Delectable Benefits

Two

"Have you seriously lost your mind?" Pam asked.

Anya had just told her friends she had agreed to Nick's proposition. "You're going to marry him after all this time? What was his excuse for turning his back on you?" Paul asked.

Anya took a deep breath, "He thought I was in love with someone else," she said with a wince. She went to her kitchen to retrieve a pitcher of juice she had made earlier.

Pam raised her brows. "You were so hung up on him when you left. It was just a wonder why you didn't stop and turn around the moment you stepped out of his life."

Anya sat on one of her kitchen stools and buried her face on her hands. "I agreed because of Nicole," she tried to reason out.

The couple didn't believe her, "Are you so sure about that? Lucas has been trying to figure you out and has been trying to impress you yet you never gave him the chance. But here comes Nicholas you marry him just like that?"

"It's for my daughter," Anya said lamely.

"You have admitted it you yourself, Anya, you've always had feelings for him." Pam said softly and took Anya's hand into hers. "He's engaged to someone else."

Anya looked up at her friend and there were tears in her eyes. "I know," she said with a sniff.

Paul looked at her, "Are you ready for this? Are you going to really going to sacrifice your happiness for your daughter?"

Anya gave them a bittersweet smile, "Mostly it's for me. let me just have these six months, just for me. Then I will let go."

Then Pam wondered how much was Anya willing to risk in order to feel loved by the one man that made her heart whole.

Nick watched Anya as she drafted the simple rules of their marriage and their prenup agreement. Her glasses were at the bridge of her nose and was looking at the printed output in front of her. When she was finally done, she handed him the draft.

He looked over the details of their agreement, he realized he was going to have to move his headquarters back in Chicago since Anya worked there and he wanted to be with his daughter whenever she would need him. He also got Christmases and she had new year's and half of the major holidays except thanksgiving, they could have the holiday alternately.

"Where will I sleep?" Nick asked.

Anya blinked, "Sleep?"

He smiled, "We are going to get married, it is customary for married couples to live in one house."

Anya opened and closed her mouth, they were going to be married in name only. Then she realized he would want to be with his daughter. She wanted to slap herself into reality that the marriage was for Nicolette and not for her. "Yes... ahem... Sorry. You can stay in the room next to Nicole's there is a guest room there on the second floor."

Nick raised his brow when he saw the blush on her cheeks. "Where is your room?" He asked.

"Next to Nicolette, will will be sleeping left side and my room is on the other side of the house. We'll have Nicole between us."

Nick nodded, "l've already instructed Chadwick to move my headquarters back here so I can stay here permanently."

Her breath was caught, she was going to see him regularly, she mentally shook herself. It's for Nicolette! Her brain shouted to her erratic heartbeat. "Oh, have you consulted with Michelle?"

She saw Nick visibly pause, it was clear he had forgotten about his fiancée. She raised her eyebrows and could see him mentally kicking himself. "I'll tell her it's for my child and since she doesn't want to get pregnant, I want to move closer to Anya."