“You’re also getting paid.”
“Fine then.” She stood up. “Give me twenty minutes to get some dancing out of my system, and then I’ll be fully in character. Is that alright with you, honey bunny?”
“I told you to stop testing out pet names.”
“Couples without pet names are most believable.” She shrugged and stepped back. “I’ll be right over there until my time runs out.”
She winked at Marshall before slipping away onto the empty dance floor.
“I’ll be back in twenty.”
By the time I’d blinked twice, she was twirling around the room alone, holding up her cell phone.
“You know, you could easily just hold off on this for another five years.” Marshall shook his head. “It’s not like you’re going to fall into poverty between now and then.”
“If I hold off for the next chance, the terms escalate,” I said. “The next clause calls for a baby—or proof of one.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I really wish I was.”
“You know, I’m starting to think your father might’ve secretly hated you.”
“Me too.” I downed another glass of wine and sighed. “Putting aside Laura’s unnecessary outburst tonight, do you think that she could?—”
“Fuck no.”
“You didn’t even let me finish my question.”
“I don’t have to.”
“She’s not believable as my fiancée at all?”
He sighed and looked over at her right as she started backing it up against a high table.
“That’s okay,” I said. “You don’t have to answer that anymore.”
“Thank you.” He signaled for the check. “On the plus side, you get more time for planning, and we can fake a pregnancy test for the appointment with the compliance officer if we’re strategic about the timing.”
“I’m not letting go of this just yet,” I said. “I can’t… I can’t afford to—in more ways than one, and you know that as well as I do.”
He nodded, looking as conflicted as I felt.
“I need to take a break,” I said. “Is your pilot off for the holidays?”
“Not when I’m paying extra for him to be on standby.”
“In that case, can you call and ask him to fly me somewhere for a day or two so I can clear my head?”
“Sure. What do you want me to do with your might-be wife?”
I glanced at her as she continued dancing.
“Pay her triple what we agreed on, make sure the NDA is airtight, and then make sure our paths never cross again after today.”
“Sounds perfect.” Marshall stood. “Just don’t forget—the compliance officer will be here on Monday, no matter what you decide to do.”
“I know,” I said. “Hopefully, I’ll have an answer long before then.”
