At Amazon's headquarters, Dalton Williamson stepped into the office and saw Flynn Greene completely lost in his work, totally oblivious to the time. Dalton walked over and gently reminded him, "Boss, it's quitting time. You heading back to the mansion or the townhouse?"

Hearing Dalton's voice, Flynn glanced at the clock on his computer screen. The workday was indeed over. He swiftly wrapped up his tasks and told Dalton, "I'll head to the townhouse."

After all, he'd just gotten married, and leaving Kori with Julissa at the hospital for a week without so much as checking in was already damn neglectful. If he didn't go home and act like a husband, he'd be no better than his own father—who'd checked out early, in more ways than one.

No matter why Julissa had married him, Flynn was determined to do right by her.

Dalton hesitated, then added, "But the estate called earlier. They're expecting you tonight."

"Why?" Flynn asked as he grabbed his coat and strode purposefully toward the door, Dalton scrambling to keep up.

"Not sure on the details. It was at your mother's request."

"I'll call her back," Flynn decided, dialing his mom's number once they were in the car.

His mother picked up on the first ring, her voice as calm and steady as ever. "Flynn, are you on your way home?"

"No, I haven't had a chance to swing by lately. Is something up?" Flynn asked patiently.

His mother spoke in that gentle, soothing tone of hers, like a quiet stream. "It's about your grandmother being willing to accept little Kori. Why don't you bring her home?"

Flynn's father had once been hell-bent on divorcing his mother, even if it meant cutting ties with the family to marry another woman. Despite the deep hurt he'd caused, his mother saw no point in holding grudges against someone who was no longer alive.

Now, with a three-year-old child left behind outside the family, she thought it was wrong not to take her in. After some thought, Flynn's grandmother agreed the child should be welcomed home.

Flynn fell silent, stunned his family was open to accepting Kori. But wouldn't it tear his mother apart to see her? His father hadn't treated her well when he was alive, and even in death, he'd left behind a mess for the family to untangle. Why the hell should Flynn let that happen?

The kid was innocent, sure, but as her brother, Flynn would rather take care of her himself than drag her into family drama. With those thoughts, he told his mother, "I'll look after Kori on my own, so there's no need to bring her back. Tell Grandmother she'll be raised right—as part of this family."

Sensing her son's concern for her feelings, his mother didn't push it. She went on, "Alright, if you'd rather handle it yourself, I'll respect that. Your grandmother also wanted you back to meet a young lady from the Collins family."

The whole dating thing worried her—Flynn was already thirty and still single, after all.

Flynn frowned, realizing this was about some setup. But having just gotten hitched, he said, "Mom, you don't need to stress over my love life. I'll find someone I genuinely click with. When I do, I'll bring her to meet you."

His mother sighed, a trace of helplessness in her voice. "Flynn, if you actually made that a priority, your grandmother wouldn't be riding my case all the time. Your cousins aren't seriously looking either, and as the eldest, you should set an example."

Knowing how swamped he was running the corporation and now caring for his father's child, his mother didn't press further. "Alright, if you're not coming, I'll let your grandmother know. Take care of yourself, and don't overdo it. For once, delegate something to your cousins."

"I know," Flynn replied before ending the call. Leaning back into the car seat, he felt a mix of ease and duty, mulling over his mother's advice about finding a partner. His thoughts drifted to the girl he'd just married.

He checked his phone and saw a notification for a measly thousand-dollar charge. What could she possibly buy with that?

Turning to Dalton, he asked, "Why do you think she hasn't dropped more money?"

Dalton mused, "Maybe she knows how hard it is to earn, dealing with car payments and a mortgage?"

Flynn scoffed. "What girl is that considerate these days?"

"Maybe she is," Dalton insisted. "Could be Julissa just wants a stable life with someone who treats her right."

Flynn let out a skeptical laugh. A girl that young, not even focused on her studies—she couldn't possibly be into a quiet, simple life. He stayed suspicious, convinced she was holding out for something bigger.

