LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
1908 Words
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Klay P.O.V.
Denver, Colorado (Mile High City)
......................................................................Earlier
"Yes! Mother, I am between meetings. Is everything okay?" I asked, standing up, reviewing the papers on my desk before placing them in my briefcase.
"Klay! I was wondering if we could have dinner together tonight." replied my mother softly, and I could hear my father talking to someone in the background about his golf game.
"No! Sorry, mother! I have an important business meeting tonight. However, I am free this weekend for dinner. How about I come by for a nice Sunday dinner?" I offered as I sat back down in my seat and leaned my head back. Then, I let out a heavy sigh and tried to sound as sincere and apologetic as possible. Knowing full well I am not.
"That sounds great. But, are you sure that you can't have dinner tonight?" probed my mother, sounding frustrated with me.
"Positive! Sorry! Mother, I really have to get ready for my next meeting. Love you. Talk to you soon." I stated, rushing her off the phone.
"Okay, son! See you soon." I heard my mother say as I disconnected the call and handed my cellphone back to my personal assistant, Scott. We shared a quick look as we prepared my materials for my next meeting. Scott knows I hate avoiding my sweet mother, but I have no other choice until I can stop her meddling in my personal life for good.
I shook my head at my mother's last-minute attempts to be a playmaker in my life. "Scott, please add Sunday dinner with my parents to my calendar." Hopefully, this Sunday will be the last time I had to deal with my mother trying to play cupid in my life.
"Yes, sir!" replied my personal assistant Scott.
"Thank you !" I said as I looked up and saw people entering my office.
My problem, quite frankly, is my mother's been hounding me for years to find a wife and settle down. My mother has even gone so far as to get women to pop in on me at work, hoping that I'll take a shine to one of them. Every time I turn around, my mother's got another "friend" she wants to introduce me to. It'd gotten so bad that I had started refusing to go over to my parents' house because of all the extra guests my misguided mother would invite when she would have me over for dinner.
It's becoming maddening. Besides, I need to be seen as a family man.
I have been running the family business and my own company very well for a couple of years now. I have successfully built an empire.
My company is a financial investment firm, and it's easier for people to want to invest with me, if they view me as a family man that they can trust. It doesn't matter how smart I am or whether I'm the best in the business. At the end of the day, they are more willing to trust me to invest their hard-earned money if they view me as a solid family man.
In addition, I have become a bit of a celebrity after appearing on People Magazine's most eligible bachelor list. Honestly, I didn't want to do it, but my marketing department pushed for it. Their rationale was, all press was good press.
However, I have had to learn the hard way that having women in prison send you letters is a bit too creepy for me.
As a result, I want to end all the talk about me being a hot, sexy, eligible bachelor and get back to what I do best — which is business.
Truthfully, I don't have time for a wife and family.
But a fake marriage? Yes! Sure! I've got time for that.
Therefore, I found an agency that prides itself on being discreet. Then, once they located a young woman willing to meet all my terms, I put my plan into motion. My ill-advised mother doesn't need to know the details or that in five years I'll be single again. All my mother needs to know is that she can stop trying to set me up.
Furthermore, the rest of the world can stop focusing on me because I am officially taken and off the market.
The main reason why I am having issues with my mother is because my mother is a big fan of old romantic movies and books.
My mother got it stuck in her head that one day everyone, no matter what, magically meets their person and fall madly in love, including me. The older I get, the more determined my mother becomes to play the role of my fairy godmother like I am a kid again, and we are in a Disney movie. She refuses to listen to reason.
My entire life my poor mother has been waiting for me to meet "The One" and I'm sorry to say I have been a big disappointment in that department for her.
Nevertheless, my life's work is my work, and I'm okay with that undeniable fact. I just wish she would be too.
Maybe one day, I'll settle down, but I've got years before I'm ready for that.
Right now, I just want people to get off my back and assist me with making my public image picture perfect. I've got a lot of functions I have to attend, and it's only going to benefit me to have someone steady on my arm. It doesn't help my public image of a good, strong, trustworthy family man if I have a different woman on my arm every week.
