by Nikki Chase
Since then, I’ve had flings and friends with benefits, beaus and boyfriends, but nobody has ever come close to Zeke.
Nobody understands me like Zeke does. Nobody gets me like he does. Nobody haunts my dreams like he does.
In the seven years since we broke up, I’ve never stared at my phone in anticipation of a phone call from another guy. It has always been Zeke, all this time.
So what if it’ll just be a marriage of convenience? Maybe it’ll be good to spend some time with Zeke again, even if it’s only for one year. It’s not like there’s any other guy I want to spend the next twelve months with.
Besides, I’ve always wanted a family of my own. I just haven’t been able to find the right guy. Besides, how am I supposed to afford a baby?
Accepting Zeke’s deal would solve both problems at once. I’d have a guy to be the father, and I’d have the money to support both myself and the baby.
Wait. Did Zeke ever mention anything about who gets to keep the baby?
If we have to go to court to fight for custody, he’ll win for sure. I don’t have anywhere near the sufficient amount of money to win a case against Zeke. Maybe I’ll have the two million dollars from Zeke by then, but that’s nothing compared to his vast wealth.
I have to admit, I’d love to meet a baby that’s half Zeke and half me. Zeke is tall, strong, good-looking, and intelligent—all qualities I’d love my future baby to have.
Maybe I don’t need a boyfriend or a husband to have a family. I can have a baby and we can be a family of two. And this baby will love me and he won’t leave me.
The more I think about it, the less crazy it seems.
I don’t know if I have it in me to try having a genuine relationship with Zeke, after the way he broke my trust.
But a one-year arrangement? Sure, I can do that. That sounds like fun, without all the messy bits.
We can discuss all the terms and conditions beforehand, so we’ll both know exactly what to expect. That way nobody will get hurt.
And well… I’ve always wanted a baby. I even have a few names picked out. Boy names and girl names.
To be honest, in my imagination, the baby has always been Zeke’s.
I just never thought it would be possible to have his baby. I never would’ve even imagined anything like this happening.
Maybe this is my only chance to turn at least one dream of mine into reality.
Maybe… Maybe I should sleep on it and call Zeke tomorrow.
Ali
This morning, when I called the number Zeke gave me, his assistant picked up the phone.
I cursed him in my head, angry that he wouldn’t even take my call personally. Why couldn’t that jerk give me his personal cell phone number?
But I managed to secure an appointment on the same day.
Appointment. Gah, I hate that word.
I have to have a freaking appointment to see him? What an arrogant jerk!
As Dana leads me to Zeke’s office, I try to calm myself down. Being upset wouldn’t do me any good. I need a cool head if I’m going to negotiate a deal with him.
“Thank you,” I say to Dana as she holds the door open for me.
I take a few deep breaths before I step inside, mentally preparing myself to see him. I was caught by surprise yesterday, but today I know exactly what to do.
“Hi, Zeke,” I say as confidently as I can when our eyes meet.
I’m not new to negotiations, having been taught the essential skills by my dad since I was a little girl. But Zeke has a way of throwing me off.
I mean, that lopsided smile and those eyes, dancing with curiosity—those are obviously meant to bewitch me. He knows full well what he’s doing to me. I’m sure of it.
“Hey, beautiful,” Zeke says as his gaze follows my movements—the way my dress hugs my curves, the way my toes are pointed because of my high heels, and the sway of my hips.
Okay, okay. I’ll admit it. I know exactly what I’m doing to him, too.
“So I’ve thought about your business proposal,” I say.
“I thought you would,” Zeke says, ignoring the way I emphasized that this is not a personal matter. He asks, “And…?”
“And I accept,” I say, certain in my decision despite the rapid beats of my heart.
Zeke’s lips grow wider until finally he’s grinning, showing off his rows of perfect white teeth. “Good,” he says.
“That’s it?” I ask with a frown. “You don’t want to discuss the details?”
“I do, but I’m sure you’re going to bring them up anyway, so I might as well just wait,” he says smugly.
Damn it. Cocky bastard.
“Okay,” I say. “Let’s start with the wedding. What’s the wedding going to be like? Where is it going to be? How many people are we going to invite?”
“It’ll be a wedding by a beach in Northern California. You can invite however many people you want,” Zeke answers quickly. Obviously, he has put some thought into the details, even if he wasn’t the one to bring them up.
And what I find even more unbelievable is… That’s my dream wedding venue. I once told him about the kind of wedding I wanted. And he remembers—seven years later.
I pause, unable to find the right words to say. I didn’t expect that answer at all.
“I don’t want to invite anyone,” I say when I finally find my voice.
“You don’t?” Zeke cocks an eyebrow.
“No. If we’re going to get divorced in a year anyway, and if the people we’re trying to fool are your business clients, then I don’t see why I should invite anyone. I want as few people as possible to know about it.”
“Fair enough.” Zeke puts his elbows on the desk and puts his chin over his clasped hands, deliberately not saying anything. He’s waiting for me to continue with the script he knows I’ve already prepared.
It’s unnerving, the way he knows me. He still remembers the little things about me, and he knows exactly what to say to me. It’s scary. But it also makes me feel good—I’m glad I’m not the only one who remembers.
