Contractual Obligation: The Trilogy (3 page)

On walking out of the restaurant, Natalie realized how much money she’d be turning down, but she’d be giving away years of her life in a loveless marriage for show. She’d rather be broke and move back home with her tail between her legs.

Taking a deep breath, she turned around. No way was she going back home and letting everyone point out that she’d made a foolish decision rushing off to New York, making fun of her for thinking she’d make something of herself. This is stupid.

Michael was surprised to see her return.

“Okay, let’s talk.” She sat down, consigned to the fact that her life was about to change. “What are the terms, and what do I need to know?”

“You’re back.” It was simply a statement.

“Do you need a wife or don’t you? Let’s get down to the basics.”

“I still have people to interview,” he lied. As soon as he’d seen her picture, he knew she was the one. He planned on keeping the upper hand. “I’ll get back to you in a few days after I’ve spoken to everyone.”

“Right.” She rolled her eyes, and plucked a warm roll from the basket that was just delivered.

“Bread?”

“You’ve got a problem with me eating?” She arched an eyebrow.

“I didn’t think models did bread,” he shrugged.

“You want me to starve myself? Yeah, not going to happen,” she said, sliding a dab of butter on the roll and watching it melt.

“No, it’s refreshing to see a woman eating more than a shred of lettuce and a glass of water.”

“I grew up with a lot of comfort foods,” she offered. “My mom was always in the kitchen making something good. I should have paid attention better, and maybe I’d be a better cook. Oh, by the way, I don’t cook.”

“That’s fine. I have somebody that does that, and I tend to eat out a lot.”

“And I’m not interested in being a maid.”
She was getting more comfortable; she might as well put it out there. “And sex, out of the question. Besides, I’m not attracted to you anyway, so that makes it easy.”

Michael laughed.

“What are you laughing at?”

“You’re not attracted to me? Not one tiny bit?”

“Nope,” she said, sipping from the crystal stemmed water glass.

“Then why is everything in your face, the way you’re looking at me, to your pouty, little lips, to those pretty flushed cheeks, telling me something different?”

Natalie blushed. “You’re signals are crossed, and you’re reading something that isn’t there.”

“Okay, then” He stood. “This meeting is over. Thanks for your time,” he said as he offered his hand.

She sat looking up at him. “Fine. I’m a little bit attracted to you.”

“We can play this two ways. You can figure out if this would work between us, or we can play games. I’m not much for games,” he finished.

Natalie reminded herself how much was at stake monetarily, and swallowed. “No games.”

“I chose you for a meeting, because you’re a beautiful woman, but I’m not looking for a bitch. Let me make that clear. We’ll have to spend time together over the next five years; the first year
as an engaged couple. After we get married, you’d move into my home. Once the contractual obligation is filled, your life is your own again.”

“You make it sound so cut and dry,” she said, not flinching.

“You’ll be treated well, enjoy a nice lifestyle, and leave with a comfortable nest egg.”

She nodded. “Right.”

“So think about it this week. I’m going to meet with a few other women, and then get back to you.” That last part was a lie. His groin and gut told him everything he needed to know. This was the one he’d choose, if she was a willing participant. He could have demanded that James got him fifty more files to sift through, but what’s the point of that? This woman, Natalie Cooper, would do nicely.

“There will also be a background check.” He hesitated. “Is there anything I should know, before it comes out?”

Natalie bit her lip, glancing down at the table. “There is one thing.” She lowered her voice. “I once burnt a bag of popcorn in my dorm, smelled up the entire place, and didn’t take claim to it.”

Michael smiled. “I think I can overlook that.” She was cute, clever, and even a little ballsy. He was going to like getting to know her better.

As she smiled, her face lit up, and her guard was coming down. “Are you going to feed me?”

He put his hand up, calling a server over. “The lady would like a menu,” he said.

“Yes, sir.”

Her skin was like porcelain, and as Michael Davidson took in Natalie’s beauty, he reminded himself that bedding her wouldn’t be a smart move. It was his natural instinct to want to sleep with a beautiful woman, and he usually followed through, but this was business, and it needed to stay that way.

The talk filtered from details of the possible arrangement and how she’d be paid. They moved on to discuss food and ended up talking about current events. It was nice to have an actual conversation. As he watched the girl across from him polish off her dinner, he offered to take her home.

