Sold on Christmas Eve

by Juliana Conners

  Isaac looks shocked to hear this, and I have to admit that I am too. The change that has come over his father is like night and day.

  “I was wrong, to trust Charles over my own flesh and blood,” he says. “And I didn’t know you’d have it in you to find such an intelligent, responsible girl.”

  He nods at me and I can’t help but smile. Stacy and I were right about me fitting the “intelligent” description of the classified ad I made fun of but am so glad I called.

  “You two are a good pair,” he says. “And I’m sorry if I rushed the engagement. I just wanted to make sure you were in good hands, Son. You clearly are. And so is the company. With the two of you working together, I believe it will be just fine. I’m going to have to call Charles and let him go. I might have to press criminal charges. But I can’t think about that just now.”

  He coughs again, and Isaac gets closer to him and gives him a hug. Amazingly, his dad hugs him back, or tries to— putting his arm up on Isaac’s arm. It’s great to see that they’re patching things up.

  “Don’t worry, Dad,” Isaac says. “Veronica and I will handle everything.”

  “Okay then,” his dad says. “Go call Cora back in here so I can notarize some papers. I had her become a notary for times like these, so we might as well use her.”

  “Times like what?” Isaac asks.

  “I’m going to revert back to the old partnership agreement,” his dad says. “It leaves everything to you.”

  “But… I’m not married yet,” Isaac says, his eyes darting back and forth between his dad and me.

  It almost seems as if he wants his dad to force him to marry me.

  “It’s all right, Son,” Mr. Morris says. “I never should have given you such a silly ultimatum. I know you’re getting married this weekend, and I’ll be there with bells on, provided I’m not too sick to get out of this bed, of course.”

  He chuckles. This is a side of him that I certainly hadn’t seen before, and Isaac looks just as shocked.

  “But even if for whatever reason, you decide not to get married, I trust your judgment. I mean, you chose Veronica after all.”

  I laugh, and so does he. Isaac laughs too, although his face reveals that he doesn’t know how to feel.

  “I’ll go get Cora,” I say, knowing that she’ll be happy to hear the good news.

  It’s all good, except for the fact that I don’t get that wedding at the Ritz Carlton to Isaac. Fake or not, I have to admit I was looking forward to it.

  Chapter 16 – Isaac

  Back at my apartment, I want to rip Veronica’s clothes off but my head is all over the place. I can’t believe everything that just happened. I saved the company— with Veronica’s help. My dad gave me the company— no strings attached. And I wasted two million dollars— except I didn’t, because Veronica’s still here by my side, even though she no longer needs to be.

  Before I can stop her, Veronica jumps up into my arms. And it’s not that I want to stop her. It’s just that I’m surprised.

  “Woah,” I tell her, as she kisses me passionately and deeply. “What is this for?”

  “This is because you’re a rock star,” she says, wrapping her legs around me and squeezing tight. “You were great and you got your dad to see things your way.”

  “Our way,” I correct her, tearing her clothes off as fast as I can.

  I place her on my bed and my tongue works my way down her body. I kiss her neck— like I did the very first time I took her virginity— and her breasts, her belly, her thighs. Then I spread her legs and my tongue travels the expanse of her perfect pussy, licking it and biting it softly.

  “Oh, my God, Isaac,” she moans. “That feels so good.”

  “Great,” I tell her. “Because I know I’ve been rough in the past, but right now, it’s all about being slow and gentle and making you feel amazing.”

  I suck on her clit while playing with both of her nipples. She spreads her legs wide and her pussy juice drips into my mouth as she grabs ahold of my hair and moves my mouth all over her.

  “Yes,” she calls out. “Yes, Isaac, yes.”

  I stick my tongue into her pussy hole and then return to sucking on her clit. She squeezes her legs around my head and says, “I’m coming, you’re making me come.”

  “Good,” I tell her, sucking the sweet juices out of her.

