Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
“I told him I needed to think about it,” Scarlett said as she sipped her coffee.
“When Antonio asked if I’d volunteer to keep Bella for the weekend, I had no idea he’d had this type of surprise for you,” Mahogany said from across the small table. “And I was only gone for two weeks. How is it that your whole life has changed so much?”
She and Mahogany met at a coffee shop not too far from the house they were renting from Ben for their businesses. Scarlett had told her sister everything that happened over the last couple of weeks. That included her trip to Florida, the conversations with Cynthia, and even explaining how the marriage of convenience came to be.
“I don’t know what to say.”
Scarlett snorted. “Yeah, tell me about it. That’s why I told Antonio I needed to think about it, and it’s why I needed to talk to you. Voicing my thoughts out loud always seems to help give me clarity.”
Mahogany nodded. “True. Same for me, but what are you going to do? I have read plenty of romance novels that included a marriage of convenience trope. But I never met a real person who’s been in this position, but it probably happens more often than not.”
“Even if stuff like this happens all the time, I never in a million years thought I’d be considering a marriage of convenience. Oh, and you can’t tell anyone about this, whether we go through with it or not. Antonio mentioned that, for now, we’ll only tell you and Ben because we might need you two as witnesses if we move forward.” Scarlett rolled her eyes realizing how wild this situation sounded out loud, and Mahogany chuckled.
“I won’t say a word, especially since I’m assuming Antonio will be talking to Ben. That’s assuming he hasn’t already. You must admit, your man thinks of everything.”
My man .
It had been so long since Scarlett had a man, hearing it like that sounded foreign, but she kinda liked it. She might like it more if marriage wasn’t on the table. At least not like this. Not when she was considering marriage to ensure Bella had a normal upbringing in an extended family who would love and protect her. If she was honest, Scarlett had to admit there was a certain appeal to becoming Antonio’s wife. She already knew she’d be well loved and cared for, but...
She glanced at the magnificent diamond ring that Antonio had slipped onto her finger the night before. Though she should’ve known the conversation about a marriage of convenience would come up again at some point, he had totally caught her off guard. His comment about them not waiting to see what happens if or when Cynthia passes away, and taking action now, made sense. But she was typically a wait and see type of person. It was a plus that he wasn’t.
“That ring is everything,” Mahogany said, cutting into Scarlett’s thoughts. “Antonio clearly spared no expense, but how’d he know your ring size? It fits perfectly.”
“It’s the same size as your ring. I guess he was with Ben when he picked yours and figured our size would probably be close to the same.” Once again, Scarlett stared at the jewelry. Her mind was blown that Antonio had proposed to her and in a spectacular way. He was a man of many surprises.
Mahogany picked at the large, buttery croissant on the plate sitting between them. They were supposed to be sharing it, but Scarlett couldn’t eat. Her stomach was too nervous.
“If you’re not sure you’re going to marry Antonio, why are you wearing the ring?”
“Because he slid it onto my finger and asked that I wear it until I made a decision.”
Mahogany shook her head and laughed. “Damn, my brother-in-law is good.”
Scarlett couldn’t stop the smile that broke through. “He’s definitely thorough, and the contract he gave me is unbelievable.”
“Really? What are some of the clauses included? Did you read all the way through it?”
“Three times. I’ve read that document three times, and it blows my mind at how thorough it is.”
“Of course it is. Between Antonio and his dad, I’m sure nothing was missed. Give me the highlights.”
Scarlett ran through some of the line items that Antonio had pointed out the night before. When she recited some of the other benefits, her sister laughed. Especially at the part when it said that she’d be entitled to a foot rub once a week. Scarlett found herself smiling as she discussed the contract. He really had thought of everything.
“There’s even a line item that says I’d be allowed full access to the Jenkins family and all their resources. Then there was a special note added that said Gram would expect me to attend Sunday brunch.”
Again, they laughed, knowing it was a big bonus, but also knowing that joining a large family would have its challenges too.
“He told me everything in the document is negotiable except —this will be a real marriage in every sense of the word.”
The shock on Mahogany’s face was priceless. After a long hesitation, she asked, “What does Antonio get out of this? The contract mainly covers what he’ll do for you and Bella, which is amazing, but what about him?”
Scarlett released a long breath. “I asked him that when he brought me home last night because I feel like he’d be giving up everything by marrying me. It’s a win-win for me, but for him…” She shook her head, still finding it all so unbelievable. “Anyway, he said he knows in his heart that I’m the woman he’s supposed to spend the rest of his life with. That I’m the one . He said starting our life together with a contract instead of the natural way is a small price to pay to getting what he knows is divinely orchestrated.”
“Wow,” Mahogany said, seeming as stunned as Scarlett probably looked after he’d spoken those words. “ Divinely orchestrated —that’s deep. I remember Ben telling me that there’s some type of myth in their family which says when a Jenkins man meets the woman he is supposed to spend the rest of his life with, he immediately knows.”
