From Fake to Forever (Newlywed Games 2)

The hurt in her voice cut through him and he cursed under his breath. He was screwing this up, which was what happened when you went into a potentially volatile situation with no plan and no backup. But he’d come unprepared on purpose, carrying with him the only thing he could possibly offer—his love.

He’d hoped it would be enough.

“Sweetheart, my plans for Lynhurst Enterprises are over. That’s what the manifesto is all about. I needed to grow up and you helped me not only see that, but do it. You were my inspiration for walking into that room full of Lynhursts with the intent of working together on a common goal. And I did it because nothing is more important to me than you.”

With her at the top of the list—even above Lynhurst Enterprises—his vision cleared and allowed him to see what needed to happen with the company in a way he’d never have imagined. Who would have thought that falling in love would actually make him a better executive?

“What are you saying?” she whispered. “That you want to try again?”

She was killing him. This was the most painful conversation he’d ever had, but he wouldn’t get better at being honest with his feelings by keeping them to himself. Or by hiding behind a ridiculous marriage philosophy that only facilitated selfishness.

“There’s no trying this time.” He flipped open the folder again and pulled out the divorce papers, which he’d tucked behind the manifesto. “Only choices. Here’s the signed divorce decree. If you want to file it, file it. I hope you don’t because that’s not what I want. But it’s your choice to make.”

His pulse raced with uncertainty and genuine fear at giving up his edge with Meredith, but he’d left New York bent on ensuring she knew exactly what she meant to him.

Standing before her wasn’t good enough. He sank to one knee, still clutching her hand like a lifeline. Because in many ways, she was. She’d breathed life into his cold heart and he couldn’t imagine it beating properly without her.

“Meredith, I love you. No leverage. No deal. I never want you to question if I’m married to you because it’s advantageous. I’m choosing to be with you because I love you. Choose to be with me because you love me, too. No other reason.”

Stricken, she stared down at him. “What about trouncing Avery for the CEO position? Did you just hand it to her? Tell me you didn’t do that.”

His heart went heavy. Of course she’d ask about that. What had he done to convince her he truly didn’t care who won?

“Page fifteen,” he told her softly. The verbiage was etched on his soul since he was the one who’d written the clause. “Paul will assume the CEO’s office until he retires, at which point the job will go to whomever the executive committee appoints.” He shrugged, his pulse pounding in his throat. “That’s the fairest way, right? If I earn the job, great. If not, I’ll keep being the best COO I can.”

And he’d be working for his father. A reality Jason couldn’t have possibly envisioned without Meredith in his life. He needed her to keep him sane after a long day in the fashion-world trenches.

She didn’t open the folder or even glance at it. “If you’re not going to be CEO when you grow up, who are you going to be?”

“I want to be your husband.” The phrase scratched at the back of his throat, and of all things, his eyes burned a little, too. “If you’ll have me. I love you so much and I’m sorry it took me so long to become the man I should have been when you married me.”

In a tangle of long hair and bikini and killer body, she launched into his arms, holding him as if she never wanted to let go. Which worked for him. His heart filled so fast, it was a wonder it didn’t burst like a dropped watermelon.

“Is that a—”

“Yes,” she finished for him. “It’s a yes.”

His smile was so wide, his cheeks hurt. “I love it when you finish my sentences.”

That should have been his first clue they were made for each other. He’d lost track of the number of times they’d completed each other’s thoughts. It was a natural progression to completing each other’s lives.

“I love it when you chase after me.”

Unable to stop touching her, he smoothed her hair back from her face. “So tell me. Who do you want to be when you grow up?”

She shot him an enigmatic smile and kicked the folder full of paperwork across the floor. “Mrs. Lynhurst.”

The title blasted through him with a thrill. And a punch of agony. If only they’d gotten the answers to these questions right two years ago, they might have walked away from that weekend in Vegas with a totally different life. Because at the end of the day, Vegas wasn’t about coming up with a plan for growing up. It was about finding someone worth growing up for.