to meet the aides before moving my mother down there. I have to see your house first, too. You have to help me enroll right away, and I’ll be doubling up on courses for the entire year.”
“Absolutely, whatever you want and it’s yours. I can’t tell you how happy this makes me—”
“And I want to make this very clear; we are going to have separate bedrooms and don’t think for one second that it’s going to change. Do you understand? This isn’t like the movies. I am doing this for my mother.”
“I know, I promise. Can you come down tomorrow? Tonight?”
She hesitated. “The radiator in my truck just went out.”
“Say no more,” I told her.
Behind me, I heard a door open, and my father's disappointed gaze fall on me. Even his temper couldn’t dampen my spirits, though. I’d just won the top prize at the county fair, and he couldn’t take that moment of joy away from me.
“Listen, I’ll send someone up there first thing in the morning, okay?”
“Fine,” she said. “You understand that this is just a business deal, right?”
“Yes. I promise that I won’t take it past that. If you want to at some point—”
“I won’t, so don’t bother asking. I just want to make sure that my mother is taken care of.”
“I understand, I really do. I have a mom too. I’d do anything for her; she is a good woman.”
“Yet she’s forcing you to get married? Boy, we come from two very different worlds. Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“It was my father’s doing, not hers. She’s the one who told me we only had to be married for a year.”
“So, does she know you’re buying a woman to pretend to be her daughter-in-law for a year, or is that something we are keeping between us.”
My heart raced. “We have to keep it between us. I don’t think my mother would be able to keep something like that from my father. They always tell each other everything.”
“Someday, I hope to find a relationship like that. Maybe after we get divorced, right?” She chuckled.
I cringed. I knew Hailey was trying to keep things light, but her words still bit into me. Even though she reminded me constantly, I still hated the idea of her only being with me for the money. I wanted her to be with me because I made her happy.
“I’ll talk to you soon,” I whispered.
I didn’t want to end the call with her. Hell, I didn’t want to wait until the morning to see her, but I had to handle business first. Without another glance at my father, I walked past him to the dining room and took my seat. My heart was racing as the others ate and talked about their properties. Only my mother hesitated to dive right back into the conversation. She was watching me; I could feel it. Yet the stupid grin on my face persisted until my father rejoined us.
“Is everything okay, sweetheart?” my mother asked me.
The room fell silent.
I nodded. “Everything is just fine, mother. As a matter of fact, things are better than fine.” I turned my attention to my father. “You can tell your attorney to destroy that contract. I’m getting married.”
There was a collective gasp around the room.
“What?” My mother’s soft voice was the first to break the silence. “You are getting married? To whom? I didn’t even know you were dating anyone special.”
“What is this all about, boy?” my father hissed.
I leveled my gaze on him. “I’m getting married. I met her a few weeks ago at Walker’s place. What can I say, I guess I’m in love? She agreed, so now we are getting married. Isn’t that what you wanted, Pops?”
His glare shifted to Walker, who had gone white as she shook his head. “I don’t have any one single on the farm. Please don’t tell me you stole some poor man’s wife.”
Laughter echoed from me. “No, she’s a bartender at The Stuck Pig. Well, she was. But not that she’s going to be Mrs. Jackson Wheeler, she won’t need to work anymore.”
“Oh, sweetheart!” My mother was almost in tears. “I am so happy for you! This is a little sudden, but it doesn’t matter. We can plan a wedding that will be small and tasteful and perfect.”
I shook my head. “There won’t be a wedding. We’ll get married at the courthouse.”
“Well now, son,” my father stepped in. “I don’t think there is any reason to rush the matter. We