  Only when she’s completely done coming do I climb on top of her and reach for the condom in my bedside drawer. This time there’s no tying her up, there’s no punishment, there’s no rough sex. It’s just Veronica and me, being ourselves with each other, and I love it.

  I love her.

  “I love you,” I tell her, as my cock enters her pussy. “I’ve been wanting to tell you how much I love you.”

  “I love you too,” she says, her hips rising so that I can push myself further inside her.

  I thrust in and out of her, looking deep into her green eyes.

  “I’m so glad I met you,” I tell her, and then we kiss.

  “I was just thinking how glad I am that I called that number,” she says.

  “And I’m glad I needed to buy a fake fiancée.”

  We laugh as I pulse inside of her.

  “I’m going to come,” we both say at the same time.

  My groans mix with her moans and I love the sound of as coming as much as I love how she says my name over and over.

  “Isaac, Isaac, Isaac.”

  “Come with me, Baby,” I tell her, stroking her hair as I push myself in and out of her a few more times.

  Then I collapse on the bed beside her. She lays her head on my arm and I continue to play with her hair.

  “Thank you so much for helping save my dad’s company,” I tell her.

  “Apparently, he wants me to stick around and help out some more,” she says.

  “Apparently, he does. So, that’s what you’d better do.”

  “Okay then,” she agrees. “Thank you for taking my virginity.”

  “My pleasure,” I tell her. “Thank you for being my fake fiancée.”

  “About that…” she says, and we look at each other, half laughing, half wondering.

  “What are you going to do about all the arrangements you made and all the money you paid?” she asks.

  Her question has to be a ruse. She knows I have no problem throwing money away on things. And that I have a vast network of people who helped me set this up that I could easily call to cancel everything and probably only be out some deposits at most. But she wants to know what’s going to happen to us. For the first time in my life, I want certainty. I want commitment. I want to settle down.

  “I was thinking, what’s the use of letting it all go to waste on a fake wedding?” I ask her.

  “Yeah,” she responds, attempting to remain nonchalant. “I guess now that we don’t have to do it, there’s no point.”

  “Instead,” I continue, “I was thinking, why not have a real wedding?”

  “What?”

  Her gorgeous eyes widen in surprise.

  I get down on one knee on the floor beside the bed. She sits up and smiles down at me.

  “Oh, forgot something,” I say, and I hold out my hand.

  Grinning sheepishly, she takes off the rock I gave her before I took her virginity, and puts it in my hand.

  “Veronica, you’ve made me the happiest man in the world and you’ve shown me I want things I didn’t ever know I wanted. Like love. Commitment. A real wedding.”

  We laugh, but a tear of joy comes to her eyes.

  “Therefore, I plan to spend the rest of my life with you,” I tell her. “And not because I have to, but because I want to. Veronica, will you marry me?”

  “Yes,” she says, hopping off the bed so that I can catch her in my arms and spin her around. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, a million times yes. I love you.”

  “I love you too, so much.”

  I put the ring on her, which I had still been holding in my hand.

 
; “Now it’s been placed there for the right reasons,” I tell her.

  “And I bet now you care what I do with it,” she jokes.

  “I sure do. Don’t sell it and we’ll be good to go.”

  “You and I are good to go for sure. But now, there’s just one problem,” she says.

  “Oh, and what is that?” I ask.

  “Well, your dad and Cora know about this arrangement and they’re happy about it. Stacy knows it’s fake, and will be happy to know it’s real, as long as I’m happy, which I definitely am.”

  “Glad to hear it,” I tell her.

  “But somehow I’ve got to find a way to tell my parents that I’m getting married— for real— to a guy they’ve never met or even heard of.”

  “That should be interesting,” I say, nodding my head. “Do you need my help? Just like you helped me with my dad?”

  “No,” she says, burying her head into my chest. “I got myself into this mess, and I’m going to get myself… further into it… all on my own. It’s the least I can do for my parents. Especially my mom.”

