I grunted something like “Yeah, great,” as I dragged my feet over to Daniella’s desk.
“Oh no. What's wrong?” I held out Sarah McNamara’s business card.
“What's this? Oh my god!” Daniella forgot all about the card and grabbed my hand, turning this way and that so she could peep the ring. “He proposed! Girl, look at that fucking rock.”
“I know.”
Lili made her way over and gave my shoulder one of those rub pats. “Congrats. What's with the weepy eyes and the business card though?”
“Do we need an attorney for something?” Daniella asked.
“No, I do. To go over the prenup Michael laid on me last night.”
“Oh, Jesus.”
“Damn.” Both of their reactions were fitting.
“That's how he proposed. With the prenup.”
“Waywhat?” The way Daniella shook her head was almost cartoonish.
“Super romantic dinner, out by the pool, sunset, delicious food, great dessert and then he proposed to me with a prenup on a tablet.” The words came sputtering out and suddenly I was kind of chuckling, but mostly crying hysterically.
“Oh no,” Daniella laughed. “Don't cry. Come here.” She tugged me over to the couch where I flopped down under the weight of becoming completely unhinged. Lili flopped down on my other side, trying to provide the other piece to their sister sandwich of comfort.
“I've been like this since last night. We, ya know, totally fucked afterward and I was crying while we were having sex,” I said, still blubbering.
“But he proposed, right? Isn't that what you wanted?” Daniella asked.
“Yes, but not like this. Not like this!” I shook my fists dramatically at the ceiling. “Maybe Michael and Duke went to the same charm school.”
“Oh my god. I wouldn't doubt it. He will not stop texting me. Like bro, do better.”
“I have to call Sarah Whatsherface to confirm, but I'm meeting this attorney today so we can go over the prenup. See if there are any changes I want to make before I sign. That's why I didn't bring Patch today. I don't know how long I’ll be over there.”
“Okay this isn't ideal or romantic, but Michael is worth like a jagillion dollars. A prenup kinda makes sense.”
“I know, but after the ring. After the ring.”
“I'm sorry babe.”
“It is a great ring though.” Lili grabbed my hand so she could get a good look at the diamond. Then Daniella was practically leaning over my lap so she could look at it too.
“I might actually forgive Duke for something like this.”
“God, I'm awful. What is wrong with me?”
“Nothing. You want what most women want—shit, most people. Appropriately timed romantic gestures. Not a legal presentation on a tablet. Or a drunken I love you text.”
I wiped my face, glad I'd had the foresight to go with waterproof mascara. Daniella was right about everything. The prenup made sense and I was freaking engaged! Still something felt off, other than the fact that I couldn’t stop crying tears of confusion. Too bad I couldn’t pinpoint what that something was.
The offices of Lawn & McNamara were on the fifth floor of this shiny glass building in Beverly Hills. I left with plenty of time to beat traffic and make my one p.m. appointment, but I got there a little too early, leaving myself with twenty minutes to sit in the waiting room and just stew over what had happened in the last twenty-four hours. I couldn’t stop looking at my ring. It was part amazement, part shock and a lot of just getting used to lugging the thing around.
It was beautiful though, I thought as I pushed the band to right a little, then back to the left. That’s when Sarah McNamara came out to the lobby and found me, looking sad for no fucking reason, toying with my giant engagement ring.
Sarah was not at all what I was expecting. Actually I had no clue what I was expecting, but I was shocked when a short and round Asian woman closer to my age introduced herself and led me back to a conference room. She was pleasantly chubby like me, but her high-waisted skirt and matching blazer were perfectly tailored, her long hair freshly trimmed with the sharpest bangs going straight across her forehead and she was wearing an assortment of Tiffany’s finest, yet subtlest pieces. She was sporting her own wedding band and sizeable diamond ring to match. “I'm so glad you could make it,” she said with a bright smile.
“Thank you for helping me. I get the basic legal stuff, but this sort of thing is not my area of expertise.”
“That's what I'm here for.” She held the conference room door for me and ushered me inside.
Everything was set up all nice and professional. The prenup was there, right on the table with along with pens, a highlighter and some sticky notes. There were some water glasses and a little arrangement of fruit, like refreshments would be necessary to get through this torture.
Sarah caught me staring at the spread.
