“Why? That’s crazy.”
“Some would say I am, in fact, crazy, Wynn.” I reached over and took his hand in mine. “The thing is, I can’t let you go. The thought of you walking away or not being near me sends a kind of rage through my body. I can’t abide it, Wynn, I won’t.”
He bit his lip. “That’s either the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me or the most deranged.”
I shrugged. “A little of both, perhaps.”
“Hannah and Mark won’t understand.” He opened the file and picked up the pen.
“They love you. In time they will, and they are always welcome here.”
He sighed. “What about work, my family?”
“I meant it when I said you can move your family and friends here. As for work, if you love being a journalist, we could keep you busy, but as my partner you’ll have a full calendar.”
He furrowed his brow. “I will?”
“Absolutely.”
“With what?”
“Charities, events, politics, everything.”
“Oh.” He slid the first page closer to him. “I assumed I’d be like a kept man or something.”
I smirked. “I dare you to say that to my mother. She works harder than my father most days.”
I held my breath as Wynn skimmed the paper he’d read a few times now. He touched the pen to the contract and scrawled his name; he repeated the action with the rest of them. Once he closed the file, I took a fortified breath.
“I can take these to my father. Would you like me to ask Hannah and Mark to come in?”
He sat back, his shoulders slumped. “Might as well get this over with.”
I didn’t enjoy how upset Wynn was about all of this, but it had been inevitable. From the moment I’d seen him sitting at Penny’s Café in Lamdera, he was mine. He might be sad now, but I’d make him happy. He’d want for nothing, and no one would ever hurt him.
“I’ll go get them.” I pressed a kiss to the top of his head and walked out.
Father was in the sitting room with my siblings, mother, Hannah, and Mark. When I handed him the file, he nodded.
“Let me contact Louis and get these squared away.” He got up and my eyes met Mark’s, and he was glaring at me.
“Wynn would like to speak with you and Hannah.”
He didn’t say anything; he got up and stalked out of the room. He knew what the file held, and he didn’t want Wynn signing his life away. I got it, I just didn’t give a shit what he thought or wanted.
Mother regarded me. “He’s special isn’t he?”
“He’s everything.”
The room fell silent. My family had never known me to care about anyone or anything. Wynn either terrified them or they were grateful to him, but it didn’t matter to me what anyonethought. I was sure people on the outside looking in would have told Wynn he was nuts for signing those papers and that there was a way out of this. They’d be right that there was, but what they wouldn’t know was, every time Wynn ran, I’d drag him back until he never wanted to leave me again.
“I’m happy for you.” Grace finally broke the quiet. “He seems nice.”
“Thank you, Grace.”
Father returned and informed me that Louis would be here in an hour to gather the file. He had to go prepare for his speech tomorrow. Mother joined him, and the siblings dispersed to do whatever it was they do.
With Wynn talking to his friends and everyone busy, I decided to do a little research on Ridgeway. I knew he wasn’t going to react well to any of this—I just wasn’t sure to what extent he’d go; therefore he needed to be watched.
