“Hey, man, come on in. Have a seat.” Maverick gets up from the desk and greets me with a one-armed hug before guiding me to the sofa that’s lined up with another large bookshelf.
They really love their books here.
“Want anything to drink?” he asks.
“No, thanks. I just had a coffee at CeCe’s place.”
Maverick pauses the sip of water he was about to take and eyes me hard. “Her apartment?”
Rolling my eyes, I clarify. “Neutral Grounds.”
“Oh, right.” His body relaxes and I almost feel guilty knowing he’s just going to tense right up again when I tell him my plan.
“So, what’s up? Have you thought about your grandfather’s will?” Thank you, Maverick, for never being one to beat around the bush.
“I have and that’s what I want to talk to you about.”
“You know anything I can do to help, I will.” Maverick’s sincerity and always being willing to step in and lend a helping hand is one of the things I admire most about my best friend. Too bad he’s about to lose his shit and regret his words.
“I know and I appreciate that, but before I tell you my plan, I need you to promise to listen first, react second. Can you do that?”
He slumps back in his seat. “Aww, fuck, man. What did you do?”
“Nothing… yet. It’s what I’m going to do that you’ll hate, but just hear me out, okay?”
His expression tells me he’ll listen but he’s already bracing himself for whatever I’m about to say.
“Keep an open mind,” I warn.
“Okay, fine. Lay it on me.”
“I’m going to marry CeCe.” I allow my statement to fill the room and I’m a bit surprised I don’t waiver in my delivery. My confidence in what we’re planning is strong.
“Yeah, right,” Mav guffaws, rolling his eyes. “Very funny. Now, tell me what you’re really up to, man. I should’ve known you’d try to pull that shit over on me…Carys said CeCe had a lot to drink last night…”
He drifts off as his expression goes slack in realization.
“That’s the real plan,” I reiterate. “CeCe and I are going to be married and soon.”
“Do we know another CeCe? Because there’s no fucking way CeCe Calhoun—a sober CeCe Calhoun—agreed to marry you. Not in this lifetime, anyway.”
“It was her idea.”
Technically, if we’re taking her drunk proposal off the table, it was my idea, but I know Maverick isn’t going to be keen on this plan of mine, so I’m willing to stretch the truth a little. Whatever closes the deal.
“She was joking! And drunk! You can’t hold her to something like that.”
“I’m not holding her to anything. So stop acting like she’s some innocent victim who can’t take care of herself.” Whoa. Did I just come to her defense? Where did that come from? Sighing, I continue, trying to be as calm and collected as possible. “We just talked. We’re meeting up sometime tomorrow to hash out the details, but it’s as good as done.”
That’s probably a little more confidence than I should possess at this point. She said she’d consider it. But I’m nothing if not confident, even when I shouldn’t be.
“No.” He stands up and starts pacing. “No fucking way. There’s no way I’ll allow this. Are you both stupid? What are you thinking exactly, because this makes no sense?”
I ignore his question regarding our intelligence for the time being. “It makes perfect sense, so sit down and let me explain. You promised you’d keep an open mind.”
He mumbles something under his breath as he falls back into his chair, pinning me with that fucking Kensington glare. If I really wanted to piss him off, I’d tell him he looks like his father, but I don’t have a death wish. So, I rationally explain the situation.
“First and foremost, CeCe and I are both business people and that’s why this arrangement works so well. We’ll get married and stay that way for a year. I’ll receive my inheritance and I’ll give her a small portion of it. Then, we’ll be free to divorce and go our separate ways. Amicably. We’ll both be able to use the money to improve our businesses or however the hell we want. It’s as simple as that.”
“Simple? You think marriage is simple?”
His humorless laugh makes my hackles raise.
“It is when love’s not involved,” I seethe, pissed that he can’t just see things my way and fucking be in agreement with this. “There are no feelings between CeCe and I, which ensures this remains a business transaction.”
“I see,” he says after a few long seconds. “What about sex?”
His question catches me off guard. We’ve been best friends for years and have often participated in normal locker room-type banter regarding girls we’ve not been serious about but I’ve never mentioned my weekend with CeCe to him.
“Sex is good.”
He’s not amused. “Will you be having sex with her?”
“That’s between me and my future wife, isn’t it?” I goad him. “Come on, Mav. What do you want me to say? That I won’t be sleeping with her or that I will? Which option would make you happy?”
“That you won’t be sleeping with her and that this marriage idea is a joke you’re not really planning on seeing through!” Shit, his jaw is twitching. He’s really pissed.
“Why are you so against this?”
He gives me an exasperated look. “Because it’s fucking ridiculous! CeCe is my friend. She’s best friends with the love of my life. And you’re my best friend, and even though you think marriage is just another business transaction, I think deep down you have a real heart in there, somewhere. Playing this game with her will only end badly. How do you not see that?”
“It’s a year, for fuck’s sake, and it’s just a piece of paper I have to have to get the money left to me—a means to an end. Besides, I’m not CeCe’s favorite person, so it’s not like we’ll be spending a lot of time together. We just have to convince my parents this is real and then go on with our lives. Trust me, Mav, the only way this can end badly is if feelings were involved, but they’re not.”
He doesn’t look convinced but I think he realizes his complaints aren’t changing my mind. After a few more seconds of seething and glaring, he breaks the silence. “If you hurt her in any way, I’ll kick your ass.”
“Duly noted.”
“And then I’ll let Carys kick your ass.”
Okay, that scares me, I can’t lie.
We both sit in silence, letting the dust from our disagreement settle, neither one of us knowing what to say next.
The thing is, I need Maverick on board with this. I need his support, even if he doesn’t agree or understand. I don’t have anyone else in my life rooting for me, which is why some of the decisions I make seem so fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants. I go with my gut because it’s all I have.
“Look, I know this situation isn’t ideal for either CeCe or myself, but it’s the best option I have. The only one I have. I can’t marry someone my parents want me to and you know that. Wouldn’t you rather I, at least, marry someone I know rather than taking an ad out in the local paper or doing one of those stupid dating shows on TV?” I wait for a second, not expecting a response but hoping for a change in demeanor, when I don’t get one, I continue. “I promise, CeCe is on board with this and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she comes out ahead when this is all said and done. She still has plenty of time to marry for love.”