LOGAN'S APARTMENT
"Do we have to live together?" Logan asked as he helped her with her luggage into the room.
"We have to, if you want your mom to believe us then we've got to make it look real" she replied as she went to take a seat in the seating room.
"Why did you change your mind, you refused me even when I offered everything I could," Logan said as he joined her.
She had been adamant about not helping him when she got back to the hospital earlier that day but during class and when they were taught about anxiety and how dangerous it is, her heart began softening and she kept thinking about Logan.
She went to have a word with her professor after class and he enlightened her more on it.
"Why do you ask this?" The professor had asked her.
"Well, a friend of mine is suffering from one. It's just that he lives alone and..."
"Anxiety attack is prone to happen when he or she isn't expecting it and so I suggest that this friend of yours doesn't live alone. It's dangerous" the doctor had told her.
Through the rest of her shift that day, she kept thinking about Logan and decided to help him which is why she's presently in his home.
"Aren't you going to tell me why you've changed your mind?" Logan asked, jolting her to the present.
"It's a secret. Let's talk about more important things" she began looking very serious.
"Am not going to marry you but instead, I will pretend to be your fiance. A fiance who will dote on you more than life itself and it's only for your mother's sake" she reminded him and it got him nodding in agreement.
"Then on the professional side. I can only help you if you agree to do everything I say"
"That will be impossible 'cause I don't like it when people tell me what to do rather I give the order," Logan said.
"If we are to make this a success then you've got to listen to me"
"Isn't there any other method?"
"There is and that is for you to go to the hospital and we end...."
"Fine, I agree," Logan said quickly which got her nodding in triumph.
"Then for our living arrangement. I need a room for myself and apart from the pretense and me being your private doctor. Let's not meddle in each other's lives " She suggested.
"Does that mean you don't need my help in getting the guy you love?" Logan asked.
"I don't. I know my capability and I can get the man I love myself. I hope I have made myself clear on that, " she said.
"Apart from the pretense and all, we won't meddle with each other's lives," he said, adhering to everything she said earlier.
"Am famish, you don't mind me using your kitchen for a while ?" She asked softly.
"No, I don't but first let me show you around the house," Logan replied as he began the tour.
****
Hours later Logan was getting ready for bed when the door opened revealing Whitney.
"What's wrong?" Logan asked softly.
"Am sleeping in your room for tonight" she replied as she began spreading her quilt on the floor.
"And why is that?"
"My work begins today and one of it is to watch you sleep. Who knows, you might spill out something while asleep and I can use it to help you so just think that you are the only one in the room. I will be as quiet as I can" She replied as she continued to make her bed.
Logan let out a sigh and got into his bed, turning his back on her.
It's been years since he's had a female living with him, much less sharing a room with him.
He turned, wanting to check on Whitney who was on the floor when he saw her lying beside him on the bed.
"What are you doing?" He asked as he sat up.
"Am sorry but it's just that the floor is too cold and I am allergic to cold," she replied, sending a shy smile.
"Are you trying to seduce me?" He asked which got her seating up too.
"Of course not! You aren't even my type" she yelled at him.
"Then I am glad because I don't want you to fancy me. I will use the floor"
"That will be the best thing for us and you aren't that attractive to be fancied!" She yelled at him before lying down on the bed while Logan slept on the quilt that she had brought in.
The two ignored each other until they fell asleep and during the night, Logan woke up due to a cold and ended up getting on the bed with the sleeping Whitney.
Whitney opened her eyes due to the sun drifting in and when she sat up it was to see Logan at his desk, working on his laptop.
"You're finally up. Go get ready, we are going to see my mom" He ordered briskly.
"But isn't it too early? Am thinking we should give it a day or two before...."
"No. She doesn't have much time left and the earlier I let her know about us, the better " he replied as he got off his seat heading for the bathroom.
****
~ HOSPITAL
"You both are what?" Rose let out staring at Logan and Whitney who stood in front of him.
"We are both engaged moms. Thanks to what you said that day, I finally realized that my heart belongs to Whitney" Logan replied, sending a fake smile at Whitney who returned it.
"But this is hard to believe. It hasn't been long since I hired Whitney to pretend to be your wife and now you are saying that you intend to marry her? I find that hard to believe" Rose said glaring at the both of them.
Logan was about to speak when Whitney took hold of his hand.
"I know you find it hard to believe but it's the truth. When Logan confessed his feelings to me, I doubted him at first but when I realized that he was telling the truth and that I also felt the same way, I felt so happy. You have no idea how thrilled I felt on that day, it's one of the best days of my life" Whitney said while Logan stared at her wondering why she chose to become a doctor when she was fit enough to be an actress.
"Are you both sure about this? You aren't doing this to trick me or anything right?" Rose asked and immediately Whitney went towards her, taking hold of her hand.
"I know It will be hard for you to trust me but what I have going with Logan is real. I love him just as much as he loves me" Whitney said, trying to assure Rose.
"Okay! If you two say you are engaged then I will believe you" Rose replied with a smile.
"Does that mean that you are giving us your blessing?" Whitney asked while Rose nodded.
