Page 47 of All Tied Down

GARRETT

“Do you think it would be too much to create a memorial to Emerson’s mother? Like a bench or something?”

Theo’s coffee cup is halfway to his mouth, his hand frozen in midair as he stares at me.

“You want to know if you should make a memorial to your fake wife’s deceased mother?”

“You don’t need to say it like that,” I grump as his eyes widen.

“I’m pretty sure you need to hear it like that.”

“Why?”

“Because, yes, Garrett, it is too much.” He exhales heavily through his nose as he lowers the cup to the counter. “You are getting really attached to her, and while I think the two of you would be a great couple in real life, that’s not what this is supposed to be. If you do a tribute to her mom, she’s going to associate that thing with you, and that’s not fair for her to have that reminder when your arrangement is over.”

“Huh,” is all I can manage, a little hurt that hypothetically she wouldn’t want me tied to any kind of memory.

Gentler, he adds, “You have a big heart, Garrett. I’m not saying you can’t send her flowers or something next year, but a permanent structure is not fake-marriage appropriate.”

“Fine,” I huff as I pick up my phone, not entirely convinced as I type out a message.

GARRETT: Is a bench or something too much to honor Emerson’s mother?

ROAN: Yes

COLT: Also yes

Damn.

I must be really off if Colt even agrees.

ROAN: Bold of you to assume Theo didn’t already text us

Looking up, Theo smirks, moving his phone from under the lip of the island to the surface with a flourish.

“I know you better than you know yourself, Garrett.”

COLT: Dude you’re in deep already—are you sure you shouldn’t cut ties now?

GARRETT: I can’t

ROAN: I could probably reconfigure the paperwork

GARRETT: No.

GARRETT: I can do this

Fuck.

Can I do this?

I try and think back to the last time I was in an actual relationship and come up short, not because I can’t remember the last woman I was with but because it wasn’t like this.

Being with Emerson has scrambled my brain.

She doesn’t care about my fame or money or any of it. She just wants me to show up and be present.

And also fuck her senseless.