Besides, I hate dating....never really been good at it either. That's just not how I'm wired.
Much to my poor sweet mother's dismay, I was never into dating. I was a nerdy kid who liked numbers and I never really grew out of that. Even though my body grew, grew and grew, I still remained the same number cruncher inside.
Subsequently, everyone takes their seats and my project manager starts the slide show.
I can't help but to start thinking about the woman I'm supposed to be meeting later this afternoon.
How, for all intents and purposes, after a few days, she's going to become my wife.
In my mind, a contract was the best way to conduct our arrangement and it made good financial sense. I'm all about the bottom line and that's the kind of short-term wife I need moving forward. I don't want any misunderstandings on either side.
Hopefully, the one the agency has sent over can agree to all my terms and conditions. I'm ready to have this chapter of my life closed. I am sick of being considered a playboy.
All of a sudden, Scott, my assistant, brought me my phone again. I just wrapped up my last meeting of the day.
There's a message from my personal driver, Mr. Bucky, saying," I picked up the young lady from the agency, and we're en route to the penthouse now."
I texted back, "Thanks! I'll be home soon. "
I quickly finished up what I needed to do so I could leave early today. My plan is to be home by the time they've finished with the initial paperwork so we can formally meet and maybe have dinner together tonight.
I know I'm treating this like a business deal, but it's better for everyone this way. I don't want her to get the wrong ideas in her head about me. I'm not interested in turning my fake wife into my real wife, period.
As I grab my jacket to leave, Scott informs me that he requested another driver pick me up outside. I exit the building and I climb into the back of the sedan. Rush hour traffic is beginning, and honestly I am a little irritated that I am stuck in it. I wanted to leave early enough today to avoid it all together.
Therefore, I pull out my cellphone. I quickly click on my home security app that shows me all views from the cameras located in my penthouse. If I'm lucky, I can get a chance to see my future wife before I get there.
My lawyer, Louis, did inform me they sent over a picture of her, but I didn't bother to look at it. It doesn't matter to me what my future wife looks like, as long as she's young and can play the part. I know that perception is a part of it, but I left it up to the agency to decide. I was very clear with them about what I was looking for in a future wife.
As I waited for my app to load, I caught small glimpses of her walking from the car, then taking the elevator.
Suddenly, traffic started to move, and as I got closer and closer to home, the images became clearer and clearer.
The video feed is in color, so I was able to see for myself her long thick jet-black hair and her eyes were like sable shadows, both deep and alluring. Then, she smiled at something my driver, Mr. Bucky, said and for a half a second I felt a rush of anger.
"What the hell ?" I mumbled to myself, totally surprised by my reaction to this beautiful dark brown-skinned young woman.
Why am I getting upset that she's smiling at him? And why does she keep doing it? What's so damn funny? My driver, Mr. Bucky, has never said a funny thing in his entire life.
" Can you hurry up? I need to get home!" I shouted, and the car picked up speed.
Next, I watched on my phone as she exited the elevator and my attorney, Louis, greeted her. I don't like how he is looking at her. I may have to fire him after all.
The driver parks the sedan and I open the door before my driver has a chance to come around. I don't bother to wait.
I hurried through the underground garage in order to get to my personal elevator. Then, I slid my card through the slot, waiting for the elevator to come down and quickly take me to my penthouse.
While I waited, my eyes were glued to my cellphone as I took in every inch of her. She looks about 5'5 in height.
She's smaller than I thought she would be, and a lot curvier than I expected. She isn't anything like how I pictured her in my mind.
I was thinking they'd set me up with a tall, thin, pretty, blonde woman who would have a bad attitude. Someone who would make it easy for me to be cold and mean towards them. Someone I didn't want to kiss... touch.... caress or taste.
The woman on my screen is the complete opposite of what I asked for, and suddenly my mind is changing.
When I stepped into my private elevator and hit the button for home, I watched the woman's shoulders tense as my family personal attorney, Louis, said something to her. And, I instantly thought to myself for the second time today that I need to fire his ****.
As a result, I frantically pressed the penthouse button several more times to try to speed up this damn elevator. He better not have said anything to offend her.
- Writer
