For Nick (4 page)

“I admit that what I’m about to propose will sound a little crazy, but I’m completely serious. I ask, again, that you hear me out and allow yourself the time to think on it for a night before giving me your answer.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I’m not looking for a personal assistant as the employment advertisement stated. What I’m looking for is a little more personal than that. For this reason I have to be very careful who I offer this job to. Please forgive me for alarming you earlier, but I don’t want a woman who would be willing to behave in such a manner. This would create untold problems for me.”

His eyes blazed for a second and then he went on.

“For business reasons which I don’t care to divulge, I’m looking for…a wife. A business arrangement, mind you. As I said earlier, I’m not interested in romantic entanglements. I need a wife for one year, no more, no less. You will be paid handsomely for your services.”

Andie looked from Mr. Drake to Robert the attorney and back again. “I’ve seen this movie.” When neither responded, she glanced around the room, searching for hidden cameras. “Is this a joke?”

“I wish it was, Ms. Parker…Andie. Unfortunately, I find myself in the unenviable position of needing a wife immediately. I reiterate, for business reasons only. I promise you, this is completely on the up and up. Robert already has the papers drawn up. The contract—or pre-nup, if you will—protects you as much as it does me. In return for acting as my wife for a year, you’ll be paid the sum of…one million dollars.”

A bombshell if ever she’d heard one.

Mr. Drake went on as if he hadn’t just mentioned a really large sum of money. “In addition, all of your needs will be taken care of for the year. Your days will be free to do as you please. You needn’t work. You will be called upon to attend various social functions with me in the evenings and we must appear as husband and wife. No one can suspect the marriage isn’t real. Other than that, it’s strictly a business arrangement. I realize you cannot nor should you answer me right away. Think about it and give me your answer tomorrow at, let’s say…” He checked his calendar sitting on the desk in front of him. “Two PM.”

Now she knew he was serious. Only a true businessman would schedule a time for the answer to his marriage proposal. And she had just been proposed to…at least she thought so. He was very efficient. He found a wife the same way he would a secretary. How very resourceful.

“Any questions?” Mr. Drake asked casually, as if he’d just given her driving directions or something else equally mundane.

“Why me?”

“Why not? You passed the morality test and you’re a strikingly beautiful woman. I think we would look good together.”

“Oh,” she answered, feeling thunderstruck. He thought she was beautiful. It was still a compliment even if he just wanted her as adornment at his side—an ornament, a showpiece—for business reasons. For the life of her, she couldn’t think of a thing to say or ask. This was the last thing she’d expected to hear from Zachary Drake. She suddenly felt as though she was standing in the road holding a mattress, exactly where she didn’t want to be.

I’m holding the mattress, Dad, I’m holding on, but it’s slipping and cars are coming
…

“I’ll see you at two ‘o clock tomorrow then. Thank you for your time.” He shook her hand again and she nodded, utterly speechless.

As she left—through the hidden door—Mr. Drake stopped her. “Oh, Andie…”

“Yes.”

“I just thought you ought to know, I refused all nineteen of those other women, just in case you’re wondering.” He winked at her.

“Do you want to borrow my pepper spray, just in case any of them come back?”

She left with the echo of his laughter behind her.

What he didn’t know was…as crazy as it sounded, this arrangement would be an absolute godsend to her. She’d have her days free to spend with Nick, and the money…it would go a long way. It was exactly what she needed and seemed an answer to her and Nick’s prayers.

She’d do anything for Nick…anything.

Even marry a total stranger.

-4-

The next day at two PM on the dot, Andie sat in Mr. Drake’s office nervously. She’d tossed and turned all night long, wondering if marrying him was the right thing to do.

However, she knew from the very beginning she’d do it. There was no question. She was not in a position to pass up such an offer. Did she have reservations? Only about a million of them. One for every dollar she’d be paid.

But beggars can’t be choosers.

And she was a beggar.

However, she had a few questions she wanted answers to before she signed her John Hancock on the dotted line and gave away a year of her life to Zachary Drake.

Zachary Drake.

