So I obliged Mark.
I put on a shimmering black cocktail dress and paired it with gold heels and gold ear studs. I’m not especially gorgeous, I have an ordinary face and I don’t use much make up. I look older than my years. I’m twenty three but you could mistake me for a thirty something year old. Makeup doesn’t really help a lot or maybe I just haven’t cared enough to learn the art. Sarah, my househelp says it’s the latter. I don’t disagree.
I’m pretty when I dress up though. I’ll give myself that.
This was my first marriage date but I wasn’t nervous. I’ve been avoiding these arrangements for quite some months but Markian lost his temper this time around when I returned home with some injuries. I have my doubt about his common sense sometimes. How is me getting married going to help me become responsible as he puts it? I’m going to change overnight because I marry a dude?
What is this dude going to be? Jesus?
I shrugged. No point thinking about it.
When I came out of my dressing room, Markian acted like a proper father and looked at me rather tenderly. Sarah stood beside me, liking what she had done to my appearance all over. I knew I was looking nice, but when the reactions around me are so exaggerated it kind of pisses me off.
Like… how ugly do these people find me normally?
I think I’m average. They’re in trouble if they think otherwise.
“I love these moments when you look like a woman,” Markian sighed, “You’re stunning honey.”
“Thanks dad.”
“Don’t cause trouble. Don’t be terribly rude. And… try to not be very open about your… uh, passions.”
My street life, basically.
“Yes Mark. I’ll be off now.”
“Tell the driver I need you home by midnight.”
I smirked at that, “Why? The Cinderella story starts at that time.”
“Whatever. By twelve, Anna.”
“Yes dad.” I’ll be back in a half hour if you want me to.
I was driven to the Green Apple restaurant. I already had my doubts about this man who had invited me to a place named after a light vodka. I texted my exact emotions to my group of close friends on Whatsapp, Kelly and Shinoda basically. They’re both overseas so this is the only way to keep in contact. We bitch together about whatever is wrong in our lives. It’s pretty damn amazing to find people whose thought process matches your own. It just makes venting so much more easier.
I typed, [Guess where I’m headed? It’s called Green Apple.]
Shinoda was the first to reply, [For real? Vodka?]
[Future husband, guys. Show some respect.] I added a winking emoji.
[You make me sad An.]
Kelly hopped in, [Want me to scare him? I’ll be your lesbian lover. Easy breezy babe.] Heart.
I laughed out loud because I could imagine Shinoda’s grumbling face. He was quick to reply, [Gross girls.]
I typed, [I think we’d be hot.]
Kelly agreed, [Totally. Any way you can send me pictures of him hon?]
I shrugged. No way in hell.
Our banter went on and it ended when I reached my vodka shot place. I had arrived ten minutes early so it was all good. I practiced in my head on what to say but lady luck wasn’t really on my side. The boy I was meeting was fifteen minutes earlier so that actually made me five minutes late.
I had to hand it over to dad. Ray Elliot was HOT. He was seated in a corner of the place like a figure carved out of sparkling marble. He was beautiful like a wedding picture and handsome enough to make someone drool. My first instinct was to think, “Wow. With those looks he should be dating every woman in town.”
Why the heck was he meeting me for an arranged marriage?
He was dark haired with black eyes, and eyebrows so thick they made me wonder if he had had a transplant. He was beautiful, I’ll say again. Enough to make me forget what I was there to say. So I coughed instead and made my presence known.
“Oh,” he said rather softly, “Anna Reeves?”
Sadly, yes. I’m not one to feel any complexes but this man made me feel lousy for wanting to reject him. Should I not?
Oh come on Anna. Keep it in your pants. There was a reason why I had gotten into so much trouble since two nights before.
“Yes. Ray Elliot I believe?”
We shook hands. His were gentle and distracting. I breathed deeply.
