Page 52 of Tinsel & Chrome

Sienna

“I’m not crazy, I promise,”

I said and stood awkwardly watching Noah start to pace.

Noah stopped suddenly and glared at me, “well, don’t you figure a crazy person would say that!”

I hesitantly walked up to him and grabbed his hands as he frowned down at me.

“My inheritance stipulates that I must be married by my 21st birthday to inherit $30 million dollars. I turn 21 on Christmas Day.”

Apparently, I’d stunned Noah because he just stood there staring at me, but somehow, I don’t think he was looking at me anymore.

“Say something,”

I said, quietly.

“I’m going to take you back to your hotel,”

Noah said as he spun on his heels and headed out the door.

*****

Nerves were rioting in my stomach as I waited for Noah to meet me at the restaurant he suggested. I chose a patio seat so we’d have a little more privacy. It had been three long days before I heard from him and I was getting nervous that his answer would be no. My birthday was looming over my head. A part of me couldn’t wait to know my fate and the other part wanted to run screaming to the other side of the world where I’d never have to think about it again.

Lost in thought, I jumped when I heard the scrape of the chair beside me. I’d been so lost in the view in front of me that I’d not noticed Noah, still wearing what I now knew was known as a cut over his button-down shirt. His expression was serious, but I’d already grown accustomed to him not being the most smiley of guys.

“Thanks for meeting me,” I said.

A waiter came over and asked Noah what drink he wanted, so I waited to say more.

“What you want from me is crazy, you know that,”

Noah said instead of a greeting after the waiter had moved away out of ear shot.

“I know,”

I said, but didn’t know what else to say because I knew this was odd.

“I don’t even know you,”

Noah said.

“Also, true, but that’s easy to fix,”

I said, and reached my hand toward him on the table, but he quickly moved it into his lap when he noticed my intent.

“Why me?”

He asked, frowning at me.

Scanning my eyes over the Sound, I thought about it. I’d thought about asking a few others. Boys I’d known my whole life, but I didn’t want the complication. Before meeting Noah, I had resigned myself to my inheritance being lost to me forever. Getting used to a new normal would be work, but I knew I could do it.

“You’ll just scoff, but it's just intuition. I had others I could ask over the years, but that never felt right. Somehow it does feel right with you,”

I said, so serious I wanted to cry.

Noah rolled his eyes, and leaned forward, “how does it work then?”

“Does this mean you are saying yes?”

A rush of elation flooded my body as I smiled.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, sweetheart. But I’m here. I might as well hear it all before I decide.”

Noah leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Fair enough,”

I said and took a long swig of my cocktail.

“I need to be legally married, and stay married for at least two years. If I divorce before that time, the bulk of the Estate is donated to a list of charities. If I stay married for at least five years, there is a bonus. After 10 years, we’d get some property that’s been in my family for generations. You see the point, they’re hoping I stay married,” I said.

“How do you live now?”

Noah asked.

“I get an allowance controlled by my aunt,” I said.

“Does that go away if you don’t marry?”

Noah asked.

“It depends on my aunt,”

I said, shrugging. My aunt was just as old fashioned as my grandfather, so I wasn’t certain she’d keep paying my way. I wouldn’t be broken right away as I’d been careful enough to put some away.

“Why would they want you to get married to a stranger?”

Noah asked, watching me intently. His intense gaze made me fidget, so I was playing with the straw in my drink.

“The details aren’t so much of a concern. It’s that they believe I’ll be settled if I have a husband. My family hasn’t progressed much in their thinking,”

I shrugged, slightly embarrassed.

“So, not much different than an arranged marriage, and the only difference is they’ve not found you the groom,”

Noah said, rubbing his jaw in concentration.

“Oh, I’ve been introduced to some respectable candidates over the years too, of course, but essentially that’s it,”

I said and let my eyes wander out over the water. This place really was spectacular.

“Is the marriage in name only?”

Noah asked, shocking me a little.

“Absolutely not,”

I said.

“I don’t expect some grand love story, but I also don’t want it to be cold and lifeless either.”

“So, more or less friends with benefits,”

Noah said.

“Yeah, that’s a good way to look at it.”

“What happens if either you or your husband,”

Noah said the husband in air quotes using his fingers, “find love elsewhere?”

“I’d hope neither one of us would be trying to find anyone else during the marriage,”

I said, slightly outraged at the thought.

Noah smirked and leaned back farther in his chair.

“So, what happens after? Yakow after you marry a stranger, get your inheritance, and have a faithful friend with benefits?”

“Do you mean how to break up?”

I asked, having expected that question to come up.

“Look, all I can really hope for is 2 years of this. I am more than willing to offer compensation so it benefits us both. Plus, I’d pay for everything during the marriage.”

I said, feeling like I was offering an amazing deal.

Noah’s laugh startled me a little, “Yeah, you’d have to sweeten the pot if you expect a stranger just to sign up for this.”

“I don’t see this as a terrible thing,”

I said.

“We can travel or if you need to feel grounded, we can rent or buy a place anywhere in between trips.”

“I’m happy in Mercy with my Club,”

Noah said, the tone of his voice resolute.

“Is it really so important?”

I asked, not understanding how that could compare to the world at his feet.

“Without question, it’s important to me,”

Noah declared.

“I want to be a freelance photographer, maybe for nature or for travel. Hell, probably both,”

I said, trying to make him understand it meant a lot to me.

“No one’s stopping you, sweetheart!”

Noah said, and took a swig of his beer.

Gazing out at the water again, I felt tears pooling in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Frustration churned through my body, strong and intense. What was wrong with him?