“Where are you going?” she asked.
He stopped, glancing down at the paper in his hand. “I have to file this with the city planner.” He waved the certificate.
“Why?” She fell in step beside him.
“I have to provide proof that I’m married, or the city will come after Grandpa’s house,” he explained as he pushed through the thin door. The judge’s door was made of oak, solid and soundproof; this one was two pieces of hardboard with stick framing.
Cash found a nameplate on a desk that told him he’d found the right guy. Even though he’d worked with the city inspector on dozens of projects, none of them included working with Mark Murdock. He was over planning and zoning and the like and had little to do with the actual construction or remodeling of buildings.
Mark had a thin head of hair and a potbelly tucked into a polo shirt and jeans that sagged everywhere. He stood behind his desk as Cash and Maggie approached.
Cash smiled. “Mr. Murdock, it’s good to meet you. I’m Cash Diamante, and this is my wife, Maggie.” A warm feeling started in his chest the moment he said the wordwife. It spread across his body and into his limbs, making them tingle. He put his hand on Maggie’s lower back, needing to touch her. She smiled at Mr. Murdock.
“Good to meet you too. I must say, I’m highly interested in the property, Mr. Diamante. The city offered to buy it from your grandfather on no less than four separate occasions. He always turned us down. I was hoping you’d be more agreeable to making the historical home useful to the community.”
Maggie’s forehead furrowed. “I don’t understand why you would want it.”
Mr. Murdock coughed uncomfortably. His eyes went to something behind the two of them, and Cash had the distinct impression he was being lied to before a word left the man’s mouth. “It has some historical importance—any building that old does.”
And the fact that Thomas Jefferson spent time in it didn’t hurt, Cash added silently. “Well, I don’t have an interest in selling. I’m here to provide proof that I am indeed married, and I intend to have the home livable by the deadline.”
Maggie leaned on the desk, angling herself toward him. She cut her eyes to where her hand rested.
Cash looked down and saw the words Diamante Historical Home Refurbishing Bid written in bold black letters. He reached over and slid the papers out from under the ones that were hastily thrown on top of them. Mr. Murdock reached out to snatch it back, but Cash managed to keep them out of reach. “You’re pretty gutsy, Mr. Murdock. Not only did you get a bid on a house I own; you didn’t even offer the contract to my company.”
Mr. Murdock’s face paled. “I would have asked if you wanted to match it.”
“Hmm.” Cash glanced over the line items and prices listed. “I certainly would have. This guy is overcharging you by ten grand.” He tossed the papers back on the desk.
Color began to return to Mr. Murdock’s face. Slowly, red climbed his skin until it reached the roots of his thinning hair. “The house should be ours. Your grandfather practically signed it over years ago and then changed his mind at the last minute.”
Maggie gasped. “Do you mean the last minute before hedied?” She looked utterly appalled, though Cash could tell she was being dramatic on purpose. “Were you hounding him on his deathbed?”
“I most certainly was not.”
Maggie sniffed and turned her head.
“At least I didn’t fake marry to inherit a fortune,” he struck back.
Cash was speechless. The only people who knew his marriage was fake were the preacher and Maggie—and neither of them would have told this guy.
Maggie grabbed Cash’s arm as if she were holding him back. “I’ll have you know I’ve been in love with Cash since high school.”
Cash stared at her. If he’d been speechless before, now he was utterly dumbfounded.
“And you just happen to get married today,” said Murdock.
“I just barely found him again. We lost track of one another while he was serving our country.” She leaned into Cash, her body warm and soft in all the right ways. “Once we were reunited, there was no reason to wait.” She turned, tugging Cash to the door. “You can burn that bid, Mr. Murdock. The house is ours.”
“We’ll see about that. If this marriage is a sham—which I highly suspect it is—I will sue for ownership.”
“Go ahead and try.” She swung the door open and pulled Cash through. He stumbled a few steps, placing a hand on the wall for balance.
Maggie stomped down the hall, her hands in fists. Uh-oh.
“Mags?” He caught up, opened the door to exit the building, and held it for her.
She continued on, her angry face glowering at the sunshine, flowers, and budding trees. “Can you believe that guy? Thinking he had any right to your house! Oh, I could just spit, I’m so mad.” She stomped around.
