by Storm, Sloan
I plopped down on the couch and dropped my head in my hand. Oh God.
Just then, I heard the sound of mom's car pulling into the driveway. I took a deep breath and stood, relaxing every muscle in my body. You got this.
Seconds later, her keys jingled in the lock, and she walked through the front door.
"Hi honey. How did it go?"
"Umm." I shrugged. "Good, I guess."
She closed the door. "So it's at the place off Jackson Street, right? Foster Lumber?"
"Mm, hmm."
Mom walked toward me, dropping her purse on the living room table.
"That's not much farther than the drive to the creamery. What time's your lunch break? Maybe we can still eat together once in a while."
Not unless you helicopter to Portland. "I don't think so. Lunches aren't gonna work." Neither are breakfasts, dinners, desserts…
She sat down next to me on the couch, a frown coming to her face. "Well, did you get the job or not?"
"Sort of."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
How in the world was I going to explain this? I sighed. There wasn't any easy way.
"Well, the job isn't at Foster Lumber. It's um, it's in Portland."
"Portland!" She leaned away from me. "What do you mean? You're moving?"
"Yes. I mean, it's hard to explain."
With her arms crossed, her frown deepened. "Well, you need to figure out a way. And fast."
Shit. Here goes nothing. "So um, do you remember the guy from the other day? The one who followed me home? He had the old pickup?"
The memory came back to her. Mom gave me a slow nod. "Yeah. What about him?"
It felt like I swallowed a mouthful of ping pong balls trying to respond. "He's the one offering me the job. He wants me to come work for him in Portland."
Mom's expression changed again. Worry framed her face. I don't like the sound of this. "Doing… what exactly?"
"Pretending to be his fiancé."
"Come again?" Mom cocked her head like a confused dog. "Pretending to be his fiancé? Is that what you said?"
The words sounded more ridiculous coming from her mouth, if that's possible. "I know it's a little 'out there', but I can explain…"
"A little out there? Bizarre is more like it. And yeah, you need to."
I spent the next few minutes telling her everything. The guy in the pickup wasn't some broke dude driving around in it because that's all he could afford. His name was Griff Foster, and he was the heir to Foster Holdings. Or at least, the potential heir. As long as he got married. That's where I came in. It's not an actual marriage though, it's fake.
Mom groaned and reached for her temples, massaging them with the tips of her fingers. "What in the world…"
Before she could say anything else, I continued. I told her about the arrangement he'd proposed to me. The whole thing was to be business only. It wasn't a romantic relationship. Only public displays of affection were permitted, and of course, no sexual contact. I half expected her to ask me if I'd broken into her stash of romance novels, but she didn't. Not yet, anyway.
After the rapid-fire recap, I eased back into the sofa, readying myself for the worst.
"Ooookay. Well, at least this isn't weird." She dropped her hands in her lap. "How much is he paying you?"
"One million dollars."
Mom's eyes went round, her jaw dropped. "What?"
This was my chance. "I know it sounds crazy, but we can get rid of the debt, Mom. We won't have to worry anymore."
She started shaking her head, standing from the sofa and walking away.
"No," she began, her back to me. "Under no circumstances am I taking any money from you."
Turning to face me again, she snapped her hands to her hips. Here comes the lecture.
"I don't like this. A man you hardly know is going to pay you seven figures to be his pretend fiancé. Listen to how crazy that sounds! How do you know you can trust him at all? What if he gets you to Portland, locks you in a room, and God, I don't even want to think about it!"
Of course it was crazy but nothing like the nightmare she was conjuring up.
"Mom, calm down. Seriously. Everything will be fine. He's not going to hurt me, don't be ridiculous."
She scoffed at me, shaking her head. "You aren't seriously considering doing this are you?"
I nodded at her. "Yes. And I gave you my reason."
She waved me off. "And I've already told you I'm not taking any money. So, if that's the reason you're doing it, don't. Either way, I don't like the sound of this."