While I took my seat, he took a casual look at me and averted his eyes. I grew a little conscious, but I looked away as well. Alright. Relax. It doesn’t matter how he looks. My insides told me to go all out, scare him right off the bat. But apparently I am not so badass as I think I am.
I made small talk. And I placed an order. He followed suit.
“You look pretty,” he mentioned lightly.
“Ah ha. You too.” I replied.
The thing about me is, I fawn over people and pretty things alike. And my fascination lasts for about ten minutes at most. My heart will race, I will want them, and then after turning around to look at the thing or person, I suddenly feel a detachment. Then, I’ll move on.
It’s strange really.
The same happened with Ray Elliot too. He was gorgeous but he turned me off fast. He was quiet and gave off a condescending vibe. I suppose he was forced to come here as well. That was a load off my chest and I started to relax enough to act naturally.
“So, uh… Anna. Can I call you Anna?”
“Sure.”
“What are your hobbies?”
It made me chuckle, “I’m sure you’ve heard plenty about them.”
He turned a little red and I concentrated on the pasta. Green Apple wasn’t half bad. I’d bring Kelly and Shinoda here the next time they come back. I really wanted them to hook up too. With each other or with other people. The both of them were classic nerds. They’d be great as a couple though. They were one of those people who were obsessed with each other under the guise of being good friends. They couldn’t breathe if the other ever got hurt.
My head was all over the place as the tirade with Ray Elliot dragged on. He didn’t tell me he wasn’t into me, and I didn’t want to do it first because well, I didn’t want any trouble with Markian. Maybe Ray didn’t want any trouble with his dad either. Which again brought me to my first question. Why was this handsome a dude in a marriage meeting? Shouldn’t he be having a girlfriend?
And then, the strangest thing in my life happened. While I was dreaming about two of my best friends getting together, someone stepped up to our table.
Guess who it was?
“Cain, my man! Long time no see.”
The voice was familiar so I looked up. It was Peter Brown smacking the back of my date-boy. Beside him stood a smiling Henry Hathaway.
“We thought we’d have an early dinner,” Brown said, “so Henry and I came two hours before. How come you’re here early too? We’re not supposed to meet until seven.”
Well, I’ll be damned.
I let go of my fork and laid back easily in my chair. I crossed my arms over my chest. Ray Elliot looked visibly uncomfortable as he smiled at Brown. Brown ignored my existence but Hathaway was a little more diligent, I’d say.
“Sorry man,” Hathaway soon said to Ray, nudging Brown in the sides at the same time, trying to point at me through his eyes, “We didn’t mean to disturb you in the middle of your date. We can talk when you’re done.” He fixed his eyes on me, “Hey. I’m Henry Hathaway. Cain and I went to the same high school.”
Hah. Really?
I smiled. This was a dramatic turn of events and I liked it. “Anna Reeves, Mr. Hathaway,” I said rather smugly, “This man however is not called Cain. As far as he has told me, of course.”
Ray Elliot visibly paled, making my smirk widen.
So this man who had come to meet me… Cain wasn’t his middle name either. Which meant he was here filling in the shoes of the original Ray Elliot.
This was classic.
Henry’s eyeballs coul
d have fallen to the floor while Brown looked at me and then at Ray in horror. He gasped and enclosed his mouth which flew open wide. He looked at Ray and whispered, “Cain, what about Martha? You told me you were getting married! Why are you here on a date with Reeves?”
Alright. So this dude was named Cain and he was the one who was getting married. It all fell into place now.
The beautiful but fake Ray Elliot had turned apple red while Henry Hathaway refused to take his eyes off me. I took in a deep breath, very very relieved. Now, I didn’t have to land up in any sort of mess. I concentrated on my fake date.
“Ray… Cain. What’s your real name?” I asked.
He stammered and stood up, almost stumbled. Fear washed across his features and he pulled back his chair in a hurry.
Such a waste of beauty. This one was a douchebag.
“I’m sorry Ms. Reeves – “
“Anna.”
