“Fine,” he said, still camped out on the floor in front of me. “Then tell me another solution that is this simple and fast?”
“Landon, this isnotsimple. In fact, it’s got the potential to be a disaster if we’re not careful.”
“Why? Don’t you trust me?” A flash of hurt pulled at his features.
“I trust you more than anyone.”
“Then what’s the problem? I won’t let you make yourself sick.” He gripped my hands tighter. “We’re adults and going into this for practical reasons and with our eyes open. We can handle it.”
Maybe since he’d been married and divorced, the offer didn’t have the same value to him as it did for me. My long engagement never made it into marriage, but calling someone my husband had weight to it, even if it wasn’t true in the traditional or even real sense.
But I didn’t know another way. At least not one I could think of. I was squished between an impossible rock and an unavoidable hard place.
“There is no one else I’d contemplate committing insurance fraud with, but I can’t ask you to do this.”
“You aren’t asking. I’m offering. Pleading with you, actually.” The corner of his mouth curved up. “Now, are you going to make an honest man out of me tonight or what?”
Pretending to marry Landon didn’t feel honest. It would be legally legit, but we were in a weird space right now. I felt a new pull between us that unnerved me, but I was about to agree to accompany him to an Elvis chapel to become husband and wife. The whole thing was batshit crazy.
Yet, Landon had a point. I’d packed for this trip with a knot in my stomach from the guilt over traveling to Vegas when I should have been grasping on to every penny and feeling frustration at how difficult life had become every time I’d thought things were getting better.
My eyes fell to where my hand was still trapped in his. If there was anyone in this world I could trust, it was Landon. I knew he’d move heaven and earth to keep me safe and healthy, and I’d seen the worry on his face all weekend since he’d pulled my confession out of me. As hard as I tried to step back and look at all this from a practical perspective, this still felt like taking advantage. I’d refused the idea of Landon giving me a loan, but I was giving serious thought to marrying him instead.
My head spun so much it ached.
“We don’t even live in the same state. Won’t that tip them off?”
“Tip them off? We aren’t committing a crime,” Landon said, laughing as he squeezed my knee.
“Technically, we kind of are. It’s insurance fraud. And I don’t think I could be covered under you since we live in separate states. I’d have to find a doctor in North Carolina.”
“Jules, I am sure people get married every day for lots of reasons outside of the conventional. We won’t have to serve time, I promise. If anyone investigates us, we’ll send them to Dean’s grandmother, who would say she saw it coming.”
He chuckled, and despite the nausea rolling around my stomach at what I was about to agree to, I smiled back.
“And we have remote employees all over the country who have local doctors. I am sure HR would work with me to find a plan that covered you in New York. I do have a little pull.”
I had to laugh at his crooked grin. He wasn’t backing down, making it impossible to say no, and I only had a little more fight left in me before I agreed. When the astronomical prices of out-of-pocket monthly doctors’ visits, blood tests, and medications would flash in my mind, the panic would squeeze my chest. The mere idea of letting go of all that worry because of agreeing to this crazy scheme was already bringing me tangible relief.
If Landon were ever in trouble, I would do anything for him without an ounce of hesitation. If it were within my means to help him, I wouldn’t waver for a second. If I took away the weird moments of the past couple of days between us, this really was just a friend helping a friend.
At least, that’s what I would tell myself during the million times I’d panic afterward if we went through with this.
“Okay, we can talk about this. Can you just get up so people stop staring?”
A victorious grin split his mouth as he popped up from the floor and pointed to the bench behind us.
“I think Dean said the chapel was close.”
I followed and settled next to him as he poked at his phone screen.
“So you really want to go the Elvis route for this?”
“We’re in Vegas, right?” He shrugged without looking up. “Might as well have the whole quick-marriage experience.” My jaw dropped when he winked.
“You really think this is no big deal? You’re going to marry me tonight, and it’s just something we’re doing? Like ordering takeout?”
He set the phone on the bench between us and lifted his head. “Actually, looking back to when I did this the last time, I’m a lot more sure of the woman I’m walking down the aisle with now. And while my intentions may be a little different for after, you’ve already got me for life, regardless of whether we’re married or not.”
