by Katie Dowe
She looked up as Selene walked in turning heads as she made her way in with her chic cranberry dress with the low cleavage and her obviously expensive white cashmere sweater draped over her shoulders. Her sleek blonde hair was brushed back from her face and her lips were the same color of her dress. “I hope I am not late,” she purred.
“Not at all,” Margaret told her coolly, trying not to stare at her milky white breasts. “I was just about to order. What are you having?”
“The salad. I am on a diet again. Blake said I am getting a little fat,” she said with a tinkling laugh that grated on Margaret’s nerves.
“The grilled cheese sandwich with the whole works for me,” she told the waiter. “I don’t have to watch my weight.”
“I envy you your thinness,” Selene said, looking at the woman sulkily. She had always admired the woman’s cool beauty and the way she handled herself wherever she was.
“Now what do you want to talk to me about?”
Selene fidgeted a little bit before coming to the point. “Blake and I were talking and we think that you should encourage Garth to be cooperative.”
“About what?”
She smiled flirtatiously at the waiter as he brought their food and left the table. “We all know that the company is going to be handed over to my husband, Margaret, and we want to be able to work together as a family.”
Margaret almost laughed at that but held herself together. “I have no such influence over my son. And besides that the company belongs to him.”
“He is not married and looks like he has no intention of doing so.”
“You never know,” Margaret said enigmatically, smiling at the look on the other woman’s face.
“What are you saying?”
“Nothing,” Margaret cut into her succulent sandwich and tasted it with relish. They made the best sandwich she had ever tasted. “Stranger things have happened.”
“You are being very obtuse, Margaret,” Selene said with a pout. “It’s not fair that Blake has been slaving himself for years and practically a boy should come and take over the company. Even you can understand that.”
“I do not see Blake slaving over anything unless it is scheming and that does not require much brain. He has full benefits at Heywood Estates and has benefitted from what it has to offer as well as you. I don’t see why you cannot be satisfied with that.”
“It’s unfair!” Selene sputtered, looking around the privacy booth to see if she was drawing attention to herself. “We never had children because Blake was busy working. He deserves the break, Margaret.”
“He has sent you to plead his case? Why?”
“He does not know I am here,” she said unhappily. “He does not want me to get involved but he is getting so anxious about it and it is affecting our marriage.”
“I am sure there are other factors affecting you marriage rather than the position of the company,” Margaret said dryly. “As I said before I have no control over what Garth does.”
*****
Olivia shivered with cold as she hurriedly ran into the beautiful three story house that had been on the market for quite some time. A couple had called her and said they were interested and she was hoping to make the sale. She took out her iPad and touched the screen to check if she had all the details there. She smiled in approval and hurried to answer the door as soon as she heard the bell. “Right this way, Mr. and Mrs. Carson. I am sure you are going to love the place.”
Chapter 2
“Maybe it has to do with me taking over from one of their real estate agents. I hear that Cynthia is getting married and moving to the UK,” Olivia speculated as she sipped her latte. She had been called into a meeting by Garth Heywood’s secretary and she had to be there by ten. It was nine and she was passing the time by sitting in Glenna’s office and sharing the coffee she had bought at the local cafe a few blocks away. She had gotten the call yesterday and had been torturing herself as to what it could be about.
“I thought you were getting tired of the whole thing?” Glenna settled back against her chair and looked at her friend, admiring the way the chic olive green pants suit looked on her. Olivia had combed back her thick dark hair into a neat chignon at the nape of her neck. She had on a little makeup but not that she needed any.
“I am.” Olivia sighed pensively. “A couple had me trudging all over the country area looking for a two bedroom with a big enough yard space to plant a garden. You should see the budget they are working with. I almost told them to shove it but when I remembered that I am supposed to be professional, I held my tongue.”
“Maybe you should stop working for a while. You certainly do not need the money.”
“I cannot see myself sitting down at home and watching daytime television,” she said with a grimace. “I would slowly go crazy.”
“You could always volunteer.”
“It’s a thought.”
*****
“She is here, Garth,” his secretary said over the intercom.
“Send her in, Juliet.”
He took a deep breath and got from behind his desk as she came in. He had known her for some time and had met her at several real estate functions. He remembered watching in amusement one time as she listened attentively to the experts as they gave the various advices on how to sell houses when the market is at its worst. He had seen her several times after that and had spoken maybe several words to her. He wanted someone he had no affiliation with and someone who would walk away when the time was right.
“Olivia, good of you to come.” He gestured for her to take a seat on one of the sofas. Olivia had taken a quick look around the elegantly designed office and was very impressed with the decor. The man himself was tall and impressive with burnished blond hair and moss green eyes. He was far too sober though, she thought as she sat down. “How are you?”
“I am okay,” she murmured as he sat next to her.
“And the real estate business?”
