Page 14 of Be My Wife

Just then, the waiter arrives with our drinks. We pause long enough for the prim and proper sommelier to fill our glasses. When he leaves, our table falls into awkward silence.

Elizabeth swirls the wine around and around in her glass.

I know she heard my last statement, but she’s not asking me about it or bringing it up.

“You know,” she says thoughtfully, “when I was getting ready for tonight I was really nervous.” She shrugs. “But I’m not sure if the fact that we’ve met before makes me feel better or worse.”

“Why would it make you feel worse?”

“To be honest, I lied to the matchmakers.”

My eyebrow arches.

“I don’t want a relationship.”

“Then…?”

“My cousin’s getting married.” Her brown eyes fall softly to the table. “For once, I wanted my family to shut up about me being single so I intended to ask my date,” her gaze lifts to mine, “well you, if you’d be okay… um… just going with me.”

“You went to all that trouble for one date?”

“And a cake tasting.” She winces.

“Hm.”

She tilts the wine to her lips. Sips nervously. “What about you? What did you go to all this trouble for?”

“A wife.”

She chokes on her wine.

I offer my napkin.

She rejects it and takes her own. Dabbing at her chin, she glances at me, thick eyelashes fluttering. “A wife?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, it’s nice to meet a man who knows what he wants.” She rolls her eyes. “Guys these days are only interested in ‘talking’ or hooking up. There’s no end goal. Not that I want one, mind you. It’s just… frustrating when you’re trying to make a real connection.”

“This connection wouldn’t be real,” I say slowly, gauging her reaction.

“No?”

I decide to be upfront. “My grandmother left me an inheritance that I’m to access on my thirty-fifth birthday.”

“Okay…”

“But she added a stipulation.” I pause. “Marriage.”

Elizabeth still looks confused.

“I need a marriage of convenience.” Staring her dead in the eyes, I say, “I need a wife by tomorrow.”

Four

Elizabeth

I need a wife by tomorrow.

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