Husband To Go

by S. C. Adams

  “Yeah, everything’s fine,” I say in a smooth voice. Her touching me is extra annoying right now. I can’t help but think about how soft and welcome Kylie’s arms were. I keep seeing her face right after she came, full of ecstasy and delight.

  This isn’t good. My fiancée’s daughter shouldn’t be burned in my thoughts like this. I’m in deep trouble.

  Then, Veronica takes her hand off me and goes back to her friends. As usual, she was barely interested in my answer. Even asking was probably all for show, letting people know she “cares” about her fiancé.

  A few minutes later, Kylie walks back in. Her hair is still a little disheveled, tendrils floating in front of her face. Her eyes connect with mine for a second before darting away, but then she smiles at her Aunt Jane and sits down like everything’s normal.

  Shit. What do I do now? It seems my future stepdaughter has the upper hand here. She’s confident and perfectly at ease, whereas I’m hot under the collar and dying to talk to her again. I still want to sleep with her, but that’s damn-near impossible, not to mention unethical and probably criminal too. Watching her eat, I wonder if she cleaned herself up after I left.

  Damn, I’m going to hell. I shift in my seat uncomfortably. Now is not the time.

  “Kylie, are you okay? You haven’t eaten any of your food,” Jane asks with concern. She puts her fork down and turns with an apologetic smile.

  “I’m fine. I’m feeling a little sick is all.”

  “Oh?” Jane rubs her back. “Well, I hope you feel better soon.”

  Veronica interrupts.

  “Did I hear my baby say she’s feeling sick?” she coos across the table. Kylie looks uncomfortable when her mom comments.

  “It’s not that big of a deal, really. I’ll be fine in a couple of hours, I’m sure.”

  “Oh, I can make you my chicken soup once we get home. I’ll take care of you, baby,” Veronica says in a sugary sweet voice, continuing her act. Kylie narrows her eyes.

  “Um, okay thanks,” she responds suspiciously. She turns her attention back to Jane, and the two of them talk with each other, making sure to keep their voices low.

  I just keep my mouth shut. There’s no reason for me to get involved in any of the conversations circling around the table. Plus, soon I’ll be able to go back to work, where I’m in my element. Hopefully, these uncomfortable feelings won’t follow me there.

  “Excuse me, excuse me!” Veronica is standing up, clinking her glass with her knife. The din dies down as the guests focus on her. “Hi everyone. I just wanted to say thank you for coming to our engagement lunch. It means a lot to me that all of you wanted to celebrate my upcoming marriage to this guy,” she points to me. I offer a tight-lipped smile. Kylie finally looks at me again, but her expression is neutral.

  “I’m so excited to see you guys at all of our upcoming festivities. This wedding is going to be epic!” Veronica lifts her glass, and everyone follows suit, toasting the bride and groom.

  The rest of the party follows in a similar fashion. I talk whenever someone wants to make conversation, but I mainly watch Kylie as she moves smoothly among the guests. She’s polite, charming, and gracious, which is a feat given what just happened in the restroom. In fact, the woman has my respect. If I were her age, I’d probably depart as soon as the meal ended.

  But Kylie stays. She talks and laughs, acting the part of the perfect daughter. Finally, the party ends, and I say goodbye to the relevant people.

  “Goodbye Tanner,” replies Kylie with a genuine smile at me, as she shakes my hand. “I’m looking forward to the wedding.”

  And then, she’s off to her apartment, and I’m off to mine. This day went far from how I expected, and as a result, I’m totally confused. What now? What’s next? I wonder if Kylie will be thinking of me tonight because there’s a strong chance I’ll be thinking of her.

  5

  Kylie

  I cannot believe that my mom is marrying the guy I happened to sleep with at the club. I mean, how? How did the pieces of my life come together to make this mess happen?

  And more importantly why? Is this some kind of karma? Did I do something wrong to deserve this punishment?

  I mean, I can dismiss the first time we slept together because I didn’t know who he was. But at the engagement party, I was fully aware he was my soon-to-be stepfather. And yet, I still let him own my body in the bathroom.

