Page 9 of I Almost Do

Finally, he says, “The best thing to do is ignore them. It'll blow over. We'll know why we're getting married. That's all that matters. To the outside world, we’ll be like every other married couple. Eventually, we'll be too boring for them to bother speculating about."

For a moment, I consider letting my next question go. I’m marrying him for Dad, not for me. But this is my future. And there are things I need to know. Things that are none of my father’s business.

James’s answers won’t change whether I marry him… but they’ll affect whether I stay married to him after Dad passes.

“Can we discuss this a little? Just so I understand what exactly to expect.”

His brows come together a little, and then he dips his chin. “Of course. Did you have a chance to read the prenup?”

I nod my head, very aware of his strong fingers still wrapped around my own. “Yes. But I wanted to talk about more… personal things,” I say haltingly.

“You want to manage expectations.”

That wasn’t exactly how I’d thought of it. But I like that wording. He makes the conversation we’re about to have sound businesslike. It's not based on emotion. It’s justmanaging expectations.

The idea steadies me a little. I’ve been in the background of enough of my father’s phone calls and meetings that, surely, I can emulate him in my first ever round of negotiations. “Yes.”

James is wearing his customary stern expression when he says, “It’s a good idea.”

I reach for my phone and pull up the notes app.

He lifts a single eyebrow, and I think I see a hint of approval in his eyes. “You are definitely your father’s daughter.”

At my wary look, he nods back down to my phone. “By all means, let’s put this action plan in writing.”

I type “Marriage Plan” at the top. “Okay.” I clear my throat. “You said we would be friends. Can you clarify that for me a little?”

“Platonic. We’ll spend time together. Provide a support system for each other. We can be each other's plus-one.”

Exactly what I thought. It’s not a bad idea to start out as friends first. We’ll need time to transition into him seeing me as something other than his friend’s daughter. I can accept that. I don’t expect it to take long once we’re living together. Unless…

“I just want to check that you aren’t, um, seeing anyone else?”

He shakes his head, frowning. “No.” The word is clipped.

I press my lips together and bob my head in a nervous nod. Heat washes up my neck and over my entire face. I’m pale and freckled. And now I’m blushing. Hard.

He’s watching me intently. “I’m not the kind of man who would ever, under any circumstance, fuck around on my wife.” he says.

James has never sworn in front of me before. He isn’t someone who would have done it accidentally. And something in his language feels oddly reassuring. He’s giving me a glimpse behind his polite mask, and he’s doing it because he understands that I needed to see exactly the level of disrespect he feels for anyone who is disloyal.

“Okay,” I manage a small smile as my shoulders loosen. “We’re faithful.”

I type in capital letters, NO CHEATING. “Do you have any requests for our plan?”

He stands up and wanders to the window, shoving his hands into his pockets. “We should speak to each other for at least half an hour every day, if possible. Ideally, we should attempt to have a meal together daily, as long as we’re in the same city at the time.”

“I agree.” I tap the words into our plan.

He loosens his tie and leans back against the wall, casual and relaxed. All slick negotiator. “I have another demand.”

“Demand away," I say, feeling more confident by the minute. This plan was a good idea. Everything he's said has turned out to be exactly what I needed to hear.

“I expect you to chase your dreams. You have your whole life ahead of you. This marriage isn’t here to hold you back. My only expectation is for you to be reasonably safe when you do. Don’t be reckless.”

I type, DON’T BE RECKLESS and CHASE OUR DREAMS.

I nod and put my left hand out, waiting for him to place the ring on my finger.

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