What Jack Wants

Chapter Two

   Jack hung his jacket up in his walk-in closet as he mulled over the activities of the day. He had surprised himself when he'd proposed to Lisa his own version of marriage. Sure he'd known what he needed to do, his mother wouldn't stop reminding him of it and he'd long-drawn that contract but he didn't know who he was going to give it to just yet until he saw her. Even bent over, she'd been a sight to behold but when she turned around, his mind was made up. He had been going over his options, considering all the girls that he thought were prospects but his heart just wasn't in it. He didn't want to fall in love, didn't need to. It was too much trouble to go through and still end up disappointed. His mother wanted him to get married and bear children and that was what he was going to do. Who he did it with or how he went about it wasn't really her business. He could understand his mother's persistence however, time was of the essence.
   He'd been more than generous to Lisa and he quite honestly, he'd expected her to take the offer. He hoped that she would, he didn't want to have to make her. But she was going to marry him, he'd made his choice and there was no going back on it. She didn't realize it but he always got what he wanted and he wasn't about to start slacking.
    Jack called his best friend and employee Ben, he still needed that background check on Lisa. He usually wasn't that careless but something about her made him want to move things along.
"I need to know everything there is to know about a Lisa Mayowa. She works at the wuye branch and HR gave me her number and address so of course, I'm not talking about those. Hospital records, past relationships, former employers, everything you can find."
"Is she in trouble?" Ben asked.
"No man, I think she's the future Mrs Lawson."
"Got it." Jack and Ben had discussed Jack's plan to contract a woman to be his wife so he knew exactly what Jack meant when he said that. Ben was the only one Jack had told and intended to tell about his plans.
   Jack remembered that he'd failed to give Lisa his personal line so he decided to text her and let her have it for when she was ready to give him her answer. Also for an excuse to talk to her. He'd enjoyed her company and that kiss, he hadn't expected it to be so good. And whether she liked it or not, she'd reacted to him. He knew he was pushing her too hard and too fast but there was not a lot of time to play around the issue.
   Jordan literally dragged Lisa inside. Their apartment was on the ground floor and Jordan had been watching Jack and Lisa's exchange from the window.
"Okay, what was that about?" Jordan was almost bouncing up and down from her excitement.
"What?"
"Oh come on, don't give me that. I saw you and the Jack Lawson kissing!"
"Keep your voice down!" Lisa hissed.
"Okay okay, so tell me. What happened?"
"He asked me to marry him." Lisa thought it was best to get it over with. It was weighing too heavily on her chest and she couldn't tell anyone else, Jordan was the only person she trusted.
"What?!" Jordan almost screamed.
"Keep your voice down!"
"Have you been seeing this guy without telling me?"
"No! This was our first date, I promise."
"Well explain it to me then."
Lisa told Jordan the story of their rather strange encounter then date and all the details of Jack's proposal.
"Oh my god!" Jordan exclaimed when Lisa finished.
"My thoughts exactly."
"So what are you going to do?"
Lisa sighed. "I don't know. It's a tempting offer but it seems like I'm selling myself if I take it. And I don't know this man. Everything I've heard about him makes him look like a terrifying human being, to be honest."
"I can see why you would even consider it, I know everything you have been through but Lisa, are you sure you can handle him? I hear he's pretty intense."
"I don't know. To be honest, I don't think that I can."
"I'm here for you babe, whatever you decide. Just be sure that you think it over carefully. If at the end of the day you still want to go ahead with it, I'll support you a hundred percent."
"Thanks, dear." Lisa hugged her friend. Jordan had stuck with her through the worse times of her life, she was the kind of friend that people prayed for. When Lisa had been drowning, Jordan came and picked her up and gave her the opportunity to start over. The apartment they were living in and everything that was in it,  Jordan had paid for. Lisa promised to pay back once she started receiving a salary but Jordan wouldn't hear of it. She insisted that Lisa was like a sister to her and she would do anything to help her out.
   Lisa's phone vibrated with a text message. She looked at it, it was from an unknown number.