Temporary Marriage (Complete MATCHMAKER BOOK 3)

Chapter 3

“ GARRETT POV ”

“I know my daughter is getting restless with the amount of security I’ve surrounded her with,”

Senator Morris Sanford said with a weary sigh.

“The last thing I need is for her to develop a defiant attitude and do something that permanently damages my campaign or her safety. Also, I have some very vocal enemies, and I wouldn’t put it past some of them to use her as a way to get to me.”

I was grateful that our conversation was over the phone so he couldn’t see the scowl on my face.

It hadn’t escaped my notice that he’d mentioned the campaign before the well-being of his daughter.

Mr. Family Values had always seemed shallow, but this confirmed my suspicions that he was also a fucking asshole.

Still, the asshole paid very generously.

“You’re looking for a shadow detail,”

I confirmed.

“Yes. For the remainder of the campaign. Nathalie is to be completely unaware of her security.”

“It may require a…creative solution,”

I warned. For a moment, I thought about cluing him in to my plan but decided against it.

I didn’t want to take the chance that he would keep it from going forward.

My team had done their due diligence. We probably knew more about Nathalie Sanford than her father ever would.

When I found out that she had an appointment scheduled with Love Connections, the name had rung a bell.

A couple of my friends had found their wives through the service.

As I contemplated it, an idea began to take shape.

I didn’t know why Nathalie was looking for a husband, but the easiest way for me to keep her safe at all times was to temporarily step into that role.

I wasn’t exactly husband material, having put all of my time and energy into my company since I’d started it eight years ago.

I’d had no time for women and no desire to change that fact.

Love Connections was a referral-based company, so I put in a call to one of those friends and asked him to get me a meeting with the owner, Jane Casper.

Mike was openly curious, but he knew better than to come right out and ask why.

When it came to my private life, I kept it just that. Fucking private.

“Do what you have to do.”

Her father’s tone was distracted, clearly finished with our conversation.

“Keep me updated.”

Then he hung up.

I looked at my phone in disgust before tossing it down on my desk.

Nathalie’s file was in front of me, but I hadn’t had the chance to look through it yet.

The man I’d assigned to her case had given me a summary, enough to know how I was going to proceed.

I was curious what else there was to know about her, though.

Before I could open the file, my assistant’s voice came over the intercom, reminding me that it was time to leave for my appointment with Jane.

My office was a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) room, basically a safe with our clients’ most sensitive information in it.

I punched in the code and used the biometric pad to scan my fingerprints and complete the locking sequence before heading out to the front of the building.

My driver, Jack, was already idling at the curb.

I climbed into the back of the black Escalade and traveled across town to Columbus Circle, where Love Connections was located.

Jane was waiting for me at the reception desk, and we shook hands before returning to her office.

She gestured to the chairs situated in front of her desk, and I lowered my frame into one as she rounded her desk and sat down.

“What can I do for you, Garrett?”

she asked with a pleasant tone.

“Mike was a little vague about what you’re looking for.”

“I’m a very private man,”

I said. No other explanation seemed necessary.

Jane tilted her head to the side and eyed me thoughtfully.

She didn’t comment, so I continued on with why I was there.

“I need a wife.”

She raised an eyebrow, but not in surprise.

It was more like she was telling me to get on with it since she already knew.

Why else would I come to a matchmaker?

“I’m going to be completely honest with you. I understand that Nathalie Sanford has signed a contract with you.”

I didn’t wait for her to confirm or deny it.

Even if she had said she couldn’t divulge that information until I was officially a client, it didn’t matter.

I already knew the answer. When I wanted something, I got it.

“I want you to facilitate a temporary contract for me with Nathalie. Her father hired my company to provide security for her, with the very explicit instruction that she be unaware. As her husband—in name only, of course—I’d have complete access to her without raising any questions.”

“I wasn’t under the impression that Nathalie was looking for a temporary situation,”

Jane commented.

“How would you suggest I explain that to her?”

“We can make up a reason.”

I shrugged.

“Terms of a will?”

Jane tapped her lips with her index finger as she contemplated my words.

When she finally released her lips, she said,

“I suppose that could work.”

“Also, we should include a monetary severance at the conclusion of our contract. Make it clear this is a marriage of convenience.”

Her mouth tilted up at the corners into a tiny smirk.

“And if you decide to stay married?”

I blinked at her in confusion, feeling my brow furrow.

“I don’t see why that is a relevant scenario to consider. When the job is done, we’ll go our separate ways. If she chooses to try again with another match, that’s her business.”

I was being completely logical, but for some reason, the words left a sour taste in my mouth.

Jane was silent for so long it would’ve made a lesser man uncomfortable.

Then she tapped a perfectly manicured nail on her glass desktop.

“All right. I’ll help you out. Leave the details to me. I’ll contact Nathalie, and we’ll have the contracts signed the day after tomorrow. When you choose to get married is up to you.”

We discussed a few more details, then shook hands, and I left, entirely confident in my plan.

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