1 Chapter One

The ice cubes clinked together in her glass as she finished another 'old fashioned' and set it on the bar. Frankie ignored the slice of lemon, but picked up the two cherries and pulled one in her mouth with her tongue. The classic cocktail was one of her favourite drinks and an assured way to get her mind off of her current predicament. She sucked and chewed on the cherry, her elbows leaning on the bar as she put all her weight on her standing leg, her right boot tip toeing the floor behind. Could her life suck any more than it already did?

(Flashback)

Mrs Hanlan gave her granddaughter a fond smile and Frankie knew straight away that the matriarch of her family was about to give her some news she didn't want to hear. "Frankie," the old lady said, the only one of her family to honour her chosen name instead of the Francesca her parents had given her, "I have something to tell you."

Frankie looked at the blue eyes so similar to hers, surrounded as they were by wrinkles and crows' feet that were evidence of a life well-lived. "Yes, Grams?"

"Darling, you and I know, better than most, the expectations and the ways of our family," Grams started, gesturing for her to take a seat on the footstool next to her. The way of their family, now there was an understatement. The Hanlan family came from old money, most of it made during the goldrush and then well-invested to continue expanding. It put the family in a powerful position within their community, giving most of them an inflated sense of self-worth and an ego to match. Their money carried with it expectations on how to live, what to look like and how to love. Studying to be a psychologist didn't fit that bill. Neither was being a little chubby and soft around the edges. And being single without the right type of prospect from another wealthy family on the horizon, was a definite no-no. These things however all applied to Frankie and it drove both her parents mad that she continued to defy them. Grams however had taken up the mantle of being the eccentric head of the household and tried to encourage Frankie to pursue her own life and interests. The more it rubbed her son, Frankie's father, the wrong way, the more the old lady enjoyed herself. So it took Frankie by surprise when her grandmother said, "I need to tell you about your inheritance and the requirements you need to fulfil to gain control of it."

"Grams?" Frankie asked confused. Of course, she knew there was likely to be some money in her future, but she hadn't expected it yet or for there to be some mysterious conditions attached.

"I want you to be able to have the life you want, but I don't want you to have to do it alone. In order to get free reign over your inheritance after your twenty-fifth birthday, you need to find someone you want to marry and stay together for at least one year."

The blonde psychology student couldn't believe those words had just left her grandmother's mouth. Never had Grams pushed her to find someone, least of all because of money. "Grams, I don't understand. Why...?"

"I won't always be here to continue supporting you," Grams interrupted as she took hold of her hand. "And the family has always put stipends on the inheritances. I set these for you, so that you could find someone to love and support you the way your parents never have." The old fingers gently caressed the back of her hand and Frankie welcomed the comforting touch. A frown marred her face as she said, "any inheritances not claimed by fulfilling the requirements get split. Ten percent still goes to the intended recipient, but fifteen percent goes back into the family's coffers and seventy-five percent goes to the parents."

The realisation of what her grandmother was saying hit Frankie like a ton of bricks. If she didn't gain control of her inheritance, she wouldn't have the money she needed to live free from her parents' clutches with her own practice. And her greedy father and ridiculous mother would gain even more wealth for the sake of it. Frankie had less than a year to find herself a husband to put up with for the stipulated amount of time to gain control over her own destiny. How the fuck was she meant to do that when she didn't even have any serious dating prospects in her life?

Frankie snorted as she played with the second cherry. What had her grandmother been thinking when she set those terms? And, honestly, who said she really needed a man to be happy? What century were they living in?

She suppressed a groan when the group she was with cheered loudly. She knew she should join them in the festivities, but all she really wanted was to curl under a blanket and sleep 'til her problems had solved themselves. Since that was not an option, she opted for moping and getting drunk, just this once. She couldn't possibly sink any lower than she had now.

Levi Connolly couldn't take his eyes off her, even on his way out of the bar. Something about the way she was leaning against the bar, staring into nothingness, made him want to know what she was thinking. Who was he kidding? He wasn't a romantic. Something about the shape of her ass in those tight jeans made him want to know what she looked like naked. He couldn't remember ever seeing her here before. It wasn't like he went out a lot, but he was sure he would have remembered her. Even in the drunk state he was currently in, he would not forget an ass like that.

"Dude, you coming or what?" Miles tapping on his shoulder made him realise he'd stopped walking. He was about to nod when the blonde looked up and their eyes locked.

"I think I'm gonna stay," he said, grinning when Miles snickered. It wasn't like he was cocky, but he was confident enough that most women at least liked the way he looked. He worked out just enough to keep his body toned without getting too bulky. Not necessarily to attract women, but it sure didn't hurt. He waved off his friend and then returned his attention to the woman at the bar, who'd unfortunately turned away. It had been a while since he'd stepped up to anyone, but the alcohol coursing through his veins was enough to lower any hesitation he normally might have felt.

