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Then she thought of the room at her mother’s house, the one full of boxes containing awards, trophies, and old report cards. The memorabilia of a past life.
The likelihood of getting back to a place where she could reclaim a solid future had been so distant yesterday. It was hard enough for Emma to maintain her status quo and to keep the sliver of independence she’d managed to carve out the last few years.
By accepting Garrett’s offer, she would be giving up some of that independence. She would have to rely on him. But if Emma agreed to marry him, she’d have time, some space to breathe and rebuild.
She could find a new calling.
It was what Georgia had done when Rainer came into her life. George had accepted Rainer’s help and built a successful business with it. She and Garrett might not be a real couple, but he was a friend now. Sort of. This wasn’t that different.
Well, it was completely different, but the benefits outweighed the costs. If she married Garrett, there would be a legalcontract—the prenup. Once they both signed it, he couldn’t change his mind and withdraw the support for her medical expenses without consequences.
Emma studied him for a long moment, but Garrett didn’t appear to be fazed by her scrutiny. Nope, he was cool and collected, the picture of a steadfast and confident man.
He had to practice these expressions in the mirror. How else did they get so perfect?
“Are you sure you want to do this?” she asked, a distant ringing beginning in her ears. That detached feeling was back as if she were watching herself from the outside.
“As sure as death and taxes,” he said with a charming grin.
Emma narrowed her eyes at him. He’d brought her back to the here and now with a few choice words.
“I’m going to kick you now.”
He pressed his lips together before nodding. “Yeah, well deserved.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
GARRETT
Inviting his friends to his wedding would only scare Emma. But Garrett couldn’t stop himself from asking Elias, Rainer, and of course Georgia.
He would have asked Ian as well. Unfortunately, Elias’ cousin and Auric Security co-founder was out of the country on a mission, providing security to a Danish royal on a global goodwill tour.
Garrett greeted the trio at the door, gesturing to the tray of drinks and hors d’oeuvres. “Emma is going over the prenup with the lawyer in my office. We’ll get started as soon as the justice of the peace gets here.”
Rainer did a double take halfway to the drinks. “Prenup? Justice of the peace? I thought this was just dinner.”
“A quick civil ceremony, then dinner,” he corrected, patting his best friend on the shoulder. “Sorry for not telling you sooner. We decided to move on this last night. I think it’s important to do this as quickly as possible before Emma’s current health insurance lapses.”
Rainer recovered from his shock first. “Thisis your solution to her insurance issue problem? You’re gettingmarried?”
“Yeah, for the insurance,” he said, checking Georgia’s reaction out of the corner of his eye. “It’ll be just the three of you acting aswitnesses. I’m not trying to steal your wedding thunder or anything here.”
Rainer twisted, catching Georgia’s eye. She was just as confused, her lips a roundO.
Elias, who’d ignored the specialty fig cocktails he’d had Mohammed fix up for the occasion, proceeded to spill the precious liquid all over his mahogany bar. “Come again? Who’s getting married?”
“Me.” Garrett threw his arm up, then quickly put it back down so George wouldn’t catch on to how enthusiastic he was.
“I reconnected with an old friend recently—well, sort of a friend,” he explained to Elias when Georgia crossed her arms and stared him down. “Emma needs health insurance. She has several pre-existing conditions. Matters got a little complicated but it’s going to be fine because we’re getting married.”
Elias blinked. “Emma who?”
Georgia held up a hand, interrupting what promised to be a grand inquisition. “This isn’t a joke? You’re serious?”
“Like a nun,” he said, picking up one of the figgy cocktails and taking a sip.
He would have normally opted for the single malt himself, but Emma used to be quite fond of figs. He was hoping she still liked them.