  “Okay,” I tell her, running my hand through a strand of her hair. “Whatever you want, fiancée.”

  “I’m your real fiancée,” she says, holding up her hand with the ring on it, so that it sparkles and shines in the light.

  “Yes, you certainly are.”

  Chapter 17 – Veronica

  It’s late when I get home but luckily my parents are still up, watching re-runs of Seinfeld.

  “Mom, Dad, we have to talk,” I tell them, sitting in the reclining chair they’ve had since I was in elementary school.

  “Oh?” my mom says, turning her head to look at me.

  She looks great. The treatment she started undergoing is a lot gentler on her body than the regimen she had been on under Dr. Oslo. Her smile is vibrant and sincerely happy.

  “I have some news you’re not going to be able to believe,” I tell them, deciding that the best way is to just come straight out with it.

  “Oh really?” my mom asks, with that hint of curiosity and alarm in her voice that only my mother can mix together in one tone so well.

  “Yes,” I tell her, and then I take Isaac’s ring out of my pocket. “Surprise.”

  “What in the…?” my dad starts to say, but my mom rushes over and holds up my hand.

  “Is that three carrots?” she asks me, astonished.

  I laugh.

  “I don’t even know,” I tell her. “But isn’t it beautiful?”

  “It sure is. Where did you get it?”

  “I think the better question is where did you get it from?” Dad asks. “Or rather, who gave it to you? Why have we never even heard of him before?”

  His voice is stern so I look at my mom for reassurance. She’s just giving me a blank look, as if I have a lot of explaining to do. And I guess I do.

  “I met a guy named Isaac when I was out with Stacy,” I tell them, which is the truth. “And, we got involved in a little whirlwind romance.”

  “Well I’d say,” my dad says. “This explains why we never see you around here anymore.”

  “I know you probably think I’m crazy,” I tell them, “but we’re in love. For real. And we’re getting married.”

  “Well, that much is obvious,” my mom says, fanning herself at the sight of my ring all over again. “So why haven’t you told us?”

  “He’s… older than me, for one,” I say. “And he’s… filthy stinking rich.”

  “You don’t say,” my mom says, pointing to the diamond as if she still can’t get over it.

  “I didn’t want you to think I was just…”

  “Using him for his money?” my mom asks.

  “Yeah, like I wanted to be sure this was real love. And I didn’t want you to talk me out of it. So we went ahead and planned a wedding date.”

  “Veronica…” My dad starts, in a warning voice.

  But my mom cuts him off.

  “I think it’s rather romantic,” she says. “Your dad and I only dated for six months before we got married. But that’s because I was…”

  She trails off.

  “Did he knock you up?” my dad demands, raising his voice. “I’ll kill him if he…”

  “No,” I tell them, quickly, “it’s nothing like that. We just don’t see the point in waiting. And also…”

  “Woo hoo,” says my mom, interrupting me and hugging me as if she’d just won the lottery. “Because you don’t know how hard it is to start off a marriage with a baby on the way. No offense.”

  I smile at her. If she knew how my fake- turned- real engagement had started off, she’d realize she has nothing on me.

  “I’m just glad you’re not pregnant,” my dad says. “Do what you want, I suppose. You’re a grown adult. We did our part and now it’s up to you from here on out, kid.”

  I laugh. I suppose I should have started out by making them think I was pregnant, so that they’d be this relieved and happy a lot earlier on in the conversation.

  “Sorry,” Mom says. “The news of your non-pregnancy overshadowed something you were trying to say to me.”

  “Oh yeah,” I tell her. “One reason we’re getting married so soon is that Isaac’s father is… not well.”

  “I’m sorry,” Mom says, grabbing my hand in condolence. “I know too well how hard that can be.”

  “Yeah, I guess we kind of bonded through that… common experience,” I tell her, but then I hurry to differentiate it. “But Isaac’s dad’s situation is… not good, whereas yours is good now. You’re going to be just fine, Mom. I know it.”