“When’s the wedding?” I ask again.
“As soon as possible.”
“How soon is that? Do you know how much time it takes to plan a wedding?”
“It’s all taken care of. I’ve done some business with Robert Foster, who has just built a new hotel by the sea. He says I can use his new wedding venue. The hotel is just sitting empty right now, while they make the final preparations for the grand opening.”
Damn. He has really thought of everything.
“What about the food?”
“I know a good wedding caterer who’ll be happy to do it at the last minute.”
“And the dress?” I ask.
“Well, obviously that’s your one task. I’ll give you a credit card, which you can use to buy a dress.”
“How do you…?” My voice trails off as my jaw slackens. That’s exactly what I was going to ask for.
“How do I know what you want?” Zeke asks with a cocky smile. “I just do. I know you, Ali.”
I want to wipe that smug expression off his face, and I know just how to do it.
“Yeah? Do you know what else I want, then?” I ask.
“I’m not a mind reader, Ali,” he says with amusement. “What else do you want?”
I draw air into my lungs in an attempt to calm my nerves before my next two requests, but it doesn’t work. My heart is still pounding in my chest.
I’ll just say it.
“I want to keep the baby,” I say.
“Huh,” Zeke says with mild surprise. “You’re right, I didn’t think you’d ask for that.”
“What do you say?” I ask as my blood continues to rush.
“Okay,” he says casually.
“Okay? That’s it?” I ask incredulously. I don’t want to hurt my chances of getting the baby, but what the hell…? “You’re willing to pay one million dollars for me to give birth to your baby, but you don’t even want to
keep the baby?”
“Well, you obviously want it… so I’m giving it to you. Should I say no, then?” Zeke asks with a calm smile.
“It’s just weird.”
“Well, I need people to believe that we’re a real married couple and we’re serious enough to have a baby together.”
“I can’t believe you just don’t care about what happens to the baby. You’d bring an innocent soul into the world, just to abandon it?”
“Whoa,” Zeke says as his eyebrows shoot up in alarm. “Hold your hoses there, missy. Who said anything about abandoning the baby?”
“You said you just wanted the baby so it would convince people that we’re a real couple.”
“Yeah. So where did I say I was going to abandon it?”
I keep my mouth shut. I hate it when he makes a good point.
“I’m sure the baby is going to be well taken care of,” he says. “I know you’ll raise the baby well if he lives with you. And if not, then I’ll raise him.”
“Or her,” I add with annoyance. “The baby could be a girl.”
“Right. Him or her. I’ll take care of the baby either way if you can’t,” Zeke says. He sees the irritation on my face and adds, “Or if you don’t want to.”
“Okay. So I’ll keep the baby?” I ask, ready to move on to my last request. My heart goes even wilder, knowing how awkward this next one can be.
“Of course,” Zeke says. He smiles as he gazes at me, knowing I’m not done yet, even without me having to say anything.
“And I want monogamy,” I say, a little too quickly.
Damn it. Now he can tell I’m nervous.
The corners of Zeke’s lips pull up and his eyes light up with interest. “Monogamy? Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“I’ve done some research. There a—”
“Of course you have.” Zeke chuckles. He sees me giving him the evil eye for cutting me off and says, “Sorry. Go on.”
“There are some risks with artificial insemination. It can result in multiple pregnancies, so we could end up with, like, a set of quintuplets. I can’t raise more than one child on my own,” I say. I check the notes I’ve written on my phone and add, “Also, there are higher risks of bleeding and infections.”
“You have done your research,” he says, nodding slowly.
“Yes. Just like I already told you.”
“So does this mean we’re going to do this the old-fashioned way?” Zeke asks, looking sideways at me with eyes full of lust.
“Yes,” I answer curtly, afraid to show him how much he affects me. Just being in the same room as him makes all my senses go wild.
“Do you want to come home with me and try getting pregnant tonight? Or we can do it right here, right now,” Zeke says in a low, inviting tone.
I hate to admit it, but that look he’s giving me sends a thrill down my spine. “No,” I answer. Even to myself, I sound unconvincing.
“Are you sure? I can bend you over and pull your hair while I fuck you from behind? Just the way you used to like it,” Zeke continues.
The flash of danger in his eyes tells me he means it. If I want him to, he’d be more than happy to fuck me hard right now, on this very desk.
I want to close the distance between us, but he scares me—no, not because he’d ever hurt me on purpose.
I’m just afraid that I’ll come to rely on him and he won’t be there when I need him. That has happened before, and I shouldn’t put myself in that position again.
“Yes, I’m sure, Zeke,” I say, giving him a dirty look. “Before we even come close to doing anything like that, I want you to show me the results of a recent STD test. I’ve done my research on you, too, and I know you’ve been busy.”
He bursts out laughing. “Oh, Ali. I’ve missed you. You say the most amusing things.”
“Do you accept all my terms?” I ask, annoyed. I didn’t come here for him to laugh at me.
“Yes,” he says, still grinning from ear to ear. “Okay, I’ll do the test.”
“I’ll do it too, and I’ll show you my results.”