I decided to drop any more talk about the debt for now. Maybe once she saw that the cash was real, she'd change her mind. I stood from the couch and walked over to her.
"Everything’s going to be fine. It's a lot of money. I'd be an idiot not to do it. And anyway, if it doesn't work out or whatever, I can always come home."
Mom closed her eyes, sighing a concerned breath. "Please promise me you'll be careful. God, this makes me so nervous."
That was the closest thing to a blessing I'd get. I took it and opened my arms, going in for a hug.
"I will." I leaned away from her. "I promise."
All things considered, the conversation went about as well as I could've hoped. After coming clean with Mom, it was time to call Griff and let him know what I'd decided. I went to my bedroom, closed the door, and swiped on my phone.
I can't believe I'm doing this.
"Am I going to like what you have to tell me, Sneaks?" Those were the first words out of his mouth when he answered.
"Yes. I mean, you should. I decided to do it."
"That's great news. We leave first thing tomorrow morning."
That soon? My stomach dropped like I'd taken a huge fall on a roller coaster. I suppose I had.
"Okay, well, what should I bring with me?"
"Bring only what you need but not any more. You'll have full access to all of my credit cards. Whatever you need you can buy when you're in Portland. I…"
I interrupted him. "Okay, but I'll pay you back for anything I buy."
No sooner did I finish than he howled into the receiver, laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing." His laughter subsided, a chuckle taking its place. "I'm more certain than ever I've got the bride of my dreams. You don't need to pay me back, Sneaks. After all, what kind of husband makes his wife pay him back for clothes?"
I puffed out a hot breath from my nostrils. The whole 'spending his money thing' didn't sit well with me. On top of that, that stupid wife comment got in my head. None of it bothered him, though. Griff kept right on going.
"All right, so meet me at the airport tomorrow morning at eight. We'll take my private jet back to Portland and go to my attorney's office to finalize the paperwork. You'll have five hundred grand in your bank account by tomorrow night."
13
Oz Revisited (Lily)
Sleepless nights became a recurring theme in my life ever since Griff Foster entered it. Last night was no different.
Up early, I had my carry-on bag packed and ready to go before the freaking sun came up. Just the bare essentials. Even though I still wasn't comfortable with the idea of using his credit cards, I decided not to rock the boat.
I sat in the kitchen with her. While Mom ate breakfast, I nursed a cup of coffee. It's not like I needed any caffeine for God's sake. The thought of spending time alone with him had me anxious enough already. Old habits, though. What are you gonna do?
"You should eat something." My mom took another bite of her toast, each grinding crunch a reminder of her disapproval.
Whatever. She didn't fight me on the decision.
I sat there with my fingers wrapped around the coffee mug, the warmth from it soothing me.
"I'm not hungry." Seriously. Food was the last thing on my mind. I stood from my chair, the legs groaning on the ancient linoleum.
"Well, I should probably get going." I dumped the coffee
out of my half-full cup. It swirled around the drain and disappeared.
My mom got up, and we hugged.
"I'm not really sure what to say. I love you. Be careful. If you need anything, call." She smiled at me.
"I will. I love you, too."
She walked me to the front door, and after one last hug, I got in my car and started the drive across town to the airport. The directions Griff gave me took me along a frontage road to a private parking lot away from the main terminal. He'd already arrived, standing next to his pickup. I pulled up next to him and parked.
Too weird. If anyone saw our beat up cars in the parking lot at Walmart, they wouldn't think twice about them. But with his private jet nearby, gleaming in the early morning sun, they couldn't have looked more out of place.
I took a deep breath and got out, hearing the sound of him approach, the soles of his black alligator loafers crunching on the pavement.
"Mornin', Sneaks… or should I say, the future Mrs. Foster?"
I shook my head at him. Even though it was totally fake, a part of me enjoyed hearing him say it. I know. Not smart.
"Hey," I replied, reaching for my bag.
