony. “Short of summoning the devil himself, I’m certain my mother can find a way for everything. If it’s not done with her blessing, then it’s not going to happen.”

Each of them grew quiet. The realization hit her square in the chest. Her mother might withhold the money simply because she expected Harley to fall in line with some crazy plan. Then, all her new ideals, all of her good intentions would be for nothing. She would have walked away from Mason… for nothing.

“If it makes you feel better, I’ll get my lawyers involved and we’ll figure out a sure-fire way to get your inheritance released the second you say ‘I do’ at our wedding.”

She forced a smile. “I don’t think it will be that easy.”

“Maybe, maybe not. But it’s worth a try.”

“You’d do that for me?” Her voice was quiet, thoughtful. Anthony was proving to be even more of a sweetheart than she probably deserved.

But he wasn’t Mason.

Anthony reached for her hand. “Of course. You’re agreeing to be my wife. As far as I’m concerned, it’s my obligation to make sure you get everything you need. If that means we should put up some boundaries between you and your mother, so be it.”

She stared at their clasped hands, willing the emotions she’d felt with Mason to appear. Nothing would make her feel better than to have even a tiny spark created from their connection. She longed for it like a dying man in the desert longed for water.

He squeezed her hand, drawing her attention. His head tilted to the side as he studied her. “I have a feeling that’s not what you’re worried about most.”

Harley carefully extricated her hand from his and placed it with the other in her lap. “Sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sorry.”

She nodded. “I’ve already agreed to this whole thing. We’ve discussed the reasons behind our respective decisions. And all I’ve done since we’ve gotten on this plane is second-guess everything I’m doing. I can’t help but wonder if we’re making a mistake.”

For the first time since she’d met Anthony, she could see a hint of her own insecurities in his eyes. He wasn’t certain about their arrangement. He’d been hiding it so well, and now she’d opened the door to doubt.

Harley let out a strained laugh and sliced her hand through the air dismissively. “What am I saying? People who get married always get cold feet at one point or another. Why should we be any different? How many people go through this with no contracts at all and they’re fine.”

“You mean the people who are in love?”

She froze.

“Is that what this is about? You know you can tell me, right? I’m not just some stranger your mother is forcing you to marry. If you want to back out, I’m not going to hold it against you.”

Harley looked away. “Well, that’s not true. You’re exactly some stranger that my mother wants me to marry. It’s going to look good for both our families if we tie the knot.” She peeked at him again. “What do you think they would say if one or both of us backed out? I can bet you one thing that wouldn’t happen. They wouldn’t understand.”

“Is it that cowboy? The one who was working for your uncle?”

Pain shot through her like a thousand splinters.

“Mason, wasn’t it?”

She squeezed her eyes shut.

“I could tell something was going on between you when you had that argument. There was so much… fire.”

Harley shifted so she could open her eyes and not give anything away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I might not know you very well, Harley. That’s going to have to come with time. But I was married once, and I know how to read certain signs. I would guess that you and this guy have feelings for each other.”

She huffed. “If Mason truly loved me, he wouldn’t have kept secrets from me. I was nothing but open with him.”

“What kinds of secrets?”