The next thing I knew I was strapped down. There was something
poking into my arm and fluorescent lights were above me. At least three
people were around me.
"Who are you, again?"
"Her husband,"
"We've got it from here,"
"I'm coming with you."
"What's going on?" I squeaked out.
"You passed out, honey. We're going to get you checked out."
"Who are you? Why are you calling me honey?"
"It seems she's having trouble remembering things too. We'll check
that out in the hospital. Sir, if you'll just follow us."
"What is going on?" I groaned.
"Sweetheart, you're going to be checked out at the hospital." I felt
someone grab my hand. "You're getting in an ambulance right now.
Don't worry, I'm right here for you."
I felt warmth spreading from my arm and I looked to see an IV sticking
out when everything went fuzzy and I felt like I was floating. The next
thing I knew I smelt antiseptic and plastic. There is only one place that
has this distinct smell. I looked around and everything was immaculate
with a little curtain divider separating my half of the room. I was in a
hospital. The question was, why?
I felt alright. I moved all my fingers and toes, I had all my
appendages. It didn't feel like I had stitches anywhere, the only thing
that hurt was the IV sticking out of my arm. I hit the little nurse's
call button on my bed when he walked in. Flashes started to come
back. He was carrying two cups of coffee.
"Hey, I wasn't sure how you like your coffee." He smiled at me. "I
have one black, and one with cream and sugar."
"I'll take the black one,"
He handed it to me. "How are you feeling?"
"Pretty alright. Why am I here?"
"You hyperventilated. The doctors said that once you were awake you
were allowed to go home."
"Right, how do I know you?"
"We're kind of married," he offered with a small smile.
"Crap, you're right, you were telling me about this earlier and I had a
panic attack. Look, I'm sure you're a great guy, but I have to get back
to my life. I can't do this, I'm sorry."
"You kind of already have."
"You don't seem to be understanding, I can't be married to you."
"Well, you are."
I sighed. "Look, I don't want to be. Let's get this annulled
and we can both forget this stupid little mistake."
"I've already told you, I can't let that happen just yet."
"Why again, can't we just get this annulled?"
"It looks bad for business. I am the heir to the Carson hotel chain. The five star hotels known
for nothing short of excellence. We are class."
"Okay?"
"I can't appear as some party boy who had a drunken marriage."
"So what are we supposed to be?"
"My publicist is already concocting a cover story."
"What?"
"My publicist is good at keeping public what she wants public, and
private what needs to be private. She's good at her job. Are you
feeling well enough to leave here?"
"Sure, I want to go home."
"We are going home,"
"No, my home. You're crazy if you think I'm staying here in Vegas."
"We don't have to, I can go anywhere in the world. Remember my
hotel chain is worldwide."
"My home doesn't involve you."
"I'm going to have to ask you to play along. We have to play the
part of newlyweds."
"What?"
"I need you to pretend to be in love with me."
"That's preposterous."
"But necessary."
"No."
"I'm afraid I'm not actually asking. The funny thing with divorce,
is both have to enter it. You can't get rid of me without my
signature. The question is, do you want to do this the easy way, or the
hard way?"
"Are you threatening me?"
"If you choose to perceive it that way, I prefer to think it's more of an
adventure request."
"I never wanted to come to Vegas in the first place." I grumbled and tried
to cross my arms. That's when I remembered the IV.
"Hi honey, how are you feeling?" the nurse asked as she came in.
She was tall, slender, and had caramel colored skin. "Everything looks
good and Dr. Franklin gave you the all clear once you were feeling up to it."
"She's feeling much better,"
"What was your name again?"
"Taylor, sweetheart. She must have hit her head harder than we
thought on the floor."
The nurse came over looking concerned. "Her pupils aren't
dilated. Follow the pen cap." She moved the pen back and forth in front
of me. "She doesn't seem to have a concussion. We can run some
tests if you like,"
"Only the best for my wife." The nurse didn't see the glare I shot him,
but he did. What did that little son of a gun do? He grinned back.