Olivia stared at him for a moment and wondered at the question. “You already know how it is, Garth. I am fighting tooth and nail to sell houses and it is becoming more and more difficult.”
He nodded and leaned forward with his hands clasped between his legs. “I have a strange proposition for you.”
“Oh?”
He took a deep breath before turning to face her. “I want you to hear me out until I am through because this is very hard for me.”
“Okay,” she said slowly.
He explained the situation to her first. “I have to get married and it has to appear to be real,” he added abruptly. “You might be wondering why I am asking you but I want someone who will not expect anything from me.”
Olivia stared at him in stunned silence, not for the life of her knowing what to say! Garth Heywood was the kind of man who could have any woman he wanted just by crooking his little finger so she had no idea why he had chosen her.
“If you need some time to think about it then you may do so,” he said with an arrogant nod of his head.
“I will need something from you,” she said slowly as he was about to get to his feet.
“We could come to some monetary arrangement when all this is done,” he said a little distastefully as he stared down at her.
“I don’t need your money.”
“What then?”
“Could you have a seat? My neck is hurting by just looking up at you.”
He sat back on the edge of the sofa.
“I need a child,” she told him bluntly. “That is the only way I will agree to this-” She gestured vaguely. “This unusual request.”
“Why?” he asked her baldly.
“Because I need to be a mother before it is too late.”
“How old are you?”
“I am thirty in December,” she responded. Any other man would tell her that she did not look a day over twenty but not Garth Heywood.
“Good.” He nodded briskly. “We are going to have to start going out to re
staurants and functions to make this look real. We have six months to do that and tie the knot. So we are looking at an April wedding.”
“When do you want us to start?”
He glanced at his watch a little impatiently. “This weekend. I will have my secretary make the reservations and let you know.” He got to his feet and so did she. She was in very high heels and barely came to his broad shoulders. “Thank you,” he said briefly.
“Don’t thank me yet,” she said with a smile as she held out one slim hand. He took it after a moment of hesitation and shook it briefly before letting go.
“This means the world to me, Olivia, so I want no screw ups.” He turned away from her and strode to his desk already dismissing her. His voice stopped her just as she opened the door. “Olivia?”
“Yes?”
“You are not to breathe a word of it to anyone, not even close friends or family members. If my uncle and his wife learn of it we will be in trouble.”
“I understand.” She made the sign of sealed lips with her fingers and he only looked at her enigmatically. “Okay, then I will see you,” she said before closing the door behind her. She smiled at the well-dressed secretary and made her way out. It was not until she was downstairs in the parking lot that she allowed herself to think about the offer she had been given. Marriage of convenience to Garth Heywood, of Heywood Real Estates, one of the largest in the entire country! It would mean that she could become a part of the team that sells real estate without any real effort and the most import thing is that she would finally get to become a mother! What about love, a voice whispered in her head. She faltered and stared off into space. “I have no idea,” she whispered aloud. “Who knows what will happen?”
*****
“I thought you were going to call me and tell me what’s up the minute you left the meeting,” her friend Glenna complained as she called her that afternoon late. Olivia had come home as soon as she had left and had spent several hours going over the strange meeting. She had made herself some soup and had sat there without drinking it, wondering if she was making a mistake. She had looked up at her parents’ photo and had felt more and more that she should not go through something so coldblooded! She had seen society marriages where the husbands take as many mistresses as possible while the wife smiled and tried to bear it with shopping and filling up the closets! She was not like that and she would never be!
“It was what I suspected,” she said casually hating to have to lie to her friend. But she had made a promise. “A job offer.”
“Honey, that’s wonderful!”
“Just what I said.”
“You don’t sound too enthused.”
“I am shell shocked,” Olivia improvised quickly.
“You are going to do fine, honey.”
Olivia put away the now cold soup and got to her feet hurriedly. She had to call him and tell him that she had made a mistake! She dialled the number he had given her quickly before she changed her mind.
“I am glad you called,” he began softly. “I was planning on calling you. Look, this is new to both of us and I did not handle it well.” He paused a moment. “I made it sound clinical and it was not meant to be. I am going to try my best to be as approachable as possible.”
“That sounds good,” Olivia said softly.
“Okay.” He sounded relieved. “Now what did you call about?”
“I want to make the reservations myself. It will make it more believable in case someone is watching.”
“Good idea,” he said approvingly. “Okay, I will see you then.”
Olivia placed the phone carefully onto the side table and reached for her cold soup. For better or for worse the decision had been made!
*****
She made the reservation at a quiet intimate eatery uptown. Garth had said that they needed to be seen and for a man like Garth Heywood being in a place like Sham’s Restaurant it would be bound to be noticed and speculated about. She had been the one to find the location for Lionel Sham over five years ago so he owed her a lot.