“Y-Yes, Anna. I know this is terribly rude but –“
I cut him off again. My insides let go and I dropped all façade of good manner, “I asked for your name.”
He blushed harder. Brown was looking at the two of us incredulously now while Henry Hathaway was just being a jerk. Stop staring, jackass.
Fake Ray Elliot averted his eyes, “Cain Matthews,” he whispered.
“I’m assuming the real Elliot sent you?”
“Yeah.”
“Why did you agree? From what Brown said you’re about to get married.” I mean, isn’t this considered cheating? I don’t know about true love, but if my fiancé was out on a date with some other girl, I would kick his sorry ass to the end of the world.
I asked, and was answered. I also ended up hearing the most stupid fucking reason possible for a man to agree to an arrangement of this sort. After five minutes of interrogation, I had lost my former amusement.
I was annoyed.
It must be true, most pretty people were no-brainers. I’m judging, but considering the circumstances, I can hardly help it.
I stood up from the table and took my leave. Frankly, by the end of it, I was feeling a little hurt.
I know, I know it doesn’t make sense. I had come here to outrightly reject a man I didn’t even know. But he hadn’t even had the courtesy to show up. I tried to tell myself that it wasn’t because of me.
But that’s how people work, right?
You feel hurt by the stupidest of things. And you assume it’s all about you even if it’s not.
Feelings like that.
I hate them.
Chapter 6
Henry
I have no words.
It was like watching a contorted romantic comedy. Only I didn’t know who the leads were, and it went downhill pretty soon. I don’t know how any other woman would have taken it. But one thing was for sure, Anna Reeves had guts.
She was sporty and she was brave.
I must be crazy to have felt this way. She was the same Anna Reeves who had scared me senseless a day before. And yet, I couldn’t help the sympathy that rose in me. She had come out on a marriage date, which meant she had dropped her ridiculous plan of suing her father, only to be ditched by the man she was supposed to meet.
I mean… this Ray Elliot. Whoever the fuck he was, he could have had the decency to refuse her in person, right?
Frankly, I wouldn’t marry Anna either, but I would not treat her like this. Or any other woman for that matter.
My brain must hate me because immediately, the night I had first seen Anna Reeves flashed in my head. I had refused to let her into the car or even step out for a conversation.
Wait. Could she have bullied the real Elliot in the past as well? Was that why he was scared to come? She had bullied Brown. She had scared me. Now we were all gathered here at one place.
Maybe it was a small world. And maybe she had gone around to beat up mostly everyone in it.
Anyway, all things put aside, I lost my good impression of Cain Matthews fast. I had no idea he could be so dumb. High schoolers often end up being charmed by idiots, I concluded.
It was stupid to watch him explain to Anna why he was duping his identity. Shayne Elliot – Ray Elliot’s father – was on the board of directors of RDesigns. RDesigns is the leading manufacturer of clothes for men and women in their twenties/thirties. Their clothes are trendy and very expensive.
Our friend Cain Matthews is getting married to his girlfriend Martha who wanted her wedding dress to be custom made. That would be expensive as fuck and the original Ray Elliot cut Cain a deal. An affordable dress for the bride, made by RDesigns itself. He had inside access, courtesy of his father.
Does this get any stupider?
Apparently, the one to convince Cain to show up in Ray’s place was his fiancé Martha herself. “It’s just to tell the girl you’re sorry,” she told him – as Cain put it.
This is even stupider when I considered that the one they were convinced into rejecting was the daughter of the Chairman of RDesigns itself.
Real Ray Elliot played the idiot couple rather nicely.
Once Anna decided to tell her dad what had happened though, there was no way the bride was getting her custom-made dress. It would lead to an inside war in the company too – a battle of pride within the conglomerate.
I was torn between congratulating real Ray Elliot and rolling my eyes. He was a genius and a moron.
I was knocked back to my senses when I saw Anna get up and leave. I didn’t want to check her out, but my eyes landed on her back and I was enticed by the gentle sway of her hips when she moved.
