Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25568 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25568 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
“Do I?” She laughs, but it sounds far from funny. “You might be the only one that thinks so.”
I cock my head to the side, trying to figure out the puzzle in front of me. I’ve seen Gamer with a lot of women, but none of them look like Emerson. Most of them knew the score and were in it for a good time. I don’t know what I expected the woman who would marry him to look like, but I would have thought she’d be happy about it. Emerson looks like she’s in front of a firing squad.
“There’s always a choice,” I say, and then it feels like I’m being pulled in her direction.
She glances at the nameplate on my desk and then at me. She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Mr. Bennet, with all due respect, no matter how much money that piece of paper says I have, choice is a luxury I can’t afford.”
I hold her gaze for a long moment, and to her credit she doesn’t look away. I want to tell her not to sign this, to stay away from Conner Merritt, or to run out of here as fast as she can. But I don’t get the chance to say any of it before Mrs. Brown barrels into my office.
Chapter Three
EMERSON
It must be freeing to always have a choice. I’m sure it’s something I’ll never experience. In my world, everything comes at a price, and it’s always paid with money.
“Mr. Bennet.” My mother introduces herself. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
I’m always amazed at how Mother can speak to people. She’s greeting Mr. Bennet, but it’s in a tone that lets him know she wants to hurry this along and be done with him.
She holds out one hand, and he takes it but doesn’t rise from his seat. I suppress a smile because I know it will annoy her. Does he know that too?
“Call me Gideon,” he tells her, but his eyes flick my way.
“All right, Gideon.” Mother takes a step back. “May I?” She motions to the empty chair beside me, pointing out that he hasn't offered her a seat.
“Unless you prefer to stand.”
I don’t have to glance over to her to know she has likely tilted her chin up in disapproval. She doesn’t care for his answer, but she sits nonetheless.
"Are the papers ready?" she asks, folding her hands in her lap.
"Yes, but there are things we should go over."
"Emerson." Mother gives me a pointed stare, and I sit up straighter, correcting my posture. Once I do, her attention swings back to Gideon. "There isn't anything to go over."
"Have you read the terms?"
"As I said, it's a moot point."
"You're not the one signing them, and I can't have anyone sign a contract they haven't read. It's not ethical."
"You're a lawyer," Mother laughs. "What do you care about ethics?"
"I didn't spend years pursuing the law to risk my license because you didn't want to read a few pages."
Mother purses her lips, and I think this trip is turning out to be more entertaining than I could have imagined. I'm always down to watch someone square off with my mother. They never win, but Gideon appears to be up for the challenge.
"Fine, if you want to waste your time and ours." She snatches the papers off the desk, hands them over to me, and stands. "Read them. I'm going to make a call."
"You do that, ma'am."
"Mrs. Brown," she corrects before heading right back out of Gideon's office as quickly as she entered it.
"You made quite the impression. I’m pretty sure she went to tell on you."
Gideon shrugs, not giving a crap. This time I can’t stop the smile that tugs at my lips.
“You really do need to read those. Honestly, you should have your own lawyer going over them with a fine-tooth comb.”
“I’ll read them,” I say because there’s no way I’m getting my own lawyer. Besides, I’m guessing my mother had them looked over by hers, but as she said, it’s a moot point. I don’t have anything to lose, except myself.
I reach into my bag to find my glasses and pull out my e-reader and place it on the desk. Then I grab the mini gardening tool kit, peeking inside to make sure they aren’t in there before zipping it closed and setting it on the desk too.
“My glasses always fall to the bottom,” I tell him, placing my pink water bottle and bag of gummy bears on there next. Gideon cocks his head at the gummy bears so I push them toward him. “You can have some.” He starts to reach for the bag, but my hand comes down over his. “Not the green ones.”
“Got it.” He lets out a small chuckle. “What flavor is green?”
“Strawberry.”
“Really? And it’s green?”
“Fine, you can try one, but only one,” I say and hold up a finger. “It makes sense you’re a lawyer. You talked me into that way too easily.” I dig around in my bag, pulling out my socks next.