25. Easton

Chapter twenty-five

Easton

I don't know what possesses me to have Emily sign the Luna Covenant–it's quite old-fashioned and out of date, but with things moving so fast and the baby due any day now, it feels like any legal paperwork I can get behind her and the baby belonging to me makes them that much safer. Thankfully, no one so much as says a word. Even Samuel is quiet, for once, as Emily and I sit with our lawyers in my office reviewing the details of the Covenant and the prenuptial agreement.

"There's no adultery clause in this," says Emily's lawyer, a curvy woman with dark hair coiled neatly in a bun. Emily may not have any immediate family left hanging around, but her lawyer, as it turns out, is a second cousin twice removed. They may barely be related, but the woman argues as if Emily was her identical twin. "I'm sorry, I cannot advise you to sign a prenuptial agreement without one. Especially in light of the fact that you're signing a Luna Covenant. Agreeing to provide an heir means you're setting yourself up for another year or two at a minimum out of the job market and should he wander, you need to be compensated." Her mouth forms a stark line as she shakes her head. She passes the papers back across the table.

"Surely–" Emily starts, exasperation written all over her face.

But this woman is no one's peace. "Surely a man you're completely in love with won't leave you high and dry with his baby? That's never happened before," she snaps at Emily.

Emily rolls her eyes and mouths the word " sorry " across the table at me. "Most of this is fine. But we want to see an adultery clause before my client will sign. One million on top of any other alimony, child support, and assets she's entitled to."

"The standard is $500,000," my lawyer returns.

"Mr. Degarmo isn't a man of normal means. One million dollars will allow my client to maintain a lifestyle she will no doubt become accustomed to over the course of their marriage," Emily's lawyer replies.

"She would be receiving alimony and child support monthly."

"Alimony is for a limited amount of time and she has a business to run, if she's even able to do that while bearing and raising your client's heirs."

Samuel taps me on the leg. I look down and see he's scrawled: We need to get this lady on our payroll .

I bite back the laugh that threatens to come up and meet her eyes across the table. "I'll agree to a one million dollar adultery clause."

"Easton," Emily starts.

I shake my head. "She's right. What you're doing for the Degarmo family is priceless." I meet her eyes across the table. "I'd sign more if it made you more comfortable. I'm not worried about it. There will never be a time that comes that I'll have to pay it."

Emily's cousin snorts softly in disbelief as she types away on her laptop. "Here's the updated prenup. You'll see the only change is the addition of the adultery clause. If we're all in agreement, both parties can sign at the bottom."

Emily and I pick up styluses to sign as the lawyers gather up their things.

"Ms. Grayson!" Samuel calls after the woman as Emily begins to lead her out. The woman turns, eyebrow raised.

"Mr. Degarmo?"

"You can just call me Samuel," he says with a smile as he stands to his full height. He rocks back on his heels, hands in his pockets, showing off how he towers over the woman as I try not to roll my eyes. You're trying to hire her, not get her into bed, asshole. But maybe it's all the same to him.

"We really appreciate how diligently you are fighting on Emily's behalf. She's going to be a part of our family too, and–"

Ms. Grayson cuts him off with a cool eye. "I fight for all of my clients equally, relations or not. Was there something you needed, Mr. Degarmo?"

Samuel clears his throat and stands up straighter as Emily looks down with a grin, probably trying as hard as I am to keep from laughing out loud.

"I'll get to the point then, Ms. Grayson. We're always looking for excellent lawyers to have on retainer. I was wondering if you'd be interested."

She eyes him for a moment; her gaze takes him all in before she meets his eyes. "I'll send over my retainer agreement. You can look it over and call if you have any questions." She hands him her card with the flick of a wrist and spins on her heel, her hips swaying as she leaves the room.

Can you believe this? Emily mouths as she follows her out. I can actually. Samuel's completely smitten. He stares after Ms. Grayson as she walks away.

"She would eat you alive, brother." I tell him as he watches her walk away.

"And I would enjoy every minute of it."

"You might, but Daniel and I would have to listen to it when she gets tired of your ass."

"You're so dramatic," he laughs, pocketing Ms. Grayson's card. "Come on, Raul's got a special dinner going since you couldn't be bothered to plan a romantic dinner for your own engagement."

"It was a last-minute thing."

"It wouldn't have been a last-minute thing if you'd listened to me in the first place."

"I'm working on it," I find myself growling softly as Emily comes back into hearing range. She meets us in the foyer, taking my hand as we hand as we head for the kitchen.

"I hear we have an engagement party waiting for us."

"Only thanks to Raul," Samuel says as I resist the urge not to punch him in the arm.

I'm failing at all kinds of things lately, but I haven't failed this completely. Emily opens the door to the kitchen and squeals as she finds the one thing I was able to get right. "ANGIE!"

She's got a small woman enveloped in a hug as the largest Gobelin I've ever seen stands by, ready to take any of us down. She hugs the Gobelin and then turns back to me. "Easton, how did you know?"

I smile and shrug as she pulls me closer. "Easton, this is my best friend, Angie, and her husband, Mike."

"Oh, my God, Emily, is that your ring?" Angie exclaims, honing in on her left hand. "Now I see why you said yes after two seconds of dating."

"It was longer than two seconds," Emily insists as Angie gives her an eye.

Raul thankfully chooses that moment to clear his throat, "Dinner is ready!"

Before he can get anything to the table, though, Samuel pulls out a bottle of champagne and begins to fill glasses, pouring a small amount for Emily before filling everyone else's glass. "A toast to my brother and his Luna. May she want to kill you only once a year and not once a month."

Everyone chuckles, except for Tracey, who boos. "That is the worst toast I've ever heard. Watch how it's done." She raises her glass to us and smiles. "Easton and Emily, the path ahead of you is full of twists and turns you'll never expect. When all else goes wrong, may you always find hope in each other and a home where you can be who you were truly meant to be."

"Cheers!" everyone agrees and downs their champagne. Emily squeezes me and kisses me on the cheek. As romantic and hopeful as Tracey's toast is, I can't let go of the nagging feeling deep down that Samuel's was probably more apt.