She went to go fetch a doctor and I continued to glare at Taylor.
"You can stop with the wife comments."
"But you are my wife."
"We'll just see about this."
"Alright, wifey."
"Stop calling me that."
"What would you prefer? Mrs. Carson?"
"No, I'm not changing my name."
"You can hyphenate it if you like."
"I'm not changing my name." I like my name. Kayla Bryce is
just fine thank you very much.
"We'll just see, darling."
The doctor came in and examined me. Three hours later I was sitting
in the back of a car, Taylor's arm too close to me. He'd already tried to
put it around me and he'd nearly lost it. Something he seemed to find far
too amusing.
"Darling, you're so cute."
"Stop calling me darling. And I'm not cute. I'm angry."
"No darling, it's cute."
"Stop it!"
"I tell you what, you can have whatever you want."
"I want out of this sham of a marriage."
"Except that."
I sighed and looked at the bruise blossoming on my arm where the IV had
been. I'd always bruised easily. I'd tried to give blood once, it
took them two hours and they gave up and then it looked like someone had taken
a baseball bat to my arm. "I need to get back to my job. My plane
is supposed to leave tonight. I have work on Monday. I really need
to get back to my friends. This has been fun and all, but I really must
be going. Drop me off at, never mind. We were staying at the Carson."
"I will take you wherever you need to go. If you like we can take
my private jet."
"No thank you. I have my own ticket already."
"Come now, I'm sure my jet is more comfortable."
"I don't care."
"We'll discuss it at the hotel."
I glared out the tinted windows and we made our way back to the
hotel. I held my arm gingerly and found my girls. I'd called ahead.
"Dammy!"
She ran up to me and spun me around. "Oh my god, this is your
husband?"
"Tylor Carson," he extended his hand. Dammy grabbed him and pulled
him in for a hug. "I'm a hugger." She smiled and gave me a thumbs up
behind his back. "I approve!" she winked and smacked his bum. To
which he looked surprised, but gave me a small smile.
"Can anyone tell me what happened last night?"
"I remember you!" Trina smiled. Trina's waist length hair was tied
up in a bun and she was back to her business attire with her suit skirt and
blazer. "You came over and sat with us for blackjack last night. I
don't think we were properly introduce. Katrina Elton."
"Where's Jackie?" I asked as I first noticed she wasn't with everyone
else. She is the whole reason I came to Vegas in the first place.
If she hadn't begged and pleaded I'd be home right now doing research.
What I was really good at, and where I felt that I belonged.
"She's checking out now."
"Is she okay?"
"She's jealous." Betty chimed in, flipping her short blonde hair. Betty
wasn't my friend, she was Jackie's. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she
purred as she took no notice of personal space and raked her nails down his
chest. I hate Betty, she was as fake as the blonde in her hair. She
was mean, backstabbing, and a horrible friend to Jackie.
"Sure," Tylor looked a little confused, but took her hand off his chest
and put it by her side. "It's nice to meet you."
"How did you of all people manage to scoop this hot, steaming pile of
sexy up?" Betty asked as she circled Tylor like a vulture.
"I started by not treating him like a piece of meat." I snapped.
"But I didn't pick him up," I quickly corrected. "This was just an
accident. A simple miscalculation that I can fix."
"But I don't want to be fixed," Tylor pouted as his arms snaked around my
waist and pulled me up against his chest.
"Let go of me!" I hissed as I shoved his arms off of me. I looked
to see him giving me a puppy dog pout. That was so not fair. It was
cute . . . he was kind of . . . attractive, but it didn't matter!
No! Stay focused kayla. You were getting rid of him
asap! "Betty, maybe if you started treating people like human
beings they'll treat you as more than just a semen depository. Now, I
have to go and find my sister!"
I stormed off and ran into Jackie. "Hey sis, so you got married to
him? Good for you! He's a cutie,"
"Jackie! What happened last night? Did someone slip something
into my drink?"
"No, you just had too much to drink."
"But I didn't drink alcohol!"