  Oh god. I cover my face, kicking my feet on my bed. Why did he have to feel so good? He knew every button to push. How to make my toes curl. How to turn me inside out.

  I’m afraid to think I might do it again.

  But I can’t. It’s unthinkable. Inconceivable.

  Tanner is marrying my mom. He’s going to be my stepdad. I feel icky thinking about it. I must be a special kind of evil to want to keep this up.

  I sit up in my bed. I need to talk to someone. Anyone. Maybe Andrea will have some advice. I pick up my phone and dial my friend, who thankfully, answers on the first ring.

  “Hey Kylie. How did your mom’s thing go?” I haven’t spoken to my friend since Friday night. It’s time to fill her in on all the details.

  “It was fine, but …” I trail off. I’m not sure how to tell Andrea everything that’s happened. On one hand, I am worried she might judge the hell out of me. On the other hand, I just need talk to someone about all of this craziness.

  “What is it, Ky?” she asks, smacking her gum.

  “So, remember that guy I met at the club?”

  “Mr. Big? The one that’s sexy all over? Oh hell yeah, I remember him.” I groan a little.

  “Yeah, that one.”

  “How did that go, by the way?” she asks in an excited voice. “I got your text about leaving the club, but there were zero details about what actually happened. Come on girl, spill.” I take a long, deep breath and proceed to let it all out.

  “Um, so yeah we hooked up. But in a weird coincidence, I went to my mom’s engagement party last weekend and it turns out he’s my mom’s fiancé.” I rush through the words, hoping my friend doesn’t hear.

  There’s a pause.

  “I’m sorry, what?” It sounds like Andrea did hear, unfortunately. I’m sure she’s pacing, trying to process what I just said.

  “That guy, his name is Tanner, he’s my mom’s fiancé. And –”

  “Her fiancé?”

  Uh oh.

  “Yes, Andi, her fiancé,” I whisper.

  I can practically hear her picking her jaw up off the floor.

  “Okay, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. What did you do? What did he do? Are they still getting married? Does your mom know? Oh my god, what’s happening?”

  I take a deep breath.

  “No, my mom doesn’t know. Yes, they are still getting married, as far as I know. It was just a huge mess.” It’s the only explanation I can see that fits the situation totally perfectly.

  “Well, did you yell at him? Tell him that what you’re doing is wrong?”

  I gulp nervously.

  “Yeah, I tried.”

  “Tried?”

  “I berated him for cheating on my mom, but he told me they had a quote unquote “understanding.” And then we ended up in the bathroom together, and one thing led to another.”

  There’s a breathless pause.

  “Another what? What do you mean?”

  Oh god, this is the worst part.

  “I slept with him again,” I admit in a small voice. “It was an accident. Sort of.” Andrea is quiet on the other end for a little bit. Maybe she thinks I’m a total sleaze ball, which wouldn’t be far from the truth.

  “O-kay. Did you like sleeping with him the second time?” I already know the answer, but I don’t know if I want to say it out loud. It makes me feel amoral and ethically repugnant. Instead, I hedge.

  “I don’t know, maybe?”

  Andi pauses.

  “Okaaay. So what are you going to do about it?”

  “I want to yell at him,” is my
quick reply. “I want to tell him he can’t go around playing with my emotions or my mom’s. He’s going to have to make a choice and make it quick.”

  Andi clucks.

  “Sure, that’s a plan,” she says in a slow voice. “But is that what you really want to do?”

  “Of course it is,” I huff. “What else would I do?”

  “I don’t know,” Andi says. “Maybe take some time before jumping into anything. I mean, what’s going to happen if you storm to his place and scream at him? Does anyone react well when that happens?”

  My friend has a point.

  “Okay, well should I tell him off in a nice tone then? How do you even do that?”

  “No, no,” scolds Andi. “I’m just saying don’t rush into anything. Maybe think about what you’re going to say a little first. Then tell him, and try to keep your voice normal. That way, you come off as being reasonable, and he sees your point of view.”

