She felt disappointed in herself for actually considering this, but getting the money for her business was more than a little tempting.
“That’s what I want,” he said. “What about you?”
“Do you have a lawyer?”
“I know a guy.”
“And we can meet with him and discuss terms before I decide?”
“Absolutely.” There was obvious excitement in his voice.
“I’m not saying this is happening. I’m saying I want to talk.”
“Duly noted.”
“I must be out of my mind.” She shook her head.
“So we do have something in common.”
Merritt felt oddly calm as she sat in the office of Rex Redman, well-known attorney to the stars, and listened to Gus tell this stranger that he wanted to marry her on paper only. Rex sat at his desk with a legal pad before him, scribbling notes as Gus explained how they were looking at this as a business agreement and needed a contract spelling out all the terms.
The man didn’t bat an eyelash. Merritt was sure he’d heard his share of strange requests for legal representation in Hollywood. Their little fake marriage was probably not surprising to him in the least.
Merritt glanced around the office while they talked. The wall behind Rex was plastered with credentials and accolades, so while he reminded her a little of a slimy lawyer on a television show, she didn’t doubt that he knew what he was doing and was successful in his field.
“Let’s go over all the specificities,” Rex said as he looked between her and Gus. “You both agree this will be a legal marriage, lasting a duration of one year.”
“Yes,” they both said.
“Will you live together or separately?”
“Separate,” Merritt said at the same time Gus said, “Together.”
Her eyes shot to his. “You expect us to live together?”
“That’s what married people do.” He looked at her searchingly.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t want to live with you.”
“The house is big. We won’t even have to see each other.”
“What house?” she asked.
“My family’s home in Malibu. It’s up on the canyon near Adelia’s.”
“If you have a house in Malibu, why are you living with Adelia?”
“Like I said, the house is big. It’s lonely there.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t like this idea. At all.”
His eyes narrowed. “How will my family believe this is real if we don’t live together?”
Though she hated to admit it, he was right. “Fine. But I want a room on the opposite side of the house from you. And I want to be able to come and go whenever I want. If I want to have people over, I want the freedom to do that.”
“People?” He gave her a pointed look. “As in men?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You can’t bring men home, Merritt.”
She didn’t actually plan to, but she didn’t want to put her whole life on hold if she didn’t have to. “Before, when I asked what if I met someone, you said I could take a lover on the side, remember?” She smirked.
He didn’t seem to find that amusing. “That was a joke.”
“Well, what if I meet the one while we’re married?”
He snorted, but she ignored it.
“What am I supposed to do? Tell him about our situation and ask him to wait for me?”
“Yes.”
“Yes?”
“This is part of the price of getting what you want.”
She stood and paced back and forth as she thought about it. “And you don’t get to bring women home either.”
He chuckled, and her eyes darted to his.
“Of course not, Merritt. I’m all yours.”
She ignored the hint of flirtatiousness in his voice. “All right. I agree to live with you in your house in Malibu.”
“And go home to Michigan with me if I need you to.”
“I’d rather not.”
He looked at her curiously. “Why not?”
“Personal reasons.”
“Well, that’s where my family lives, so …”
She dropped into the seat beside him again. “Fine.” She couldn’t hide the exasperation in her voice. If she went to Michigan, she would have to visit her parents, and she didn’t want to do that with a fake husband in tow.
“And my brother’s wedding is in Montana next month. I need you to go with me.”
The thought of meeting his family made her nervous. They were the Schultz family, after all. Their company was huge, and she was more than a little intimidated at the thought of meeting them. “Okay,” she managed.
“Thank you,” he replied.
“What about payment?” she asked. “I’m not doing this for free.”
Gus laughed. “I know that. You’ll get it in three installments.”
She didn’t like that at all. “Why?”
“I’m not giving you all the money before I get what I want out of this deal. No way. A third of it will be deposited into your account the moment we say ‘I do’. The second payment will be at six months.” He put his arm around her and pulled her into his side. “And you’ll get the rest when we celebrate our one-year anniversary.”
“You mean when we sign the divorce papers.” She pushed him away.
He dropped his arm and nodded. “Exactly.”
She wished she had all the money up-front, but she understood where he was coming from. “I agree to your terms.”
“Good.” He was looking at her with a little too much sparkle in his eyes, and she turned to Rex.
“Can we add some language stating that I am not expected to fulfill the usual … duties of a wife …” She hated this conversation. “In the bedroom.”
Gus chuckled, and she narrowed her eyes at him.
“Of course, Miss Christianson,” Rex replied. “I will add a section regarding no consummation of the marriage.”
“Thank you.”
“We will also be including standard prenuptial agreement language per Mr. Schultz’s request,” Rex stated.
She looked over at Gus, then back at Rex.
“The agreement states that when you divorce, you will have no claim to any of Mr. Schultz’s finances, except that which is spelled out and agreed upon in the marriage agreement.”
“You think I’d go after more of your money?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “We barely know each other. I don’t know what you’re capable of.”
She remembered him saying that on the road near Adelia’s house that night, and it annoyed her. But he wasn’t wrong. They had barely spoken a civil word since they’d met. They were basically strangers. If he wasn’t a close friend of Adelia’s, she definitely wouldn’t be going through with this.
A thought occurred to her. “I’d like to add that the money I receive will be used as I see fit, and Gus will have no controlling interest in my company.”
Rex looked at Gus, who gave him a nod of agreement.
“Very well.”