The love of my life and I were about to be related.
I glanced at Nev, who seemed happy her mom was getting the love she deserved. She hadn’t put two and two together yet. But I had. And I was mentally screaming at the top of my lungs.
I’d just spent the night shagging my little sister-in-law to be.
Well, fuck.
Chapter Forty-Four
Nevada
We were squished in the booth around a faded formica table at the diner. No one looked at each other. We all pretended to be perusing the menu. I was starving after a night sleeping on the beach with Clay.
Well, laying on the beach, anyway.
I didn’t exactly get a lot of sleep.
We all ordered. My mom and I both got omelets. Mr. Westfield got eggs and bacon. And Clay got pancakes.
He stared at me, his eyes hot and heavy with meaning as he ordered and handed over his menu.
I blushed. I couldn’t help it. How could I ever, ever forget the sight of him eating pancakes off my nude body.
Or what had come after.
“I want to do the wedding soon. The divorce will be fast because I have a prenup. But let’s not talk about anything unpleasant. Let’s talk about something nice. Maybe a nice trip to Paris for Christmas? Or somewhere tropical. Greece? South of France? Does that sound nice? How about a new wardrobe for school?”
Clayton rolled his eyes.
“Start with a car.”
“What?”
“Her ride got stolen. It’s not safe for her to be riding all over the place anyway.”
I kicked him under the table.
“I’m fine thanks. You don’t have to pay for me to go to school. I’ll figure something out.”
“Like hell you will!”
Clay was glaring at me now. I didn’t care. I just smiled calmly and sipped my coffee.
“Don’t be silly, Nevada. It’s not a problem. We’re all family now.”
Mr. Westfield leaned over and kissed my mother’s hand. They’d been holding hands non-stop.
Family.
All family.
I stared in horror at Clay. He raised his eyebrows at me. He knew what I was belatedly realizing.
Oh my GOD.
“Yes, Nevada. We’re all family now. My trust fund is your trust fund,” he drawled.
“Clay, don’t be crass.”
“Father, I am more than happy to share. In fact, I’d like to speak to Nevada alone for a moment.”
I stared at Clay in awe as he pulled me outside. I stood in his sweatshirt and my strip club uniform in the diner’s parking lot watching him pace back and forth. The situation was surreal to say the least.
“We have to two choices.”
I was all ears.
“We could be step siblings.”
He stopped at stared at me.
“That is not really an option, by the way. I’m just including it for the sake of being precise.”
I blinked at him.
“We could date. I could switch schools and we could date.”
I frowned. I did not want him giving up his Princeton degree.
“Cla,y you can’t do that – it’s Princeton!”
“UCLA is a great school. Besides, they have an excellent law program. It would make the transition seamless.”
He was starting to make sense to me, God help me.
“We could get an apartment together. And then you wouldn’t have to stop school or take money from my father.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him.
“How is that going to work exactly?”
“You could take money from yourself.”
I laughed.
“Now I know you’re crazy. That doesn’t even make sense.”
“As my wife, my trust would be yours. Or it would be after I sign a paper that made it yours.”
My mouth must have been hanging open. I was in shock. He stepped closer to me.
“Plus, if we get married before them, it will be them who are the weirdos. Not us.”
I stared at him in awe. He meant it. He really meant it.
“Clay, you don’t have to do this.”
“Yes, I do. Not because I feel guilty. Because I want to be with you. I want to take care of you–”
I opened my mouth to protest. He stepped forward and pulled me into his arms, silencing me with his lips. I was dazed when he lifted his head.
“And have you take care of me. You are very good at it you know.”
His gorgeous blue eyes were serious as he stared down at me. I knew I must look atrocious but he didn’t seem to care. He thought I was beautiful just the way I was.
“I don’t understand, Clay. We’re so young…”
He grinned at me.
“You are above the age of consent Nevvie.”
“But, you don’t want to marry me. You are just doing this because they…”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I discussed marrying you last month with your friend Frannie. Do you want to call her?”
I stared in awe as Clay got on his knees.
“Nevada Jones. I love you. I loved you when you were a pretty little Mouse and I love you even more now. You are the most beautiful woman alive, inside and out. Will you please agree to be my wife?”