"How is that even a job? You don't go about town and ask strangers to marry you".
Alicia said. She was too stunned to think anything else. How on earth did a man he had just met offer to marry her as a job? It did not even make sense to her and if she was being honest, it would never make sense to her.
" True. I do want you to do it as a job..I'll never have anything to do with you..I will pay you when the job is done and you will be on your way back to wherever you had come from.. but before then,.we shall see to your pressing needs".
She could not bring herself to believe that. She was definitely not believing he was not out to hurt her. Who was he and why had he showed up at the bar to mess up her life even more than it had been? And why had Ford been so worshipful of him for hell's sake?
"I do not know why you make a proposal at this with me but I am not sure what you intend to do with me ".
"I will tell you why only if it concerns you. For now, the job should be your utmost focus, you hear me?"
He asked..she was not sure if she was to nod or shake her head..she stood there, wishing there was a better explanation.
Reynolds had been more than surprised when he had found Jenna cheating on him. She was supposed to be in France but she was not. She had called him to tell him that she had missed her flight for reasons she did not know and would stay another day at Crème de la Crème hotel, New York.
He had gone there without prior notice and had gotten details about her and with his influence, he had easily gotten the information he needeed. Instincts had motivated him and he did not want to head back. He had come rang her hotel room and she had unsuspectingly opened the door with the thoughts that it was only the room service bringing what she had ordered earlier. She was more than surprised to see his face and she made to slam the door in his face but he had pushed his way effortlessly into the room and there was his rival. A man, tall and lanky with dark wavy hair and a pair of contrasting eyes that almost amused him if not for the present business at hand. The man knew him. He Introduced himself and stepped back. He was in shorts and his upper body was bare, with a towel slung over his shoulder and sweat dripping from his brows and arms. There was probably an equipment that one could work out with in the suite and the man was making good use of it. He needed it.
"Reynolds Macpherson, good to meet you, gentleman".
Reynolds had maintained. He was not one who would fight over a woman. Not one whom he did not feel strongly for and definitely not when he had the most beautiful women willing to do anything with him. Willing to be entangled with him
"Rey, I_"
"Don't worry, Jenna. It was good seeing you" .
He said and stormed out. He was not angry . He was only amazed. He had not counted on being the one to be cheated on and he definitely handled the issue with all the wisdom in the world. He was pleased with himself for that. But the problem remained that his father had gotten the marriage license ready and he was to be married in the next one week and then officially become the owner of the family business. How could he convince his father that he had to do it alone without a wife by his side which was the criteria which his father had mentioned?
Damn. He did not want to marry the wrong person and be stuck for life with her and he was definitely not marrying a whore. So, he would pick this lady he had found at Ford's and he would contract her to play the wife for him until he had signed all the documents and then she could be on her way back. Sure, his father would be angry if he ever found out. But what then was the most suitable thing to do than to keep it a secret from him?
He thought about it again and decided that one week was too short a time and no matter how he choosed to make it seem real, it would seem false to everyone and he had end up having his face in the papers. Reynolds Macpherson, heir and son of ... divorces his wife barely after a week of marriage. Reynolds divorces wife after one week.
The thoughts made him shudder. He would not make arrangements for one month but she could marry him for a year and then they would secretly do away with each other.
"What are you thinking? The absurdity of this whole show?"
She asked. She was not crying anymore and her eyes did not glisten with unshed tears anymore as she spoke. There seemed to be something amusing to her. She was holding back her laughter!.
"What is funny? Get in the car and let's talk"..
He said in the same commanding tone with which he had earlier spoken to her. She did not question him this time. She got into the car with him and he began to speak rapidly. She turned once and there was Ford, staring in their direction. The lights from inside the bar washed over him, making his face a silhouette. He must think of her as a whore now! Alicia Imagined.
"Did you get what I just said?"
He asked her. Her mind had been clouded with many different thoughts that the sight of Ford had aroused and she had been with him, listened to him but never heard him!
" I'm sorry I was not listening to you. What did you say?"
She demanded and he shook his head..
" No way I'm repeating myself. Go your way, I will get someone else to do the job."
Her eyes clouded up. Had he not said he would take care of her immediate needs as part of the payment for the job only if she agreed and that meant, she would not be evicted?
"I'll do it"
"She had not heard the words he had said nor the ticking off of his fingers which was supposed to be the conditions for the contract but she agreed anyways.
" Can I get payment for my immediate needs, like you had promised earlier?"