Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 151044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
“Hale’s home. I have to go.”
“Have a safe trip to New York. Text me when you land.”
“I will. Bye.” I tossed my phone under the covers and stared at the door, waiting for Hale to appear. When he didn’t, I frowned and climbed out of bed. At the top of the stairs, I heard him listening to something on his phone.
I tiptoed down and paused at the landing when I saw him sitting on the couch. “Hale.”
He seemed to purposely avoid looking at me. “I’m tired, Rayne.”
His rejection hit like a bullet to the chest. “Are you coming to bed?”
He sighed and shut off his phone, dousing the house in silence.
I waited several seconds for him to move or speak, but he stayed quiet.
“Hale, I never should have said what I said. I’m sorry.”
His head shook, but he didn’t look at me. He just stayed seated on the couch. “Have I ever made an issue out of your financial circumstances?”
My stomach twisted with guilt and shame. “No.”
“No. And have I ever bitched about taking care of things?”
“No.”
“So why would you assume I—”
“I saw the prenup.” The air chilled and when he didn’t respond, I further explained. “I wasn’t snooping. It was in your drawer. I saw it when I was getting your suit together for the photoshoot.”
His head lowered and his shoulders lifted with a deep sigh.
“Why do you have that, Hale? And why were you hiding it in your closet of all places.”
“I wasn’t hiding it.”
“Because you normally keep important files in your sock drawer. Come on, Hale.”
“Fine. Maybe I was. But only because I…” He hesitated. “Maybe I was hiding it from myself.”
“Do you think I’m after your money—”
“No, I don’t think that.”
“Then why—”
“I don’t have a say in it, Rayne.”
I drew back. “What?”
He shook his head. “There are trusts of mine that have certain bylaws I can’t override.”
“Trusts from Remington?”
“Who else?”
So Remington knew about the prenup. I wasn’t surprised, but I thought assuming as much would make it hurt less.
“Do you want me to sign it?”
His fingers raked through his hair. “I know you’re not marrying me for my money, Rayne.”
A tear tripped down my cheek. That wasn’t exactly a no.
Stepping into the living room, I went to the table and pulled open a drawer and found a pen. Having a healthy relationship meant full transparency, even when the reality hurt.
“I hate when there’s secrets between us, Hale. I’ll sign whatever you need me to sign.”
“Put that away.”
“If it’s because of Remington, then it’s because of Remington. I believe you.” Why was he looking at me like that? “That’s what it is, right?”
The longer he hesitated the harder it became to guess what he was thinking. Did he really have a problem with the prenup or did he think it was a sound contract with unfortunate side effects? A take your medicine and get over the bad taste so we can move on situation?
I honestly wasn’t sure if I wanted to know his feelings now that we were staring this in the face. It was easier to blame Remington. At least then it wouldn’t reflect a lack of trust on our part.
“I don’t want to fight, Hale. Today was perfect and I hate that I ruined it. Do you want me to go get it?”
“It’s not here.”
“Where is it?”
“My lawyer’s working on it.”
“With Remington?”
He shook his head again. “Not yet. We’re looking for loopholes.”
Knowing Remington, he wouldn’t find any. “It’s okay—”
“No, it’s not,” he snapped, then sighed. “I hid it from you because I know you love him.”
He was hiding it to protect my feelings for Remington? The ache in my chest spread.
Hale spent most days trying to disentangle his life from his father’s. My business association and love for the man created an obstacle that complicated his exit plans. While Hale tolerated our bond, I knew he’d prefer it if I cut ties, but he would never ask that of me.
Hale could have used this to prove how cold and manipulative Remington could be, but he hadn’t. Instead, he tried to shield me from any pain his father might cause.
I lowered into the club chair. Remington didn’t draw this up to hurt me. Chances were it was drawn up long before he even knew of my existence. When it came into play, he might have hesitated to consider the impact, but he would have done the necessary thing in his eyes and left emotion out of it.
I could almost hear him saying, Marriage is a business deal, Meyers. It has nothing to do with love. Somehow, that made this feel less personal.
“He won’t budge on it,” I said, trying to view it through the eyes of a businesswoman.
When a man like Remington Davenport drew up a contract, he made sure it was according to his terms and legally binding from all angles. His legacy was for his children and his children alone, not even his wives got a piece of what he had earmarked for them. I would be no different.