Unwanted Heat

KenzieThis belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“Married!?!?!”

Please tell me I didn’t just hear him correctly: that he did not just tell me he thinks we should get married! What the hell is he thinking? Why does he think this is a good idea? Where is this coming from?

I have so many questions, yet I can’t seem to voice any of them; I’m absolutely speechless. There are so many thoughts going through my head right now that they don’t even make sense to me. I don’t know how I could tell him what I’m thinking or how I feel right now. I’ve gone from expecting him to offer me payment for spending the day with his sister, to thinking he wanted to end our contract with Bridget because I had done something wrong, to now thinking he is absolutely crazy.

“You think we should get married?” I repeat the only words that come to my mind clearly.

“Fuck, this came out completely wrong. I had this planned differently,” he lets go of my hand, which I hadn’t even realized he was holding until now, and runs his hands through his hair. “I know this sounds crazy, Kenzie-”

“Um… yeah, it does.”

“I told you before that I think of you beyond the contract we signed with Bridget. In the few months we’ve been under contract, I’ve come to enjoy our time together. It’s no longer a chore to attend the different events; I no longer mind it as much, because you’re there with me. I enjoy spending time with you, and I’ve come to think of you as a friend-”

“As I have you, but I don’t think that means we should get married

-”

“Kenzie, I’m in a bind and I need your help. I know this is an incredible thing to ask of you-”

“You’re in a bind?”

“All the negative publicity that I’ve been experiencing lately is beginning to affect my employees. PFS just conducted their routine employee satisfaction survey and it was determined that my employees’ confidence level in me is at an all-time low-”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Do you really think it’s because of the press? I mean, isn’t it possible-”

“The survey asked employees to cite the reason for their low confidence, and the negative press was the only reason cited. Until now, my employees’ confidence level in me, in the decisions I make, and in PFS as a whole has always been excellent. There has never been a question about my ability. Now, because of the press though, their image of me has changed.

They no longer have confidence in me.”

“Surely there’s something else that can be done?”

“The press won’t leave me alone-you’ve seen it. I’m desperately trying to find out who is feeding the press all of this negative information about me, but until we figure that out, I can’t sit back and watch my company fall apart. If my employees don’t have confidence in me, they will leave PFS. Up until now, we have had incredibly low turnover; turnover so low that we use it as a marketing technique when we present proposals to perspective companies. If PFS suddenly experiences high turnover combined with the negative press… I… I’m afraid I could lose everything.

It’s not just me I’m worried about it, it’s my employees, my clients…”

“And you think getting married is the solution?”

“Yes,” he sighs and shakes his head almost as if he is in disbelief himself. “The press would have to leave me alone as there would no longer be anything to write about. They wouldn’t be able to question my ability to stay faithful or suggest reasons why women seem to run from me.”

“But why me?” I need to know the reason he is suggesting this with me isn’t just because we have this established history with Bridget. I don’t know why, but I need to know that he isn’t suggesting this with me because the press has already linked us together. What surprises me is that I haven’t walked out yet-I haven’t told him he is out of his mind and left his apartment.

“I’ve never even considered letting another woman into my space, into my apartment, yet with you I no longer feel threatened. You are different than any other woman I’ve ever met, Kenzie; you’re the only one who looks at me and doesn’t see my bank account balance.”

“Nicholas-”

“This isn’t just because of our arrangement with Bridget; I knew you were different from that day on the sidewalk,” he interrupts me before I can say anything. “When you tried to refuse my offer to replace your outfit after we ruined it; I knew you were different. Obviously I’ve gotten to know you a lot better since then… and I… I care for you. There is no one else I would even consider proposing this arrangement with.”

“I don’t know what to think.”

“I know you probably imagined getting married for love-”

“Actually, I never thought I would get married, for love or otherwise. Not after…”

“I would never hurt you and I will never try to control you the way he did,” Nicholas obviously understands why I thought I would never consider marriage again. “This wouldn’t be like that, I swear.”

“What would it be like?” I can’t believe I’m sitting here actually considering this crazy scheme that he is proposing.