  Oh okay. Yeah, that sounds like a good strategy actually. I thank Andrea for her input, and then say goodbye and hang-up, ready with a new purpose.

  I can’t let my mother get into a bad marriage that I can easily prevent. Not even Veronica deserves that. Besides, maybe her attempts at seeming “motherly” were genuine, what with her offer to make me chicken soup and whatnot. Granted, it’s out of character, but maybe she really wants to be a better person in this upcoming marriage. Could the fourth one be the charm? If she just picks the right guy, maybe.

  I get out of bed and pick out modest skirt and a t-shirt. I’ve been wearing so many things that just aren’t me. That skanky outfit I wore Friday, and the pink explosion my mom had me in on Sunday. It feels good to be dressed like myself again.

  As I’m pulling on my t-shirt, I think about where I can find Tanner. He’s not living with my mom, so that’s a no-go. And I can’t exactly call Veronica for his address. She’d know something is up.

  Maybe his office?

  I unlock my phone and google his name. The information I want is easy to find. His office is close to Lincoln Center, so I can get there easily.

  But there are a few other things on the internet about Tanner Logan that intrigue me. Like how he’s the head of Logan Properties. Even I, with my limited knowledge of New York real estate, have heard of the company, mainly because they won the bid to renovate the library uptown.

  Hmmm. Veronica did say he was a billionaire, but I thought she was exaggerating. Surprisingly, she wasn’t, at least according to this Forbes list of the richest guys in New York.

  I take a taxi over and soon find myself in front of his office. It’s in one of those beautiful buildings made almost all out of glass. But then, when I get inside, the lobby somehow one ups the exterior. Whoever designed this place went all out with the polished floors, marble reception, and high, vaulted ceiling. Businesspeople stride around, their voices hushed as they surely discuss important financial events. Meanwhile, I stick out like a sore thumb in my casual outfit.

  I go over to the receptionist, already crazy intimidated. Having to see Tanner has my nerves frayed. The last two times we met, we engaged in naughtiness. I refuse to let it happen a third time, but what if I lose control? After all, it’s happened before.

  I stand in front of the receptionist’s desk. I’m waiting for her to notice me, but she’s totally absorbed in whatever’s on her computer.

  “Hi, I’m here to see Mr. Logan,” I clear my throat.

  “Do you have an appointment?” Her eyes don’t leave the screen at her response, but at least she’s talking to me.

  “Um, no, but he’s about to marry my mom, and there are some things I need to talk to him about. Regarding the wedding,” I say in a meaningful tone. She finally looks up from her computer to give me a once over.

  “Hmm, so your mom’s the one that trapped him, huh?” I’m a little taken aback by her bluntness, but just nod.

  “I guess,” I nervously chuckle. She looks bored again.

  “You can go up to his office and wait for him there. He’s in a meeting right now, but it should wrap up soon. He’s on the top floor in the office marked ‘Tanner Logan.’ It’s hard to miss.”

  After giving me my instructions, she goes back to ignoring me. It takes me a second to realize that our conversation has ended, and I’ve been dismissed.

  Heading over to the elevator, I glance at all the people in the lobby. They all look super fancy, a crowd very much not my own, with their expensive haircuts and thousand dollar suits. I’m sure my mom loves this stuff.

  I make my way to the top floor and find Tanner’s office. Just like the receptionist said, it’s empty.

  I take this chance to explore. There aren’t many personal decorations. He doesn’t have a photo of my mom on his desk, nor a photo of the two of them together. In fact, I don’t see any personal pictures at all. Instead, the desk is totally clear and there are no knickknacks whatsoever, as if he’s made no move to personalize this space.

  My eyes skim the walls and I notice a strange painting. It’s a mix of earthy colors that I think form some kind of image, but I can’t figure out what. I am trying to figure out the symbolism of the abstract art, when I hear the door open.

  “Hello, Kylie.”

  I almost jump out of my shoes at his voice. I know this is Tanner’s office, but he’s startled me. He looks amused while walking in with a folder that he plops down on his desk.

