CHAPTER 3
1819 Words
(MAGGIE'S POV)
I sat nervously trying to calmly myself down and feel more comfortable but it was hard to. A private meeting had been arranged for Dave Wayne, Jeanne and I on the rooftop of one of the best restaurants in Boston.
Jeanne must have noticed how nervous I was because she reached for my hand across the table and smiled at me encouragingly.
"He’s not so bad." She whispered and i smiled back to her placing her my hand on hers in reply.
I was nervous mainly because I wondered how Dave Wayne would react to seeing me. Would he recognize me? Reject me? Tell me he could nerve be with someone as frigid as me?
Jeanne had offered to give me one of her dresses to wear for tonight.
I had turned it down. I was not sure if I was going to get the job as the fake girlfriend anyway. Besides there was no need pretending to him and Jeanne had later said that it would be nice for him to know that this is my normal personality so that he could know that there are very low chances of someone recognizing me.
Hence Confidentiality.
Even though Jeanne had just said that her boss was not that bad, immediately the body guards came in with him trailing in between them, she stood up from the table so fast that I thought her chair was going to tip over.
Luckily it didn’t.
Dave Wayne walked smartly to us and took a seat at the table.
"Did you bring me your girlfriend Jeanne? I feel like I walked into something private." He said as he sat down and I could detect the joke in his voice as Jeanne laughed nervously taking back her seat.
"This is my best friend, Magret." Jeanne stretched her hand towards me and I nervously offered him a smile.
"Hy." I said.
Dave looked at me with a raised eyebrow and then sat up peering closely at me.
"Wait a minute. You’re the one who made me get noticed today." He said pointing at me briefly. ‘After walking in to me.’
I giggled nervously . "Well you walked into me actually." I said lightly.
"There she goes again." He said laying back in his chair.
"I’m sorry about earlier. I was really rude to you. I had a bad day and I took it out on you.’ I don’t know why I said that. Maybe bc I did feel sorry for him and might have transferred the anger of rejection to him.
I don’t know what I was expecting from Dave but a rude snort accompanied by mocking laughter was not it.
"Because you now know I am Dave Wayne, the billionaire." He said with an irritated smile.
"Fake bitches." He spat.
I sat transfixed. Did he just say what I think I just heard?
"Excuse me?" I heard my voice pipe out.
With a sigh, Dave turned around and then back at me and Jeanne giving one or both of us a very disappointed and irritated look.
"You weren’t so apologetic when you knew who I was were you? And now you don’t want to miss out on getting close to me. For money? for s*x?"
As the words spilled out from his mouth, I felt more and more insulted!
How dare he! How dare he compare me to a p********e! How dare he call me a b***h!
I turned slowly to Jeanne and she looked like she wanted to die out of apology.
I felt a tear prick my eyes, thinking this stuck up rude guy that I was feeling for had the nerve to humiliate and insult me. I felt torn apart because o know I did need the money.
But I valued my selfrespect more.
Quickly, I stood up from the table gave Dave one long hard stare and without a word turned on my heel and headed for the exit ignoring Jeanne’s attempt to call me back or tell me to hold on.
I was not listening, I hurried out of the private space we had been given trying to hold the tears in as I hurried past the huge doors.
(DAVE’S POV)
I looked after her as she hurried away. I felt a sting in my tummy but I shook it off. This lady was mean to me yesterday and now she’s saying sorry all of us a sudden.And to think she turned out to be Jeanne’s friend.
I turn to look at Jeanne and I am surprised to find her starring back directly at me and she looks angry?
"What?’ I say unable to take anymore of her glare.
"That was very rude sir!" she said to me. "Those were mean things to say."
I starred back at her surprised. She wasn’t yelling at me or shouting, she sounded sad and disappointed.
She gathered her things and stood up.
"Well. Find someone else and give me a call or something." I say waving her off exhausted with how the evening turned out to be.
"No I won’t.’ She said simply in a light tone.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"Look Mr Wayne. I truly like working with you. But what I just saw?"
I could not believe my ears. Jeanne was quitting or what??
"She was very mean to me yesterday and all of a sudden she’s saying sorry now."
Jeanne took the chair opposite me.
