Marry Me for Money (18 page)

I stood up and gave him a half-hug. “Thanks for the sandwich and for keeping me company,” I said, pulling back and giving him my cheesiest smile.

Kent shook his head in amusement. “Bye, Beth.”

As soon as Kent was out of sight, Brian turned to me with a sly smile. “So, that’s Kent, huh?”

“The one and only,” I replied, glancing back to Kent’s retreating back.

“You never said he was very good-looking.”

I shrugged, trying to play it off. “Eh, he’s okay.”

“Beth, I don’t usually say this, but that is one fine-looking man. I’m sure you noticed those two girls ogling him during our conversation.”

“Maybe they were ogling you,” I said, inching my way toward him. I placed my hand on his lap. “I ogle you all the time.”

“That’s all that matters,” he said, placing his hand on top of mine. “Just friends, right?”

“For the millionth time, yes! Kent and I are just friends.”

“All right. So, what are we doing now?” Brian asked, changing the subject at my tone.

“Working.”

“Sounds like a plan. Can I work on you at your place?” Brian said, leaning into me.

“No, like, really working. I have to get this proposal ready for my meeting tomorrow,” I said, moving toward my computer.

Brian reached over and squeezed my knee.

I laughed. “No, really, I have to finish this,” I said, pushing his hand off my leg. “You’re too much of a distraction. I think you’d better go.”

“And here I wanted to enjoy the view all night,” he said, leaning over to give me another kiss before standing up to leave.

When I looked at the clock, it was nearly eight. That gave me one more hour before the bookstore closed.
Time to get working.
I placed both hands on my forehead and focused on the screen.

Sitting at my desk the next day, I had a small smug smile on my face because I was satisfied with our team meeting. My boss’s boss had been impressed by my recommended frame of the deal. I’d laid out a reasonable structure, benefiting the client but also protecting the bank from losses, should any occur.

When my phone rang, I knew who it would be.

“Hey, Kent,” I said in my cheery voice. “What’s for lunch today? Oh, Caroline wants to join us. Is that okay?”

“Beth, can you meet me after work? I can’t do lunch today.”

I sat up straighter in my chair at the tone of his voice, which was hoarse and low.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, rough night. Please. Jimmy’s Tap after work,” he prompted.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, just meet me after work at Jimmy’s,” he said.

“I’ll be there,” I replied.

I dropped the phone and stared blankly at the receiver, sensing something was definitely wrong.

Throughout the day, my mind drifted to Kent. I truly hoped he had been just hungover, but the sadness in his voice concerned me.

Right before the end of the day, my manager stopped by my desk. “Hey, great job today. Everyone was impressed by the newbie. You were quite prepared, and I have to commend you for that,” Renee said, resting against my cubicle. “You know of our expansion out on the East and West Coasts? We’re trying to spread out our talent from here. Brian already got offered a position on the East Coast. I know you just moved here, but I’d like you to consider moving out west to be on my team.”

My insides were singing at her high praise, and to even be considered for a spot in the expansion meant that I was on management’s radar as a good employee. “Thanks Renee. That means a lot. I’ll definitely take it into consideration, but I’m happy here so far.”

When Renee left, my thoughts shifted to Brian

I turned to Caroline. “Hey, when did Brian get offered New York?”

She peered at me from her screen and stopped typing. “I don’t know. Two weeks ago maybe. Didn’t he mention it to you?” she asked before dropping her head back to her computer.

“No,” I replied.

“He’s not one to brag. Plus, I heard he didn’t take it.”

“Oh…he didn’t?” I released the breath I’d been holding in. We weren’t serious yet but I had hopes that we would slowly get there.

“Hey, I heard about your deal today. Good job. Way to impress the bigwigs,” she said, giving me a thumbs-up over her cubicle.

The smile slowly crept back up my face, and I put thoughts of Brian behind me.

I stepped into Jimmy’s Bar Tap, still high from Caroline’s and Renee’s praises. Walking into the bar, my mood immediately dampened when I saw Kent slouched over the counter, looking at the wine glass in his hand.

As I approached the bar, he peered up from his spot, his eyes showing defeat.

I immediately rushed to his side and wrapped my arms around him. “Oh my God, Kent, what’s wrong?”

He shook his head and exhaled a low sigh. “It’s over.”

I had to listen carefully because his voice was barely audible. “You’re scaring me. What happened? Tell me what happened,” I pressed.

“It was always just Dad, but now it’s my mom. I don’t know, Beth. I don’t know how this happened,” he said, his voice toneless.

My hug automatically tightened around his waist at the sound of him mentioning his parents. I didn’t say a word.

When I released him, he placed his head in his hands. “The trust agreement was just lying out on his desk as if he wanted me to see it. It’s been in the trust documents all along,” he said, his voice breaking. “I mean, I can’t do it. I can’t live the life they want me to live. It’s not me.” He dropped his head against the bar.

Through all his rambling, I couldn’t comprehend any of his words. “What happened?” I asked, rubbing his shoulder. “You can tell me.”

“The trust set forth by Grandfather stipulates everything…just everything. Married…” He let out a low breath and lifted his head from the bar. “Do you understand? I’m not entitled to anything. It’s over. I’m not entitled to the money until I am married.” He rubbed both hands down his face in frustration.

“I don’t understand,” I whispered.

“The trust stipulates that by the age of twenty-five,” his voice was coming out in hushed broken huffs, “I need to be married or else the money in my trust will go to…Plack’s designated charities.”