"I've got it." He wiggled his fingers for me to pass it to him.
"Thank you."
"Ready?" Griff stood there, my bag in one hand. The other, an open palm waiting for mine to intertwine with it.
I slid my hand into his, hating how my insides felt about it. The reassuring warmth of his touch sent a charge through me. No matter how I tried to convince my mind, my body had ideas of its own. Tiny Me took the opportunity to remind me of what I was supposed to be doing.
This is all a big scam. Don't get confused about what's really happening. Stay focused. Nothing is going to happen between the two of you. No way.
I fought like hell to keep the grimace off my face. It's not like that was breaking news or anything. Of course I knew it was for show. Nothing about this was real!
Well, almost nothing.
I followed him onto the jet. Griff disappeared from view, ducking to his left and leaning in to speak with the pilot.
I turned the opposite direction and looked inside. At that moment, I knew what Dorothy must have felt like in that scene from the Wizard of Oz when everything went from black-and-white to vivid color.
People actually live like this?
I'd flown once in my life. Mom and I sat in the last row, next to the toilets. Glancing around, I wasn't even sure you were allowed to use the bathroom on this plane.
My head spun. I'd never been in a house as nice as this. The interior was covered in rich leather, custom wood veneer, fine carpeting, and shining stonework. Toward the back of the plane, what looked to be a private bedroom. Oh man. I didn't even want to think about what happened in there.
I shook my head, reminding myself why I was on that plane in the first place. Strictly business.
After all, I was no Dorothy, and Toto was nowhere in sight.
While I stood there trying to wrap my brain around what I saw, a woman walked up to me, introducing herself as Gretchen.
"Would you like anything to eat or drink?" she asked. Her question snapped me out of my trance.
"Hmm?" I'm pretty sure my mouth hung open. Also possible some drool was involved. "Oh. Oh no, I'm fine. Thank you."
She smiled and turned, about to walk away, when I felt his hand from behind. With a gentle touch, Griff pressed his palm into my lower back. I turned and looked at him.
"Everything okay?" he asked.
Of course, why wouldn't it be?
This is all completely normal.
I mean, two days ago I was working a dead-end job, fighting off an octopus for a pittance of cash on the side. Next, I find out my mother has been keeping a seven-figure secret from me for almost ten years. And now, I'm on a private jet, a few hours away from becoming the pretend fiancé of an actual billionaire.
Why wouldn't everything be okay?
I smiled at him. "Yes. I'm fine."
He leaned in, whispering in my ear. "You need to get used to the idea of people waiting on you. You're in my world now. That's just the way it is."
First of all, he needed to stop doing that. Fine hairs on the back of my neck stood, sending a shiver between my shoulder blades. Bastard.
To his point though… That may have been true. However, when you spend your entire life as one of the people who does the waiting, it's not like flipping a switch. This was going to take some getting used to, and he would have to be patient. I doubted he could.
Actually, I knew he wouldn't.
Griff edged past me. "Gretchen! Need a word with you."
While he walked toward the back of the plane, I took a seat in one of the oversized chairs, fastening my seatbelt. Not long after, we were airborne and on our way to Portland. No turning back now.
Luckily, it was a short flight. In less than an hour, we were already starting our descent.
For most of it, Griff had been on the phone, but toward the end, he came and sat next to me. Knowing it was my first time flying into Portland, Griff pointed out Mount Hood in the distance in addition to some other landmarks. We made a pass around the city itself, and he pointed once more.
"See that tower? The tallest one? Right in the middle of the city?"
I followed the line of his finger. "Yes. What about it?"
He eased away from me, dropping his hands in his lap. "Home, sweet home."
My stomach sank. I wasn't exactly crazy about heights. Once we arrived, we exited the plane and made our way to a waiting limousine. A short man with a round face and body to match held the door open.
"Mr. Foster, sir. Good morning!"
"Good morning, Michael."