“Great. What a romantic start to a wonderful marriage,” Zeke says with a teasing smile. “I’m flattered that you’d do some research on me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you actually like me.”
He’s dense as a brick if he doesn’t know I like him by now. Everything I did for him when we were together—even if it was only for a brief moment—should’ve been enough to show him how I feel about him.
But when I open my mouth, I say, “Yeah, well, I need to know what kind of a man my sperm donor is.”
“Ouch.” Zeke clutches his chest like his heart hurts.
“Turns out he’s a bit of a man-whore, so I have to protect myself.”
“That sounds dangerously like slut-shaming to me, Ali,” Zeke says with a teasing grin. “And, you know, it also sounds like you want to keep me for yourself.”
“Or maybe I just want to protect myself and my baby from diseases that are potentially deadly.”
“Oh, stop, you,” Zeke says with the grin still plastered on his face. “If you keep flirting with me like that, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be a gentleman.”
Despite my growing irritation, the corners of my lips tug up. “Yeah, okay, you keep telling yourself that, hot stuff. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
A lopsided smile plays on Zeke’s handsome features. He knows he has won this round.
Damn it. I hate how Zeke can always get out of trouble just by the strength of his charm alone.
And I hate how much he makes me smile—that will only make it harder when it comes time to leave him.
But that’s a problem for another day.
For now, there’s a beautiful wedding dress with my name on it, and I can’t wait to find it.
Zeke
“A wedding? Are you kidding me?” Joanne asks when I call her with the good news.
“I wouldn’t joke about something as important as making a life-long commitment to the love of my life,” I say as I stand by the glass wall in my office, holding the phone to my ear.
I look down at the ground level, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ali as she walks out of the building. But I’m too far away from the ground level to spot her, even if she’s down there right this second.
“Right.” Joanne takes a few labored breaths and says, “So up until last week, when you last visited me, you weren’t seeing anyone. And now, suddenly, you’re getting married?”
“Hey, wait. Who said I wasn’t seeing anyone last week? Maybe I just didn’t want to tell you yet.”
Joanne pauses, considering the possibility. When she speaks again, there’s a hint of doubt in her voice. “So how long have you been seeing her?”
“Well, depends on what counts as ‘seeing her.’”
“Just get to it, Zeke. We both know I don’t have a lot of time.” Joanne is the one person who dares to challenge me—well, her and Ali, now that she’s back in my life again.
“We just reconnected recently, but we’ve known each other for years.”
“You don’t mean…?” Joanne lets her sentence hang in the air, unfinished, but we’re both obviously thinking about the same person.
“Yeah. Ali,” I say.
“The daughter of your ex-boss?” Joanne asks incredulously. Even her voice is growing louder, something I haven’t heard in months.
“That’s right.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Isn’t it dangerous to get involved with her?”
“Don’t worry. Times have changed, Joanne,” I say.
“Yeah,” Joanne says sadly. “It’s crazy how much things can change with time. Too bad I won’t be here to see what kind of crazy things will happen next.”
“I’m sorry, Jo,” I say.
“Don’t be,” Joanne says, sniffling. When she speaks again, there’s a quiet strength in her words. “You should be happy. You just managed to get a girl to marry you. That is
huge. Congratulations! I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks.” I smile wryly. “You’re coming to the wedding, okay?”
“What? But I don’t know if I’m going to pass all these tests. And I don’t know how much ti—”
“Joanne, stop talking. You don’t get a choice in this. You’re coming. Let me take care of how to get you there.”
“Just because you have money now doesn’t mean you should waste your money on something like—”
“Like what? Like family? What’s the use of being a billionaire if I can’t spend all that money on the people I care about?”
Joanne takes a deep breath. “Okay.”
“Good. You should’ve just agreed with me from the beginning. But then again. what fun would that be? I know you enjoy having me persuade you to do stuff. It makes you feel special,” I say, grinning.
“You know it,” she says, obviously grinning just as wide. She asks, “So how did you meet Ali again?”
“Mutual friends. Someone told me she’s in town, so we arranged to meet up.” Technically, I’m telling the truth. I’m just leaving out the part where Ali was referred to me for a job, as well as the part where the meet-up was an interview at my office, rather than a coffee date.
“And when was this? Sounds like things are moving pretty fast for you,” Joanne says.
“Well, when you know, you know… You know?”
She laughs. “Okay. Wow, suddenly you’re a cheesy romantic. Where did the player go? The one who never spent more than one week with any girl?”
“He’s gone,” I say with finality. “It has always been Ali. You know I’ve brought her up from time to time. I can’t forget about her.”
“Yeah,” Joanne admits. “She’s the one girl who seems to have managed to keep your attention for all these years.”
“Ten years.”
“Holy shit,” she curses.
“I know. That’s why I want to seal the deal right now. We’ve waited long enough,” I deliver my lines with precision.
I came up with this cover story weeks ago. I’m glad Joanne is buying it. Maybe soon she’ll finally see what I’ve been telling her and give in.
I wish she’d just agree with me so I wouldn’t have to pull a stunt like this, but that wouldn’t be the Joanne I know and love.
