Page 65 of Married in Michigan

“At least tell me you’re taking the requisite precautions?”

“What would those be?” he asks, wrapping salami around a soft white cheddar and dipping it in mustard.

“An iron-clad prenup. I had Marek send you one.”

A devious grin crosses his face as he chews, winking at me again. “A prenup? Nah. I like to live on the edge. Risk a little.”

“Youcan’tbe serious, Paxton.” Raw, stunned disbelief. “That would be absurdly irresponsible, even for you. I won’t allow it.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

“I certainly do, I’m paying for the wedding.”

“A wedding you arranged! A wedding I didn’t want! Your stipulation was that I had to get married—I have to be at the altar, and I have to say I do. You said I could bring whomever I wanted, as long as I got married and cleaned up my image. Well, that’s what I’m doing. I’m bringing a woman to the wedding, and she’s about as far from a hooker as you can get, and that’s all I’m saying. Who I marry is up to me. The details of my marriage will be up to me. If I want a prenup, I’ll get one. If I don’t want one, there won’t be one. You want to cut me out of the will over it, go for it. I don’t need your money. I’m not doing the marriage to stay in the will, and you know it.”

“Then why are you doing it, Paxton?”

“Because, despite what you may want to believe, my political aspirations go far beyond just climbing the ladder to more influence, more power, and all that. I do the job because I like it. I like serving my constituents. And to get where I want to be, I need the family’s connections, and I know damn well that you’ll cut me out of those if I don’t do this—and you are also right about my image. So I’m playing your game, but only up to a point.” A pause, and he resumes, but this time his voice is low and slow, carefully considering his words. “Despite your best efforts to convince me of the opposite, you’re still my mother and I do love you. You’re just this side of pure evil, but you’re the mother I have, and I’m not quite willing to walk away from you just yet, and unfortunately for me, that means I have to play along with your stupid plans.”

Silence. “I’m not certain whether to be touched or offended, Paxton.”

A self-conscious laugh. “Me either, honestly.”

Another silence, this one rather lengthy—Paxton spends it noisily munching nuts. “It’s rude to chew into the phone, Paxton,” Camilla says with an annoyed sigh.

“Yeah well, I don’t care.” He chomps louder. “Goodbye, Mother.”

“You really won’t tell me?” she says, sounding…well…petulant. “Nothing? A first name? Where you met her? Her net worth?”

A laugh, around a mouthful of olives and crackers. “No, Mom,” he says, once he’s swallowed. “I’m not telling you dick.”

“So vulgar.” She sighs. “Well, have it your way then. But you’ll be at the wedding? You’re taking this seriously?”

“Yes, we will be there.” A pause, his golden-brown eyes on mine, serious, deep. “And yes, I am actually taking this seriously.”

A hesitation. “Is she there with you?”

“Yes.”

Camilla’s voice goes predatory and threatening. “Listen to me, whoever you are—if you take advantage of my son, you will regret it. I promise you that. You do not want to cross me.”

I’m tempted to speak up, to give voice to my derision, my frustration, my anger, but I don’t. Not just because Paxton is shaking his head and glaring at me, but because I really do want to see the look on her face when I walk down that aisle.

Ohhh shit, shouldn’t have thought that. I shouldnothave thought that. I am in no way ready to walk down the aisle—to getmarried. I get dizzy, and carefully set my bottle of water down so I don’t drop the glass on the marble.

Paxton hangs up the call without saying goodbye to his mother, and eyes me. “You okay?”

I shake my head. “No, not at all.”

“Don’t let her scare you.”

I arch an eyebrow at me. “Oh? Are you going to tell me her bark is worse than her bite?”

Paxton pauses, laughs, and then shakes his head. “Actually, you probably should be a little scared of her. But my point is, don’t let her threats get to you. I won’t let her get near you once this is over. I’ll handle her.”

I focus on breathing steadily. “Actually, that’s not my problem right now.”

“Then what is?”