Chapter 8
“This isn’t what we agreed to.” Chelsea pushed the legal papers back toward Jagger and his New York lawyer, Alexis Fairchild. They were sitting on the back terrace of Jagger’s home, four days before the wedding.
“You want more?” Alexis’s dark eyes narrowed.
Chelsea got the feeling her relationship with Jagger was deeper than that of lawyer and client.
There was a protectiveness emanating from Alexis.
Why doesn’t he marry her? Clearly, they had history, and she was a better match for Jagger.
She was tall, slim, and gorgeous in an expensive-looking black and white summer dress.
“I don’t want any of it.” Chelsea understood she had to sign a prenuptial agreement, but she’d expected it to say she didn’t get anything in a divorce.
She was already getting her home and student loans paid off.
She didn’t need him paying thousands of dollars a month in alimony until she married again.
Alexis turned to Jagger, her brows furrowed and her mouth quirked to the side in confusion. Or maybe she thought Chelsea was an idiot.
“Can we have a minute?” Jagger nodded to Alexis.
“Sure thing.” Alexis stood and headed back inside.
Jagger’s smiled bordered on amusement. Why was her refusing his money so funny?
“Chelsea, this isn’t a lot of money, especially when I think about how you’re helping me. More importantly, if I don’t offer anything, people will be suspicious. Remember, this has to look like we plan to be married forever.”
She sank back in her chair. Getting married, even a fake marriage, was much more complicated than she’d thought. Had Lexie and Mitch signed prenups when marrying their rich New Yorkers? “Can’t you just say you’ll pay off my house like we agreed to?”
He shook his head. “Just sign this. When things end, we can look at terminating it at that time if you still don’t want it.”
“If I decided I did want it, you’d be okay with it?”
He nodded. “It’s not that much.”
She closed her eyes because, in her world, it was a fortune. It served to show just how incompatible they were.
“Please. Sign it.”
She blew out a breath, picked up the pen, and signed.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
A few moments later, Alexis reappeared, carrying a large glass of white wine. “It’s signed. Excellent. Now it’s your turn to get scarce, Jagger. I want to get to know your fiancée.”
Chelsea hoped he understood her expression was saying, “Don’t leave me.” Either he didn’t get it or didn’t care.
“Be nice.”
Once he’d left, Alexis turned to Chelsea, her dark eyes scrutinizing her until Chelsea thought she might blurt out the truth.
“I’m just trying to get a sense of the woman who finally stole Jagger’s heart.”
“I know. Hard to believe he’d fall for a gal like me.”
Alexis sat back in her seat. “Oh no, it’s not hard at all.”
“Really?”
“You seem surprised by that.” She lifted the goblet of wine to her lips.
“I’m not like the other women he’s dated.”
“Thank God for that.” Alexis lifted her glass as if toasting God. “For the record, Jagger’s never really dated. At least not in the traditional sense.”
“What does that mean?”
Alexis cocked her head to the side, studying Chelsea again. Chelsea worried she was missing something she should know.
“I guess it’s not weird you don’t know this. Jagger’s kind of sensitive about his past. But since college, he’s never been in a relationship. I’m not sure he’s ever really been in love. Until you, of course.”
There was something about that that made Chelsea sad. Granted, love and relationships were hard and often ended in heartache, but they could be sweet and wonderful too.
“I think I see what he likes about you.”
“You do?” Chelsea couldn’t imagine what that was.
“Sure. You’re pretty. I’m sure he digs the red hair. It’s gorgeous, by the way. Is it yours?”
Chelsea nodded.
“You’re shorter than I’d expected, but you’ve got the curves.”
“So far you think he loves me because I’m a leprechaun.”
Alexis threw back her head and laughed. “You’re funny.
Jagger loves a woman with a sense of humor.
And you don’t want his money. I’m not sure he’s been with any woman that didn’t see dollar signs when she looked at him.
By the way, you’re a fool not to have your lawyer look at that prenup and ask for more. ”
“Like you said, I don’t want his money.”
Alexis leaned forward. “I imagine what he loves most is that you love Kaden. Jagger is crazy for that kid.”
