Gracie
"What? You're getting married?!" Steve accidentally dropped his silverware and they made a huge clang. I decided to tell him the great news tonight while having dinner.
"Yes." I cleared my throat. For some reason, I was more nervous about telling this idea to Steve. "Yes, I am.... getting... married..." my voice was becoming less audible
"Didn't I just see you at work just a few hours ago?"
"Ye..Yes." I took a deep breath "Okay, well you see, I lied about meeting with an old girlfriend for lunch. I've been actually seeing my husband-to-be behind your back. Behind anyone else's back."
"Well why did you have to go behind me? I didn't even hear you were engaged and suddenly you were getting married."
"I love the guy! Steve, he's awesome. I just knew the moment I saw him he was meant for me. I don't want to miss any second not to be with him." That sounded convincing, right?
"I haven't even heard anything about this guy you're supposed to be marrying."
"Don't have to. You know him so well." He raised an eyebrow at me. "He's...He's..." Okay now that I'm thinking about it, this is totally going to sound bullshit. I didn't really think I could bluff Steve this time. "His name is Matt Watson."
And just like that, everything fell silent. Steve was staring at me for such a long time. His face is a total blank. It would be nice to see some anguish or confusion crossing his face but nada. The only sound that I could hear at this very moment was the clock ticking. It sounded ridiculously loud for some reason.
"Oh my god. Oh my god." Steve cupped his forehead as if he was having the worst migraine he could ever imagine.
"What?"
"Oh my god. I knew I should have called for a specialist again. Oh my god, what have I done!"
Panic rose up to my head. "Steve, no, Steve you listen to me." I reached for his arms. He was sitting across the table. "Steve, I am not sick."
"Yes you are!" He ran his hand through his hair. "Or we wouldn't even be having this fucking conversation." I winced at the use of the crude word. This was the very first time Steve swore in my presence. He must be really angry right now. "You're doing this because of him again, right?"
Then that's when the tears just suddenly roll down my cheeks. Steve really had the power to weaken my defenses. I hated that he knew all about me.
"Oh Gracie." He got up from his chair, went around the table, sat right next to me then hug me really tight.
"I want to move on now Steve. I don't want to be the crazy woman who lingers around his shadow anymore. I can't stand having this feeling anymore. That any minute I'll explode and I'll be out of control. I need some distraction. A change in my life."
"Yes. I understand but marrying someone for this reason won't give you the happiness you want."
"Yes it will! It will give me so much publicity that will say I'm a happy married woman. That I have moved on; I wouldn't even bat an eyelash if one day our path crossed again. I wanted to be a strong woman on the outside." I sniffed. "Even if it was only a facade. Steve, please don't tell me not to do this. My heart will break even more."
He moved himself away from the embrace and looked at me in the eye. "Was this the reason why Matt blew up at you at the hall?"
I nodded. "I went to Matt's office today. I had lunch with him and I asked him to give me a chance to explain myself. He thought I was buying him. I told him the truth. Well I mean not about everything. But that I once sent to a mental institution and that I understand his situation about his mom." I sniffed again. "His mom is currently at the mental instruction. Been there for 7 years now." I informed. "After a few talks, he understood me and agreed to this marriage."
Steve started frowning at this. "Steve, Matt is a nice guy. Things have been really rough for him for all these years and I want to help him in any way I could possibly help. Just like I need his help to keep my image up with the public. Both camps will be benefitting from this marriage."
Steve shook his head in disbelief. "Gracie, god, this is crazy!" He started wiping my tears away.
I smiled at him. "Yeah well, you're speaking to an ex mental person." I joked. I touched his arm "But seriously. Steve please understand me. This is my only way to get back at the world and how much it ruined me. Who knows Matt might really help me recover for the better." Which was indeed a lie. Matt and I were going separate ways off the cam.
"So, when is this supposed wedding?"
I smiled wider. Very genuine smile. "I don't need a grand wedding. Judge as the witness is fine with me."
He started to get up. "Well I guess I better get going and start arranging important papers."
I got up too from my seat and was about to hug Steve. "Steve, thank y..."
"Don't thank me. I am 100% against to this. I promised on your parents' grave that I would take care of you. And I am already failing them."
"Steve..."
"This isn't the future they wanted for you, Gracie. You know that. You're far beyond than what you see when you look in the mirror. You are not weak as you think you are."
I felt like crying again. Steve had this very high expectations about me. It's sad that I could never be that person.
"Well whatever. It's still your life." He picked up his suitcase and started going to the door. "I would want to meet you and Matt tomorrow though. I need to talk to both of you. As your lawyer and your best friend."
"Okay." I tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight."
**********
I got up as early as 5 in the morning, hopped into my car and drove to Matt's apartment. I wanted to talk to him as early as possible and give him a brief info about the upcoming meeting with Steve. I had this feeling Steve would fry him on the spot.
I stopped the engine as I looked up at the building where Matt lived. Or so says the information I gathered. This location was even worse than I imagined. The building was just rusty and I think it would break down in no time.
I should have known this building didn't have an elevator and Matt's apartment was all the way on the 7th floor! Nooooo. When I finally was at Matt's door, I knocked three times. No one answered. Did he even live here? I was about to knock for the 8th time when the door suddenly flew out open.
