Chapter 4 #3
“If Tanya is able to prove she’s gotten her life together, yes.” He looked at her. “Apparently, the fact I’ve been the only constant in his life isn’t good enough.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Well, I’m not going down without a fight. She has an uphill battle and I don’t plan to make it easy for her.”
“Does Kaden know she’s back?”
“Not yet. He’s never talked about her, and I don’t think he remembers her, which should say something about her as a mother.”
“It does.”
Kaden and Matthew stopped and lined up to race. “Go!” They both shot up the hill.
“If there’s anything I can do to help...”
Jagger stopped at the top of hill. From there, Chelsea could see down the other side to the barn and more pastures. “Do you mean that?”
She looked into his deep blue, piercing eyes. “Yes. Of course.”
“Would you marry me?”
She blinked. The question was so out of left field, she thought she had to have heard it wrong. “What?”
He set his hands on his hips and looked down the hill to where Kaden and Matthew were petting a horse one of Jagger’s farm hands had out. Then he looked back at her. “I’m told that if I were married, my chances of keeping Kaden would improve.”
“Okay.”
“So, I’m asking if you’ll marry me.”
The answer “no” should have traipsed easily off her tongue. Instead, she continued to stare. Was this a joke? Was he punking her?
“Look.” He started walking again, and Chelsea followed him.
“I know this is crazy. We don’t know each other well.
We’re not in love, but I’ll do anything to keep Kaden with me.
Not just for me, but because Tanya has a terrible history and I don’t trust her to care for him.
But she’s his mother, which apparently is one notch down from being God and seems to allow her to get away with abandoning him.
I want to strengthen my position. If you marry me, he’ll have two caregivers. Plus I can help you in a return.”
“How?” Chelsea surprised herself with the question. Why wasn’t she telling him “no”?
“I know you’re having financial challenges. I can fix them.”
Her eyes narrowed, trying to hide her horror that he knew her money woes. “How do you know that?”
He stopped walking and turned toward her.
“For one, you work yourself to death in two jobs. Second, you said so the other night. And third, well, although I’m not privy to all that small town gossip has to offer, I have heard that you might lose the house.
I know it’s not just any house, but a house that’s been in your family for over a hundred years.
I can prevent that. I’ll pay the mortgage.
If you have other debts, I’ll pay those too. ”
“You don’t know how much that is.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
It was so strange to meet someone for whom money was no object.
Where she had to count every penny to go to the grocery store, he could offer to pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars without blinking an eye.
But his suggestion brought her back to the reason she hadn’t accepted help from her friends.
“I can’t take your money, Jagger. I appreciate your offer but—”
“I’m not giving it to you. It’s not charity. Think of it as a business deal. You help me, I’ll help you.”
This was ridiculous. “Don’t you think people would figure this all out? It probably wouldn’t go over well with the judge if he found out you entered into a marriage of convenience just to keep Kaden.”
“No one will know that’s what this is. But even if they did, it shows my level of commitment.”
Her head dropped to the side and she pursed her lips in a “do you really believe that” expression. “How could they not know? We hardly know each other and all of a sudden we’re getting married?”
“We could say we kept the relationship a secret because you were his teacher. It wouldn’t be totally out of left field. People had to have seen us at pizza the other night.”
“You’ve thought this through.”
“I have. Kaden is the most important thing in my life.”
“So why me? I’m sure you can find a wife that won’t cost you a fortune in debt.”
He blew out a breath. “Probably, but I want someone local; someone who would make a good mother figure for Kaden.”
“Right, and who better than a kindergarten teacher?” Now all his questions about her life at lunch made sense.
“Yes. But it helps that we know each other and that I like you. We need to pull off a deception that suggests we’re in love. It’s easier to do if you like the other person.”
She got hung up on the word deception. “It doesn’t bother you that this is unethical? Is it even legal?”
“Marrying for love is a fairly new concept in the world. Historically, marriage was a business relationship. Second, it’s unethical that I won’t get a fair shake at this simply because I’m not his father.
I’ve done everything for that little boy and none of it counts for anything against a mother, even though she abandoned him. ”
That did seem unfair, but it didn’t completely overcome the big problems in his plan. “How long would this marriage last?”
He shrugged. “As long as it takes.”
Chelsea had had students in her class who’d been in custody disputes. Most of those cases went on for months. Some over a year. A few continued to reoccur. So if she agreed to this, she would be committing to it for some time.
“You said you talked to a lawyer in case she filed, which means she hasn’t yet. Shouldn’t you wait until she does before entering into a marriage of convenience?”
“You said it would already look suspicious. I suspect it would be even more so if I did it after she filed.”
“What if she doesn’t file?”
“Then your house is paid for and I dodged a bullet. But Tanya has gone out of her way to come here, which suggests she’s serious. She told me she’s talked to a lawyer, so it’s probably only a matter of time before she files for custody.”
He’d definitely been thinking long and hard about every detail of his situation. Which then led to the next question of how this marriage would play out.