He was a stranger to her. What was she getting herself into? He was a little too attractive for his own good. The sight of him made her heart beat a little faster, making her feel like a silly schoolgirl. Still, it was surface attraction and she knew it. Kinda like falling in love with the latest movie star heartthrob—someone you didn’t know and probably had absolutely nothing in common with, yet you find them amazingly attractive. It was superficial and shallow, like obsessed teenager love for the latest young pop star.

And yet, she’d stared at Zachary Drake’s picture again last night, unable to tear herself away as if she was an infatuated fan. The difference being that he was actually asking her to be his ‘business’ wife for a year.

This was crazy. Utterly insane.

He wanted no romantic entanglements. Could she share a year of her life with him and not feel anything for him? She wasn’t sure. It wasn’t in her nature to become friends with someone and not love them. There are many different degrees of love, but she loved her friends all the same. How awkward would it be to become someone’s wife, only to say goodbye after one year? Was she capable of doing such a thing? Was anyone? Can you really toy with emotions that follow such a commitment?

She’d dug a little further into her research of him, looking up various articles posted on the net. She liked the fact that he was considered to be a humanitarian. It comforted her to know she would be with a decent man. There were pictures of him planting trees in a park, visiting the elderly in a rest home, piling sand bags when a local river threatened to flood people’s homes, sponsoring an immunization clinic for children with no health care, and serving dinner at a homeless shelter. He appeared too good to be true.

And that was what made her wary.

Mr. Drake walked in then and approached to shake her hand. Just before their hands clasped, he backed away, his hands in the air. “You don’t have your pepper spray with you today, do you?” he said with a laugh.

“You’re quite safe.”

He was as impeccably dressed as he’d been the day before, crisp and professional. There was no hint that he was really the man who’d crudely propositioned her yesterday. And he wasn’t nearly as intimidating as she’d originally thought. His quirky sense of humor dispelled that notion quickly.

“Thank you. I actually thought you were going to spray me yesterday and I didn’t relish the idea.”

“Sorry.”

“Perfectly understandable,” he said as he sat at his desk. “I thought I’d give us some time alone without
Mr. Killjoy
in the room. I apologize for Robert’s abrupt nature, but he keeps me legal and without him I’d be lost.” He smiled at her.

Andie nodded. He seemed to be a charming man and she wondered why he would need to pay anyone to be his wife. She liked the idea of being able to speak with him without an audience. “Thank you, I appreciate that.”

“Did you sleep well?” he asked.

“I can’t say I did. It was quite a bomb you tossed in my lap yesterday.”

“I imagine it was. I apologize for being brusque. It had been a long day and once I’d found you, I didn’t want to let you get away. I realize this is a very awkward proposal.”

Andie found herself again at a loss for words. He must think her to be a little slow by now.

Done with small talk, he got to the point, “Do you have an answer for me, Andie?”

“I have a few questions first.” This arrangement may seem like a gift from heaven, but she had her limits.

“I thought you might. Sure, shoot.”

“Okay.” She slipped off her heels. If he could propose marriage, then surely she could be casual around him. “Do you mind? I hate heels, they’re killing my feet.”

Mr. Drake smiled, seemingly amused. “Of course not.”

“First of all, may I explain to you the reason why I need the money? I feel it’s important for you to understand…”

Mr. Drake interrupted her. “I think it’s best if we keep our personal lives to ourselves. This is a business arrangement, there’s no need to share private details. I do
not
expect us to become personally involved with one another. That’s not part of the bargain.” He paused. “Put it this way, I’m not willing to share the reasons why I need a wife, therefore I don’t expect you to share with me why you need the money. I trust there’s a good reason. Everyone needs money, Andie. There’s nothing to be ashamed of in that.”

“I’d like to tell you, I think you should know…”

“No.”

“But…”

“I think it’s best to not get too personal. We would be parting after a year, after all. There’s no need to make this harder than it has to be.” His statement was firm.

Andie couldn’t hide her dismay. “Oh, all right, Mr. Drake.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound harsh. And, please, call me Zach.”

