“Ooh, New York strip or filet mignon?”
“The filet.”
“Mm. Sounds good.” She screwed her lips to one side and tapped her foot under the table.
“Why don't you get the risotto, Lizzy? You liked it last time,” Jenny suggested.
“I'm not in the mood. Maybe the beef medallions? But that's too close to Will's.”
Will cocked his eyebrow at Andrew.
“Liz doesn't like to order the same thing as anyone else at the table. That way she can taste everyone's food without a repeat.” Will made a disgusted face. “Don't freak out. Just say no if you don't want to share,” Andrew explained quietly.
“Jen, this guy is so uptight!” Liz whispered to her sister behind the menu.
“He'll warm up once you get to know him. Andrew says he's great and they've been friends for ages. Just give him a little time.” Jenny looked at her younger sister. “And maybe order your own steak tonight.”
“So, William, how have you been?” Jenny asked, trying to make the situation less awkward.
“Busy.” Andrew kicked him under the table. “Um, good mostly. Work's been a little crazy with the new merger.”
“What do you do, William?” asked Liz.
He looked at her with squinted eyes, then answered haltingly. “I manage a conglomerate of businesses.”
“What does that mean?”
“I guess you could say I make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there and has what they need to do their job.”
“Hmmm. Where do you do this 'managing' at?”
“At the Taggston building in downtown. I work at Taggston Corp.”
“Cool. So is your company worldwide?” He raised his brows. “I ask because you're clearly English and I was just wondering if you started with the London branch or something like that.”
He opened his mouth and said nothing for a few seconds, then Andrew stepped in. “Taggston does have offices around the world, but the biggest office has been here in New York since the late nineties. Will moved here about eight years ago.” He nudged Harper under the table again.
“Yes. I moved here full time when I took my new position, but I still spend time at my family's place in London.” Another nudge. “I guess you could say we've always lived in both cities.”
“How fun! I've always wanted to have more than one house. Our family has a beach house in South Carolina, but all the aunts and uncles share ownership, so it gets used a lot and isn't always available. So how do you know Andy? Jen says you two were in third grade together or something like that?”
“I'll take that one,” Andrew answered. “Will and I met at Eton when we were twelve. He was the seasoned twelfth gener and I was the new kid quickly getting labeled as a new-money upstart. Will here stood up for me and made the other kids leave me alone. Of course, being a head taller than everyone else at the time probably didn't hurt!”
They all laughed lightly and Liz asked, “What's a twelfth gener?”
“Twelfth generation Eton boy. The men, or I should say boys, from Will's family have been going to Eton since the 1600's. There's even a library named after one of them.”
“Whoa! Twelve generations! My mom can barely trace her family past her great grandparents. It must be amazing to be part of something so old and solid.”
“Yes, it is... amazing,” William said softly.
“And you two work together now?” Liz asked.
“Andy is William's lawyer, Lizzy. I told you that, remember?” Jenny said.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry. You do tell me a lot about Andrew. It gets hard to keep it all straight,” she teased her sister as Jen blushed.
Andrew took Jenny's hand across the table and they stared at each other with dreamy eyes.
Looking away, Harper asked, “So Liz, what do you do?”
“For money or in real life?”
“Uh, how about both?”
“Well, for money I do several things. I tutor high school students and freshman undergrads in English. One of my professors is writing a book and I help him out a bit—as a cold reader, research assistant, typist, and general sounding board—and I walk dogs every morning and evening in the park.” Harper's eyebrows were dangerously close to his hairline. “In real life I'm studying Literature and if I ever finish,” she held up her hand with crossed fingers, “I'll become a lit professor myself, or an editor, or maybe write my own book. Who knows?”
“Wow. Andrew said you were working like a dog, not with dogs.” She raised her brows. “Sorry, bad joke.” He straightened his fork on the table and took a sip of water. “I didn't realize you had three jobs. Are you a full-time student as well or just taking one or two classes?”
“I'm full time, usually five classes per semester. Trying to get it over with as soon as possible. Not that I don't love it, but college is to prepare you for life, not to be your life. I'm ready to get on with it.”
He nodded his head and furrowed his brow, something he did when he was thinking. “Are your parents not helping you out with tuition?”
“They covered what my scholarship didn't for my bachelor's, but after that I was on my own. And of course I had to pay my own living expenses. I could have lived near home and gone to a local school, but I was ready to get out from under the apple tree, you know?”
“Where's home?”
“Virginia.”
“Do you go back often?”
“Not really. A couple times a year. What about you? Do you go back to England often?”
“Every couple of months. Most of my extended family still lives there, although some of them have homes here. My little sister moved away, so I don't go as often anymore.”
“Do you live near Andrew? He was telling me that his sister still lives there; I think he said she recently married a Brit. And isn't his mom over there, too?”
“Yes, his sister Jessica married an Englishman and they live in London, in Maida Vale I believe. His mother goes back and forth. She's an American after all, but his father's family is English and they all live there still, near the family home in Dorset.”
“Are you two talking about me?” Andrew cut in, momentarily ceasing his mooning over Jennifer.
