Cross Check (Marriage Contract #1)

by Colleen Masters

  “Hey there, Lee!” he says, sitting in the kitchen of our little cottage, “Fancy hearing from you during a work week.”

  “Hi Dad,” I say, a knot rising in my throat at the sight of my father in the midst of all this chaos, “Am I catching you at a bad time?”

  “Not at all,” he replies, noting my strained manner, “Is everything all right, Lee? You seem a little put-out.”

  “Things are a little crazy here in the city,” I go on, “Have you, uh, seen anything in the news? About me?”

  “Should I have?” Dad asks, scratching his head.

  Of course he hasn’t seen the paparazzi pictures. My dad isn’t exactly big on celebrity gossip, and the news hasn’t gotten to the major outlets yet. That means I can prepare him for what’s about to come. I guess that’s a blessing.

  “Well, there’s been some gossip lately about me and Jamison King,” I tell my dad.

  “What about you and Jay?” Dad asks.

  “Um…” I stall, “About us being a couple.”

  Dad doesn’t say anything for a good long moment. Finally, he asks, “Well, is it true? Are you two really together?”

  “I guess…we are,” I tell him, “In a way.”

  To my amazement, I watch as my dad’s grin grows even wider.

  “Well, that’s just fantastic!” he crows.

  “It is?” I ask, baffled by his response.

  “Sure it is,” he goes on excitedly, “You know I’ve always loved that family. Jamison especially. You two were such good pals when you were little—”

  “We picked on each other constantly,” I remind him.

  “Yeah, well, that’s always how kids show their love,” he chuckles, “When did this happen, Lee?”

  “Just recently,” I tell him, “Right before his parents died, Jay and I had dinner with Loudon in the city. Jay had decided to join the company.”

  “That must have made Loudon so proud,” Dad sighs, “And Jay being with you would make him even prouder. Loudon just adored you.”

  Here comes the hard part, I think to myself.

  “I actually know for a fact that Loudon wanted me and Jay to be together,” I tell my dad, “Because he said so in his will.”

  “I…I don’t understand,” my dad says, cocking his head to the side.

  “In his will, Loudon requested and Jay and I run King Enterprises together, as partners,” I explain, “And in addition…that we be partners in marriage.”

  “…Wow,” Dad breathes, rubbing his chin in amazement, “I didn’t know wills could be so…specific.”

  “Me either,” I laugh nervously, “But, here we are.”

  “But so then… Are you and Jay a real couple, or are you just going along with Loudon’s wishes?” my dad asks.

  “I…I’m not entirely sure,” I tell him, “Most of the time it feels like we have a real connection, but other times… I mean, can our relationship ever be authentic if it started out because of a clause in some contract?”

  “Stranger things have happened,” my dad shrugs.

  “Have they though?” I ask.

  “Here’s the real question,” Dad presses on, “Do you have real feelings for Jamison?”

  I pause as Dad’s question hits home. It’s a question I don’t think I’ve properly stopped to ask myself this whole time. I loving having sex with Jay, that much is true. But what about real feelings of affection? Love, even? I let my mind spin through all our moments spent together. From our childhood afternoons holed up in the gazebo, to our graduation night, to these past few days tucked away in his brownstone and strolling around the city.

  It occurs to me that whatever relationship Jay and I have didn’t begin with Loudon’s will. What if this crazy turn of fate, this mandate from Loudon King, was the thing that had to happen to bring us together? God knows we were always too stubborn to admit our feelings on our own. Maybe this whole thing has been a blessing in very deep disguise?

  “You know something,” I finally say to my dad, “I think… I think I do have feelings for him. Yeah.”

  “Then it’ll work out the way it’s meant to,” Dad says simply, “I’m happy for you, Lee. For both of you. It may have taken your entire lives for you to realize it, but you actually do make a real good pair.”

  “Thanks Dad,” I say, feeling a huge weight lift off my shoulders, “You’re being far cooler about this than I would have imagined.”

  “Hey, it seems like most kids are meeting in the Internet these days anyway,” Dad shrugs, “This thing you’ve got with Jamison is practically old fashioned.”

