Page 59 of The Husband Contract

I blink slowly. I can’t believe she actually agreed.

“You will?”

She laughs. “I never thought that I’d ever become engaged and married to a man I have not even known a month, but fuck it, why not? Let’s do it.”

I’m shocked by her response, and I’m also shocked by how happy it makes me feel. She’s someone that lights meup. She’s someone who makes me feel alive. And while I know this marriage isn’t going to be real, there’s a small part of me that’s happy she said yes.

“Are you sure your parents will be okay with this?” I ask gently, as if I care. I can’t let her know that this marriage is for revenge. I can’t let her know that I know what she did to my brother.

She lowers her eyes slightly, and her face turns sad.

“Sorry,” I say softly. “That’s something you don’t really want to talk about. I guess we never discussed your family.”

“It’s okay,” she says, her voice cracking slightly as she looks at me. “I mean, if you’re going to be my husband, you should know about my parents. It’s crazy that I’m going to marry you and we don’t even know small things about each other.”

“We have a lifetime to get to know everything,” I say. “Even people who’ve been together for decades don’t know everything about each other.”

“That’s true,” she says. “Well, I guess I’ll tell you about my parents. Unfortunately, they passed away when I was young. I was brought up by my aunt Mildred and my cousin Charlotte.” She offers me a wry smile. “I suppose you could technically call me an orphan, but not really, because I do have some blood relatives. But yeah, my parents won’t mind not being invited, because they’re not on earth anymore.

“What about you? Would your parents be upset?”

“Oh, I am so dreadfully sorry,” I say quickly. “I didn’t realize your parents were deceased.”

My heart sinks. I know what it’s like to lose people you love.

“It was a long time ago,” she says slowly. “I miss them more than anything in the world, but sometimes I can’t even remember them. I do wonder what my life would be like if they were here. I’m sure my dad would want to walk medown the aisle, and my mom would want to go dress shopping with me. We’d plan a big wedding. But they’re not here, and I won’t have those moments with them.”

“Oh, Willow… I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

“It’s okay. I’m not upset. My life has made me who I am, and it’s brought me to you.”

She touches the side of my face, and I realize this is perhaps the most honest she’s ever been. Maybe she’s the way she is because her parents died and she’s had to fend for herself. It isn’t an excuse for what she did to Sergio, but it’s something I can understand.

“So you didn’t answer me,” she says. “Do you want your parents to be here if we get married? How would they feel about you eloping in Vegas with someone you barely know?”

“I don’t care what my parents think,” I say brusquely, and I notice her eyes look sad for me. “We don’t have a good relationship, unfortunately. It is what it is.”

“I’m sorry.” She rubs my shoulder gently. “That must be really hard.”

“Yeah, it wasn’t the best childhood.”

“Do you have any siblings?”

I stare at her for a couple of moments. I can’t believe she’s asking me that question. I can’t believe she thinks I would believe she knows nothing about my life.

“I have a brother,” I say finally. I’ll play her game.

“Oh? Older or younger?”

“Younger. He’s my baby brother.”

“Do you want to invite him?”

“Do you really want me to invite him, Willow?” I raise an eyebrow at her. I can’t stop myself.

“I mean, if you want to,” she shrugs. “I don’t mind.”

“I don’t think I’ll be inviting him, then. I guess it’ll just be us.”