Page 10 of Unsteady in Love

“He doesn’t live here?”

“Not right now. He lives in LA where he shoots his show, but I guess he’ll be moving here this summer.”

“It’s pretty cool that you know a movie star,” he grumbled. It was obvious he didn’t think it was cool at all.

“I don’t really know him. The other day was the first time I met him. I only know what Alex has told me, but she is head over heels in love with him.” I sighed wistfully. One day, I wanted what Alex and Luke had. I didn’t want to be alone forever.

Taking a bite out of my chicken parmigiana, I closed my eyes. Damn, this place made good food. Now I knew why Alex came as often as she did. I could eat this every day.

“I want you to marry me,” Holden blurted out of nowhere.

5

PRUE

Wait!What?

I coughed and choked on my food almost spitting it across the table. “What?” I gasped out. Surely, I’d heard him wrong.

“I want you to marry me.”

“Are you out of your mind?” I sputtered. “Did you get hit by something radioactive while you’ve been gone?”

“No,” he laughed. “Just hear me out. I think I have a solution to both our problems.”

Oh, how romantic.

“Don’t give me that look. Listen, I saw the bills yesterday. I know you’re drowning in debt, and I also know that I’m not your favorite person right now, but if we got married, then I could get my inheritance and pay off all your debt. I’ll let you buy any house of your choosing, and then when we get divorced, you can have the house.” He shrugged.

He fucking shrugged. Hey, let’s get married and divorced. How lovely.

“Divorced?” I asked with a curl of my upper lip.

“Stay married to me for two years. When I get out of the military and come home, you can file for divorce. You get the house, and I don’t know…” He shrugged. Again. “A million dollars for your trouble.”

How much money was he getting from this inheritance of his?

“That’s a lot, Holden. If you want your money, surely you can find someone who will marry you and agree to those terms. You don’t need me.”

“But I want you. I want to help you. I need to help you after what I put you through. You deserve it.”

The sincerity that radiated off him blew my mind away. Holden was serious. He wanted to marry me, pay off my debt, buy me a house, and give me a million dollars. And in two years get divorced.

“You won’t have to work if you don’t want to. I’ll pay all the bills. What more can you ask for?”

I want the first time a man asks me to marry him to be for love and not money. To be married for love and not convenience.

“Holden,” I choked out his name trying my best not to cry. “How many times do you plan on getting married? You should marry for love, not to get your money.”

Holden’s face turned to stone, but he couldn’t hide the emotion that played out in his eyes. Before I could try to read what he could possibly be feeling, Holden leaned back, and his face fell back into shadow.

“Let me do this for you. I’ll be out of your hair in a couple of days and won’t be back for almost a year.”

“You would want to do this before you leave?” I shrieked and then clamped my mouth closed when everyone in the restaurant turned to look at me. “Sorry. Carry on,” I dismissed them, blushing.

“If we wait until I get back, it wouldn’t help you,” he said as calmly as if he were discussing the weather.

“What about your parents? Can’t they contest your inheritance if you marry me?” I stuttered out, grasping at straws.

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