"Wow, that chick looks really pissed at you," he said as he approached her, immediately regretting saying something so stupid when she turned and frowned at him.

"What chick?" she asked, turning her head and then turning entirely so she could look out into the bar.

"That one," Levi said, pointing at her reflection in the mirror behind the bar. God, he was an idiot. That had to be the lamest joke ever uttered in this bar. The blonde, however, turned and found her own, very striking, blue eyes staring back at her, and then chuckled. She must be drunk, he realised, even as he felt a little proud at making her laugh. "I'm Levi," he said now, holding his hand out towards her.

"Frankie," she answered after a moment's hesitation.

"Are you here alone?" Levi decided to ask. He hoped she hadn't been stood up or the like, as that would make his success ratio plummet before he could even try.

Frankie rolled her eyes, as if judging the originality of his conversation attempt. "I know that group over there, but I'm not particularly in the mood for their brand of loud right now," she answered, her elbow firmly planted on the bar, her hand wrapped around a drink and using her pinkie to point in the direction of a group of around 10 people. They were indeed being quite boisterous, so he couldn't blame her for wanting to stay away from them.

"Well, feel free to tell me to get lost if you want, but can I keep you company and buy you another drink?" Levi offered as he turned back to her.

"Yeah, sure. Why not? Misery loves company, right?" Frankie answered, draining her glass. She watched him gesture at the bartender for another round. She didn't waste any time picking up the new glass.

"Here's to misery, then," Levi tried to be clever and get her to slow down as he held his own glass towards her to clink. He noticed her fighting back an eye roll before clinking glasses with him.

Frankie was steadily making her way through the second drink he'd bought her when one of her favourite dance songs, 'Can't stop the feeling', sounded out. "Come on," she said as she grabbed Levi's hand and pulled him onto the dance floor. It was guaranteed to cheer her up, especially when he didn't let go of her hand as they started dancing together. Levi was at least half a foot taller, but he seemed to make sure she didn't feel towered over as they swayed and twirled. The song effortlessly blended into 'I came here for love' and they continued dancing. It had been a long time since she'd let loose like this, as the DJ made his way through 'Beautiful People' and 'All for you' as well before Rihanna's 'We found love' blasted out. Frankie felt like she was at a rave, jumping to the dance classic and forgetting the worries that led her to the bar tonight.

Until there seemed to be a bit of an uproar among her friends, both Levi and Frankie craning their necks to see if there was actually a problem. She couldn't say she was entirely surprised to see her best friend JoJo break away from the group and climb on to the bar.

"I'm getting married!" JoJo squealed, holding her left hand out to the club, even though only those within a 5ft radius would be able to see anything. "Archie proposed," she added when she spotted Frankie and Levi dancing not too far away. A cheer went up throughout the club.

"Ugh, I can't believe Grams is making me do that too," Frankie groaned, thinking the music would drown out her words.

"Huh?" Levi asked confused, making her realise that he'd heard her. "You're having an arranged marriage?"

The question, combined with his genuine shock, made her laugh for a second. "No," she said, "come on, I'll explain." Frankie led the way back to the bar, needing another drink to try to explain this properly.

Levi must have definitely had too much to drink, as the story Frankie told him couldn't have been real. And if that wasn't enough proof, the next words out of his mouth surely were, "Marry me."

It was almost comical how wide her blue eyes went at those words, but he kept his expression neutral as he knew he needed to at least appear more sane, or sober, than he actually was. "What?" Frankie simply asked after staring at him with her mouth opening and closing soundlessly for a few seconds.

"Marry me. Let me help you," Levi said with an easy shrug, as if it was nothing.

"You're crazy," the blonde told him, turning away from him.

"Not really. But you're in need of a groom and I'm available. I don't really believe in married happily ever after, so I can promise you I won't make this messy when the time is up," he told her, stopping her from leaving. Levi felt a little bit like a bug under a microscope when her shrewd gaze took him in, assessing his offer.

"What's in it for you?" she asked suspiciously. "Why would you take yourself off the market, if you don't believe in it?"

"Tax breaks. And precisely because it takes me off the market, it alleviates any pressure to date and be on the lookout for The One from both my mom and stepmom," he decided to answer honestly. The journalist could tell she was starting to waver, so he pulled her in slow enough for her stop him if she wanted to. His brown eyes roamed her face for any indication that she didn't want what he was about to do, his lips finally pressing against hers when he found none. Unlike some previous, slightly drunken, encounters he'd experienced, this felt as natural as breathing. Her lips parted on a slight gasp when his tongue teased her to gain entry and their tongues tangled together in a familiar dance.

"Yes," Frankie murmured when she pulled back breathlessly.