“Would we live here?”
“Yes.”
“So, why would I need my house that you’re graciously going to pay off?”
“We’d keep it because it’s your family’s legacy. We could rent it out.”
He really had thought of everything. “So I’d have a room here?”
He shifted, his eyes narrowed. “No. You’d stay with me.”
She cocked her head and lifted a brow, while simultaneously telling her hormones to cool it.
“Look. Everyone, including Kaden and the people who work for me, would need to believe this is legit. To do that, you need to stay with me. I’ve got a big bed and promise not to touch you.”
Chelsea couldn’t stop the little sink of her heart at that, which was stupid. It must have shown on her face because he added, “Unless you want me to.”
Well, of course she wanted him to. She was a woman, after all.
And he was Jagger Talbot, the epitome of sexy.
But just because she was curious about what his soft lips tasted like, and how it would feel to have that dark, devilish stubble rub her skin, it didn’t mean she’d actually do it.
If Jagger’s reputation was correct, he wasn’t a man to go too long without indulging with a woman.
She wondered how he’d managed it with Kaden in the house.
She hadn’t heard any rumors about him with someone in Charlotte Tavern, so he must make return visits to New York.
He probably had a few lady friends with benefits.
So what would happen if she agreed to this arrangement and chose not to include sleeping with him?
“What if I never want to?”
His wicked grin faded slightly. She imagined he was wondering what was wrong with her. What woman wouldn’t want Jagger Talbot to touch them? He’d probably never had a woman turn him down.
“Then I won’t.”
She tilted her head and studied him, trying to gauge his sincerity. “Even if this marriage lasts a year?”
“Even if.” But she could hear the tightness in his voice.
“The thing is, if I do this, I’ll end up being the woman who couldn’t keep Jagger Talbot happy and have a divorce in my background. I don’t also want to be the wife who was cheated on.”
She thought he might argue that it wouldn’t be cheating because their emotions weren’t involved. It would be a fake marriage.
“I won’t cheat.”
“How will you manage?”
He shook his head and then took a deep breath, as if he was steeling himself. “First, the fact that you’re asking these questions means you’re considering my proposal.”
Damn, he was right.
“Second, I’ll do anything to keep Kaden, and if I need to give up sex to do that, I will. I’ve got a strong hand.”
His comment shocked her but, at the same time, she found the image of him pleasuring himself titillating.
“On the other hand.” He stepped closer to her.
He didn’t touch her, but she felt the heat of him, the scent of him slid around her like a caress.
His blue eyes held a sensuous gleam. “Maybe you’ll grow to like and trust me.
This may be a business deal, but that doesn’t mean it can’t include pleasure too. ”
She tamped down on hormones that were screaming for her to start right then and there by launching herself into his arms. She clasped her hands behind her back to make sure she didn’t do just that.
Her brain, on the other hand, was waving all sorts of red flags.
What if she liked him enough to include pleasure in the deal?
What if after Kaden’s custody issue was resolved, she was emotionally attached to Jagger?
She might come out of this financially secure, but was it worth the emotional risk?
“Jagger, I see myself as a forever kind of gal. If I do this, I’ll have to deal with the fact that it will end.
It will be hard enough ending a marriage and leaving Kaden, who I know I’ll grow even more attached to.
I’m not sure I can separate sex from affection, which means sleeping with you might lead to more than you want. ”
He stepped back. “I’m not looking for love, Chelsea. Not that I’m adverse to having a “forever” with someone someday, but—”
“I get it.” She swallowed the lump of humiliation. “I make a good wife on paper when custody is involved, but I’m not the type of woman you’d normally fall for.” Because it was too hard to stand there and see the pity in his eyes, she started walking up the path toward the boys.
“Chelsea.” His fingers curled around her arm to stop her and then slid down to clasp her hand in both of his.
“You’re right about the first thing—that I want the court to see a good family.
As far as the second, I can’t think of that now.
To be honest, I’m not even sure if I’m capable of that kind of love.
I like you. I think you’re smart and beautiful.
This marriage could be fun, and we’d both come out of it with what we want most. You’d have your home free and clear. ”
She sighed. She’d already lost so much in her life. Her home was the only thing left. It contained all her memories of her mother and brother. Losing the home would be like losing them again. She’d feel like she let them down.
But Jagger’s idea was crazy. A marriage of convenience? Who did that except in romance novels?
“This is ridiculous.” Chelsea started walking toward the boys again. She was stopped when Jagger took her arm and pulled her close, too close. Her brain fogged, making it difficult to think when he stood near her.
“I know what I’m asking is beyond crazy. But I love that boy. I want to keep him safe. I need your help to do that.”
How could a woman’s resolve stand up to that kind of impassioned, desperate plea?
“Will you think about it at least? Kaden and I are going to the Dogwood Fair tomorrow. We’ll grab a spot near the river for a picnic. If you show up and join us, I’ll know your answer is yes.”
“I have to work tomorrow.”
He smiled. “Not if you marry me.”