“Sometimes these things take a while. Also talking money and divorce before you even pick out your wedding dress tends to make people a little anxious, so having something to nibble on can help with the anxiety.”
“Good call.”
“Go ahead and have a seat.”
I took the chair closest to the window and set my bag down. I tried to look anywhere but at the table. That worked for three whole seconds. The document seemed so much longer and thicker when it was printed out. I looked at the papers. My whole future with Michael in black and white, on crisp 8x11 sheets that had probably just lost the heat from the printer the moment I walked in the door.
“Did you get a chance to look this over?” Sarah asked as she took the seat beside me.
“Uh, no I didn't. He—um he just asked last night and then we celebrated. And then I had to go into work this morning.”
“I completely understand. It's tempting to just sign and not even bother with the fine print, but we want to make sure that you understand everything proposed here and that you're comfortable with it.”
I shifted in my seat and adjusted my skirt. I might as well have grabbed the collar of my shirt to let out the excess steam.
“It's okay to be nervous,” Sarah said. “You find out a lot about a person when it comes to their terms, but I can tell you now that Mr. Bradbury definitely has your best interests in mind. Let's get started.”
“Okay.” I leaned forward and forced myself to focus.
The plan was to go through the whole document once. Then we’d go through it again if I had questions or things I wanted to change. If I was okay with everything, we’d use the final pass for me to add my initials and signatures.
Michael (or his attorney) had thought of everything. In the event of our divorce, due to irreconcilable differences, I'd get a certain lump sum and more paid out in monthly installments. If we had kids, that amount increased. If we broke up because of infidelity on my part, I still got a shit ton of money. If he cheated, I got even more. The house in Malibu would be his no matter what, but if we split up he’d buy me a home of equal value. I needed a break at that point.
Sarah understood.
After I chugged some water and shoved two strawberries in my mouth we kept going. Even though it hadn’t been announced yet, the Miami deal was done. Michael, of course, got the team. He got Penny and I got Patch. I prayed that our marriage outlasted the dogs.
“I know including the pets seems a little strange,” Sarah said. “But people become really attached to their animals. Custody battles over dogs or cats or even birds can get just as ugly as custody battles over kids.”
“Yeah, it makes sense,” I managed to say. I didn't sound like myself.
We went on. I got to keep everything Michael ever bought me. What the fuck would he want with purses and shoes and plus-size lady panties, I wondered, but then Sarah reminded me again, my silence prompting her, that divorce sometimes made people ridiculous and petty.
“Some people want to leave their ex-spouse with literally nothing.” I pictured Michael doing just that, leav
ing me with nothing but the ripped jeans and toothbrush I arrived at his house with. He would never do something like that. It wasn’t in his nature, but thanks to this stupid document I was thinking about it.
“Are you okay Miss Davis?” I looked up at Sarah the moment I realized I was staring blankly at the center of the table.
“Yeah, it's just a lot.”
“Listen, this is my job, this is what I do and I can tell you have a good man here. Whatever happens, he doesn't just want you taken care of. He wants you happy and comfortable. That’s a good thing.”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
I had questions, but no changes. Sarah explained every last detail and though I know I should have felt relieved when I initialed here and there and signed at the bottom there, and don’t forget the date there, once it was all said and done, I still couldn’t shake the strange feeling. I grabbed my bag and followed Sarah back out to the lobby where she shook my hand.
“We’ll get this over to his people. Beyond that I'm fairly certain we’ll never have to see each other again.”
“Jesus Christ, I hope not.”
I had plenty of time to get back to my office, but I went to Michael’s office instead. I’d only been there once before. Michael had given me security clearance to get past the front desk in the downstairs lobby, but the new receptionist in the ICO offices looked at me like I was fucking insane when I asked to see Michael. And no, I didn't have an appointment and yes, I am his girlfriend, a reaction I was used to from skinnier white women who thought they were cuter than me.
I wasn't going to tell her I was his fiancée since I didn't know if there was some sort of internal press release protocol at ICO when it came to Mr. Bradbury’s personal life. But I know she saw the ring when I checked my phone. Her eyes almost popped out of her head.
Ruben came and got me. He joked with the girl, Kiersten or something, about her boyfriend, which distracted her from my presence for a second but I didn't miss the look of shock and awe that returned to her face as we turned away.