  “Hi,” I whisper back. He raises his eyebrows before sitting down in his chair. I don’t know what to say. I had a whole speech planned out, with multiple points and rebuttals. But now, seeing him, my mouth goes dry, and my mind has literally run out of words.

  “Did you come here for a reason?” he asks with an amused expression on his face.

  “Um, yeah. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  “And that would be..?” He waits patiently.

  “Um, about us,” I say, feeling foolish.

  He doesn’t move an inch.

  “Us?” he asks, that amused expression still on his face. I sigh. He’s being a little annoying, and it feels like it’s on purpose.

  “I mean, you can’t do this. We can’t do this. It’s wrong.” I had hoped to say it more eloquently, but at least I got my point across. I just need him to understand we’ve created this mess, and it’s time to clean up.

  “Everything seems okay to me,” he says with just a hint of a smile on his lips.

  What? Is he insane? He has to care a little, right? I mean, I’m shocked. I hadn’t expected Tanner to be so dismissive, and this is going beyond the pale.

  “What do you mean? You have to care. Don’t you want to be a good person? Do what’s right in life?”

  He shrugs and shoots me a half-smile.

  “Life often works out for me just fine. At least most of the time, that is.”

  I stare at him. Who is this man? How can he be this way? He has to know he sounds like a jerk of the highest order.

  “So you don’t see a problem with what happened between us?” I ask, staring at the handsome man.

  “Like I said, life often works out for me,” he shrugs. “Things will be fine.”

  I take a step back. Should I have even come here today? I can hear the thoughts in my head going around in circles.

  “Why are you even marrying my mom then?” I demand. That’s the real question. At the engagement party, he barely seemed interested in Veronica, and at first, I thought it might be because he’s like me and not into a big party scene. Or maybe having a random hookup turn out to be your fiancée’s daughter might have dampened his mood. All are plausible explanations. But given what’s happened so far, maybe he doesn’t even love Veronica. So why are they getting married?

  He gets comfortable in his chair.

  “I actually have quite a few reasons for marrying your mom. Your mom’s attractive, the type of woman a lot of guys enjoy looking at. Also, I’m a successful developer, and your mom is a powerful real estate agent in the city. If we combi
ned out business connections, it’s compelling enough on its own.”

  Combine their business connections? That’s so medieval.

  “Do you hear yourself? That’s not a good reason to get married. You’re getting married to combine your empires? The way nobility would marry their sons and daughters to one another so they could keep their land in the family?” Seriously, this is so antiquated. Does he even understand the implications of what he’s doing?

  But he just shrugs again.

  “It’s a transaction. You’re too young to understand, sweetheart.”

  Oh, how insulting! I understand exactly what’s going on. He’s marrying my mom just so he can make more money. Veronica can be callous and insensitive and selfish at times, but that doesn’t mean he can play with her feelings like that. He needs to understand that.

  “Does my mom know about this?” I ask slowly.

  He shrugs.

  “Veronica Mitchell is a very smart woman,” he says. “Very canny and calculating. In fact, she proposed to me, and not the other way around. Let’s just say, she’s relishing being the queen of our combined business empire.”

  Holy cow, this is not really happening.

  “So you’re expecting a marriage of convenience.”

  He shrugs, looking unconcerned.

  “You could say that,” he says. “It’s an arrangement, just like everything is.” Then, he smirks and leans back in his chair. My bafflement and anger are getting to me. Tanner is keeping his cool which is making me look neurotic.

  I’m not going to get what I want out of this man. He’ll go on thinking whatever it is he wants to think.

  Is there any way to save this? Should I even bother at this point? It seems like he has an answer to everything, and it drives me crazy. I take a deep breath in an attempt to still my racing pulse.

  “Calm down, sweetheart. You look like you’re having a hard time accepting this. You know what you can do for me?” I stare at him because there’s nothing I want to do for him. Except maybe slap a little sense into his noggin.

  “What?” I ask, crossing my arms.

  “Why don’t you lift up your skirt? Just a little,” he says with a persuasive smile.