Page 18

“I’m not giving you all the money before I get what I want out of this deal. No way. A third of it will be deposited into your account the moment we say ‘I do’. The second payment will be at six months.” He put his arm around her and pulled her into his side. “And you’ll get the rest when we celebrate our one-year anniversary.”
“You mean when we sign the divorce papers.” She pushed him away.
He dropped his arm and nodded. “Exactly.”
She wished she had all the money up-front, but she understood where he was coming from. “I agree to your terms.”
“Good.” He was looking at her with a little too much sparkle in his eyes, and she turned to Rex.
“Can we add some language stating that I am not expected to fulfill the usual … duties of a wife …” She hated this conversation. “In the bedroom.”
Gus chuckled, and she narrowed her eyes at him.
“Of course, Miss Christianson,” Rex replied. “I will add a section regarding no consummation of the marriage.”
“Thank you.”
“We will also be including standard prenuptial agreement language per Mr. Schultz’s request,” Rex stated.
She looked over at Gus, then back at Rex.
“The agreement states that when you divorce, you will have no claim to any of Mr. Schultz’s finances, except that which is spelled out and agreed upon in the marriage agreement.”
“You think I’d go after more of your money?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “We barely know each other. I don’t know what you’re capable of.”
She remembered him saying that on the road near Adelia’s house that night, and it annoyed her. But he wasn’t wrong. They had barely spoken a civil word since they’d met. They were basically strangers. If he wasn’t a close friend of Adelia’s, she definitely wouldn’t be going through with this.
A thought occurred to her. “I’d like to add that the money I receive will be used as I see fit, and Gus will have no controlling interest in my company.”
Rex looked at Gus, who gave him a nod of agreement.
“Very well.”
After going over a few other minor details, Rex left the room for a few minutes, and Gus shifted to face her. “So, you’re happy with everything in the agreement?”
She let out a heavy sigh. “I’m not happy with any of this.”
“But I thought we ironed everything out how you wanted it. I thought—”
“I mean, I’m not happy that I’m about to agree to this insanity.”
I won’t be bought. Her own words echoed in her mind and made her feel like a total sellout.
He reached over and lay his hand on hers, giving it a squeeze. “You won’t be sorry. I’ll make this the best year of your life.” He leaned closer, his fresh, ocean-y scent overtaking her. “Heck, you might like being married to me so much, you won’t want to leave when the year’s up.”
She slid her hand out from under his. “Oh, I’ll leave. You can count on that.”
NINE
Gus stood in front of the bathroom mirror at the courthouse with his hair combed back and face clean-shaven. He brushed a piece of lint from the shoulder of his best Tom Ford suit then looked at his reflection.
This was happening. He was marrying a complete stranger. This was crazier than Sebastian pretending not to be a Schultz when he first met Genevieve. That charade had turned out just fine for his brother, so why wouldn’t his plan work as well?
The door to the bathroom opened and in snuck Adelia.
“This is the men’s room,” he said as he turned toward her.