The man looked at me. "Watch your step please, Miss Lily."
I smiled at him, not really knowing what to say. How did he know my name? Griff wasn't kidding. One way or another, I'd have to get used to people offering me food, holding doors open, and whatever else it is billionaires expect around-the-clock.
Ducking inside, I managed to squeak out a small thank you.
Griff followed me inside, and the door closed behind us. I leaned back in the seat and took a final look at the jet. It wasn't even ten o'clock in the morning, and I'd already done two things I never thought I would in my entire life.
Welcome to the fantasy.
* * *
We weren't in the limo long, maybe fifteen minutes, when we pulled up to an office building. Griff extended a finger and tapped on the window. "My attorney's office. Are you ready?"
As ready as I'll ever be. What I meant to say was hell no!
After a quick elevator ride up, we sat in the lawyer's office. After we exchanged pleasantries, his attorney, Christopher Mills, looked at me.
"Ms. Weischlitz. As you know, I’m representing the interests of Mr. Foster in this agreement. Do you have counsel representing you in this matter?"
Huh? I looked at Griff before answering. His expression didn't change.
"I um, I don't." I didn't feel like an idiot, just uninformed. "I wasn't aware I needed one."
"Well, the agreement is simple. For the sake of time, we'll cover the main points. If you'd like to have an attorney of your own examine it, Mr. Foster has already agreed to that in advance."
"Um, okay, that makes sense, I guess."
He eased back into his chair. "Are you familiar with nondisclosure agreements?"
I shook my head. "No."
"It's a simple concept. Mr. Foster is agreeing to pay you one million dollars for services rendered. In exchange for this sum, you are not to disclose the details of this arrangement to anyone without his prior consent."
Oh no. Mom. I nibbled on my lip, glancing at Griff.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"I mean, I don't think I can sign this."
Griff looked confused. "Why not? We're just getting started. What's the problem?"
I looked away from him and turned my attention to the at
torney. "I've already told someone about this. I'm sorry. I didn't know I couldn't."
When I finished, I glanced at Griff, seeing a concerned look on his face. I didn't know him well enough to know if he was angry or not. He didn't keep me in suspense for long.
"Who, um, who did you tell?"
"My mother," I said right away. "She wanted to know why I was dropping everything and moving to Portland. I couldn't lie to her."
Once I finished, Griff leaned back, blowing out an exhale. The attorney sat there motionless with an expectant expression on his face.
"Mr. Foster? Sir? Should we continue?"
Griff lifted his index finger. One second.
"Did you tell anyone else?" His tone turned impatient.
"No. Just my mom."
He nodded a few times. "I appreciate your honesty. You need to make sure your mother keeps this information to herself. Can you do that?"
"Yes, I can talk to her. She won't tell anyone."
Griff looked at me in silence for a few seconds before returning his attention to the attorney. "Go ahead."
The attorney cleared his throat and started to cover the terms of the agreement. "In exchange for the money, you agree to marry Mr. Foster. In addition, Mr. Foster has also instructed me to include a list of activities he is permitted to engage in and those he is to be proscribed from."
"Proscribed?" I raised my hand like a confused pre-law student. "What does that mean?"
"Things he cannot do."
"Oh. Okay." Not sure why he didn't just say that but whatever.
"Further, the list is divided into two categories - public behavior and private behavior. First, the permitted behaviors… These occur in public. You are expected to engage in socially acceptable behavior typical for an engaged couple. These behaviors include handholding, hugging, and kissing. You are to allow Mr. Foster to engage in these behaviors at his discretion and with your full cooperation. In private, however, none of these activities, or any unwanted advances, are permitted by Mr. Foster - unless specifically allowed by you."
He paused and looked at me. "Do you understand?"
My mind flashed with images of Griff’s huge fingers curling around mine while we held hands. Visions of disappearing into the shadow of his embrace and then finally, losing my mind each time his tongue explored my mouth, invading it at will - without apology or regret.