  He has a point.

  “I’ve got to go work out the media strategy for my relationship, I guess,” I tell him, “I love you, you know.”

  “I love you too, Lee,” Dad says, “Go strategize your heart out.”

  As I hang up my dad’s call, it’s like the storm clouds that have been threatening to burst all morning are rolling away across the horizon. Maybe this whole thing doesn’t have to be a scandalous catastrophe after all.

  A knock at the door turns my head, and I look up to see Jamison appear in the room.

  “Everything OK?” he asks, gaging my mood.

  “You know what?” I say, rising to my feet, “I think it might just be.”

  “Well, great,” he smiles, pushing the door open for me, “Ready to go talk shop?”

  “Let’s do it,” I say, squaring my shoulders and marching back toward my office. Everything between Jay and I was on the upswing before Cordelia tried to derail it all. Is it really worth walking away from a potentially good thing just because it’s complicated? I need to at least try to see this through, find a way to make Loudon’s wishes come true. And not just for his sake, but because it’s what I want, too. God, does that feel nice to finally admit. I want to be Jay’s partner. In business… and in life.

  And if we play our cards right, that’s exactly what’s gonna happen.

  Chapter Ten

  The very next morning, I find myself sitting next to Jamison on an overstuffed couch at 7am, wearing a full face of makeup and ready to set the record straight… or if not straight, then at least bent in our favor. Three studio cameras surround us and the heavily coiffed interviewer, New York Host Amanda Schaffer. Charlie Bridges, whose voice I can hear berating a production assistant somewhere on set, got this interview set up for us in no time flat. Bridges, Jamison and I spent the entire night preparing the story we’re going to offer up to the press. Hopefully, after this exclusive interview, the media will move on from our story altogether and leave us to run King Enterprises in peace.

  “OK everyone,” the director says, “We’re going live in thirty seconds.”

  “Ready for this?” Jamison asks, slipping his hand into mine.

  “Absolutely,” I tell him, giving his hand a firm squeeze.

  “Our audience is going to eat you two up,” Amanda Schaffer says giddily, looking excitedly between us.

  She’s a put-together woman in her late 30’s, with short blonde hair and an ice queen smile. Jay and I will have to be careful not to give her any ground. She’s got a reputation for engineering “gotcha” moments. But if there’s anyone I trust to go up against her, it’s me and Jamison King.

  “And we’re live,” the director says, “In five…four…three…two…”

  The lights shine brightly overhead as Amanda Schaffer grins broadly at camera one.

  “Hello, Big Apple!” she croons, “This is Morning in New York, and I’m your host Amanda Schaffer. We’ve got a special treat for you this morning, in the way of an exclusive interview with a couple that’s got everybody talking. I’m sitting here with former hockey superstar Jamison King, a very familiar face here in New York City, and Leah Brody, a creative executive at King Enterprises. Hello to you both!”

  “Hello, Amanda,” Jay say smoothly, “Thanks for having us on.”

  “Yes, thank you,” I put in, “We’re so happy to be here.”

  “And we’re
happy to have you!” Amanda smiles, “You two have been getting quite a lot of coverage from the tabloids this week, haven’t you?”

  “That we have,” Jamison chuckles, giving me a knowing smile, “What’re you gonna do when everyone’s walking around with a camera on their phone?”

  “It’s hard to get a moment alone these days,” I sigh, “But I suppose our story was going to come out eventually.”

  “We’re just glad we get to be here with you, to share it in our own words,” Jay says to Amanda Schaffer.

  “And what is your story?” she says, putting on her Pensive Reporter Face as she leans in toward us.

  “Well,” I begin, “Jamison and I actually grew up together in Little Silver, New Jersey. My parents worked on the King estate. My father, Frank, is the groundskeeper there. My mother, Eva, was the housekeeper until she passed away when I was fourteen.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” Amanda says, “For both your losses, it should be said.”

  “Thank you,” Jamison nods, “We appreciate that.”

  “All of our parents were actually good friends,” I go on, “Though my parents were employees of Loudon and Priscilla King, Jay’s parents always treated us with kindness.”

