Wyatt
There was a moment when I thought, “Yes, that’s what I want.” I knew it was a wacky idea, but my heart rolled in my chest at the idea of finally having what Sinclair and I had once planned.
She thought the idea was ridiculous. It was, and yet, I couldn’t help but feel slighted by her response. At one time she loved me. She’d planned to be with me. So, what was wrong with me now? Except of course that I’d disappeared for ten years.
She rolled her eyes. “How is a marriage to me going to change anything?”
“Like I said, he needs a wife to secure the property to him. And with you married to him, you’re now tied to the property. You can take a personal, active role. The mayor might fuss, but no one in town would blame you for fighting for your man’s heritage and legacy.”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing at the over-the-top explanation. Then again, I supposed the land was my heritage.
Sinclair stared at the both of us like we’d gone nuts. “What if your father comes back?”
“Once you’re married, you can file to be recognized as the proper owner.” Trina talked like getting married was no big deal. It was a big deal. One that I was willing to make.
“Won’t his father have the ability to appeal?” Sinclair asked.
“Sure, but will he? Everyone knows the farm was starting to fail with all of Frank’s drinking and carousing.” Trina looked up at me. “No offense, Wyatt.”
“No offense taken.”
“Plus, he’d have to come back to town to live on the property and work the land. I heard he went with Cassie to California.”
“Cassie?” I asked.
“Cassie Landry,” Sinclair said. “She worked with Ryder at the Salvation Station.”
I stared at her. “She’s our age. My father ran off with a woman my age?” Jesus, he was a pervert too.
Sinclair gave me a sympathetic smile.
“Cassie has dreams of being a big star. Chances are neither of them want to come back,” Trina said.
“Considering the effort Stark is putting forth to get the property, it makes sense he’d hunt your dad down,” Trina said.
“And my dad is just the type of asshole to sell the property out from under my mother.” Fucker.
“Even so, your claim is weak if it exists at all until you are married,” Trina said.
“It could work,” I said with a glance at Sinclair.
She gaped at me. “Trina is nutty, but I thought you, Wyatt, had more sense.”
The words were like a stab to the heart. It wasn’t much different from when she told me she couldn’t run off with me ten years ago.
“The deputy mayor fighting for her family farm. It could help get the attention and support you say we – and by we, I mean all the farmers in Salvation – need.” I looked her in the eye. “And be honest, the idea isn’t that crazy.” I wanted her to remember that at one time getting married had been the plan.
“I don’t see how a fake marriage is the solution to anything except in romance novels or rom-coms.”
I flinched at the word fake. I realized that in my mind, I’d already followed through on this idea. We were married and we would stay that way. Nothing fake about it. But if she’d need to think it was fake, I could go along with that. Once I had her in my home, I could remind her how good we were together.
“It’s a genius plan, really.” Trina grinned from behind her computer. “Not only will you fight off Stark and his goons, but think of how it’ll help you when you run for mayor. Who wouldn’t vote for the woman who saved Salvation from being bullied into becoming a prison town? And who knows… If married life suited you, you’d be married to one of the oldest families in town.”
I liked having Trina make the case for me. She had a point. Perhaps framing this in terms of supporting Sinclair’s ambition was the key to convince her of this plan.
“We’d be a power couple. You, a dedicated public servant and me, part of the history of this town. Would it help that I’m a decorated vet? People like to support veterans, don’t they?”
Sinclair frowned at me. “What?”