Tonight, he decided, he'd figure out what the hell she was really after.

Flynn got home at seven. Julissa, who'd picked up the kids after work and shopped for some clothes, was in the kitchen making dinner. Hearing the door, she peeked out, spotted Flynn in his sharp business suit—every inch the man in charge—and grinned, waving the spatula. "You're back!"

As Flynn kicked off his shoes, he saw her in that apron, and glanced at the kids playing quietly in the living room. After hanging up his coat, he made a beeline for the kitchen.

"Didn't I say leave the chores to me?" Flynn said, taking the spatula from her hands. "Take off the apron and help the kids with their homework. I'll cook."

Julissa hesitated. "I wanted to make dinner for you. The kids are behaving great, no trouble at all. See how quiet they are?"

"No," Flynn insisted, stepping behind her to untie her apron and fasten it around his own waist. "Go on."

Left with no choice, Julissa left the kitchen but lingered in the doorway, teasing, "Why won't you let me cook? Scared it'll taste like crap or I'll burn the place down?"

Flynn, sleeves rolled up, had already started prepping the meal. Without looking back, he answered, "A man doesn't marry a wife just to cook and clean. Your job is to take care of those two little ones—don't worry about anything else."

Men don't marry wives just to handle chores...

Julissa felt her heart flutter at her husband's words. She had to admit, she didn't fully get the man in front of her—now turned away, busy working. Still, his actions gave her something she hadn't felt in a long time: peace, and a quiet sense of security.

She even felt a little lucky. Rushing into marriage, only to end up with a man who genuinely cared. With a shy smile, she turned happily toward her brother and sister.

Flynn picked things up fast. After that first meal, he felt way more confident about the next. Julissa had already made two dishes earlier, so he quickly set out four more and a stew.

After dinner, Flynn still refused to let Julissa touch the dishes. Once the kids were down and she'd finished tucking them in, he called her into the living room and pressed a bank card into her hand.

Julissa looked up at him, curiosity swimming in her eyes. "What's this for?"

"Your aunt was going on about a dowry, wasn't she? There's thirty grand in here. Take it."

Realization hit. She stared at the card in his hand, hesitating, feeling uneasy about taking it. Her face shifted. "I don't need it."

"You sure?" Flynn arched a brow, baffled. Who in their right mind turned down money? Unless she thought thirty grand wasn't enough?

Julissa met his eyes. "I told you—I don't owe my aunt a thing. Don't let her get to you. Besides, you've got car payments, a mortgage. How'd you come up with thirty grand that fast? You borrow it?"

Flynn pressed his lips together, scrambling for an excuse. "Didn't I mention? I closed a new deal, got paid. Every bride deserves something. So just take it, okay?"

He tried handing it over again, but Julissa took it only to shove it back. "Even if you made some money, you should put it toward your loans. No need to give it to me."

"Why not? It's not enough?" Flynn's frustration was mounting. He'd never met someone so damn hard to please. Impatience crawling in, he cut to the chase. "Just name your price, and I'll wire it all at once."

Those words blindsided Julissa, igniting a hot flash of anger. Her big eyes, bright as stars, swam with hurt. "You think I married you for money? Is that really what you think of me?"

Remembering the thousand bucks she'd dropped on clothes for her siblings today, humiliation washed over her. She pulled the household card out of her purse and handed it back. "I only spent a little over a grand on clothes today. But I won't touch your money again. I can make my own."

Turning away, eyes reddening, she refused to look at him, fighting back the tears. Sure, she picked this husband, but she couldn't control what he thought of her. Fine. From now on, they'd just split everything fifty-fifty.

Flynn was stunned—he hadn't realized he'd wounded her pride. Seeing her on the verge of tears, eyes red, left him helpless. He reached out, wanting to turn her around, but caught himself and pulled back, trying to clarify. "Maybe I said it wrong. Look, we're married, so you deserve the same as any wife. Whatever others have, you should have, too."