"She had a bad day too! Three job rejections in a day. And have you thought to think of who actually walked into who."
I avoided her gaze. I was guilty there. I wasn’t completely sure who walked into who.
"And Maggie is the nicest person I have ever known. She might not dress hot or whatever and might look plain but she’s the sweetest and most beautiful girl I know. And now that she doesn’t have a job her poor nana is going to have an operation but Maggie heard about what happened to you too and she was truly sorry." Jeanne kept on saying and then she gave a sort of chuckle or scoff. "You sir would be lucky to have her pretend to be your girlfriend. You have no idea. And don’t forget you need her too. Or your image won’t be looking so good. And the ball is just around the corner. Soon blogs would begin mentioning it, some already did in the pieces they have done about you."
I starred at Jeanne a little too numb to say anything. She was right. This maggie girl could easily be disguised in make up and jewelry and pretend to be someone else. Besides, we would still keep her away from the press as much as we could.
Then when I realized that she was done talking, I sighed.
"So I guess I was wrong to have said those things ti your friend and now you won’t work for me anymore if I don’t do the needful."
Jeanne nods firmly and I could see that this was one of those times when she stood her ground like during board meetings and other matters.
I ran my hand through my hair taking all that Jeanne had said. I did feel guilty after hearing it all. I had a flash memory of Maggie in my head running out with tears running from those beautiful eyes.
Defeated, I stood up slowly from the chair and with my arms spread open, I say to Jeanne.
"Well let’s go get Maggie then. I did prepare a contract anyway."
Jeanne’s grim face turns into a slow smile that spread on her face.
Apparently "Maggie" had rushed off home already and she must have been crying because when I entered the tiny sized apartment her face looked red.
She was wearing a baggy sweater and a baggy sweatpants and her hair was knot into a high bun.
My heart fluttered a little, she looked attractive.
I laughted at myself silently, no way I was admiring this nerd.
"What are you doing here?" Maggie asked looking from me to Jeanne.
"Is it okay to have him here?" She says whispering like people could hear us through the walls.
"It’s 1.00 am Maggie people aren’t casually hanging around waiting to see Dave Wayne." Jeanne said skipping over to her friend.
"Besides he was covered up." She nodded at the hat and trench coat lying on the chair beside me.
"My boss here has something to say." Jeanne said smiling at me. Probably threatening me with it. I cleared my throat and stood up.
"Um…. I should not have said those things." I began suddenly feeling nervous.
What the f**k! I don’t get nervous!!
"I am er sorry." I looked from her to Jeanne and immediately I saw Jeanne’s face, I knew I was expected to say more.
"I might have walked into you too so I should be apologizing too. Er….sorry about calling you a b***h that was rude.I am used to girls doing s**t like that."
I kept quiet feeling like I wanted to disappear. It was so weird to hear myself mustering up so much words for an apology. It was weirder admitting to myself that it made me feel better.
And that it was worth it as Maggie’s face softened and she looked so cute.
"Thank you." She said.
"So, about the Job, are you still interested."
She looks at Jeanne and Then back at me.
"Yes I am."
"Good." I take a seat. I look her over again and I see that she does have a beautiful face, I look at Jeanne who nods at me. Jeanne has never given me a bad plan before.
I reach inside my suit jacket and bring out the envelope I had stuck there.
"Well here is the contract." I said hanging it over to her. ‘You can read it now so we can do the signing.’
She looked surprised as she took it.
"But that isn’t enough time to look over."
I rolled my eyes and rested back giving her a smirk.
"What’s there to think about? It’s a simple contract and there’s no time anyway. Right, Jeanne.0
Jeanne eyes me suspiciously as she says ‘yes.’ She turns to Maggie. "Be sure to go over it Maggie and if he says it’s simple it’s simple."
Jeanne proceeds to leave the room.
"Where are you going?" I ask her
"To stand with the guards in the hallway.’"
"No. You stay here. We need a witness." I ordered and then she paused and then took a seat.
Maggie opened the contract and her eyes ran them.
Then she blushed furiously and looked up at me and then Jeanne, then back at the contract and then back at me.
"You have 15 Terms??" She says starring at me with wide eyes.
I nodded smirking "Simple as I said."
- Writer
