Chapter 4
I waved a hand to catch my breath and wiped a tear of mirth from my eye.
I looked at him and spoke with absolute clarity. "I accept. I completely accept."
I grabbed my purse and stood up. "I have my driver's license and social security card in my car. Do you have yours?"
Jace was clearly struggling to keep up with my sudden shift in gears. "I do."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" I smiled, feeling lighter than I had in years. "Let's go. I will cover the 50-dollar fee for the marriage license. We are going to the city hall right now."
The look on Jace's face was the greatest thing I had ever seen.
It was an equal mix of shock, confusion, and deep amusement.
He had clearly never met a woman this impulsive.
We had been sitting there for twenty minutes, and I was already dragging him to City Hall.
"Are you absolutely sure?" he asked with a hint of disbelief.
"I have never been more sure of anything," I said firmly. "Jace, those four conditions are not demands. They are respect, sincerity, and security.
"Those things matter a thousand times more to me than a fancy house or a big wedding.
"My last relationship died because I was not respected. So I know exactly how rare your offer is.
"A man who respects women and puts his cards on the table like that is a safe bet. I am willing to gamble on it."
Jace went quiet. He looked at me for a long time.
The stoic professional mask melted away, revealing something incredibly warm in his eyes.
Finally, a slow and genuine smile spread across his face.
"Alright," he said as he stood up and offered me his hand. "Let's go, Mrs. Vector."
Hearing him call me that made my heart skip a very noticeable beat.
We walked out of the coffee shop together and got into his car.
It was a sleek and unassuming black SUV that was immaculately clean inside.
The city hall was not busy. Filling out the paperwork, paying the fee, and standing before the clerk went by in a blur.
When it came time to take our official photo, the clerk waved a hand. "Get a little closer, you two. And groom, try to smile!"
Jace forced the corners of his mouth up, but he looked stiff as a board.
I could not help myself. I reached around and pinched him right in the ribs.
He flinched and whipped his head around to look at me.
I stuck my tongue out at him.
The surprise broke his composure entirely, and he let out a loud and booming laugh just as the camera flashed.
Walking out with that freshly stamped license in hand felt entirely surreal.
I had just gotten married. I had leaped out of a dumpster fire and landed straight into the first class cabin.
"I will drop you off at your place," Jace said, breaking my train of thought.
"Okay," I answered.
He pulled up in front of my parents' house.
I unbuckled my seatbelt. "Well, I guess I am heading in."
"Hold on a second," Jace said. He reached into the center console, pulled out a thick folder, and handed it to me.
"What's this?" I asked.
"Deeds to my properties, proof of assets, and the authorized user cards for all my accounts.
"The main cards are in my wallet, but I will text you the PINs once I am at the airport.
"There is also a prenuptial agreement in there that my lawyer drafted up last night.
"The short version is, if we ever divorce, you automatically get fifty percent of everything I owned prior to today."
My hands shook slightly holding the heavy folder. "Jace, this is way too much."
"No, it is not," he said calmly. "I am gone constantly. I am trusting you to anchor my life. You deserve every bit of this. Oh, and here."
He dropped a set of keys into my palm. "That SUV we just drove in. It is yours now. I do not need a car sitting in airport parking for ten months a year. Use it."
He saw the protest forming on my lips and cut me off. "Do not say no. Consider it a wedding gift."
I looked at him and felt completely overwhelmed.
Thousands of words tangled in my throat, but the only thing I could manage to whisper was, "Thank you."
"Do not be silly," he murmured. He reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "I am the one who should be thanking you.
"Thank you for trusting me. My flight to Neweria leaves at ten tonight. I will text you the second we touch down."
"Okay."
"See you later."
He started the car.