"Heard that right? We've got your mom's blessing so nothing is stopping us from getting married. I love you" Whitney said, adding the last part for Rose's benefit.
When Logan didn't reply to the compliment, she pressed at his hand and that got him turning to her with a smile in return.
"I love you too," he said wondering why those words sounded new to him after all he had only said that to one person, and that had been years ago.
A while later while Logan drove her to the teaching hospital, he said to her.
"I hope we will refrain from saying the word love to each other"
"Why?" She asked.
"Cause I hate it" he replied
"Tch! Am here to make you feel that word once again. My goal is to make your heart beat for someone and you should get ready cause I will be saying that love word more frequently" she declared and he stopped the car in front of the hospital rather than drive into the hospital parking lot.
"You don't have to see me in, see you later my patient" she teased as she got out of the car but Logan was out of the car too, and swiftly he came to her, obstructing her path.
"What's wrong?"
"From what I know, we've been followed," he said.
"By who?" The shocked Whitney asked as she kept staring around but that stopped when Logan pulled her towards him.
"What are you doing?" She asked, stupefied by his action.
"Judging by how the guards have been following us from the hospital. There's no doubt that they are all working for my mom"
"Your mom? Why would she send the guards after us?"
"To confirm if we are together. So if we are to get her to believe us then we must convince those two hounds of hers that we are the perfect couple" he replied, still holding onto her.
"Fine then. If they want us to perform a show, why not give them one" she replied as she stood on tip-toe to kiss him on the cheek, startling Logan.
"I didn't mean that" he muttered, still shocked by her boldness.
"It's the only way to make them believe us, " she said, giving him another kiss on the cheek before running into the hospital and leaving him standing there.
A car horn for him to move his car got him driving away from the hospital.
****
Later that day, Whitney was heading to the cafeteria for lunch when Elizabeth found her.
"Let's not eat in the cafeteria, let's go eat out today," Elizabeth said suddenly.
"But you wanted us to eat in the cafeteria, you kept pestering me about it" Whitney replied.
"I know but have changed my mind and I want us to leave," she said, taking hold of Whitney's hand but it was too late cause the two couples came out of the cafeteria.
Whitney stood watching Romeo and Mary leave the cafeteria together and the intimate way Mary held onto Romeo spoke volumes.
"Is something going on between them?" Whitney asked Elizabeth who let out a sigh.
"You know Mary has also had a thing for Romeo. So she followed him to the hospital he went to do his voluntary work and ended up seducing him" Elizabeth replied with anger.
"Seduce? Are they together?" Whitney asked.
"From what the other doctors heard, they are both dating" Elizabeth replied, and that darkened Whitney's mood.
"You don't have to worry about it. He might just be having a fling with her and....where are you going?" Elizabeth asked when she began to walk off.
"I want to be alone," Whitney replied before getting into the elevator.
****
~ EVENING ~
Whitney was leaving the hospital for the night when she heard her name being called.
She knew who it was even before she turned to him.
"Are you off work?" Romeo asked.
"Yes," she replied, not wanting to look at him.
"Will you mind having lunch with me and...."
"No. I'd rather go home" she answered.
"Am sorry " Romeo said which got her staring at him.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I know I didn't treat you right even after you confessed to me, I ...."
"We don't have to talk about this. You told me you would think about it and am willing to give you more time " Whitney said.
"I would like to give you that answer now," he replied softly.
"I don't want to listen to it. Let's talk some other time and...."
"I'm dating Mary and so whatever feeling you have for me should be buried," Romeo said, hurting her more.
"Why? Why can't you love me back? Aren't I good enough?" Whitney asked as tears began to fall.
"I just....don't feel the same way" he answered which got her crying more.
Moving towards her, Romeo wanted to wipe off the tears but she pushed his hand away before running off.
"Am sorry Whitney but it's the best for us" Romeo whispered staring at her retreating figure and unknown to them both.
Logan stood a distance away watching them.
****
~ LOGAN'S APARTMENT ~
Logan left his study, heading to bed to sleep when Whitney arrived.
It's been an hour since she left the hospital and she just arrived.
"Your back," he said staring at her red eyes, she must have been crying after all the guy she loves just rejected her.
"Sorry, I am late. I need to go and take a rest" she muttered as she walked past him, heading for the stairs.
"He's not worth your tears," Logan said softly and that got her turning to him.
"I saw everything a while ago and I...."
"It's none of your business. We agreed that we won't meddle in each other's lives and I hope you stick to your word" she said hotly before going upstairs.
****
~ NEXT DAY ~ HOSPITAL
"For how long will you keep on taking me to the hospital?" Whitney asked as she sat in his car.
"Until the goons which my mom sent to watch us are both satisfied," he replied even as he stopped his car in front of the hospital.
Whitney got out of the car only to see Romeo standing by the entrance.
They both stared at each other for a while and it was Whitney who looked away wanting to ignore him but he stopped her by holding onto her hand.
"We need to talk," Romeo said. approacheddon'tant to talk to you..."
"Whitney" Logan called as he approached them and taking hold of her hand, he pulled her into his arms.
"I forgot to give you this?" Logan said suddenly.
"What?" Whitney asked only for him to kiss her on the lips