“Yes, as a matter of fact we were. William here was just telling me what a mutt you are. I didn't know your mother was American!”
“Oh, yes. Mom's from Oregon originally. Dad's the Brit in the family. They moved the family over the pond when I was eight. That's why I have the quasi-accent. Not really American, but not pure English either.”
“That's all right, Andy. You know, growing up, my favorite dog was a mutt, and I loved him just as much as a pure bred,” Liz said with mock sweetness.
“Thank you very much, Lizzy. Your acceptance really means a lot to me,” Andrew answered with feigned sincerity, a hand over his heart.
Jenny just smiled and shook her head. “Ignore them, William. These two are like squabbling siblings when they spend too much time together.”
Before a response could be made, the food arrived and everyone tucked in. The table was filled with nothing but the sounds of flatware scraping on plates and ice clinking in glasses. Will watched surreptitiously as Liz silently stabbed a piece of salmon off her sister's plate and popped it in her mouth. Jenny simply turned her plate in her sister's direction and made no comment on her food pilfering. Before he knew it she had taken a bite off Andrew's plate as well without saying a word to anyone.
“Mmm. Remind me that I like the veal next time, Jenny. This is sooo good!” She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, taking a deep breath, before she returned to her own plate. “Here.” She held her fork out to Jenny with a small bite of steak on it. Jenny turned towards her sister and opened her mouth, quickly biting the meat off the end of the fork.
“Mmm. Good choice, Lizzy! Andrew, you have to try this.” Jenny then fed him a bite of salmon off her fork, then reached to Lizzy's plate to cut him a piece of her sister’
s steak.
Will watched it all in silent fascination, feeling a little like he was viewing a National Geographic special on tribal eating patterns. Everyone went back to eating their own food, the sisters occasionally snitching bites off one another's plates. Fascinating, he thought. Strange, but fascinating.
Once the plates were cleared and dessert and coffee was ordered, they got down to business. Jenny started, thinking it would be the least awkward coming from her.
“So, William, Andrew tells me you're having some trouble with immigration.”
“Yes, I've always lived and worked here under a company-sponsored visa, and mine is about to expire. Usually I just renew it without any problems, like most people who work in more than one country do, but it looks like that's not going to work this time. Andrew thinks I should consider getting a green card instead.”
“And what do you think?”
“I trust Andrew's judgment. After all, isn't that what lawyers are for?”
Jenny smiled and Andrew chuckled lightly before saying, “Basically, Harper here will have to leave in four months with no guarantee of return unless he gets a green card. The best way to do that is to marry an American.”
“Well, they just legalized gay marriage here, why don't you two get hitched?” Liz asked.
Both men sat up straighter in their chairs and shifted uncomfortably, subconsciously leaning away from each other. “Um, well for one thing, we both have well-documented lives as straight men. No one would believe we just woke up gay one day.”
“They might think you've been in the closet this whole time. You know, dating women as a cover up. After all, you're both in your thirties and unmarried. People might believe it,” Liz deadpanned.
“I suppose we could, but then where would that leave your sister?” Will answered.
“Touché, Mr. Harper.” Liz smiled and tipped her head.
Andrew sputtered and continued on. “Gay marriage is still contended on state levels. It wouldn't work for our purposes.”
Deciding it was time to get serious, Liz asked, “Okay, so what exactly are we talking about doing here?”
“Will needs an American wife. You need money and a place to stay till you finish grad school. Quid pro quo,” Andrew answered.
“Okay, give me details. What happens if they find out it's fake?”
“Will gets deported and you get fined and possible jail time.”
“Wow. It sounds like I've got a little more to lose here, doesn't it?”
“Not necessarily,” Andrew continued. “Once you've been deported, it's very hard to get back in the country. That could be devastating for Will's business. Not to mention a publicity nightmare.”
“That doesn't sound as bad as jail to me.”
“True, but jail is rare. Especially if you pay the fine. Generally, the higher the fine, the shorter the jail time. And of course, Will would pay the fine.”
“I'm going to need that in an account beforehand.”
“Does that mean you'll do it?”
“Slow down, Andy! What exactly will be expected of me?”
Andrew lowered his voice and leaned across the table, suddenly serious. “Here's the deal: William will cover your remaining tuition and all your living expenses for the next two and a half years. You'll live in his apartment and attend major events with him, be photographed at society functions, and generally act the part of his wife. We can hammer out more exact details when we sign the papers. After two years, you can get a quiet divorce and go about your life with a generous settlement, no strings attached. So, what do you say, Liz? Are you in?”
She pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side. She was mentally counting up the amount of money she was spending on tuition, books, food, rent and everything else she had to pay. She was working three jobs and taking out student loans to cover the rest. It added up to a pretty big number. Trading that in for a few nights out with a cute guy seemed like a pretty good deal. But, they would be married.
She wrinkled her brow as she thought about that part of it, then she looked at William. He was shifting nervously in his seat and looking deeply into his cappuccino. She saw he was fidgeting with his spoon and was struck with how odd this all was. She stretched out her leg under the table and tapped his foot with hers. He looked up and she smiled. He stared at her for a moment, then smiled back.