  She smiles at me and I can tell she wants to believe it, that she’s close to believing it. She just doesn’t want to get her hopes up, only to have them dashed like last time. So I’d better tell her the rest of it.

  “Mom, the good news is, that he’s offered…” I gulp, because this part isn’t exactly true, but close enough, “…to pay for your cancer treatments. Anything you want, we can take care of it.”

  “Oh honey,” my mom says, throwing her arms around me. “That’s so nice of you. But you don’t have to. I don’t want to be a burden on you.”

  “You’re not at all,” I tell her. “I want this for you.”

  It’s the whole reason I did this, I want to tell her. But I ended up so glad I did it for me, rather than just for you.

  “Okay,” Mom says, “Well, if he has the money, I guess why not.”

  “Why not indeed?” I ask, so happy that things seem to be working out.

  The first treatment has gone much better than the specialists could have even hoped, and they’re only supposed to get better from here on out, so long as there’s money to keep doing them. And now, there is.

  “So, when do we get to meet him?” Mom asks.

  “Well,” I say, grinning that the most surprising news of all is yet to be revealed. “Our wedding is this weekend.”

  Epilogue

  Veronica

  Canon in D plays as my mom and dad walk me down the aisle in the elaborately decorated courtyard of the Ritz Carlton. I’m glad that my actual parents get to do the honors, rather than whatever fake couple Isaac was planning on hiring to play my mom and dad at our pretend wedding.

  I never thought this would be my life, but I’m loving every minute of it. I especially love seeing Isaac’s face as I sashay down the aisle towards him. He looks as if he’s absolutely in awe of my wedding dress, and completely in love with me.

  I can’t help but catch Stacy’s grin out of the corner of my eye. As my real maid of honor, she’s standing up there waiting for me, just like she would be if she was my fake maid of honor, but it’s even better now that it’s actually happening.

  She and I had joked that Madame needed to come teach me the right way to walk down the aisle. But now that I’m staring at Isaac, I realize any way is right, as long as I make it up to the alter to marry my groom.

  I can’t believe I’m actually marrying a multi billionaire.
And not just any multibillionaire at that. But one who is handsome, strong and absolutely in love with me.

  His dad is in the audience, with Cora at his side. His mom is sitting at the other end of the row. They were actually cordial to each other at the rehearsal dinner, which Isaac says is a small miracle.

  Dan and Ed are standing beside Isaac as his best men, and they never let him forget that they’re the reason he and I are together. If they hadn’t encouraged him to go The Exchange that night— where money can buy you anything, even a fake fiancée— he’d never be having this very real wedding.

  The sun begins to set on the ocean behind us as the very real officiant starts the ceremony. When it comes time to say our vows, I look Isaac in the eyes and say the ones I wrote myself.

  “I never thought I would get married so soon, and I know you never thought you’d get married at all,” I tell him, while our guests laugh. “But I’m very thankful for each and every circumstance that brought us here today.”

  He nods at me, and I can tell he’s trying to choke back tears.

  “I promise to be your wife and your faithful companion until my dying day,” I tell him. “I’ll help you with your business.”

  At this, we both look at his father, who gives us the thumbs up sign. He’s had a good week and I think that now that things are settled with Charles and with Isaac, however long he has left will be well spent.

  I look back at Isaac.

  “I’ll help you in life, with whatever you need. And I’ll always be the most caring, compassionate, most down to earth, totally real bride that you married today.”

  “And with that,” the officiant says, as everyone starts to clap. “I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your down to earth, totally real bride.”

  And he does. Now and for the rest of our lives.

  Isaac

  I’m not the type to get nervous, but right now, I’m fucking nervous. I bought a fake fiancé, but it’s my real wedding day.

  As soon as I see Veronica walking down the aisle, though, I know I’ve made the right choice. Everything is going to be okay because she and I are together.