by E. L. Todd
He nodded. “Then I guess it’s okay.”
I felt like a dick for even saying this out loud. “I need to ask Carson to sign a prenup. How do you think she’ll react?”
Both of his eyebrows jumped up on his face. “That’s it? That’s what you’re worried about?”
“It’s a pretty controversial subject.”
“Not to Carson. She’ll totally understand. She won’t even think twice about it.”
“But asking her to do that implies two things. One, I think there’s a chance we won’t stay together forever. And two, I think she’s going to steal all my money. That’s not exactly romantic and how I want to start this relationship. It’s not even a relationship—it’s a marriage.”
“I get what you’re saying, but Carson won’t see it that way. She understands it’s just business. She’s around people like this all the time, she gets it. Since she couldn’t care less about your money, she’s not going to hesitate to sign. She knows what you’ve been through already. You’re overthinking it, man.”
The weight left my shoulders, and I felt a million times lighter. If it were just me, I might not do the prenup, but the fact that it affected my sister made me feel differently. By not asking Carson to sign it, I felt like it was a declaration of my love for her, that after what Rose did to me, I completely trusted her. It was a testament to what we had. I felt like shit that I couldn’t give that to her, that I couldn’t prove my love in a really powerful way.
“Do you feel better?”
I nodded.
“Good. When she and Evan got divorced, she didn’t take any of his money. He wasn’t a billionaire, but he had quite a bit of assets. She just doesn’t think that way. That’s not who she is.”
“I know. That’s why I didn’t want to ask her to sign anything—because I trust her implicitly.”
He shrugged. “You’ve got a lot of assets to protect, not to mention the runaround Rose gave you before. Asking Carson to waive her rights to your wealth is not ridiculous. Don’t stress about it. It’s not going to affect your relationship at all.”
I nodded before I finally took a drink of my beer. “You’re right. She will understand.”
“She’ll totally understand. With absolutely no resentment.”
I nodded again.
“Now go back to being ridiculously happy. I prefer you better when you have a stupid smile on your face.”
I released a light chuckle, my body relaxing now that the subject changed. “You have the same stupid smile too, you know.”
“Oh, I do know. It’s nice.”
“How’s the apartment?”
“Even nicer.” He grinned before he took a drink of his beer. “It’s nice to have my own space. Denise is her sister, so it’s best to keep those two separate.”
“Yeah.”
“But I think tomorrow I’m going to try to talk to Kat again.”
Honestly, I’d forgotten about her. I was so happy with Carson that Kat wasn’t on my mind. Carson seemed happy too, like she hadn’t been thinking about the situation either. “Do you think that’ll do any good?”
“I have to try. I think if she knew that Carson was engaged, she might feel differently. Girls get emotional over stuff like that.”
“That’s true.”
“And if she does nothing, I just won’t mention it to Carson. But hopefully it’ll make a difference.”
I had all the money in the world, so I could give Carson anything she wanted. But I was powerless to give her the one thing that actually mattered to her.
Hopefully Charlie could. “Good luck.”
“Thanks. I’m going to need it.”
20
Charlie
When I arrived at her doorstep, I felt helpless. The whole thing seemed pointless, so I’d already accepted the defeat. But I had to try anyway.
For Carson.
I knocked on the door loudly and waited.
Her movements were audible in the apartment, her bare feet thudding against the rug and then turning silent when she was in front of the door.
I wondered if she would just walk away and ignore me.
She opened it.
She kept her hand on the door as she stared at me, not nearly as angry as she was when she spotted us in the bar last week. Maybe some time had cooled her off, and now she was just in pain. “What do you want?”
“To talk to you, if that’s okay.”
“I don’t know what there is to say, Charlie. You and Denise are happy together, and that’s fine. I really don’t want to talk about it for an hour.”
Now that I was finally with Denise and I was really happy, it dispelled my regret about meeting Denise when she moved here. However, it did make me regret being with Kat in the first place. While Kat was important to me and I loved her, I never felt with her what I did with Denise.
Denise would be my wife…someday.
But I would never tell Kat that. “I understand things are complicated now and it’s difficult for you. But we are all still friends if you want to be. You have to take that chance now because it may not come again.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, becoming guarded.
“You’re important to all of us, and we want you back in our lives. You haven’t been replaced. You haven’t been forgotten. But we also can’t change what happened. We can never make it better. And we’re gonna eventually stop trying.”
She dropped her gaze.
“I’m not going to come back here again and try to talk you into coming back. Carson isn’t going to come either. We can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do, and if that’s how you really feel, I don’t know what we can do to change it.”
“So, you came here to tell me this is my last chance?”
I shook my head. “No. I came here to tell you that Dax and Carson are engaged.”
She quickly lifted her chin and looked at me, the emotional response undeniable.
