"Don't be silly Nevada. It's not a problem. We're all family now."
Mr. Westfield leaned over and kissed my mother's hand. They'd been holding hands non-stop.
Family.
All family.
I stared in horror at Clay. He raised his eyebrows at me. He knew what I was belatedly realizing.
Oh my GOD.
"Yes Nevada. We're all family now. My trust fund is your trust fund."
"Clay, don't be crass."
"Father, I am more than happy to share. In fact, I'd like to speak to Nevada alone for a moment."
I stared at Clay in awe as he pulled me outside. I stood in his sweatshirt and my strip club uniform in the diner's parking lot watching him pace back and forth. The situation was surreal to say the least.
"We have to two choices."
I was all ears.
"We could be step siblings."
He stopped at stared at me.
"That is not really an option by the way. I'm just including it for the sake of being inclusive."
I blinked at him.
"We could date. I could switch schools and we could date."
I frowned. I did not want him giving up his Princeton degree.
"Clay you can't do that-it's Princeton!"
"UCLA is a great school. Besides, they have an excellent law program."
He was starting to make sense to me, God help me.
"We could get an apartment together. And then you wouldn't have to stop school or take money from my father."
"How is that going to work exactly?"
"You could take money from yourself."
I laughed.
"Now I know you're crazy. That doesn't even make sense."
"As my wife, my trust would be yours. Or it would be after I sign a paper that made it yours."
My mouth must have been hanging open. I was in shock. He stepped closer to me.
"Plus, if we get married before them, it will be them who are the weirdos. Not us."
I stared at him in awe. He meant it. He really meant it.
"Clay you don't have to do this."
"Yes, I do. Not because I feel guilty. Because I want to be with you. I want to take care of you-"
I opened my mouth to protest. He stepped forward and pulled me into his arms, silencing me with his lips. I was dazed when he lifted his head.
"And have you take care of me. You are very good at it you know."
His gorgeous blue eyes were serious as he stared down at me. I knew I must look atrocious but he didn't seem to care. He thought I was beautiful just the way I was.
"I don't understand Clay. We're so young..."
He grinned at me.
"You are above the age of consent Nevvie."
"But-"
He stopped me by getting on his knees.
"Nevada Jones. I love you. I loved you as Mouse and I love you even more now. You are the most beautiful woman alive, inside and out. Will you please agree to be my wife?"
Tears spilled over my cheeks as I stared down at him.
And then I nodded.
I heard applause as he picked me up and spun me around. A crowd had formed. Somehow, when Clay was involved, that was inevitable.
I didn't mind though.
It's just who he was.
And he was mine.
Chapter Twenty Three
Clay
Dad took it well. Mostly anyway. Dana was another matter altogether.
Her lips had thinned. Her eyes had narrowed. Two bright splotches had formed on her cheeks.
She had insisted on us having a little talk. Alone.
We'd finished brunch and then Dana and I took a little drive while Dad drove Nevada home.
I thought Dana was going to yell at me when I pulled over but she didn't. She gave me a hug. And then she whispered in my ear.
'If you hurt my daughter, I will kill you.'
I'd nodded vehemently. I was not going to hurt Nev. Not again.
I would never do that again.
Hurting her hurt me. That's the way love worked I guess.
She smiled and patted my cheek.
'Also you have to wait until she's 21 to get married.'
I sighed. She was right I suppose. What were two years and change compared to the rest of our lives anyway?
I could hardly wait to get married.
And to think, I'd never even had a serious girlfriend before.
The next few weeks were a whirlwind. Claire moved out. And Dana and Nevada moved in.
I can't lie. Having her under the same roof made the rest of the summer pretty much perfect. I snuck into her room every single night.
It was bliss.
Even if the house was in chaos with wedding planning.
We still found creative ways to be alone.
The first thing I did was get her a new bike. I got one too. We spend a few days camping and biking down by Wright beach.
I literally could not get enough of her.
And even though I didn't think he'd handled the Dana situation well, my father surprised me. He was smiling a lot now. He obviously had some regrets about the way things had been since my mother died.
It was like he was waking up from a long sleep.
He took me golfing. Sailing. We even played tennis a couple times a week.
At our house though. Not at the club. I was persona non grata there. Not that I gave a shit.