"There's no need. I didn't marry you for a dowry. I just wanted a man who treats me right, and who accepts my brother." Still stinging, Julissa got to her feet. "I'm going to bed. You have work tomorrow—get some sleep."

Flynn watched her retreat into the bedroom, card in hand, utterly confused. What'd he do wrong? Wasn't a dowry a part of every marriage? Then why'd she get so upset when he tried to give it to her?

As he mulled it over, he noticed the household card she'd returned—giving him more to chew on.

She came back out, thrusting the receipts at him. "Here. The receipts for the clothes I bought my sister and brother. $1,070 total."

She set the receipts on the table and turned to go again, but Flynn wasn't having any of it. "Hold up. Sit. We need to talk."

Julissa stopped, sitting reluctantly, still visibly upset.

Flynn tossed the receipts straight into the trash and held out both cards again. "Take them."

"I don't want them. From now on, we go fifty-fifty on everything. I'll buy the groceries, you cook, and I'll do the dishes." She wanted things fair—didn't want anyone feeling taken for a ride. She had a job. Her salary was enough for her and her brother.

Seeing how pissed she was, Flynn felt helpless but had to get his point across. "You need to get that, legally, we're married. Have you ever seen a marriage where everything's separate? At least for me, my wife should be taken care of by me. If you're gonna insist on splitting everything—what's the point of this marriage, then?"

Flynn was torn. Here he thought she'd married him for his money, but she was turning it down—and getting pissed about it. It bruised his ego.

Julissa dropped her head, letting it all out. "I married you because you seemed mature. Stable. I never once thought about a dowry. I told you—don't worry about my aunt. But you still tried to pay me off tonight, like you had to keep me happy. If I wanted money, I could've asked before the wedding. Was he really that clueless? Obviously, there was something about him she actually liked, or she wouldn't have married him. He was being unreasonable."

Flynn was perplexed. Did she think he was too old or something? He was only thirty. Refusing to argue further, he stuck to his guns. "Regardless, take the money. It's a matter of principle. You can do whatever with it. Don't give it back, or I'll have to rethink this whole thing between us."

Julissa watched Flynn's back as he strode out of the room, leaving two bank cards lying on the table. That heavy silence settled between them like a wall. Had she completely misread him? Did he really think she deserved what everyone else had, and that's why he'd handed her the money? But with his mortgage and car payments hanging over his head, why would he double down on giving her a wedding gift instead of chipping away at his debt?

As she replayed their whirlwind marriage in her mind, Julissa decided there was zero point in starting a fight over a misunderstanding. She scooped up the cards and padded into the bedroom.

Flynn was in the bathroom when she walked in. Without making a sound, she slipped the cards into the nightstand drawer, tucking them beneath a book for safekeeping. Then she settled onto the bed with her phone, scrolling through work emails.

When Flynn finally stepped out of the bathroom, freshly changed and dodging her eyes, he caught sight of Julissa curled up on the bed in her ancient, threadbare pajamas. He ran a towel over his damp hair and kept his voice level. "Didn't you buy yourself any clothes today?"

She'd barely spent a grand. What could that even get you? He figured she had only picked up stuff for the kids and left herself hanging. He couldn't wrap his head around why a young woman wouldn't want to burn through someone else's cash—especially when she'd tied the knot at twenty.

"I've already got plenty to wear, and I have a uniform for work," Julissa replied. "No need to go crazy on more clothes. The card you gave me is in the drawer. Use it if you need to pay something off. I don't have many expenses right now anyway."

Flynn's brows pulled together. He twisted around to face her. "You have a uniform for work? Hold up—you're still working?"

Julissa nodded. "Yeah, I went back today. My shift's nine-to-five, so it won't get in the way of dropping Abel and Kori off at preschool or picking them up. No worries there."

An unexpected wave of guilt hit Flynn square in the chest. Here was this young woman, pushing back on his money, pouring her energy into Kori, and even squeezing in a job during her downtime. That kind of commitment was way beyond anything he'd ever expected.

