I cock my head at her in confusion. “A child?”
Again, her lip curls, distaste quite obvious as she sputters, “And that’s a reward for you?”
Since I completely understand how this all appears to her, I shrug and reply, “My reward is more that I set the terms. No one told me who to marry. No one’s telling me where to live, what to do. Ren may be a jackass, but I believe he’ll be a great father, and will follow our deal to the letter. And since I do want to be a mother, it’s like killing two birds with one stone.”
“Are you being forced to do this?”
Sighing, I look away briefly and after a moment I turn back to Penny and say, “Not technically. But if Ren asks, it’s all a stipulation in the fine print of my trust fund.”
Excitement flares in her eyes and she leans forward, her forearms on top of her desk as she says excitedly, “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“I don’t know? What do you think I’m saying?”
“Are you pulling a fast one on Rafferty?”
I press my lips together, not really wanting to admit it but knowing she’s on to me. “Maybe.”
“Do you mean the man harm?”
“No.”
“Do you love him?”
My eyes narrow, my lips twist, a heavy sigh falling between us as I finally respond, “Not yet,” and then immediately regret it because what kind of conversation is this anyway.
She levels me with a thoughtful look, her hands steepled in front of her as she asks, “But this little deal was your idea?” I nod and she goes on, “But why? You’re young, attractive, rich. You have plenty of time to find love in a far less…devious way.”
Her gaze is piercing, knowing. Blinking, I glance over her shoulder, torn on how much I want to explain at this point. She doesn’t say anything else, doesn’t fidget or put off any indication that she’s going to force a response from me, just sits quietly,waiting. With another heavy sigh I turn my attention back to her and explain, “I won’t go into details on my own past, but let’s just say my upbringing was less than ideal, and I want to do everything in my power to create the most ideal start I possibly can for my future children.”
“But why him?” she asks plainly, obviously not going to give in until I tell her what she wants to know. “And what’s your rush?”
“You know he’s not getting any younger, right?” I ask with a raised brow. She chuckles, nods, then I add, “You ever just see something and want it for your own?”
She inclines her head in acknowledgement of my question and I go on, “That’s kind of what this is. He always caught my attention for obvious reasons, but then I started to pay attention, to listen. To take a good look at him as a human being and not just as the dumb ass jock hockey player he’d been labeled as. Turns out he’s a great guy with a great family and his bad boy reputation was overblown gossip from a few transgressions when he was young.”
“And?”
“And once I realized this Ireallywanted him.”
Penny’s brows raise, her eyes widen. “Just like that?”
“Yes,” I answer, heart pounding in my chest. “Though it took more time from point A to point B than that, but the end result is the same.”
“And I should just go along with it?”
“I don’t see why not?” I state firmly. “This is far less sinister than the shit men pull, so no harm, no foul.”
For a moment I fear she’s going to tell me to get out. That my little confession will have ruined everything and word will get back to Ren and I’ll either have to do some fancy footwork damage control or call it a failed mission.
But she doesn’t.
Instead, she sits back in her chair, claps her hands in front of her as she says gleefully, “Oh, this is going to be fun.”
“I gotta say, Penny,” I respond hesitantly, relief flooding through me. “You are turning out to be a very pleasant surprise.”
“Let me tell you something, Cassidy. I’ve defended a lot of blatantly guilty men. At the time, it was hugely uncomfortable for me, but I always considered it to be a means to the end.”
“The end?”