“I’ll take a cab,” she said. “Will I be hearing from you?”

“You just might,” he said, offering his hand.

She leaned in, stood on her toes, and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for the meal,” she replied, and turned away. “Bye.”

He stood watching her. He wasn’t expecting this; he wasn’t expecting her to be as normal as she was. She certainly wasn’t like the other models he’d been spending time with around the clubs, or the socialites who pretended to eat, but then chewed the same piece of lettuce for twenty minutes. She had personality, and wasn’t afraid to use it.

He could do worse.

As Natalie exited the restaurant, she realized she was smiling. He wasn’t as bad as she’d first thought, and it wouldn’t be horrible to spend time with him. At least he wasn’t eighty years old, and pawing all over her; she could do worse. It was still weird to think about the length of time she’d be tied into contract, but if she took the job, it would secure her income for the next five years, along with giving her plenty left over at the end. It was simply a job-- nothing more, nothing less.

Michael waited a few days for good measure. He didn’t want her to think it was a snap decision. This was crazy, hiring a wife. He wasn’t sure he could pull it off, but he wasn’t throwing away his career, either. The potential for growth, his fixed position in the company, and knowing he’d take over the helm when his father retired convinced him to go through with it. He wasn’t going to throw away that much money, even if it meant having a make-believe bride.

As Natalie’s phone rang, Michael paced in his office, his hand combing through his hair. On getting her voicemail, he left a message. “Hi Natalie, Michael Davidson calling. If you could give me a ring back, I’d appreciate it,” he said, before hanging up.

Natalie bent to pet Emily, the neighbor’s cat, but once again the cat shot out of her grasp. The owner’s daughter got a message to her that her mother had gone from the hospital to a nursing home for some therapy. She would be back in a couple of weeks, and thanks for taking care of the cat. There was no number to reach her at, simply a note taped to her door.

Great, she couldn’t very well let the cat go hungry, though she resented having to deal with the litter box. Before leaving Mrs. Burton’s apartment, she checked the cat food supplies. She’d need to pick up more at the market soon. She watered a small plant on the windowsill, and said good-bye to Emily.

Returning to her own place, she saw she’d missed a call. It was Michael. Her heart sped up, and her breathing felt shallow. Had he decided? What would this mean for her, and was her future about to change?

This entire experience felt surreal, from meeting him, to talking about the details like it was some business contract, to the idea that she’d possibly be married by this time next year to a man she wasn’t in love with.

Carrying her phone across the room, Natalie dropped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. Could she really follow through and do something like this? There was a good chance he wasn’t even going to choose her anyway. She took a deep breath and dialed his number.

“Michael Davidson,” he answered.

“Hi, it’s Natalie Cooper. You left a message to call you.”

“Natalie Davidson has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

Her heart stopped. This was real. This was no longer a game, a possibility, an idea that was too crazy to exist – it was real.

“Natalie, are you there?”

She didn’t realize she’d fallen silent, and could only hear her breath. Shaking out of it, “Yeah, I’m here.”

“What do you think?”

“I think I’m in.”

“Sounds good,” he started. “If you can meet up with me Monday afternoon at my office, we’ll go over your contractual obligations. I’ll have my lawyer draw something up, and we’ll adjust things as need be.” He rattled off an address, and then said his good-byes.

And just like that, life shifted. Natalie Cooper was about to become engaged to an eligible, wealthy bachelor that she barely knew. How in the hell would she explain it to her family? They obviously couldn’t know the truth, but the last time she’d spoken to them, she told them she wasn’t dating anyone. If she moved too fast…she just wouldn’t tell them, or say she’d known him for a while, maybe an ex-boyfriend. It would be the first of many weaved stories she’d have to work on. Exhaling, she tried to focus herself. This was big, really big, and she needed a plan.

Should she bring her own lawyer to the meeting? That’s a laugh; there was no way she could afford a lawyer at this point, though Michael would be paying her handsomely soon enough. She sighed and closed her eyes. There was too much to think about.

Sleep didn’t come easy that night, or the next. Her mind
drifted, jumping from thought to thought. When Monday finally rolled around, Natalie was almost out of her skin from her nerves, anxiety chewing away at her. One side of her brain was telling her it was the biggest mistake of her life, while the other found it fun and adventurous and liked knowing she wouldn’t have to worry about money for the next five years. It’s a stable job, she kept reminding herself.