Still unsettled, Flynn threw out, "Why don't you just quit and focus on the kids?"

Julissa shook her head. "It's no big deal. The job's chill, it comes with benefits, and it doesn't eat up my whole day. I even get four days off a month."

If she quit, she'd be totally dependent on his paycheck, and the minute things went south, she'd have zero leg to stand on. In Julissa's book, a woman could let a man spend on her, but she damn well better have her own cash flow to keep things balanced.

Flynn wasn't having it. "You're really that dead set against letting your husband take care of you?"

Julissa held her ground with a firm nod. "I've got the ability to earn. Why would I lean on you?"

Her confidence in her own hustle left Flynn speechless. A dry flicker of amusement tugged at him—she actually thought her little job made her some kind of independent queen.

Scrambling for solid ground, he asked, "Aren't you beat? Working and chasing after the kids?"

Julissa let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "Not at all. They're sweethearts—no drama. I drop 'em off at preschool, head to work, and they're back in the evening. You won't even let me cook, and there's a washing machine for laundry. The house stays spotless. I'm seriously not tired."

Flynn fell quiet.

The house was tidy because he'd hired someone to deliver groceries and clean during the day. If she was this stubborn about keeping her job, fine. He'd let it ride.

After drying his hair and tossing the towel aside, Flynn sank back onto the bed and laid it out. "Use the money I gave you and buy yourself some decent clothes. Those pajamas you're rocking? They need to go."

He wasn't one to mince words. If she refused to touch his money while juggling his sister, he'd end up feeling like he owed her. And Flynn Greene didn't do debts.

Julissa glanced down at her pajamas, realizing she'd been living in that same set for a solid year now. Did they smell funky or something? She took a quick sniff but caught nothing. Maybe he just hated the cutesy cartoon prints?

She remembered she had another set and scrambled up. "I'll change," she offered.

As she ducked into the bathroom to swap outfits, Flynn tracked her retreating form, leaning back against the headboard with his mind spinning. Was he seriously going to be roommates with this girl forever? She didn't want his money, and she sure as hell wasn't making moves on him. So what was her angle? Was she just into the fact that he had his life together?

That thought left Flynn more tangled than ever.

Julissa came back wearing slightly newer pajamas, this time splashed with fruit prints. The short sleeves and shorts bared her slim arms and legs. Maybe because she couldn't stand wearing a bra to bed, certain curves were more, well, noticeable—and definitely grabbing his attention.

Oblivious to anything suggestive, Julissa felt the sharp bite of the autumn night and practically dove under the covers, yanking the blankets up high. Her cheeks flushed pink as she flashed Flynn a shy smile. "Uh... let's get some sleep. It's late."

She lay down, turning her back to him.

Flynn, still propped up, stole a glance at her. The pale stretch of her neck and the sharp cut of her shoulder bones created this pull he couldn't explain. Her hair fanned out like dark, glossy seaweed.

Even with that careful distance between them on the bed, a faint, fresh scent reached him—something clean, like cut grass, teasing his senses.

It was sweet enough to freeze him for a beat, sparking a reaction he sure as hell didn't plan on. Shit, what was wrong with him?

Flynn shook off the haze, forcing himself to get a damn grip. He was a thirty-year-old man who'd never been with a woman. Feeling a stir just meant he was normal. Period.

Dead set on keeping his cool, Flynn stretched out and turned his back to Julissa.

Tonight, sleep didn't come easy for Julissa. She wasn't even sure what she was lying awake waiting for. After a long stretch of silence, when she sensed zero movement, she slowly rolled onto her side, stealing a look his way.

He was facing away, too.

People always said men were driven by pure instinct. So why the hell was he acting like such a gentleman next to her? Was it respect? Or was he just as unprepared as she was?

Maybe both. They had sprinted into this marriage, sure, but their connection was going to need time to actually grow. She wasn't ready, either.

That thought settled something inside her, and finally—finally—Julissa drifted off.