“Carson is really happy, and I know she would be even happier if you were there for her right now. We’re moving on with our lives, and you’re going to miss it if you stay away. I don’t know if that changes anything, but I thought you should know. Carson has always been there for you, and now it’s time for you to be there for her and celebrate this moment with all of us.”
She seemed to have been struck speechless because she didn’t say anything. Her hand rubbed her other arm as she digested the news that her former best friend was getting married.
“We’re going to do something simple for the ceremony in about a month. I know it would mean a lot to Carson if you were there. But if you aren’t there, I don’t think anything will ever be the same again. So if you still value your friendships and are willing to push through everything, this is the time. You’re on the clock.”
21
Carson
It was a big change, going from my apartment to a penthouse.
But it didn’t feel weird because I already spent a lot of time there. Whenever I came home and he wasn’t home from work, I didn’t feel like I was in his space, but my space.
Our space.
I raided the fridge and made a snack and sat with my computer at the dining table. I was definitely cleaner and more organized than I used to be because I wanted to respect his space and our relationship. But maybe in a few years, I would go back to my old ways.
I handed all my paperwork and information about Kerosene Pharmaceuticals back to Vince so he could give it to a different reporter. It was a little hard to give up all my research, but I knew I was doing it for a good reason.
It didn’t feel like a sacrifice, but rather a compromise.
Besides, my new assignment was still interesting. I would interview celebrities and influential people, write editorial pieces that exposed people on a deeper level. It had nothing to do with crime or scandals, but it was still a respectable line of work.
I was grateful.
And I would still get to see Charlie every day
, so that was a plus.
Now that there wasn’t so much urgency to do research, my mind wandered, and I looked at wedding dresses online.
The elevator beeped before the doors opened, and Dax walked inside wearing his suit. He had a satchel over his shoulder with his laptop and paperwork. Tall, strong, and sexy, he looked like a powerhouse in that suit.
Seeing that man every day I came home from work was not a bad way to live my life.
His eyes softened when he looked at me at the dining table. “This is nice.” He approached the table as he slid his hands into his pockets. “Seeing you right when I walk in the door.”
“I feel the same way.”
He leaned down and kissed me, giving me seductive and slow kisses that made my body melt. He straightened before he pulled out the chair and took the seat beside me. “How was your day?”
“Good. I told Vince I wanted to be reassigned.”
He gave a slight nod but didn’t look surprised. “And you’re okay with that?”
I nodded. “My first interview is with the prime minister of France, so not bad.” I turned my open laptop so he could see my web browser. “I got kind of distracted, but I’ll get back to work eventually.” I closed it and pushed it aside.
He smiled with those dark eyes instead of his lips. “That makes me happy.”
“The lingerie I pick out will make you happy too.”
Now he did grin with his lips. “I’m sure it will.”
“And how was your day, honey?” I spoke to him like a doting wife.
He moved his hands to the surface of the table and then interlocked his fingers, displaying his expensive watch. “It was okay. I told Renee.”
“Judging from your tone, it doesn’t sound like a happy announcement.” Yes, I wanted his sister to like me, but I wouldn’t lose sleep if she didn’t.
He stared out the window for a few seconds before he turned to me. “I don’t want to have this conversation at all, especially so quickly into this engagement. But since you want to get married within a month, we should talk about it.”
“Okay…”
He sighed before he looked at me again. “I need you to sign a prenup. Is that a problem?”
I narrowed my eyes at the question. “I already assumed that I would.” I knew all the shit Rose had put him through, and since I wasn’t a gold digger, I couldn’t care less about waiving my rights to his wealth.
His neck suddenly stopped looking so tight, like this had been stressing him out all day. “I’m sorry I even have to ask you this…”
“Don’t be.” My hand moved to his wrist, and I gave him a squeeze. “I don’t take it personally. I’m happy to sign it. Because I want to marry you—not your wallet.”
The look he gave me was indescribable, like no one had ever said anything that affected him so deeply. There was affection and love, but something even deeper than that. His hand moved to mine, and he gave it a squeeze in return. “I love you…so fucking much.”
When I left the office, I waved down a cab. When a taxi pulled over, I opened the back door and took a seat.
There was someone already sitting next to the other window, a man I didn’t want to see. “Hey, Carson.” Simon Prescott was in a three-piece suit, much too large to be crammed into the back of that small taxi.
The driver didn’t pull away or ask for my address, so he was obviously paid to do what Simon told him to do.
My heart fluttered because I was caught off guard, but I gave him a cold stare like I was fearless and unaffected by the orchestrated visit. “How’s killing innocent people going?”
He didn’t react to my jab. “Business is good. Thanks for asking.”
The best way to control the situation was to behave like you were the one in power, even if you weren’t. So I took charge of the conversation, took the lead so he wouldn’t feel like he had me cornered. “How can I help you?”