On walking into the offices of Bowman Industries, she didn’t know what to expect. He’d understated exactly how well the company did. The office was impressive and opulent, not something she was expecting when he told her about his business.

The floor was polished marble, and the ceilings high. The woman behind the front desk looked her up and down, and then asked her name.

“Natalie Cooper, here to see Michael Davidson.”

After hearing that, the women scrutinized her even more, before finally placing a call. “Someone will be down for you shortly. You can have a seat,” she said, directing her to the row of leather chairs waiting off to the side.

A woman in her early thirties showed up looking for her. “Natalie?”

Natalie nodded and stood.

“I’m Allison, Michael’s assistant. Right this way, please.” Natalie followed her to the elevator, and was brought to his office. With a light knock, she opened his door. “You’re appointment is here to see you.”

“Right, bring her in. Thank you.”

Turning toward Natalie, Allison asked, “Would you like some coffee, maybe some water?”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

“Very well, then.” Allison sat back at her desk, wondering why the attractive brunette was here. He rarely had gorgeous women visiting him at the office.

Natalie smiled on seeing him again. She’d forgotten how attractive he was, even in just a few days. It felt weird, realizing she’d be entering into a marriage contract with the man, who was still mostly a stranger, yet so incredibly handsome.

“Natalie, it’s good to see you,” he said, standing to greet her. A quick kiss on her cheek, and she was instructed to sit. She’d expected a handshake, but accepted this was her future husband. A hint of his cologne stayed with her, a spiced cinnamon scent.

“James will be joining us shortly. He’s the company’s lawyer and my father’s personal assistant. We’ll be penciling you in as a temporary contract employee here, so that payments made to you don’t raise eyebrows before we get married. You won’t be expected to come to the office, obviously, but you’ll be listed as a design consultant.”

It all sounded so business-like; no feelings, no attachment, simply a job. Here’s your role, here’s your paycheck, good day, see you soon.

That’s how she wanted it, right? Shouldn’t they at least spend some time together getting to know each other better, so they could put on a convincing show?

Michael stopped to look at Natalie. “Are you okay with this? You have the look of a small, stunned child.”

“It’s a lot to take in,” she said, admitting a case of nerves.

“It will all work out,” he said, moving to the front of his desk. He sat on the edge, directly in front of Natalie, the hint of his cologne teasing her again.

She nodded. “It feels impersonal.”

“Yeah, it’s a bit odd. It will be a learning experience for both of us,” he offered. “James will be here shortly,” he said, looking at her longer than he intended. Her eyes were gorgeous pools of honey-brown, and captured him more than he intended. She was stunning; he’d chosen well.

Natalie watched him move. He was comfortable in his skin, and had a presence about him that said ‘I’m in charge.’

When James showed up, he brought someone with him.

“Dad, is this necessary?”

“I’m just here to make sure all the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed.”

“Natalie, my father, Kent Davidson,” he introduced, “and this is James. He’ll be handling the contract.”

“She’s a fox,” Kent said to his son, approving the choice, but speaking like she wasn’t even there. “She should do nicely,” he said, his eyes taking her in again.

Natalie cringed and felt vulnerable under Kent’s eyes. He didn’t even try to hide his old man leer.

“Dad, it’s time for you to leave.” Michael came around, saving the moment. “I’ve followed through, I’ve got James here, but I’d prefer to keep this between the two of us right now.”

“Fine, fine,” he said, leaving the room.
Before closing the door, he turned to his son. “You should consider working in a deal for a baby, while you’re at it.”

“Dad…” The door closed. Turning toward Natalie, he said, “I apologize.”

She said nothing, but looked at James. He was busy flipping through papers, barely phased by what was going on. This was weird.

“Shall we get started,” James said. “I’ll need your initials where the yellow highlights are, and then your signature on pages three, four, and six.”

Her jaw dropped. This wasn’t some one page deal, it was a bundle of pages, phrases in legal terminology, and handled multiple scenarios. “I’ll need to read it first,” she said, stunned. It was overwhelming, the legal jargon, the wording so cold, and then she saw how much she’d be paid.

Swallowing hard, she looked up at Michael, who was watching her closely. With a bit of hesitation, she put her pen to the paper, and initialed and signed the next five years of her life away. There were stipulations if she backed out of the wedding, if she didn’t hold up her end of the marriage and she didn’t last the full five years. This wasn’t about love, it was about money.

