Page 74 of The Rejected Wife

I stay silent.

"Was it the wedding bouquet? Did it remind you of the possible outcome of your deliberation."

When I don’t say anything, she takes it as assent.

"I assume, you’re no closer to making your decision?"

“I’ve been reading through my self-help books, trying to get guidance on making this decision. But so far none of the strategies they’ve suggested have helped.” I shake my head, feeling defeated.

"It’s understandable." Harper walks over to bracket me from the other side. "This is for the rest of your life, after all." Harper hesitates. "It is, isn’t it?"

"Well…" I keep walking. "Itisa marriage of convenience. This way, he gets to fulfill his grandfather’s requirements that he get married, and I get to be in Serene’s life. And of course, marrying him means I never have to worry about paying a bill for the rest of my life.”

"These Davenports sure do love their marriages of convenience. Why can’t one of them keep things simple and come right out and say they love the woman and want to marry her and woo her?" Grace grumbles.

"What do you mean?" I glance her way. "Did his other brothers have similar arrangements with their wives before they got married?"

"Nathan and Skylar, then Quentin and Vivian, not to mention Knox and June, and recently, Princess Aurelia and Ryot. All their marriages started as an 'arrangement.'" She uses air quotes. "We’ve had a ringside view of their love stories. And they are love stories," Grace concedes. "They are, all of them, sickeningly in love—despite how they started out."

"Hmm…" I stop in front of a florist selling gardenias. I can’t stop myself from purchasing a bunch. I slide them into my bag, and we inch forward. “Did all of them also decline to have a prenup before they married their wives?”

Silence descends. I glance around to find them watching me with expressions that vary from curiosity to surprise to downright disbelief.

“Bish, is that what he said? No prenup?” Grace finally asks.

“Umm. Yes? And he kept insisting the marriage is for real. Which I suppose it is. I mean the ring is definitely real, right?” I stare at it again, and sigh.

“Did he put a timeline on this marriage at all?” Zoey tilts her head.

“Nope. By all accounts the proposal is genuine.”

“So, the man insists he wants to marry you for keeps. And that there’s no prenup?” Grace blinks.

“Yeah, it seems too good to be true, right?”

She searches my face. “Is that what you think? That it all feels too good? You do have feelings for this guy don’t you?”

I nod. “But he hasn’t said he loves me. Not yet, at least.”

“Men.” She rolls her eyes. “They wouldn’t know love if it bit them in the arse. You know that, right? Not that I’m pushing you to marry him or anything, but by all accounts, it seems to me, he really wants to marry you. I mean, the timing is a little inconvenient, because he needs to marry to inherit, but other that”—she shrugs—“it seems like he really means what he said.”

"Maybe you should flip a coin? It’s as good a way to decide as any." Harper offers.

Zoey looks at her in surprise. "I would not have guessed for you to be this…flippant?"

“Cute.” She snorts. "When I’m faced with a choice, I’m often paralyzed, I find a coin has often helped me make a choice which, in retrospect, has always proved right." She pulls a coin from her purse and holds it out. "Want me to toss?"

I stare at it in fascination. I’m tired of going around in circles. Of having my thoughts loop in on themselves. Of feeling like I’m in stasis. I need to make a choice soon… May as well be by tossing a coin.

"Do it." I nod.

"Heads, you marry him. Tails, you…walk away?"

"Tails, I walk away from his life. And being nanny to Serene," I say slowly.

"Does it have to be all or nothing?" Zoey frowns.

"Of course, she can’t stay there if she has feelings for him and the little girl, and then, she has to watch some other woman take her place," Harper bursts out, then reddens. "Sorry, didn’t mean to phrase it like that and make you feel like you’re caught in a bind."

---