  “A real upstairs, downstairs story,” Amanda nods eagerly, “Two kids, from opposite sides of the tracks—”

  “Well, same side of the tracks, technically,” I cut in, annoyed at her implication, “My family lived in the groundskeeper’s cottage on the King estate.”

  “Six of one, half dozen of the other!” the host goes on, waving aside my comment. “So, you two were friends when you were little?”

  “I don’t know if you’d say friends,” Jamison laughs, giving me a playful little shove, “Most of the time, we were locked into some kind of game or competition. Always trying to one up each other.”

  “Sounds like young love to me,” Amanda smiles, “But you drifted apart when you left for college, is that right?”

  After one last night fucking each other silly, yeah… I think to myself.

  “We did drift apart a bit,” Jamison confirms, “Which is nuts, really. We actually went to college very close to each other. I was in Boston, Leah was in Cambridge. But I was really committed to my hockey career, then. And from what I hear the workload at Harvard is no joke, right Leah?”

  “That’s right,” I agree, my mouth beginning to ache with my plastered-on smile.

  I thought giving this sunny account of my relationship with Jay would be easy. But sitting here under the studio lights, I kind of feel like I’m playing myself in a movie. This being in front of the camera thing is no joke. I don’t know how Jay’s done it all these years.

  “So when did you finally reconnect?” Amanda presses on.

  “Honestly, it wasn’t until very recently,” Jay tells her, “As you know, my hockey career was cut short after one too many concussions. And instead of retiring at thirty, I decided to finally turn my attention to the family business: King Enterprises.”

  “I’d already been working at King Enterprises since I graduated from Harvard,” I cut in, “Loudon King was something of a mentor to me. And just a few weeks ago, I learned that Jay was coming on board as well.”

  “And is that when sparks started to fly again?” Amanda asks.

  I think back to that night at DeLeonardo’s, when I came upon Jamison sitting in Loudon’s usual booth. Seeing him there after so many years was a shock to my entire system…but not an entirely unpleasant one. I wasn’t ready to admit it then, but I was already feeling that magnetic pull he’s always had over me.

  “Yes,” I say to the host, “That’s when it started.”

  “It must have been such a blow when your parents died so shortly after,” Amanda goes on, pouting sympathetically at Jay.

  “My parents’ death would have been a blow no matter when it happened,” he answers, his jaw pulsing, “I won’t lie, it’s been incredibly difficult. I’ve just been taking it day by day. But I will say, it’s been made a lot easier by having a partner like Leah at my side.”

  I look over at Jamison, searching his gorgeous face. As lovely as it is for him to say this now, it feels strange to be hearing it for the first time on live television. Is this what’s actually in his heart, or he just playing the game Charlie Bridges has laid out for us?

  “So it’s true then?” Amanda pushes, “You two are partners.”

  “We are,” Jay confirms, “In more ways than one.”

  “Can you expand on that?” the host asks.

  “Well,” I continue, “It was Loudon King’s wish that if anything were to happen to him, Jamison and I would run King Enterprises together, as co-presidents.”

  “But ours isn’t just a business partnership,” Jay amends, “It’s a romantic partnership as well. Leah and I are very much in love.”

  “That is beautiful,” Amanda says, clasping her hands together, “If you don’t mind my asking, what’s the nature of this romantic partnership? Are you dating, living together…?”

  “Actually, Amanda,” Jamison says, draping an arm over my shoulders, “In this rare instance, the tabloids are actually right. Leah and I are engaged to be married.”

  I hold out my left hand, flashing the prop ring Charlie picked out for me last night. I try not to let my heart sink too far. Just because this part of the story happens to be an act, doesn’t mean the rest of it is. I’m just doing what I have to do to put this whole fiasco behind me.

  “Oh, wow!” Amanda gushes, “New York’s very own Jamison King is engaged!”

  “That’s right,” Jay smiles, giving me a kiss on the cheek, “I only regret that my parents couldn’t be here to see this. They would have been so happy to see Leah and I together at last.”

  This, above all else, pains me to hear in this bizarre context. The Kings would have been happy to see me and Jamison as a couple. But what would they think of this media circus we’ve gotten ourselves into?