For a split second, she felt like a floosy, a cheap, hired escort; but knowing she’d be able to pay her rent, and her future was secure for the next five years chased the feeling away. Something about it brought relief. It was tiring always having to scramble to make ends meet, and for a little while, she could breathe. In fact, if she lasted the full five years, she’d be set for quite a while.

Michael was drinking her in. He was surprised how much he was drawn to the woman. It wouldn’t pay to get emotionally invested; he knew he’d grow bored, and end up screwing things up. Better to keep it friendly and cordial.

“Would you like to get a drink tonight to celebrate our new relationship?” He was warm and inviting.

“I guess we need to get more comfortable around one another now that we’ll be working toward our engagement.”

“We’ll be announcing that in about two or three months. I’d like to be seen with you in public a few times first.”

“Understood,” she said. Her insides were quivering, realizing she more than found her future husband attractive, she was drawn to him – the way he moved, the way he looked, and the way the bulge in his slacks was telling her he was attracted to her, too.

Michael walked with her to the elevator. “Do you know where Frost is, the martini bar? We could meet at seven.”

“I think so,” she said. “I’ll find it.” She knew exactly where it was, but with the prices they charged, she’d only made the mistake of going in there once.

Michael wanted to take her someplace classier than the clubs he usually frequented. Besides, he’d slept with half the women that hang out in the clubs, and this would be a friendlier location.

On the way back to her apartment, Natalie’s head was spinning. Was this really happening? She’d signed the papers, and the first deposit would be made to her account shortly. It was hard to wrap her head around the details.

Watching the clock, she realized she was looking forward to seeing him. She headed out early enough to get there a few minutes before Michael would arrive. She wanted to soak in the environment before he showed up.

Walking in, she took in the blue lacquer bar with white cushioned leather seats. Climbing onto one, she placed an order, and watched through the windows for her future mate. The walls were covered in mosaics of glass tiles in multiple shades of blue, catching the light in different angles. The effect was stunning. Drop lights hung almost unnoticed above the bar and small booths to the side.

When Michael walked in, she knew she was in trouble. She was growing more attracted to the guy each and every time she saw him. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered as he got closer, and a broad smile spread across her face.

“Hey,” she got up, reaching out her hand. He took it, and then leaned in to kiss her cheek.

“How was the rest of your day?” He asked, settling in beside her. “Do you mind if we move over there?” He pointed to a small booth.

“Not at all,” she said, grabbing her napkin and glass.

Settling in, Natalie answered his earlier question. “I’m trying to absorb it all. It’s a little odd to realize we’re doing this, and yet the more I get used to the idea, the less it frightens me.”

“Are you afraid of me?”

“Oh no, just the backlash, what will my family say, what if the truth comes out, stuff like that. And then I think about five years of my life, and well, it’s a long time.”

He nodded, watching her speak. She twisted a lock of hair around her finger as she spoke, and with each breath she sped up, her nervousness showing. It was adorable.

“I’ve met your father. What is your mother like?” She turned the conversation back to him.

His eyes softened.
“I wish I remembered.” Pausing, he finished, “She was in a boating accident when I was a very young, and I barely remember any details about her except for what I see in pictures.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Did your father remarry?”

“One too many times,” he laughed, “which gives me pause for our situation. But duty calls, so what’s done is done.”

She didn’t have an answer, not a single response came to her
.

“Tell me more about you,” he said, stopping only a moment to place an order with the waitress as she passed, and ordering a refill for Natalie.

“Not much to tell,” she started. “I lived a pretty simple life. School, college, and then in my third year I cut out of there, headed to New York to chase my big dreams of being a model, and well, your file probably told you how I’m doing at that.” She looked down, almost embarrassed that she wasn’t more successful. Why would he choose someone like her anyway? She was certain he could have landed somebody more qualified.

Michael couldn’t take his eyes off of the girl before him. “Nothing to be ashamed of. Everybody has to start somewhere.”

“My family thinks I’m a fool, rushing off to New York and chasing a dream,” she admitted. “I’m afraid everyone back home will find out that I’m a failure.”

He leaned forward and placed his hand over Natalie’s, “There’s nothing wrong with going after what you want.”

“What do you want?”

The question hung in the air.

“I don’t even know anymore,” he said quietly.