Stay(35)

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cry on you. I messed up your shirt.”

“Don’t apologize to me. I care very much about Elijah, and what happened today was horrible.”

“I hate it so much, Stephen.” Turning to the side, I fight against more tears.

“I’ve moved your things into my place. You’re coming home with me.”

As much as the finality in his voice comforts me, I shake my head. “I’m not leaving the hospital until Eli does.”

“Emmy.” His voice softens. “Eli’s sedated. You’re exhausted. You need to rest.”

“I appreciate what you’ve done—”

“We’re getting married.”

I’m pretty sure the world just tilted. Everything goes silent—pigeons stop chirping, frogs don’t croak, cars halt on the freeway. “I’m sorry, it’s been a really stressful morning. What did you just say?”

“Emmy Barton, will you marry me.” Stephen’s expression is stern, not romantic, and I watch as he pulls a ring out of his breast pocket. “It’s the best I could find on short notice.”

I don’t move as he tries to put a thin platinum band with an oversized square-cut diamond on the third finger of my left hand, but it’s too big. He ends up sliding it on my middle finger.

“I’ll have it resized.”

“Resized?” I’m coming out of my shock. “Have you lost your mind?”

Blue eyes flash at me. “Emmy, do you know why people pay me thousands of dollars a day? Because I identify their problems, I see what needs to be done, and I fix them.”

This day has been just shitty enough that I’m done being nice.

“Stephen Hastings,” I snap right back. “My son and I aren’t a computer application.”

“All the same, there are tax breaks associated with us being married. There are deductions for unreimbursed medical expenses. I have many contacts in the healthcare field. It’s possible I can work out an arrangement that will cover Eli’s surgery and the requisite doctor’s visits. If you’re my wife, Eli will become my dependent.” He stops pacing and faces me square on. “That means, they cannot shut me out of that god damned room ever again. When you need me… When Eli needs a strong ally, I’ll be there for him.” He hesitates, softening a tiny bit. “Our marriage will not be a permanent state of affairs, but it will allow me to help Eli in the most seamless and cost-effective way possible. Problem. Solved.”

It’s an airtight case.

I can’t argue with him on any of it.

All I can say is the obvious. “I can’t marry you.”

“We’re not arguing about this.” He walks past me toward the waiting room door. “We can and will meet at City Hall on Friday and have it done. I’ll secure the marriage license and start the paperwork tonight.”

My head is spinning. I feel like I’ve been thrown a lifeline. Only, it’s a lifeline wrapped in brambles and thorns. Thorns I feel certain will pierce my heart and leave me to bleed out.

“Just slow down a minute.” I hold out my hand, my eyes catching on the enormous diamond he put on my finger. “I didn’t say yes to this.”

Stephen’s eyes flash. I’ve never seen him truly angry, but this is pretty close. “What’s your reason for saying no? Is it because you believe in only marrying your one true love? Is that what you believed when you married Burt? That he was The One?”

His words shock me, but he has a point. “I married Burt because I was pregnant with Eli.”

“You’ll marry me for Eli as well. Trust me, you’ll find I’m a far more agreeable husband than The Dick could ever dream of being.”

I’m quiet a few moments while he waits for my assent. I can’t find a reason to say no and only one massive reason for saying yes. “I’ll marry you, but I won’t share a bed with you.”

For whatever reason, my answer pricks the tension between us like a pin to a balloon. His shoulders drop, and the firm set of his jaw eases. Even his angry brow relaxes some. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“We won’t come to it because we’re not going to it. The road to it has orange barrels and a sawhorse. And railroad crossing bars.”

He exhales a chuckle. “I feel like we’ve had this conversation before. Just before I had you on my bar, eating you for dessert.”

“Don’t…” My voice breaks off.

One eyebrow cocks, and his blue eyes smolder. “I promise, I will never make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

“It feels like you’re making me now.”

Only, it’s not quite true. He’s throwing me a lifeline. He’s charging in here to be my savior… granted in the most unorthodox way I could have ever imagined. Still…

“The first thing you told me about Eli involved this surgery and how much you wanted it for him. You told me Burt was against it, and it’s not covered by your insurance.”

My stomach is tight, and I can’t tell anymore if the energy coursing through my veins is shock or adrenaline or excitement. Eli has a chance at a cure!

“You’re nothing if not unexpected, Mr. Hastings. Personally, I haven’t decided if you’re a hero or a bully.”