Scarlett’s mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”
Mahogany shrugged. “That’s what he said. So far, it appears to ring true. All the guys seem to have similar stories of how they knew their wives were the ones they were supposed to marry. Maybe it’s not a myth and there really is some truth to it. You must admit those men are wonderful.”
Scarlett nodded. She had to agree, and it started with Antonio’s grandfather, Steven Jenkins, the patriarch of the family. He was a big, powerful-looking guy who commanded attention the moment he walked into a room. And when he talked to you, it was as if you were the center of his attention. Scarlett remembered being in awe after he asked her about being a social media influencer. He seemed so engrossed in every word she spoke, and he’d been so easy to talk to. Heck, the whole family was great, and it would be a pleasure to be a part of it.
“So, what are you going to do?” Mahogany asked.
Every few minutes, Scarlett glanced at the diamond ring on her finger. Antonio, without knowing, had picked the perfect ring. A ring she would’ve chosen had she been there, and when he’d said he loved her, it had felt different from when Ezra told her. Scarlett couldn’t figure out why, but maybe it was all about the delivery.
She couldn’t help comparing this proposal to her first one, the one from Ezra. It was different in every way. Ezra had proposed out of the blue, probably even catching himself off guard. They were talking about the future, and suddenly he said, “Marry me.” It hadn’t been planned. There was no elaborate surprise, no magnificent dinner, and no ring. The proposal might have come out of nowhere, but Scarlett knew he’d been serious.
But the one thing that had been the same with both proposals were her feelings. Sort of. Antonio and Ezra both had a special spot in her heart, but like with Ezra, she wasn’t in love with Antonio. Once again, she’d fallen into “like” with an amazing man, and Scarlett couldn’t seem to get past that.
However, her feelings for Antonio were somewhat different. Probably because she was older and established. She and Ezra had been young and though they thought they were grown-up enough to discuss marriage, neither were in a place in life to make that type of commitment.
There was also more to consider this time around. She had to think about Bella and her well-being.
“We have something in common,” Mahogany said, finishing off the croissant and dusting her hands over the empty plate.
“What’s that?”
“Well, actually two things off the top of my head. We’ve both been proposed to twice, and we both have Jenkins men who are in love with us.”
“Yeah, well you’re in love with your Jenkins man.”
“And I think you’re in love with yours but don’t realize it. However ,” Mahogany hurried to say when Scarlett opened her mouth to speak. “Maybe your heart hasn’t informed your brain yet, and the words haven’t left your mouth… yet. But the way you look at Antonio speaks volumes, Scarlett. You’re in love with him.”
Scarlett’s heart stuttered, and she pounded on the table. She tried to ignore the attention that she’d attracted and leaned in. “How are you gonna tell me how I’m feeling? I know how I feel!” she snapped, the words coming out fast and forceful.
Mahogany lifted her hands. “Okay, okay. Calm down,” she whispered-shouted. “I’m just telling you what I see and think. What do you need from me to help you with this decision?”
Chest heaving, Scarlett willed herself to calm down. Why the hell had she gone off like that? Sure, she and Mahogany didn’t agree on everything, but they were best friends who talked about practically everything. Rarely did either of them go off on the other.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m so sorry. You just caught me off guard.”
“It’s okay. I’m sure your reaction has a lot to do with how serious this all is, and the fact that you probably didn’t get much sleep last night.”
She was right. Scarlett had drifted in and out of sleep, unable to shut her brain down. There was so much to consider, but ultimately, she had to think of Bella. There were pros to marrying Antonio, even if it would be a marriage of convenience. But could she really marry a man who she wasn’t in love with?
“If I were you, I’d say yes to Antonio. You have nothing to lose.”
“Are you kidding me? What do you mean I have nothing to lose? I have everything to lose. My heart. My daughter’s heart, and I might lose a really good friend. I love hanging out with Antonio, and I truly treasure his friendship. But that would be gone if I say no to this arrangement or if I say yes and this marriage doesn’t work out. At first, I was thinking it would be a win-win to say yes, but the more I think about it, the more I’m not so sure.”
Mahogany sat back in her seat. “Then say no. Don’t marry him. I’m sure another woman will come along soon and recognize the gem he is.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes, knowing what her sister was trying to do. Damn if it wasn’t working. Antonio was a catch, and she’d be a fool to let him walk out of her life. Yes, he said that whether she said yes or no, he’d still be around, but she knew better. He’d be there for Bella, but that would be it.
Mahogany leaned forward again and folded her arms on the table. “The pros of this arrangement might outnumber the cons, but I understand this is not an easy decision. What is your heart telling you to do?”
Scarlett didn’t even have to think about her response. “My heart is saying, yes.”