  I smile and nod through the rest of the interview, feeling numb from the strangeness of it all. I’m vaguely aware of Amanda Schaffer gushing over us as the cameras cut. Of Charlie giving Jamison a hearty “well done” handshake. Of Jamison leading me out of the television studio and down to the waiting car. It isn’t until we’re finally alone again that I feel myself drifting back to the surface of what feels like real life.

  “How the hell do you do this all the time?” I ask Jay, my voice dull with exhaustion.

  “It won’t be like this all the time,” Jay assures me, “You’ve just made it through your first PR crisis as a full-blown famous person. Welcome to the club.”

  “It just feels so weird,” I tell him, tugging off my fake engagement ring, “It’s like I’m losing track of which parts of our story are true and false.”

  “I’m sorry we had to throw that engagement bit into the interview,” he tells me, “Charlie just wanted to be sure that we gave the vultures enough to leave us alone.”

  “No, I get it,” I tell him, resting my head on his shoulder, “I just feel like I need to take a hot shower now, is all.”

  “You should absolutely do that,” Jay says, kissing my forehead, “It’s barely nine o’clock in the morning. Let’s just start the day over again from here, OK?”

  “Sounds good to me,” I sigh, as we pull up to the brownstone on West 10th.

  I can’t believe that it was just yesterday morning that Jay and I first discovered that we were tabloid news. Something tells me this interview is going to bring a swarm of paparazzi back into our lives, but hopefully it won’t last long. Happy couples are boring couples, after all. And despite how bizarre these last couple of weeks has been, I am happy when I’m with Jay.

  Especially when I get to be alone with him.

  Stepping into the foyer of the brownstone, I let out a deep sigh of relief. Though I’ve only been staying here with Jay since earlier this week, the sensation of returning here is one of coming home. I never felt this bone-deep sense of comf
ort in my studio on Riverside Drive. In fact, I don’t think I’ve felt at-home since my days at the groundskeeper’s cottage with my parents. I didn’t realize how much I missed having a safe place to land.

  “Hey, before you hit the shower,” Jay says, catching my hand as I go to ascend the steps, “Come have some breakfast with me on the patio.”

  “I don’t think we’ve ever had a meal together that wasn’t prepared by a restaurant,” I observe with a laugh, “Are you feeling OK?”

  “Never better,” Jay says, leading me towards the kitchen.

  I study his face as we make our way through the brownstone. Something’s up with him—but I can’t put a finger on what, exactly. He seems excited about something. The exhaustion I’m feeling after our all-night cram session for the interview doesn’t seem to be wearing on him at all. It’s like he’s in his own little secret world. What gives?

  “Wait,” Jay says, blocking my path to the french doors that lead out to the terrace, “Close your eyes.”

  “Why?” I ask, cocking my head at him.

  “Just go with it, Brody,” he insists, laying his hands gently on my hips, “Please.”

  “All right,” I sigh, going along with his request, “As long as you promise to tell me why you’re acting like a crazy person all of a sudden.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out,” he says, taking my hand once more.

  I trail along behind him, the morning light glowing orange through my closed eyes. I listen as Jay opens the patio door, and take a deep breath of fresh air as I step outside in his wake. But as I fill my lungs with morning air, I’m surprised by the scent of freshly cut flowers. Jay doesn’t keep any flowers out here. The terrace is enclosed by a tall, rustic wooden fence, overrun with gorgeous vines of ivy but devoid of any floral touches.

  “What’s going on?” I ask Jay, lingering at the doorway with my eyes closed tight.

  “See for yourself,” he tells me, his voice low and rich with anticipation.

  With my heart in my throat, I open my eyes once again. The scene that awaits me is almost too much to take in all at once. The terrace has been transformed from a simple urban outdoor space to an oasis of earthly delights in the middle of this gritty metropolis. Bundles of wildflowers cover every available surface, exquisitely arranged and bursting with fresh fragrance. Even the wooden slats crisscrossing overhead have been hung with delicate strings of blossoms and vines. Warm morning light filters in from overhead, amplified by paper lanterns adorning the intimate space.