Roman threads his fingers through mine, squeezing my hands and holding them to his chest. “You don’t have to, Stell. We’re going to get married. We’re going to get you a green card. We’re going to figure this out. Together.”
I hear him. I understand what he’s saying. But I don’t know how to respond. Clearly, Roman doesn’t know that I have dual citizenship. My heart thumps in my chest and finally I get my question out. “Who told you all that?”
“Willow. While you were in the bathroom. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I was so distracted?—”
My head drops. “Your red card. Roman—” My throat tightens. Did that man get ejected from his final game of the season because me and my hot mess express had him frazzled?
“None of that’s your fault. That’s on me. But Stell, we can do this. I can help.”
A shaky breath falls from my lips.
“Let me help you.”
I simply stare. Words won’t come.
“You’ll be helping me in return,” he says.
And I am all at once intrigued.
“I bought a cabin, but unless there are extenuating circumstances, I can’t move in.” Roman clears his throat. “My contract states that as a single guy, I must live in the team apartments.”
“A single guy,” I say.
“Yeah.” His Adam’s apple bobs, and my eyes lock on his throat. “But that’s not why I said those things, Stell. I want to help you. You don’t have a place to live? You can move in with me. You don’t have a job? I can give you room and board while you look for one. You don’t want to leave the country? I can fix that.” He clears his throat. “It just so happens that you’ll be helping me too.”
I bite my cheek. Roman wants to help me. I certainly haven’t helped myself. I’m not sure I can do anything right anymore. And while correcting him is on the tip of my tongue, he said I would be helping him in return.
My parents loved Roman. They’d approve of him any day. News like this might even make them happy. Instead ofStella got fired, it would beStella got married. Instead ofStella got evicted from her home, it could beStella’s moving in with her husband. Instead ofStella lost that award—who am I kidding, my parents don’t remember that I was up for any award.
But they’ve always loved Roman. My life is a mess. But do my parents need to know that? It’ll only cause them pain. Pain I could prevent.
And Roman needs this too.
For the first time since I heard the insane words leave Roman’s mouth, I’m actually considering going through with this.
Sure, marrying a guy to get out of all your big fat failures may not be moral, but at least it’s not illegal. Roman is willing to commit immigration fraud.For me.At least in my secret scenario, he’s an innocent man staying out of prison.
My heart patters in my chest.Pat-pat. Pat-pat.It’s like a rolling thunderstorm only growing more wild.
I swallow, peer up into Roman’s sapphire eyes, and leap. “Okay.”
Nine
Less than twenty-four hours later,Willow stares at me packing up my one and only little suitcase that graced her apartment. Turns out you don’t need a lot of stuff when you’re hanging out in your PJs, eating popcorn, and questioning all your life choices. Everything else I own is in my car and the small cargo basket attached to the back.
“Okay? You saidokayto a marriage proposal? To a man you haven’t seen in a decade?”
“More like eight and a half years.” I lift one shoulder in a shrug. “But it’s Roman.”
“Stella,” she gripes. “He thinks he’s committing a crime for you. He believes he’s helping you get a green card.”
“Yep,” I say. And swallow down the load of guilt that comes with my answer. “But he also can’t live in his cabin without me. Something about his team contract. So, see? I’m helping him too.”
“You have a problem. You know that, right?” Willow shakes her head. Before I can ask which problem she’s referringto, she goes on. “It isn’t your job to make everyone happy.”
I scrunch my face. I have a lot of problems … but that?
“I know that,” I say.