“I wanted to commend you for making the right choice. Killing you would’ve been such a waste, and I’m so glad I didn’t have to.”
I didn’t know how he figured out so quickly that I’d stepped down, but my eyes narrowed in irritation because my decision had nothing to do with him or his threats. “I didn’t walk away because of you. Let’s get that straight. Your ego doesn’t need another boost.”
“There’s no shame in admitting you value your life more than an article.”
“Trust me, I would’ve chased you to the end of the earth if I didn’t have a more pressing obligation.”
“What obligation could possibly be more pressing than locking up an asshole like me?” He tilted his head as he regarded me, like my responses were truly interesting.
“Family.” I would have a husband soon enough, maybe a couple kids in a few years. I couldn’t risk my life anymore, not when I had someone who couldn’t live without me.
“Again, you made the right choice. I suggest you warn whoever takes your place.”
“Oh, I will.” I grabbed the handle and opened the door. “Goodbye, Simon.” I stepped out of the cab.
“Hopefully we’ll cross paths again…under better circumstances.”
I sat with Charlie in his cubicle, and we talked quietly so we wouldn’t interrupt anybody nearby. “He acted like he was ready for me to throw a hissy fit when he asked me to sign a prenup. I’m surprised he would assume I would have a problem with it.”
“I don’t think that’s what he assumed. He just wanted to make sure it wasn’t going to be a problem.”
“After everything that happened with his ex, I really can’t blame him. Even if that never happened at all, I still wouldn’t blame him.”
He shrugged. “It’s a delicate subject for a lot of people. I’m sure there are some partners who are really offended when they’re asked to sign one.”
“The only reason they should be offended is because they have less than pure intentions.”
“Maybe.”
I put my feet up on his desk and leaned back in my chair. “Guess who I saw yesterday?”
He shot a disgusted look at my shoes. “Do you mind?”
“My shoes are clean. Calm down.”
“You were walking all over Manhattan in those. Bullshit, they are clean.”
I rolled my eyes and put my feet back on the floor. “Simon Prescott.”
“What?” he asked in shock. “When?”
“Yesterday. I got into a taxi, and he was already sitting there.”
Charlie sat up in his chair and leaned forward so he could get closer to me, so he could lower his voice and I would still be able to hear. “What did he say to you?”
“That I’d made the right decision by abandoning the article. I corrected his assumption and told him I had other obligations that were more important.”
“How did he even know you weren’t on the story anymore?”
I shrugged. “No fucking idea. I warned Arthur about it, though. Told him not underestimate Simon.”
“Is he still going to take the assignment?”
“That’s what he said.”
Charlie sat back in his chair and propped his chin on his closed knuckles. His gaze drifted away as he considered everything I’d just said. Then he shifted his eyes back to me. “How do you feel about it?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve never been this harassed by the subject of an article before.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
“Normally, it would just make me go after him harder, but now that Dax and I are in this place in our lives, I realize his request wasn’t unreasonable. My line of work really is dangerous, and it’s smart for me to leave it behind.”
He nodded. “I agree.”
“I guess I feel pretty good about it. It’s the first time I really feel like I have a family. Evan was just a mistake, but this is real. It’s my priority now.”
“That’s a really mature way to look at it.”
My phone vibrated in my pocket with a call, so I quickly pulled it out to
make sure it wasn’t important.
Charlie kept talking. “You weren’t giving up anything by stepping aside. You’re preparing for your future—”
“Oh my god, shut up!” I shoved my hand over his lips and silenced the words before they left his mouth. “Kat is calling me.”
He pushed my arm down and leaned forward to look at my screen. “Jesus, it is her.”
“What do I do?” I held up the phone to him like I had no idea how to use it.
“Just answer it.”
“What if it’s a butt dial?”
“You won’t know unless you answer it, right?”
I finally took the call and pressed the phone to my ear. “Kat?”
After a long pause, she spoke. “Hey…can we talk?”
I sank into the chair across from her in the bar, unable to believe I was really looking at her in the flesh.
I just sat there, completely still, unable to believe she’d actually called.
She stared at me too, like she didn’t know what to say. She looked down at her hands a couple times and didn’t reach for her wineglass.
I could use some wine right now.
Kat glanced at my left hand where my engagement ring sat and looked back at me again. “Charlie told me that Dax proposed.”
From the second I’d put the ring on, I never took it off, and I’d gotten so used to wearing it that sometimes I forgot it was there. I turned my hand over so I could look at the ring. “Yeah. I moved in last weekend.”
“That’s so great…happy for you.”
“Thanks.”
She continued to stare at me, but she didn’t know what to say, where to start.
I don’t know what to say either. I’d already done everything I could to repair this friendship. It was up to her to accept my apology and move on…or not move on. “Wait, you talked to Charlie?”
She nodded. “He said I’d probably want to know that you’re getting married.”
He didn’t even tell me about it.