CHAPTER TWO

JAKE

I’m still rooted to the spot until Kyle shakes my shoulders snapping me out of my daze. “Did you just…” I’m unable to control my thoughts because my nose especially hurts more than my bruised ego.

“Just let it go” he says calmly, looking at me like I was some spoilt child.

I push his hand away “Easy for you to say because you’re not the one getting punched by a girl in the middle of the street”

He doesn’t even seem fazed “Told you we should take the car, you wanted the entire street experience for yourself”

“And now I’m totally regretting it” I mutter under my breath. It had seemed nice walking the streets and casually handing out fliers like I see them do in the movies, but with my half broken nose… it was the worst thing anyone had to go through.

“Do you want to keep handing it out or do we go straight to the restaurant?” Kyle asks.

I look down but there’s only a couple fliers on the floor, the crazy girl must have taken it with her in a haste.

The fuck was I going to do now?

“There’s none left, she took it with her”

The corner of his lips twitch and I can tell he is close to losing it “Lets just go to the restaurant then and hope someone magically shows up” his tone is tight and I can’t even blame him.

“You should have just listened to me and posted an ad on social media” he adds as he turns and walks away. I follow him immediately, it would be tragic to get lost in the middle of nowhere.

“What if my dad saw? It would definitely get me in more trouble than its worth” I cringe afterwards, I had absolutely no reason to explain to him.

“Maybe you should just think about settling down for real” he takes a quick glance at me as I follow closely behind “Aren’t you tired of all the girls?”

I laugh causing many people to turn towards us but I don’t care “How can you for one second even think about that?” I slap his shoulder, my hand falling off as he keeps walking “I would never…ever get tired of all girls. Women were sent to this world to spice it up, why would I give that up just to satisfy my parents?”

“Still so immature” he says under his breath but I can still hear him.

“Hey!” I yell but he only walks faster “The real problem is my parents, why can’t they just give me my inheritance without all these drama? Why I do I need to settle down first before I get all of that money?”

A horn blasts off the distance muffling my words but I hear Kyle laugh “Because my dear friend, they’re afraid their beloved son will spend all of their riches and hard work on women, it’ll be heartbreaking for them”

I scoff “They’re probably right”

Kyle stops abruptly making me almost bump into him “Let’s just focus on getting you a fake wife okay? You’ll figure the rest from there”

We don’t speak again after that. I really hope we find someone that can pretend to be my wife for just a couple months until the inheritance is transferred in my name. It’ll be a clean break, I’ll pay her and she’ll be on my way while I probable spend all the money… on pretty girls.

It was perfect.

No need for any commitment whatsoever.

When we finally get to the restaurant where I’ll be holding the interview my heart sinks with disappointment. Its empty, just like Kyle had predicted.

I slip into a seat unable to look him in the eye, I already knew what he was going to say. He already told me my little plan was lame but there was no harm in trying, right?

He pulls out the seat next to mine “You should’ve listened when I told you not to rent the entire place out” he’s holding a bottle of water that I don’t know where he got from and chugging down the water before I even have a chance to reply him.

“Someone is going to show up” I mutter to myself glancing at the door “We managed to give a couple people the flyer before the punch girl appeared”

Kyle just nods “If you say so, we’ll just wait”

I glance at my watch, was anyone really going to come? Maybe my plan was just as stupid as Kyle called it but surely there is a girl somewhere that needs fast money and is willing to just be my wife in paper.

My fingers drum on the table to kill boredom as my thoughts filter back to the girl on the street. I touch the side of my nose lightly, how did she learn how to punch like that? Although it shouldn’t come as a surprise.

She was wearing big basket ball shorts and a tank top, definitely tomboy material. Must be where she got that attitude from.

I don’t even realize an hour has passed until Kyle nudges my side “Let’s get out of here, this isn’t working and I have somewhere to be”

With a weary smile I look at the door “Five minutes more? I have a feeling someone is on their way”

He sighs “No one is crazy enough to take an offer like this” he waves a flyer in my face “Anyone who does has no sense of shame of pride”

I shrug my shoulders “Say whatever you want, they’re getting tons of money for it”.