Immediately, I froze. Out of everything, I didn’t expect those words to leave his mouth. I could understand his parents taking away his trust fund to force him into running the business since he was the only heir. I could even see his parents taking it away because of his partying ways since they shouldn’t have to fund his outrageous habit. But I never expected this.
Why?

Reading my mind, he continued, “I know they want me to be happy and to settle down. They want me to have a family. My grandparents were married for fifty years before they passed away, and my parents are going on thirty years. It’s over.”

“I don’t get it, Kent. Why not add in running the company? I mean, that’s what your dad has always wanted.”

“I don’t know. Grandfather should have added that in there, too. Maybe he assumed that I would naturally take that course, but he also knew that I wasn’t the type to settle down.” He sighed heavily, hanging his head in defeat.

He tugged at his hair in frustration. “I don’t know what to do, Beth. I’ve played the conversations my parents and I have had over and over in my head. My mom has told me that they just want to make sure I’m okay. When they are six feet under the ground, they want to ensure that I’m taken care of and that I have a family of my own who loves me, so I’m not alone. There are not a lot of us, and one thing that has always been number one is family. Even though I’m mad, I can’t begrudge them for looking out for my best interest. But what they don’t understand is that it’s not me. It’s just not me, Beth. I can never, ever be the person they want me to be.”

“It’s okay, Kent. Everything will be okay,” I said, rubbing my hands up and down his back to console him. “Do they know that you’ve seen the trust agreement? Do they know that you know about this stipulation?”

“I have no idea.” He shook his head. “Beth, I’m with different women every week. I party with Luke every other night. Does that sound like someone who can take care of a family? Does it? I don’t know how to take care of anyone, except for myself, nor do I want to. I don’t know what to do.” He placed his head back down in his arms on top of the bar.

“It’s okay, Kent. Everything is going to be okay, I promise.” I wrapped my arms around his waist again and placed my head on his back as he continued to face the bar. “I wish I could help you,” I whispered. “It’ll be okay. Everything will be fine.”

He sat in silence as I kept my head on his back, rubbing my hands up and down his arms.

After a few minutes of silence, his head shot up to turn and look at me. With wide eyes, he squared his shoulders, faced my direction and placed both hands on my shoulders. “Beth…” he whispered. “Beth, you’re a genius. You can help me.” He stared at me like I was the air he needed to breathe.

My eyes now mimicked his, wide and questioning.

“Marry me, Beth.”

I slowly took in what he’d said, considering his words, the words that had left his mouth. My lips turned from a smirk to a full-on smile. He was still holding my shoulders when I started giggling. Then, it transformed to full-blown howling laughter.

Kent’s hands left my shoulders, and I used my hand to wipe my eyes.

“I’m glad you are laughing at my misfortune,” he said.

“I’m laughing because you are freaking hilarious, seriously hilarious,” I said, while my one hand clutched my stomach in uncontained laughter.

“I’m serious, Beth. You said you wanted to help me. This is how you can help.”

“No.” My laughter was dying down, but a smile still remained on my face.

“Beth, this is life and death for me. This is perfect. You are my best friend. I can’t do this with anyone else. Anyone else is going to want more than I can give. This would strictly be on paper, nothing else. We can have rules. You can even dictate the rules. It’s perfect,” he said as he leaned toward me.

“Perfect, except for the fact that we’re not in love. You’re crazy. I’m not marrying you.”

“Listen, Beth…” He paused. “We can make this work.” He paused again and furrowed his brow in concentration. “I’ll make you a deal. You marry me on paper alone, and once I have access to my trust fund, I will pay off your debts.” Both dimples emerged on his cheeks as if a light bulb had gone off in his head.

Before I had time to muster up a response, he continued, “Consider it a pact. You will marry me, so I can access my trust fund, and in return, I will pay off all your debts. I can clear your debts, Beth…all of it.” He smirked. “Marry me for money.”

I was stunned into silence, and he took it as an opportunity to continue.

“You can start with a clean slate. I know your debt is the only thing standing in between content Beth and truly happy Beth. When you are out of debt, you could start over. You could be successful at your great job and marry what’s-his-name. You could have the life you have always dreamed of. Marry me, Bethany Casse.”

I remained silent while contemplating it. I was seriously thinking of taking him up on his offer. Starting a new life without debt enticed me. The deal of a lifetime was being handed to me on a silver platter. Instantly, I felt guilty for even entertaining the idea.

“I don’t know, Kent. How would it even work?”

His lips turned upward. “It would work. I will make it work. Marry me, and we can live our lives as we do now. We just have to make everyone else believe we are together. I can be discreet, and no one at work knows you are dating what’s-his-name, right?”

“Kent, his name is Brian. You met him yesterday,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Do this, and I can get you out of debt. Then, you can live your happily ever after with Brian. Say you’ll marry me, Beth.” Getting off his bar stool, he bent down on one knee.

I immediately pulled him up. “Stop it. Get up.” I scanned the area to see if anyone was staring at us and gave him a deadpan look. “I don’t know. It’s the ultimate lie. I’m the worst liar, and I don’t have a poker face.”

“Think of it as acting—just in front of my parents. After a month, we can get a divorce, and you get your money. Then, everything will be as it was. Think about it. I can picture it.” He looked past the bar, raising his hand in exaggeration. “I’d be dating a successful, beautiful woman who my parents adore and we’d get married in an extravagant ceremony. One month down the line, I’d have an affair with a busty blonde. It would be typical. No one would be surprised. We’d both leave the situation the same—you, an angel, and me, the spoiled playboy. The only difference is that I’ll have access to my trust fund, and you’ll be out of debt. It’s win-win.” He smirked. He pinched both of my cheeks as if I were a small child. “Come on.”