Nervously pushing my glasses back, I stood up from where I knelt and cast my eyes downwards but I could still feel his gaze on me, which was freaking uncomfortable. I raised my head just a little bit to steal a glance at him and my...my.....my was he eye candy.
He had dark hair which was neatly groomed together with his three day stubble, bushy brows, mesmerizing hazel eyes framed by long lashes, a straight noise, thin lips and a chiseled jawline. He was devilishly handsome, the most beautiful man I had ever seen, it was as if God himself had taken precious time to mould him. I felt my heart skip a beat when I mistakenly made eye contact with him again.
"Save it Miss Wilson. Whatever apology you have, keep it. Just look at yourself.......dumb, irresponsible and incompetent. You walk around as if you deserve to be here, but you don't fit in here." He venomously spat out even before I could get the word "I'm sorry" out.
Each word that was thrown my way hit me hard, I had heard them from judgmental people all my life but never been called all those at once. I blinked, trying to hold back the tears but the damaged had already been done. I quickly averted his gaze and bowed my head, too ashamed to even look at him. He was right though, I didn't fit in here, I didn't fit in anywhere.
"I..I..I..I..I am....." I stuttered trying to still get the words of apology out but couldn't. This was how I get whenever I was nervous, scared or perturbed.
"You can't even talk without stuttering." He added.
My head snapped up but he had his back turned to me and was already making his way to sit down, and that was then I noticed him favoring his left leg and also holding a walking cane. What had happen to him?? I wondered.
I bent down again to pick up the pieces with tears on the verge of falling. Screw yesterday, today was the worst day of my life, I felt like crap, like I wasn't worth anything.
"Leave it." He ordered from where he sat behind his desk not even looking my way.
Wiping at my eyes, I got up from where I was and made an attempt to leave.
"And where do you think you are going?? I didn't ask you to leave." That stopped me right in my tracks.
"Sorry sir." I meekly croaked out and moved my unwilling feet to stand in front of his desk.
He sat high and mighty like a king on his throne, assessing and taking me in like a predator does a prey. This went on for what seemed like forever which was fueling my anxiety. What was he waiting for.......I knew he was going to fire me, why couldn't he just say those words I was dreading to hear instead of scrutinizing me.
"Meek......obedient.....naive....plain....emotional....docile....I guess she will do." I heard him utter to himself and I was lost as to what he meant by that.
He reached inside on of the drawers to take out a file and pushed it my way.
"I trust your feeble mind will be capable of memorizing everything in here by Monday. You, Miss Wilson, you are going to pretend to be my fiancée for a week. My driver will be over to pick you up on Sunday evening, that will be all. You can go now."
What the fudge? Pretend fiancée....a week......pick me up to where?!! What in God's name was he talking about? Was this intimidating man just plain nuts or was he high on drugs. Tears gone, I stood there with confusion etched all over my face.
"E-excuse me sir but I don't understand what you just erm said."
"I'm not surprised, you can't even grasp simple sentences and make meaning out of them. I require you to put on a show for my family pretending to be my fiancée for a week. Or would you rather prefer I fire you and ask you to pay for the valuable irreplaceable plaque you just broke, your choice Miss Wilson." He explained in a dark authoritative voice.
"What the f*ck??!!!" The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop myself.
The intimidating man got up from his seat and made his way to me one step at a time. I clearly didn't know where I had gotten the courage to say what I just said but I needed it again as he came to a stop in front of me. He was a feet away from me but was too close for comfort, what even made it worse was the fact that he was taller than me.
"What did you just say?" He asked menacingly looking down at me.
"N...nothing sir" I nervously croaked out pushing back my glasses and taking a very cautious step back.
"Good. You can leave now and do not disclose anything that has been said in here to anyone. Do you understand?"
"Y..yes sir."
I was left standing there staring into thin air as he returned to his seat. Picking up the files from the desk, I dashed to the door, furious and mad at myself for being a coward and a push over. I would have so loved to get fired and pay for what I had broken but knew I didn't have that kind of money now and I wasn't about to ask my mother for it, I could take care of my own problems.
Ohhh and I had lots of inappropriate words that I badly wanted to say to him. He should have just gone straight to the point instead of degrading me with his hurtful words, treating me like an object and forcing this on me but some dark twisted and feeble part of my heart was happy.
At least he noticed me and even if he thought me to be incompetent, meek, naive, obedient and docile, he needed my help. I could care less even if this was just pretend and wasn't going to last, this was a chance to get to know and experience how being close to an attractive man felt like. Yeah I was a loser, a very stupid loser who had never had a boyfriend or even been kissed.
Plus, I had managed to keep my job and not get fired. I smiled to myself feeling all kinds of emotions run through me as I made my way to my floor to continue with my day.
~~~~
All through the drive from work to my mother's house, I kept thinking and playing what had happened earlier on in my head. The rest of the working hours had been spent with me mentally scolding myself for being such a coward, not saying no and also thinking about Mr Adkins. I mean he could have any one he wanted to play pretend for him but why me.
The taxi pulling up in front of the colonial style house brought my mind back to the present. I payed the driver, got out and walked to the door, all the while still thinking. It was 7:34pm when I checked the time on the phone, I was dead tired and I was hoping more than anything to just sleep and forget about today.
I entered the house and first thing I saw was my mother, Ruby Wilson, sitting on the sofa in all her classy glory and elegance with a manuscript in hand and a glass of wine in the other.
I sometimes wondered why I didn't inherit her good looks, even at forty-nine she still looked stunning with chestnut hair, beautiful amber eyes, high cheekbones and a slender figure. Dropping my bag to the floor, I made my way to where she sat to wrap my arms around her.
"Darling, you reek." Was all she said before flipping a page, not acknowledging my presence.
"Seriously mom??!!" I chuckled. My mother was just too much.
She set her glass down and closed the book to laugh with me and give me a kiss in my hair.
"How was your week.....and work? I still don't understand why you won't just come work with me." My mom went on to ask and complain as usual.
"My week was good mum and you know I'm not a child anymore, I need to figure out life for myself without any help from you." I raised my head to look at her as she rolled her eyes at me.
"You know I don't care what you want right? Besides you and that brother of yours will always be my babies."
"Yeah I know but you can at least tone it down on my part. And where is Judo?" I inquired after my sixteen year old brother.
"Out with his friends....I tell you that child is going to send me to my grave early. Can you believe it, I found a half empty pack of condoms in his jeans pocket. He's too young to be having sex, but at least he's smart enough to use protection." My mother stated out in dread, shrugging her shoulders.
What my mother didn't know was my brother started "exploring" sex last year and what she also didn't know was that Judo was bisexual. Well he was for now, he liked both girls and boys but girls more. I knew all this because I kinda helped him through that phase and we were also close and he wasn't ready to come out to my mother, yet. Although he knew she will be accepting, he also knew she would make it awkward and dramatic.
I nodded my head as I listened to her rantings about she being too young to be a grandmother and all that jibber jabber.
"Are you hungry?" She paused to asked taking a sip of her wine.
"Yes mum....I'm starving."
"Good, I am too. You can cook whiles we talk."
My mother got up from where she sat to take the lead to the kitchen. I sometimes wondered how I survived with her as my mother, she was incorrigible but I wouldn't have it any other way.
I followed her to the kitchen with a smile on my face pushing the image of a dark brooding man and his hurtful words out of my mind.
Carmine Signorelli as Yale Adkins-Benenati
Mmmm, things are about to get spiced up😋. Will try my best and update regularly. Please read, vote and comment.........lots and lots of comment, they make me happy and fuel me to keep writing.
Love you guys❤️❤️.