“Honestly, I don’t think it would be very different than our current arrangement,” did he really just say that? “Well… I mean there would be some obvious differences. You would need to move in here, of course, since it would look odd that we were married and living in separate apartments. You would have your own bedroom and any other space you needed. I would continue to cover all of your clothing expenses of course…”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“I know this is a lot to take in.” Well that’s an understatement. “If there were any other way…”

“You can’t go after the press? Sue them or something?”

“According to my legal team, no one has breached the definition of slander yet. We have had stories retracted but unfortunately once the story is out there, people already know about it, so retraction does very little. If it was just one reporter, I could go after them; I could make it so they never work in the industry again. Unfortunately, it’s more than one… it’s actually quite a few different reporters publishing the stories or raising the questions about personal life. My lawyers say because they aren’t publishing facts, but simply raising questions, that we can’t do anything yet. I have a feeling someone is pushing things to be published about me, but I can’t prove it.”

“Do you think it’s-”

“I don’t know. We are exploring that option, but she currently isn’t even in the state, however, that doesn’t mean we aren’t watching her.”

“I… I think I need some time to think about this, Nicholas. This is a lot to take in.”

“Of course. I have prepared some documents for you to review-”

“Documents?”

“If you were to agree to this arrangement, we would both need to sign a prenup, which I’ve printed for you. You can have a lawyer review it of course, but it basically says that you are not entitled to the normal 50% split of assets and property-”

“No, of course, I wouldn’t-”

“However, unlike most prenups, this one further outlines what you will receive upon the dissolve of our marriage.”

“What I would receive?”

“If you were to agree to this arrangement, and we remained married until the time it was mutually agreed upon that we dissolve our marriage, you will receive the deed to the condo you are currently staying in-” “Wait,” I need to process what he just said. “If I agree to this arrangement, you’re going to give me the apartment?”

“Yes. The deed will be put in your name the day we are married, and held until our divorce, at which time, it will be provided to you. The condo would be yours with no strings attached. Whether you choose to live there, or to sell it and move somewhere else, that would be up to you.”

“Why would you give it to me?”

“Kenzie, I know what I’m asking is a lot; it’s only fair that you receive something in return for helping me. I don’t want you to have to worry about finding a place to live or being able to afford a place that you want when this is all over-”

“I don’t know-”

“It’s the least I could do. I’m asking you to give up so much for me if you agree to this. You would be helping me save my company-I can’t not give you something in return, it wouldn’t be right. If you were to agree to this arrangement, I would also cover your education expenses, if you chose to return to school-”

“You would pay my tuition?”

“If you agree to this arrangement, yes, I would cover the tuition, books and any other expenses for you to return to school to pursue anything you want.”

“Nicholas, I don’t know how I feel about this.”

“You would be doing so much for me by agreeing to this arrangement… I wouldn’t want you to do this and expect nothing in return. This isn’t like when you stayed with me for the weekend because I was sick, Kenzie, this is so much more than that-”

“I know that-”

“I need to give you something in return; I can’t ask you to do this for me and not give you something in return. I can’t… I won’t take advantage of you like that.”

“I… I think I need some time to process all of this.”

“I understand. Please take as much time as you need.”

I can almost see the mask that Nicholas puts on as he takes on his CEO persona; he really is a different person when it comes to business. He was like that when we first met to discuss the arrangement through Bridget and of course, I’ve seen it at several of the business events we have attended together. Then there’s also the other side of him: the one that not too many people get to see. Tonight, as he was discussing how this affects his business, I got to see that person again. However, the mask went right back on when I wasn’t able to give him an answer right away. I don’t know if he expected an answer tonight; I would think he would have known I would need time to process everything.

“Would you like to stay for dinner?”

“No, thank you for the offer. I think I’m going to go back to the apartment and… think.”

“Kenzie… I really want this to work. If there’s something in the paperwork you don’t like, I’ll change it. If you want something more, I’ll give it to you. I know what I’m asking is… life changing, but I’ll do whatever…”

“Just give me some time, please.”

“Of course; I’ll walk you out,” and with that the mask is back on.

“Good night, Nicholas.”

“Night.”