It’s not me the majority is voting for.
To make the deal sweeter, I point out what I’m sure she’s worried about for a long time now. “Look, I have great insurance. Your medicine will be a lot cheaper once you’re added to it. It’ll be affordable. You wouldn’t have to worry. It doesn’t have to be forever. Two years is a reasonable amount of time, especially in this climate. You’d be covered 100% without any of the concerns that you’re dealing with now.”
I can see the breakthrough in her clouded eyes as she takes in the offer. My brows go up as her lips part to answer, the anticipation building and hard to repress. “Garrick…”
My mouth goes dry hearing her say my name, something she hasn’t done often since I met her.
She sighs heavily. “You don’t even know my last name.”
I cock my head. “True, but I can’t say that necessarily matters in this type of situation considering it’ll be changed regardless.”
It’s clearly not the right thing to say, because her muffled disbelief rapidly changes to blatant irritation. “What if I want to keep my last name? Some men change their last names when they get married.”
“Is this your way of saying yes?” I ask hopefully, trying to gauge her reaction.
“That’s me saying that you can’t just assume I would go along with this crazy scheme of yours even if it is mutually beneficial.”
I stuff my hands into my pockets, wrapping my fingers around one of my Lifesavers. “What’s your last name, Rylee?”
A heavy breath escapes her. “Simmons.”
I look her over, matching the name to the person standing rigidly in front of me. Her shoulders are pulled back with caution and her eyes don’t leave my face despite mine roaming over her curves. It makes sense why Zayne was interested in her—she’s beautiful in a librarian kind of way, sans the glasses. Not too tall or too short, or too skinny, and doesn’t act like we’re gods walking the earth. Quiet but blunt when she needs to be, witty, and not afraid to call me out.
To put it simply, Rylee Simmons is refreshing. She’s the breath of fresh air I need right now, which is why I need her to say yes. “I need it to be you. You’ve never fawned over me or pretended to be somebody you’re not. In fact, you seem unimpressed by half the shit I say which is a change from my norm. It’s exciting, really. This’ll work, and we’ll both get something we need in the end.”
“It’s not…” Her eyes close as she steps away from me, giving me her back and letting her shoulders drop. Hands going to her hair and playing with the braid, she shakes her head. “I feel bad for even considering it because the idea of not having to worry about my medicine is a weight off my shoulders, but it’s not right.”
My footsteps are quiet as I approach her, lightly putting my hand on her shoulder to turn her back around. “Tell me why it’s wrong.”
When our eyes lock, the raw sadness coating her blue and brown orbs makes me frown. “Two years is a long time, but not long enough at the same time. Marriage is important to me, Garrick. It’s not something I ever thought I’d do more than once because when I’m committed to somebody, that’s it. I grew up in a household where we believed that getting married is sacred and we do it for love, not convenience. There’s no divorce and no escaping what you vowed to do. You’re asking me to go against those beliefs, and what’s worse is that you’re making me consider it as the best option I have right now. Like I should settle for this.”
I’ve always considered myself an empathetic person, and the pure hurt radiating from her is soaking into me like acid rain that I refuse to seek cover from. “Rylee…” How can I ask her to do this if she feels so strongly about her beliefs? “You should never settle for anything in life. If there’s one thing I grew up believing in, it’s that. I had to see my mother go through a hard time after she and my father divorced, and it wasn’t easy for any of us adjusting to the life she was rebuilding. I understand if I’m asking too much. But just know that if there’s anyone I’d want to do this with, it’s you, Rylee Lynne Simmons.”
A surprised laugh bubbles from her. “I’m not sure where you got Lynne from because that isn’t my middle name.”
I shrug. “Shot in the dark. It was that or Marie, but that didn’t feel right.”
An eyebrow quirks. “I don’t have a middle name, actually. My parents couldn’t decide on one, so they decided not to bother.”
Huh.
Her phone goes off, causing her attention to dart to her pocket where it rests. I watch as her hand fiddles with it before the sound stops, and when she doesn’t move or glance up at me, I wonder what she’s thinking.
I hear a faint sigh. “I’m not telling you no,” she finally says, eyes shyly peeking up through her lashes. “I need to think about it. If I…if we do this, there are going to be rules.”
“Agreed.”
She nods once. “We’ll have to get to know each other better. Fake marriage or not, I’d like to know the real person I’m changing my name for.”
The smirk spreads before I can stop it. “I take it you’re not that attached to Simmons then?”
Her lips flatten. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Matthews. I was pointing out that some traditions change over the years. Plus, I’m not the one who has millions of dollars’ worth of merchandise with my name on it. It’d be unfortunate if you had to change yours.”
Rylee has the brain and the beauty, not that the revelation is shocking. “You think on it and let me know.” I shoot her a wink and add, “You
