Page 98 of Trials of a One Night Stand
5.2 Any amendments to this Agreement must be presented in writing and accompanied by chocolate and/or flowers or the promise of foot rubs.
5.3 In the event of any dispute arising under this Agreement, the Parties agree to resolve the matter through makeup sex, a tickle fight, or, alternatively, a heartfelt conversation over a homemade meal and/or dinner at a mutually chosen location, with the possibility of bribery in the form of homemade cookies.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement on this date ________.
Nathaniel Lowe
Party of the First Part
Jayne Everton
Party of the Second Part
I reread the page and glance over at him. “Are you serious?”
“Yes.” Nate blows out a breath. “I’ll admit I wanted to add an article about living happily ever after, but then I realized that assumes you want to be with me forever. The current contract uses the label partnership, not wife or husband.”
For him to realize that is big. I want to believe he isn’t the same controlling asshole he’d been. So does my brain.
“So, what?” I ask. “We sign this and pretend nothing happened?”
“Yes and no.”
“I need more than that.”
“Yes, we sign this, but I don’t want to pretend nothing happened. I want to remember your face, the hurt in your eyes, how miserable I was each day we were apart, so I never do that again. I’ll make mistakes. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m only human, but I want those mistakes to be small ones that can be easily fixed and forgiven. No more big ones.”
“I want to believe you.” Yet I hear the hesitation in my voice.
“There’s no rush. Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
I glance over the contract then to him again. “Have you really changed?”
“Yes, but I want you to see it and believe it. I’m happy to show you, not convince you.”
My gaze narrows. “Where’s Nate Lowe and what have you done with him?”
“Nathaniel Lowe is right here, and he loves you, Jayne Everton.” His words make hope bloom in my chest. “But I don’t need to shoehorn myself into your life. So I’ll be patient. For you. For us. For our future.”
He is serious. I don’t know what to say.
“I love you, Jayne,” he continues. “I miss you. I miss your brilliant mind, your passion for justice, and how you always steal the covers at night. I miss everything about you, and I was a fool not to listen to you. To hear you.”
Before I can say anything, he reaches across the table, his hand trembling slightly, and holds my hand.
“I’ve said it before, but I’m happy to say it a million times. I love you.” His voice is thick with emotion. “I want to spend the rest of my life proving that to you.”
“The rest of your life?”
“I want to marry you, but I know you need more time before that happens. When you’re ready, just say the word.”
I do, but a thrill shoots through me. “You need time to have a prenup written.”
He shakes his head. “No prenup.”
“Of course you’ll have one.”
“Nope.”