Chelsea smiled. That was the one thing she could agree on. “You seem to know him well.”
“Jagger and I go way back.” Alexis leaned forward, setting her forearms on the table and looking at Chelsea with intention in her eyes. “He’s a terrific guy who’s had a lot of crap in his life. He deserves happiness.”
There was a threat in her tone. Chelsea imaged it was the same tone Mitch used with Jagger, although Mitch would have outlined the world of hurt he’d bring on Jagger if he broke Chelsea’s heart. Alexis was subtle, which surprised Chelsea as she’d always thought New Yorkers were blunt.
“I’ll do everything I can to make him happy.”
“Jagger is a good and giving man, unless you betray him.”
Chelsea swallowed as once again she realized just how little she knew about Jagger.
“I tell you this because Jagger has longed to be loved his whole life and the woman who makes him feel that way will have the world at her feet. But if she messes that up, well, let’s just say he’s unforgiving and if you get in his way, you’ll be sorry.
Tanya could cure cancer and bring about world peace, and Jagger still wouldn’t forgive her abandoning Kaden. ”
Chelsea knew she should be focused on the warning in Alexis’s words, but instead, she was more interested in the comment that Jagger longed to be loved. She’d always seen him as a playboy. They didn’t want love. They wanted fun and excitement.
She shook her head as she reminded herself they weren’t in love.
This was all for show. Still, she ached in the knowledge that he’d never experienced love, except, of course, with Kaden.
His unwavering, nearly obsessive dedication to the child now made even more sense.
No one gave pure unconditional love like a child.
And there was no love as sweet and fulfilling as one for a child.
The French doors opened, and Kaden bounded out. “Miss Chelsea!”
“Hey, Kaden.” She hugged him and pulled him onto her lap.
“Jagger says I can carry the pillow with the rings when you get married.”
“Well, of course. No one else can do that job.”
“When I get bigger, you can marry me and Jagger can carry the rings.”
Chelsea laughed. “When you get bigger, you might want to marry someone else.”
“Nah.” He rested his head on Chelsea’s shoulder. God how she wanted this: A family. A child to cuddle with. Not something fake, but a real family.
“Sounds like he’s trying to steal my woman.” Jagger stood behind Alexis, staring at Chelsea holding Kaden. He looked happy. Content. For a split second, it all seemed real.
But it wasn’t. She needed to remember that.
She looked away, pulling her senses together and pushing her emotions down.
This was all a ruse. Every act of affection and word of endearment from Jagger was part of the plan to make everyone think they were in love.
She needed to do better guarding against the warm feelings his actions evoked.
Two days before the wedding, Jagger worked alone in Chelsea’s dining room, helping her pack up the house.
He put the pictures of Chelsea’s mother and brother from the hutch into a box.
She hadn’t asked him to pack the pictures, but he thought she’d probably want them.
He wanted to make her as comfortable and happy in his home as he could.
The problem was, he wasn’t sure he could.
Over the course of their short engagement, when they were alone, they got along fine.
But ever since the day she signed the prenup, she appeared uncomfortable by his displays of affection.
It was as if she’d built a wall and wanted to keep him out.
The frustrating part was that as much as she shied away from his touch, he still desired to keep touching her.
That made no sense. He wasn’t the type of man to be attracted to what he couldn’t have.
Although it didn’t happen very often, the few times a woman hadn’t shown interest, he let it go.
Being with a woman was much better when she was into him too.
When she wasn’t flinching from him, she was witty and real. Around her, he could be himself. He didn’t feel the need to be guarded or wary. When the thought of losing Kaden overwhelmed him, she was always able to calm him. So why was she so skittish?
He blew out a breath to push the irritation away.
Despite her reaction to him, she was moving forward with the plan.
They were nearly finished packing up the things she wanted to bring with her and preparing her home to be closed for a while.
All the furniture was covered with sheets, except the kitchen and dining area.
She was upstairs packing her clothes while he worked in the dining room.
The table and hutch remained uncovered until the last minute.
Because they were nearly finished, he’d ordered pizza to be delivered, hoping she’d enjoy a final meal in her home until she returned at the end of this marriage scheme.