The other thing that had taken me by surprise today.
Anna Reeves.
I hadn’t recognized her on first look. I had even introduced myself to her like a fool and offered my hand for a greeting. I won’t forget her smirk. Ever.
My cheeks grew hot and I blushed in embarrassment.
I had a habit of making a fool out of myself whenever I met Anna. Truth be told though, this event was not my fault. She was fucking pretty compared to the version of her that I had met twice before. If someone had told me yesterday that Anna Reeves could pull off a dress like that and appear a lady, I would have laughed in their face.
I think I stared at her for quite some time too. Out of shock, I assume. I’m also afraid it was out of a tidbit of fascination.
So when she walked out of the restaurant, I followed.
It’s true. Ridiculous, but I was worried about her.
It must be men like me who end up digging their own graves. Because in that moment the thought of her beating up three grown guys only two nights before did not occur to me at all. And I am supposed to be a lawyer.
Pete didn’t stop me either. I guess he was worried as well, since he really didn’t dislike Anna from what I could tell from our conversation before.
Anna Reeves surprised me when I followed her out.
I thought she’d be headed home, but there was an outside staircase that lead to a bar above the restaurant. She went up. And I followed hurriedly because I knew what drunk Anna was like. A little bit.
She ordered scotch on the rocks while I watched her from a distance. I hesitated. What would I tell her? Why was I there? But she was Anna.
I was thinking too much. Of course she had sensed me follow her. She turned around on her stool expertly and gave me a knowing look. I swallowed.
She invited, “Come on.”
I don’t know why my head muddled. It could be the dim lighting of the bar. It could be her dress which hugged every curve of her body. It could also be her slightly parted lips and her slight smile when she invited me over.
I swallowed again.
I took a seat on the stool beside her and ordered the same drink. She checked me out with interest before she whispered, “Why are you here Hathaway?”
I found my voice. Concentrate. “I guess I was worried.”
“About?”
“You.”
“Is it pity you’re feeling, Hathaway?”
>
“No.” Not if you put it like that.
I mean, I thought it was. But I’m not so sure right now.
She smirked, “Liar. I am open to sympathy though. I could use it right now.”
“Sad?”
“Nah. More like… disappointed.”
“In?”
“Dad’s choice.”
I chuckled. Our drinks arrived and we clinked glasses before she gulped hers down in one go. She asked for a second.
“I know Cain from high school,” I mentioned.
“You told me before.”
“Yeah. I mean… I’m sorry on his behalf, as a man. I’m also sorry the guy you were supposed to meet turned out to be such a jerk.”
She smiled, “It’s stupid to apologize for others, Hathaway. As far as jerks go, I’m used to them.”
“You shouldn’t have to be.”
“Ah ha. I agree. It gets a little tiring if you meet them on a daily basis. I was only done with you yesterday.”
I bit my lip in discomfort while she laughed out loud. She was savage, no doubt.
“I’m sorry I didn’t have the guts to be decent that night.”
“It’s alright.”
I don’t know what it was. But something about her smile was very enchanting. It could have been the red paint of her lips. It could also be the slight upturn of her mouth when she was amused. Or I could just be horny as fuck.
“How did you come to agree to this date?” I was genuinely interested, “No more plan of suing your father?”
“Not unless you want to reconsider my case.”
I shrugged, “I might.”
She raised her brow, “Depending upon?”
“How much you need it.”
Her smile was the most playful one I had seen. She sized me up from head to toe and gulped down her second glass. She ordered a third while her gaze never left mine. Her eyes undid something in me. I spoke with difficulty.
“I mean – I could consider it if you have another asshole lined up for a marriage meeting.”
“Not that I know of.”
“I – I’m still curious. How did you come up with the suing your father plan?”
She humored me, even though I could read the tension in the air. I’m sure she could too.
My Thug Bride Page 3
