Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“I agree. I’m very happy with that amount.”
“Not that I’m hiring you.”
“I’m perfect, though. I’m cute, and your family will love me. Unless they’re homophobic.”
“They’re not.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“Even if some people discover they’re gay or bisexual later in life, I don’t know why my grandfather would buy it.”
I raised a brow. “So, you don’t think you could sell it? Because I sure as hell could.”
“You think you want this because you’re seeing dollar signs, but you haven’t thought it through,” he said. “It’s a year of your life we’re talking about. You’d have to move in with me and attend several family events. Plus, you couldn’t date anyone, because I’d be worried about it getting back to my grandfather.”
“I’d be sad about moving out of where I’m living. But if the ‘stipend’ part of this deal is enough to cover my rent, I can hold on to my room and go back when the year was up.”
“I was thinking a thousand dollars a month in cash to cover expenses for the duration of the agreement, if we were actually going to do this. Which we’re not.”
“That would cover it with plenty left over for me to live on. One thing—I have a dog and there’s no way I’m leaving him behind when I move in with you. Is that a problem?”
“I like dogs, but you’re not moving in.”
“Because I’m a guy?”
“Yes.”
“What if I dress up in drag? I’d make a very convincing girl.”
Bryson tossed his glasses onto the table and scrubbed a hand over his face. “This is all complicated enough without turning it into an I Love Lucy-style scheme.”
“Good point. Does the idea of kissing me gross you out?”
“What?”
“I know we won’t be boinking,” I said, “but we’d probably have to kiss and cuddle in front of your family to sell the newlyweds in love thing. Is that super gross to you?”
“I think it would seem strange.”
“But not gross?”
“I really don’t know why we’re still having this discussion. I have to marry a woman.”
“Does it use those words in your inheritance agreement? That you need to marry a woman, specifically?”
“No. It just says I have to get married.”
I tossed up my hands triumphantly. “So, there’s your loophole! It doesn’t have to be a woman. And really, wouldn’t that get complicated, two straight people pretending to be married? What if your fake wife caught feelings? Or what if you did, and she didn’t? Yikes!”
He put his glasses back on and met my gaze. “But you’re gay, right? So hypothetically, you could ‘catch feelings,’ as you put it.”
“Dude, I’m twenty-eight years old. I’m not some dewy-eyed little baby gay who falls in love at the drop of a hat.”
Bryson looked surprised. “Are you? I would have guessed you were twenty.”
“I hear that all the time. I think I’m destined to get carded until I’m fifty.”
“There are worse things.”
“For the record, you don’t look thirty-six.”
“I know. I look like I’m well over forty.”
“You look younger, but we’re getting off topic. What I started to say is that two guys living together is uncomplicated. More than that, it’d be fun. We could hang out as roommates, watch sports, whatever.”
“I don’t like sports.”
“Me, neither.”
He rubbed his forehead, as if a headache was brewing. “I guess this isn’t the absolute worst idea in the world, but I definitely have to think about it.”
“Me, too. Just because I’m pitching this like a used car salesman doesn’t mean I’m a hundred percent sold on it, either. Why don’t we both sleep on it?”
“Alright.”
I pulled my phone from my pocket and asked, “What’s your number?” He recited the digits, and I fired off a text that said, Marry me. Then I smiled at him and got up from the table. “Now you have my number, too. Text me tomorrow, okay?”
“I will, but it’ll probably just be to say thanks but no thanks.”
“Or maybe you’ll surprise both of us. Take care, Bryson.” I flashed him a friendly smile before picking up my cup and heading for the door. On the way out, I tripped over the threshold, but I didn’t fall on my face, so I counted that as a win.
Then I paused on the sidewalk and looked through the window. He was sitting right where I’d left him, and he seemed to be deep in thought.
This was a truly strange idea, but we were talking about a lot of money here. Even just the thousand dollars a month would be great, let alone that pot of gold a year from now.
Plus, Bryson seemed nice enough, so being his roommate and fake husband wouldn’t be a hardship. If he’d been a jerk, forget about it. I wouldn’t have done that to myself.
I knew I shouldn’t get my hopes up, though. He probably thought I was unhinged, or maybe some kind of con artist, after approaching him like that.