"What! It's fucking six in the morning!" Matt yelled with his eyes squinting, eyebrows furrowing.
So I got him up to bed. It wasn't really a sight of Matt I expected to welcome me though. I swallowed hard as I was faced with Matt with nothing but a pair of boxers on.
Matt blinked twice or thrice at me as if trying to figure out who I was. "Gracie?"
I noticed I was checking him out with my eyes literally going from head to toe when I snapped back to reality. "Hi. Good morning!" I flashed him a smile. I wonder if he could see that I was beet red at the sight of him. It had been a while since I've seen a half naked man; what do you want me to do.
"What are you doing here? How did you even know this place?" He dropped his hand from the doorknob and started backing out. I took that as an invitation to enter his space. So I did.
"That's what happens when you're a Stewart. You're beyond Google.." His apartment, as obviously as it was, was nothing extraordinary. It was a bachelor's pad and only one person could literally live in here! The space was just too narrow but surprisingly it was clean. I guess Matt was a neat freak.
I spotted Matt on the other end of the pad where his bed was. He grabbed his pants and a shirt. A few seconds later he turned around facing me full dressed. "So ever going to tell me why you came unannounced at 6 o clock in the morning?" His gestured his hand towards his dining table that was just quite close to his bed.
I sat on the chair while I watched him preparing coffee. "I'm sorry for a surprised visit. It's just that I needed to talk to you. Steve wanted to talk to us. I told him about our marriage. Steve is our family's lawyer." I informed, in case he didn't know.
"Oh yeah? How did he react to that?" His back was facing me.
I sighed, "Pure drama. Steve even planned to send me back to the institution."
He chuckled as he turned around with 2 cups in this hands setting them on the table. "I would have suggested the same thing."
My face fell. "Matt! But we talked..."
"I was kidding. Yes, I know what we talked and agreed to." He put the rim of his cup to his lips and sipped the coffee as he stared at me with amusement eyes. "So, I guess it's happening any time soon then?"
I drank my coffee. Hmm this is good. "Yes. I wanted it to happen right away. I guess he'll just talk about legalities and whatever lawyers usually do." I sipped again. "You make good coffee."
"Thank you. A great quality a husband should have."
*********************
45 minutes later....
"I know you're ogling but this baby is mine. Stop checking it out like you want to sleep with it."
"You're driving Aston Martin. You're driving Aston Martin! I didn't think women cared about the cars they drive."
"Well, maybe if those women are CEOs, they might start caring about what they drive around." I shot him a look. Boys and their car obsessions.
****************
"So I wanted to talk to you both at the same time for the obvious reason." We were now at Stewart & Company particularly in Steve's office. The awkward atmosphere had been around the moment we stepped into this room. "I have called a judge to proceed the ceremony. He'll be available whenever you wanted to get married."
I glanced at Matt who just shrugged at me. I guess everything would be my decision. "A...A month's time?"
Steve's eyes kinda widen at some point but then the look was gone in a flash and he was back to business mode. "And I would also.." He started pulling out some papers. "like to give you a prenuptial agreements to sign."
Prenup? "Steve, no. I'm not signing any prenup.. No prenups."
************
A few hours later, after Steve walked us through the excruciating paper works, I was driving Matt to his work. In one month, we would be husband and wife.
"So you don't want to sign prenups?" Matt breaking the silence.
"No. No prenups. If I signed any prenups at all, that means I don't trust you. We might not love each other to get married but Matt, I want us to be honest with each other. I'll give you anything you want all you have to do is ask." I glanced at him and surprisingly I saw him staring at me with serious eyes then all of a sudden he gave me a huge grin. A grin that made me remember my high school years. I brought my eyes back on the road.
"Anything I want? All I have to do is ask?"
"Yeah." Why do I get the feeling those words were going to come back at me.
"We forgot a few things to discuss."
"Like what?"
"Like... Bed arrangements. Sex."
I gripped my wheel really tight. I knew he was trapping me. My cheeks were turning super red despite the fact that I knew he was bluffing. "I live in a mansion with over a hundred rooms. I assure you we won't be having problems picking out your favourite room. Also, like I said you can sleep with any girls you want. I am not stopping you. Also remember I am asexual. I have no interest in sex. Nada."
I saw him shrugged from the corner of my eyes.
A few minutes later, we were in front of his company.
"Well, thank you so much for sitting through with Steve's endless paperworks. He's obsessed. Bear with him."
"Sure." He was looking right into my eyes. "Just another one last thing."
"Yeah?"
Everything happened too fast. One moment I felt his right hand cupping my neck, his face was a lot closer to mine now then he closed his eyes and I started feel his lips touching mine. They stayed still for a moment but then he started moving his lower lip that made me close my own eyes. The feeling was unbearable. I felt like exploding. I didn't se this one coming yet it felt good. It felt like his lips were just at right place. He kept nibbling my lower lip, tasting every bit of it. But when I opened my mouth to taste him better, he pulled away. I almost moaned at the lost of his lips. I opened my eyes at the same time he was opening his. That was hot even without the great tounge's involvement.
He smiled then said, "not bad" as he stepped out of my Aston Martin leaving me dumbfounded.