"Kay, you had about ten long island iced teas over the night."
"But it's tea,"
"But it's not." Jackie laughed. "It's rum, and vodka, and tequila,
and gin, all sorts of fun things. Damn, you didn't know?"
"No!"
"And here I thought Vegas just loosened you up."
"Oh! What in the world did I do?"
"Got drunk and got married in Vegas. You and how many hundreds of
others? You could have done a lot worse. I have to say, he's a
cutie."
"Do you realize who he is?"
"He does look familiar now that you mention it."
"That is Tylor Carson, and I can't get rid of him."
"Oh! That's it! He won most eligible bachelor this
year. Well, I guess he lost that for next year." Jackie teased me with a
wink.
"And he won't annul our marriage."
"Why would you want to?"
"Why would I want him?"
"That's a bit harsh," I heard Tylor from behind me. I stiffened and
stood up straight. "You are my sister-in-law, I do believe." Tylor offered
with a handshake.
Jackie shook her head and held out her arms. "This is a family of
huggers. Get used to it, beefcake." Jackie pulled him in for a hug then
held him at an arm's length. "But don't think we won't kick your ass if
you hurt Kayla in any way. I will personally kick your ass myself."
"Dually noted, and I plan to treat her like the princess she is."
"Will you two stop talking like I'm not even here?" I snapped.
"Trina!" I called storming over to her. "My bestest attorney friend, get
me out of this nonsense."
Trina thought for a long moment. "Have you two consummated?"
"What?"
"Have you two consummated your marriage?"
I felt my cheeks flush. "I-I-I I don't remember," I
stammered. I looked at Tylor, him with his sly little grin. "Di-did
we?"
Tylor looked a little sad, but still had a ghost of a smile.
"Sorry, darling."
I groaned and covered my face with my hands and let myself sink down to
the ground.
"I'll make some calls sweetheart," Trina assured me. "I'm not the
youngest partner in the history of the firm for no reason," she soothed, as she
pulled me to my feet and gave me a wink. "Jackie, is everything taken
care of with the hotel?"
"Yeah," Jackie smiled and bounced
over. "Now to just catch that plane and we can head back."
"You are all welcome to fly back on my private jet, if you like," Tylor
offered with that award winning smile I was beginning to hate.
"That sounds fantastic," Betty cooed, getting as close to Tylor as was
humanly possible. He raised an eyebrow but otherwise ignored her very
existence. "Can I sit next to you?" she breathed into his
ear.
"I'm afraid that seat is reserved for my wife,"
Betty shot me daggers and I shook my head. "I am not your wife!" I
hissed.
"I'm afraid you are," Tylor replied with a smirk. "Now, if you
ladies would like, we'd be happy to accommodate you all."
"Private jet or Coach seats? Private jet!" Jackie cheered.
"You picked a good one!"
"I didn't pick anyone!" I hissed.
"I have a very important question," Dammy
chimed in.
"What is that?"
"Are you any good in bed? Because, you had better keep this girl
well taken care of, or else you'll have me to deal with." Dammy warned.
"Ask her," Tylor chuckled.
"Dammy, stop talking like that. I'm not going to do that with him."
"You already have." Dammy shrugged.
"If I can't remember it, how does it count?"
"Kayla, you are not a normal human being." Dammy sighed. "Will you
look at this gorgeous man? He is your husband. He's not fat.
Do you have a degree?"
"From Duke,"
"He's an ivy leaguer. He's rich and owns a very profitable
hotel chain. He seems like a gentleman so far, and if you aren't so help
you god. Now darling, only you could see the awful in this."
"I'm already married," I grumbled. "I'm married to my work. I
don't have time for relationships. I don't want one, and I don't need
one. I am perfectly fine alone and I don't have any intention of changing
it." I warned.
"We'll just see about that!" Dammy sang as she gave Tylor a wink.
"We'll take your fancy plane, and we'll make her like it." Dammy pointed at
me. And this is how my entire life turned upside down quite literally
overnight.