“Okay, Andy. I'm in.”
2
The Deal
Mid-April, Wednesday
9 Days to Marriage
“All right, Andy. Dazzle me with legal speak.” Liz sat in Andrew's office in a small chair in front of his desk. He was perched on the corner, his expression a mixture of open friendliness and no-nonsense business.
“Like we talked about last night, this contract says that you'll provide all the documents necessary for Will's application—birth certificate, tax returns, etc.—and that you'll stay married for at least twenty-eight months, or until the papers go through. When the time comes to dissolve the marriage, you will each leave the union with the material possessions and finances you came into it with.”
“So, basically broke?”
He chuckled lightly. “Not completely. You'll receive a settlement. These are the terms suggested.” Andrew gestured to the stack of papers on his desk. “You may wish to counter them if the terms are not satisfactory to you.”
Elizabeth looked at her childhood friend and lawyer seated next to her. “Well, Laura, what do you think?”
“In layman's terms, here's what they are offering: You have the right to live in the apartment in Manhattan until the divorce is finalized, and are required to spend at least seventy percent of your time in the same residence as Mr. Harper to maintain the appearance of a true marriage. You also have unfettered access to two of his additional homes—a beach house in the Hamptons and a townhouse in London.”
“Two of his additional homes? As in he has more than that?”
Andrew answered slowly, “Yes. Harper has an ancestral home in England that is currently undergoing renovations, another apartment in the city that he co-owns, and an additional vacation home he goes to to be alone. He never takes anyone there—I've never even seen it and I'm his best friend. Not many know of its existence so you not visiting shouldn't be viewed as a problem.”
“I see.”
Laura continued matter-of-factly. “You'll receive three credit cards to cover your monthly expenses. The cards themselves have no limit and can be used on whatever you like, but if you need to spend more than fifty thousand Mr. Harper asks that you check with him first.”
“Fifty thousand per...?”
“Month.”
“Whoa.” Liz sank back in her chair.
“You'll need to clothe yourself as befits Mr. Harper's wife, so much of your allowance will go toward your wardrobe. Immediately after the wedding, you will be given a clothing fund to get you started, separate from your regular funds. You will also receive a signing bonus of ten thousand dollars to spend as you wish. There is a part-time housekeeper employed at the apartment; you turn in your grocery list to her and she'll take care of it. Your allowance is for personal items, not groceries. All utility bills are covered by Mr. Harper. In addition, when you go out together, he picks up the bill and it is not considered your personal expense. You will be provided with petty cash each month in the amount of five thousand dollars. This money is kept in the safe at the apartment and Mr. Harper will make sure it is stocked at the first of each month.”
Laura turned the page and continued, ignoring the look of incredulity on Elizabeth's face. “As far as public appearances go, you are required to attend at least half of the public functions Mr. Harper attends, not to exceed ten functions in a month. In addition, you'll need to have a public meal or date together at least once a week. Lunch or dinner—breakfast doesn't count—to keep up the appearance of a real marriage.”
“You'd think after a few months we'd just sit at home in our sweats watching Everybody Loves
Raymond reruns—isn't that what real married people do?” Laura glared at her and Liz grimaced. “Sorry, Lar. Continue.”
“You are to maintain the appearance of a happily married couple. That means no arguing in public, no flirting with other men or women,” Liz’s eyes got wide, “and no pulling away when Mr. Harper touches you.”
“That's in there? Really?”
“I was trying to be as thorough as possible. Habit. Sorry, Liz.” Andrew smiled sheepishly at her.
Laura continued, “You're required to wear the wedding ring on the ring finger of your left hand at all times and, of course, you cannot have an extramarital affair. If you are caught cheating or if you say anything inflammatory about Mr. Harper, meaning the true conditions of this arrangement, you forfeit your claim to the settlement, and Mr. Harper has the right to sue you for any and all expenses incurred during the marriage, including rent on the apartment you'll be residing in.”
“Okay, I get it, don't cheat,” she said defensively. “So what about children?”
“What do you mean children?” Andrew asked.
“You know, tiny people that are born after nine months in the womb? What happens if we have children?”
“I'm sorry, Liz, there seems to be some misunderstanding. This is a business relationship only. You and Harper will have separate bedrooms and you're not expected to... you know.”
Liz rolled her eyes. “I'm aware of that, Andrew. I'm not pimping myself out, I'm just saying that we'll be living in close quarters for at least two years, possibly longer depending on the paperwork, and neither of us will be seeing anyone else, and we'll be cozy-ing up all lovey-dovey in public—something might happen. I want it covered just in case—as a precaution. Can you add that in, Laura?”
“No problem. I'll add a clause that says you're entitled to nothing less than fifty percent custody of any children born from the union and regular child support. I'm sure they will want to add a clause that you maintain some method of contraception. Mr. Jamison?”
“Yes, we'll need some sort of guarantee that you won't become pregnant on purpose in order to receive child support payments. Not that I think you would, Liz, but I need to cover my client.”
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