Andie swallowed the lump in her throat and decided to push on and be as blunt as he was, “Okay, Zach, I’d like to know if I can have the money up front.” There. She’d said it. Take it or leave it, Mr. Impersonal.

This made Zach pause. He stared at her intently for a few seconds, sizing her up. He leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head. “Risky,” he said aloud.

Andie didn’t back down. She couldn’t. Nick needed this money. Desperately. “For what it’s worth, I always keep my word.”

Several moments of silence passed as Zach seemed to weigh his options. “All right. Agreed. Robert will have my head for that one, but I’ll deal with him later.”

She let out her breath. Relief washed through her as she resisted the urge to sob. Andie shook off the emotion quickly. “Look, I realize you don’t want to share personal details, but I must inform you that I do have some…responsibilities.” What had he called it yesterday?
Unencumbered?
She was
encumbered
to a great degree, but evidently he didn’t want to know the details. “This arrangement will make it possible for me to take care of those responsibilities during the day rather than at night after work. I must take care of these responsibilities every day. I need to know now if this is a problem.”

He raised his eyebrows, perhaps surprised at her show of assertiveness. “Like I said, your days are free to do as you please. I’m glad you’ll have something to do, otherwise you might get bored.”

Not much chance of that. She couldn’t remember what it was like to be bored. She changed the subject. “Will everyone know that our marriage is simply a business arrangement?”

“Absolutely not. Like I said, I need for this marriage to appear as real as possible. The only people who will know are you, Robert, and me. Not even my secretary will know. As far as everyone is concerned we met while you were applying for a job and we fell in love.”

“Believable,” she commented.

“Does this mean the answer is yes?”

“I have one more question.”

“Okay.”

Silence.

“Go on,” he coaxed.

Andie’s stomach fluttered nervously. What was the best way to word this? “I just wanted to confirm what kind of marriage you’re looking for. It’s solely business, correct?”

It was obvious he understood exactly what she was asking. Zach tapped his fingers on the desktop, the only sign that the question made him the slightest bit nervous.

“This would be a business arrangement. As I’ve said, I don’t want romantic entanglements. Therefore, of course, intimacy would not be part of our marriage. I can promise you there would never be any pressure put on you in that respect. In fact, if I ever went back on my word, our contract becomes invalid. It’s deliberately a part of the agreement for your protection. I would, however, expect complete loyalty on both of our parts during the course of the year.”

“You seem to have thought of everything,” Andie muttered, feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

Zach stood rather unexpectedly and turned his back on her, staring out the window, hands in his pockets. Somehow she knew there was more. Zach seemed uneasy. He turned and faced her.

“There is one other thing.”

“What is it?” He was making her nervous. Tension emanated from him.

“Before I go on I need to ask if you are seriously considering my offer? Because if you’re not, I’d prefer to
not
go into these details.”

“I’m serious, Mr. Drake.”

“Zach,” he corrected.

“Zach,” she repeated.

He took a deep breath and sat down across from her once again. His eyes held hers as he said, “I need for this marriage to be legal. I cannot risk the chance that the marriage could be annulled one day…”

Andie’s eyes widened. She knew where he was going with this line of thought.

“I understand if you want to back out, Andie, no bad feelings. Robert has insisted that I include this as part of the agreement.” He paused for several moments. “Do you understand what I’m getting at?”

“I think so.” Her words came out as a whisper.

“I’m sorry, I do realize how unsettling this may sound. The marriage
must
be consummated at least once during the year in order for the marriage to be considered legally and lawfully binding.” Zach held her eyes for a long moment. “I know I’m asking for a lot. All of the power lies in your hands concerning this. It can be the last time we see each other, before we go our separate ways at the end of the year, or it can be at the beginning to get it over with quickly. It’s all up to you. You would be the one to initiate…it. No pressure.” Zach rested his head in his hands. “Somebody save me,” he muttered. “I wanted to have this conversation without
Killjoy
in the room. Maybe it would’ve been easier to let him do the talking.”