He gets up and I’m about to do the same when the door opens and a mob of dark brown hair is the first thing I see.

It might work out after all.

Its not until the person comes completely in that I groan. It’s the punch girl. She walks steadily towards us, glancing around the entire place.

“Where’s everyone?” she stops in front of us with a raised brow.

Kyle regards her with a frown “What are you here for?”

I laugh “Obviously she’s here to apologize to me, why else will she go through the trouble of finding me” I nudge Kyle’s arm “I told you all the girls have the hots for me”

Her face turns into one of confusion “What do you mean apologize?” she waves the flyer in her hand that I didn’t see before now “I’m here for this”

For a moment no one speaks, I stare at her and her angry eyes stares back at me until I ruin the silence with my laughter, unable to keep it in for much longer.

“You mean… you mean…” I can’t speak until I get my laughter under control “You want to be my wife? Have you lost it?” I break into another round of laughter, stopping only when Kyle elbows me in the ribs.

“Why?” Kyle asks her and I watch her eyes grow wide before I dims.

“Twenty thousand dollars is no joke” she says quietly, looking down at her shoes.

That’s weird.

“So you’re here to be his wife?” Kyle asks, adjusting his position on the seat with a mean look on his face.

She’s about to answer when I yell “No!”. Yes, I’m desperate but no so desperate. She isn’t my type at all though she’s a beauty in the eyes.

She’s more slender, her baggy clothes hiding a figure I wasn’t sure was there and I certainly don’t want to marry someone that can easily punch me in my pretty face.

“No what?” Kyle asks annoyed

“She can’t be my wife” I roll my eyes “She’s totally not my type” I say, adjusting my jacket.

She looks at me briefly before looking down, I’m not sure if those were tears in her eyes and I don’t ask.

“Be reasonable Jake, she’s the only option you’ve got, I doubt anyone else is showing up for this” Kyle says, casting me a side glance “Be reasonable”

I cross my arms “Still disagree, what if she punches me or something again? I like my women soft and curvy and not looking like gangsters”

“Then you should have indicated it in the flyer” Kyle pinches the bridge of his nose and I know his tired of me “We’ll go ahead with the interview”

He gestures to the girl “Your name and why you think you should get this job”

I groan “We’re finding me a partner, stop making it look like a job application”. They both ignore me as the girl fiddles her fingers.

“My name is Olivia and I’m perfect for the job because you don’t have to worry about me falling in love with him or whatever” she finishes, her voice growing bolder as she spoke.

I raise an eyebrow at that “What makes you so confident that you won’t fall in love with me or form any emotional attachment?”

“It’s just impossible to, besides I’m not attracted to dickheads like you” she answers and I almost bolt up from my seat.

“Did you just call me a dickhead?” I ask, “Who the hell do you think you are?”

Kyle touches my arm lightly.

“You need a wife and I need that money, we can definitely work something out” she steps closer to me “I don’t know why you’re doing this but something tells me you’re just as desperate as me” she doesn’t remove her gaze from me. She’s right, I am desperate.

“I just want to know one thing…” I scratch the back of my neck “Why do you think you’ll never fall in love with me?”

 “Cause I’m not attracted to you?…”

My fist pound the table “And why is that?”

Her mouth twitches “Does it hurt your pride that someone for the first time does not find you attractive?”

“Just answer the question”

She looks me dead in the eye “I’m just not attracted to men”

“What?”

She sighs “I’m lesbian, that is why I can’t ever be attracted to you. It’s the perfect arrangement”

A part of me is relieved “That makes more sense on why you can’t see just how handsome I am. Well, you’re hired but I have a set of rules you must follow”

She’s about to answer when both our phones go off at the same time. It’s a text from my father to bring my future wife to dinner tomorrow. Good thing I already found someone to fill in.

“Hey, will be going to dinner…” I trail off when her eyes remain glued to her phone. She finally puts it away and looks at me, her expression apologetic.

“I’m sorry I can’t go through with the contract, I need to go” she says rushing her words, she glances at her phone again.

“I don’t understand…”

She shakes her head “I’m sorry” then hurries out the door.