The Arrangement

Chapter 4

Christian

"I'm going to be late." He sent the text message to his dad already knowing he would be upset by it.

"That is unacceptable, son." But Christian didnt bother with a response.

AnnaLeigh

It was a few days later before I heard again from Mr. Cartwright...I mean, Richard. This time it was for a wedding photoshoot at Central Park. I hadn't even met Christian yet. I was suddenly very overwhelmed by it all. But still I agreed to meet him at three o'clock by our spot.

When I arrived Richard was waiting for me and behind him was a trailer. And a bunch of workers were stringing lights in trees.

"What's going on?" I ask laughing.

"You will see at the magic hour. Come with me." He grabs my arm leading me inside the trailer where a lady was waiting.

"This is Tina. Think of her as your fairy god mother. " he laughs. "And I will see you soon my dear."

I wave goodbye at him. Too speechless. I look at all the beautiful dresses and shoes not to mention the array of makeup. I sat down in the chair not sure what to expect when she was done. But I couldnt believe my eyes. That couldn't be me in the mirror. My hair had been piled on top of my head with a couple strands framing my face. My eyes were softly lined with dark brown ink and the blush mad my cheeks look all rosy. It was more make up than I normally wore I truly felt like I was playing dress up.

"Are you read-?" Richard says, knocking at the half open door. But he stopped in his tracks when he saw me.

I was in a white lacy dress and a pair of three inch heels that I could barely walk in without toppling over but nobody around me seemed to care. Like everyone else, he just stood there taking in my appearance.

"You look beautiful. " he says in a paternal way and I immediately imagine my own dad saying the same thing and I smile.

He takes my hand and leads me outside, making sure I was treading through the grass okay. I almost fell over a couple of times but when I saw the photo shoot set up in the park. I forgot all about the shoes.

There were lights through the trees, a massive blanket on the grass and chilled wine bottles on a nearby table. It was picture perfect.

"This is amazing." I say, turning towards Richard.

"Wait till you see the wedding." He says winking. It was unbelievable, all of it. I look around again and realize what is missing.

"Wheres Christain?"

Richard hesitated - the first time I have ever seen him unsure - but before he can get a word out, his attention shifts to something behind me. A big smile envelopes his face.

"Excuse me darling," he says and then quickly walks past me, going to hug his son.

This is when I see him. Christain Cartwright. All six feet, three inches of him. He was tall, Blonde, and gorgeous. He hugged his father and then eyed me, every bit cool and collected.

Richard led him over to where I was standing and Christian kissed me on the cheek with a soft, "Hello."

"Hi." I say, eyes on the ground, feeling my palms begin to sweat.

The photoshoot itself was done within fifteen minutes. We were smiling and looking into each others eyes. Well trying to anyway. Because looking at him was kind of like looking into the sun. He had this intensity that was almost unbearable.

At the end of the photoshoot I saw Christian walking towards me with a bottle of wine and my nerves got even louder. When he was in front of me he stood there just looking at me so I felt obligated to say something.

"It was nice to meet you."

He leaned foward and lowered his lips to my cheek, once again. But this time he whispered into my ear. " I dont know who you are." He starts, catching me off guard. "Or what you are after. But I see you. Past the hair, the make up and the dress. I see you." He pauses for a moment then continues on. "Yes. I see you. You are nothing more than a gold digger. And I hate you. Just so you and I understand each other."

I couldnt get home fast enough and into the shower. Trying to wash those awful words Christain had said to me. The scalding hot water cascaded over my skin but no matter how hard I scrubbed, I still felt dirty. Disgusting.

I was so shocked by the way he had talked to me. I had been stunned, for lack of better words at what he thought of me - that he thought I was after his money. The idea of using someone like that would never occur to me and yet, that was excatly the kind of person he thought I was. That is when the irony hit me. I was after his money, wasnt I? Because if it hadnt of been for the Cartwright's fortune, I wouldnt of agreed to marry the Christain Cartwright.

But I wasnt a selfish gold digger. I was doing it to save my dads life. But does that make things any better?

After turning off the shower , I wrapped a towel around my body. Anything to hold me together. I quickly dried off and slipoed into my pajamas, my mind far away. As I collaosed into bed , my eyes fell onto a framed picture across the room. It was a photo if me, my brothers, and our dad. We all looked so happy. And dad looked so healthy. The photo had been taken almost a year ago, on last Thanksgiving. Greyson had burned the turkey and Michael had made too much stuffing, but it had been a perfect day. We had all sat together, on the old worn out couch and watched football with no worries about the future. I put my head into my hands. How had so much changed in just a year?

Dad had always been a pillar of strength. After mom had passed away, he had taken on the role of both parents. He had been the one constant, a steady rock in the storm of life. And now he was in the hospital and I wasnt even sure if he was going to make it.

My thoughts were interupted by my phone. Sarahwas messaging me wanting to know if I wanted to go out to eat with her for our pre - thanksgiving meal, something we did each year together. The last thing I wanted to do was to go out in public. My blankets were whispering to me, tempting me the promise of darkness and silence. But then agsin, maybe going out was excatly what I needed. Even if it was only to escape my own thoughts for a night. To get away from the memory of Christain staring daggers into me with his icy - blue eyes...

I messaged her back that I would meet her in an hour at our favorite place. And once there, eating sushi while talking to my best friend I began to feel a little better.

"You are too good for Fairfax anyway," Sarah says popping another piece of salmon sashimi into her mouth.

I dip my own tuna nigiri in soy sauce, humming noncommittally. "I still dont get ut." I mutter. " I had such a good feeling after my interview."

"Well it is their loss." She says snatching up a plate of salmon sushi from the conveyor belt in front of us. She was quockly amassing a little tower of empty plates beside her.

I chewed on my food, not really tasting it at all. Thinking to myself. If only Fairfax had worked out. Maybe I wouldnt have ended up getting engaged to a hateful billionaire. My eyes roam over the slow moving line of foix in front of me, so many choices yet none were slighty appealing.

Sarah places a salmon roll onto my empty plate. "Anyway, we didnt come here to mope." She smiles at me and I cant help but feel my spirits lift a little.

"You are right." I smile back at her, taking a bite of my food.

"Did you hear," She says around a mouthful of food. "About the commotion in Central Park today?"

"Hmm?"

"Apparently some mega rich couple held a fancy pre wedding photo shoot. They even blocked off an entire section so no one could get close."

I choked, trying my best to not send sushi bits flying everywhere.

Sarah slid a glass of water, "I know, right? How crazy is that?" She sighs, wistful. " Imagine being so damn rich and in love you could reserve Central Park."

I chugged down some water, then cleared my thoart. "Yeah, i-imagine that..."

I couldnt very well tell her that was my pre wedding photo shoot. Nor could I correct her. Sure, Christain was mega rich but we were defiently not in love.

The look of hate and disgust in his eyes flashed in my mind again. Nothing could be further from the truth....

"AnnaLeigh, are you okay?"

I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts. "Of course. Just a little tired, I guess."

Sarah stared at me, her eyes searching mine. I have never been a good liar. And Sarah knew me better than anyone. But I couldnt tell her even if I wanted to. I couldnt tell anyone. Not even my family. Everyone would find out soon. It would be impossible to think I could hide such a high profile marriage propsal forever. But they could never know about my deal with Mr. Cartwright.

I was literally contracted to lie. And so I did.