“What are you not telling me?” he had asked her as she booked the privacy booth over by the window. “You have finally landed yourself a man?”
“You make it sound as if I am on my last breath with a cane to aid me in walking,” she had said dryly.
“Might as well be,” he had retorted. “I have sending men your way left right and center and you are so picky you have turned them away,” the large African American said bluntly.
“The men you send my way as you put it leave a lot to be desired.”
“Who is the lucky man?”
“You will see when we get here on Saturday.” She knew that Lionel had a very big mouth and she did want the news leaking out before Saturday.
“Spoilsport,” he muttered before hanging up.
Olivia heaved a breath. It had started!
*****
“He is up to something. I just know it!” Selene muttered as she paced the length of their very large and elegant bedroom.
“Oh, relax!” Blake said with a wave of his hand. He was lounging back on the bed completely sated and a little sleepy. He had stopped by his mistress’ on his way home from the office and she had expressed her pleasure at the diamond bracelet he had given her in a very inventive way. He had left there feeling as if he had a new lease on life and his wife proceeded to show him how much he was welcomed home. He had it very good. He was not like his brother had been sticking to just one woman; he had to have as much as possible! His secretary had been doing overtime for several years now and there was a young eager woman in accounts who had given him a few blow jobs every now and then. Life was good! And to top it off he was on his way to becoming CEO of one the largest real estate companies in the world. He had it made and he had no intention of it being spoiled by negativity! “My nephew has not been seen with a woman since that Marissa person. Garth is not very giving when it comes to emotions.”
“Tell me about it,” Selene muttered darkly as she remembered how she had approached him with her clothes practically off her body and he had told her coldly that she was disgusting.
Blake laughed softly. “He turned you down and that did not go well.”
Selene looked at her husband in shock.
“Darling, don’t look so surprised. The little whelp came and complained to me and said that you are not a fit wife and I should get rid of you.”
Selene felt a shiver of fear as she approached the bed. She had not bothered to put her nightgown back on and her generous breasts moved as she walked to him. “You did not. Why?”
“You have your use.” Blake reached out to fondle a nipple, pinching it hard and smiling as she winced in pain. “You put up with my, shall we say, peculiar habits so I do the same as long as it does not end up making a fool of me.” He pinched her again this time harder causing her to cry out.
“You are hurting me,” Selene whispered.
“I will do even more if I hear anything that I do not want to hear,” he warned her. He had started to get hard again. “Come and take care of this.” He pushed away the sheets and settled back as she closed her mouth over him. “Good girl.”
*****
“I have never been here before.” Garth looked around carefully as they made their way to their table. Olivia had dressed in a chartreuse colored dress with a low enough neckline to show a glimpse of her cleavage. She had let down her hair and curled it so that it swung gently to her shoulders. Her tan heels brought her nearly to his shoulders. She saw the incredulous look on Lionel’s face as he saw them together and hid a smile.
“It’s quite popular and their fish fillet is to die for.”
“I will have to take your word for it. I am allergic to seafood.”
“Oh, I am sorry,” she said as she sat in the comfortable seat. “They have chicken and beef as well.”
“Beef sounds fine.”
They made the order and the waiter went on his way. They sat there a few minutes
and then to his surprise she leaned forward and took his hands in hers. “Lionel is coming over. We need to make this count.” Before he could say anything she had captured his lips with hers. The desire was fast and quick! As soon as her tongue touched his he felt the heating of his skin and the curling of his flesh. His automatic response had nothing to do with the man approaching their table but with the heat curling inside him! She started to pull back but he held on, his tongue stroking hers as he deepened the kiss. He broke off after a few minutes, his skin clammy and his heart skittering inside his chest. He leaned back against the chair and took a deep breath to steady himself and looked over at her. She was looking at him strangely, her large dark brown eyes bright and her lips! Dammit, he swore silently. Her lips were slightly swollen and making him want more.
“That should do it.” It took supreme effort for him to say the words and make them come out casually.
“It should,” Olivia said a little tremulously. How could he be so calm after that, she wondered. Lionel had turned back after seeing the intimate embrace and one quick look at him showed that he was watching them curiously. By later this evening it would be put out there that Garth Heywood was her man!
He enjoyed her company in spite of the tension surrounding them. She was quick witted and laughed a lot. She told him stories of the clients she had and related a particularly funny one of a couple who had been on the verge of a divorce and had decided to sell their house.
“They went into the bedroom and started looking around and I guess the memories were too much for them they started crying.”
“What did you do?” he asked her fascinated.
“I left as soon as possible and sat outside on the balcony. It took them quite a while to come out and the man was half dressed and the woman had a shy smile on her face. So I just handed them back the keys and wished them all the best.”
“So you missed out on a sale.”
“And a couple got back together. I figured that was a victory for all of us.”
“Why are you not married?”