“Lemme see the new bling,” Ruben said instead of hello. “Oh this is way better than the ring I picked out.”
“How many people weighed in on this thing?”
“Just me and Myra and Holger. But your sisters set him straight. Fuck, girl, that's beautiful.”
“Thanks. It’s heavy.”
“Cause it’s real,” he said with a wink.
He led me back through the ultra modern office space where the employees at ICO were hard at work. Phones ringing, keyboards clacking. A burst of laughter from a far corner that was immediately silenced with a snort. Regular office life. I didn't miss it at all.
Ruben slowed at Michael’s door then turned to me with hushed tones. “He's on a call, but he's almost done.”
He pushed his way inside and I followed, my heart thumping all the way down to my stomach when I laid eyes on the boss man. That morning, when I’d last seen him, he'd still been in his boxers, hair all mussed up from sleep and our lovemaking. Now he was properly caffeinated and dressed like the billion dollar success that he was. His thick black hair was up in a loose ponytail, keeping it out of his face. Michael was pacing around the room as a voice droned on about something or other over a fancy speakerphone. He smiled as soon as we locked eyes and whatever had popped loose inside of me started to slide back into place.
Ruben sat back down at the large round table that took up one corner of Michael’s four bedroom, five bath office, and continued taking notes on the call.
A woman’s voice filled the room. “If she accepts, she will be in violation of her contract.”
“Let's contact the people at HomeTV and see what we can do. Tabitha has a strong base and it's only growing. I'd like to offer her something that will grow her brand, while being mutually beneficial to Craftsman and HomeTV.”
There were affirmative responses on the line, then I didn't know if the meeting was actually over or not, but Michael ended it. Ruben clicked the button on the speakerphone then started gathering up his things.
“Are you going to call it an early day?” he asked looking between us. I shook my head.
“No, I have to get back. I just wanted to stop by.”
“'Kay.” He excused himself, pausing to give me a parting kiss on the cheek before he slipped out the door.
“Hello,” Michael said as he leaned against his desk. He beckoned me closer with a simple lift of his eyebrow. I left my purse on the loveseat by the door and walked into his arms. He pulled me closer, his arms slung low around my waist.
“Come by to share more of your sweet poetry?”
“No. It's a song this time. It's called 'I Want to Touch Your Butt Sexually.'”
“I hoped you choreographed a dramatic interpretation of the lyrics.”
“Of course I did,” I said, then I sighed, resting my cheek against his shoulder. He kissed the top of my head.
“What's going on? Talk to me.”
“Nothing. I signed the prenup. You’re shockingly thorough.”
He leaned back a little, forcing me to meet his gaze. “This isn’t an out clause for me, Kayla. People get real fucked up when it comes to this type of money. Say something happens and Steven or your family starts encouraging us to play hardball. Or I pass away and my family or even Steven or Holger or Ruben wants to start challenging you for parts of my estate.”
“I will fight Holger. Watch me.”
“I won’t be able to. I’ll be dead.”
“I’m glad we’re keeping this light. So I guess it’s official now.”
“Yeah, I guess so. We can call our families tonight if you like. Change your Facebook status so it’s really official.”
“I’m not posting a picture of this.” I leaned back a little so we could look at the meteor on my finger together. Then Michael kissed me.
That weirdness, the wobbly bits, faded a little more when our lips touched and even more when his tongue brushed against mine. I figured if our mouths could stay permanently fused together, that shitty feeling would go away completely.
Five
By the time I left Michael’s office it was almost four-thirty and it seemed silly to go back to work. I sent Daniella a text letting her know that I’d be back in the office in the morning. Maybe by then I’d have gotten up the nerve to do the really important things like changing my Facebook status to ENGAGED. Oh and maybe I should tell my parents that Michael had actually proposed. Maybe then all of this would feel less surreal. It seemed like there was some sort of law about at least telling your mother within the first twenty-four hours, but everything had happened so quickly and then the celebratory sex and the time difference. I figured Michael and I could call them when he got home.
But the universe wasn’t done gently tripping me up the stairs. The second I walked in the door—I didn’t even get a full minute to enjoy the attack of puppy cuddles that was waiting for me—Michael called. The league had officially processed his offer of purchase, a cool one billion dollars to make it real. They wanted him in Miami the following morning for his first press conference and he wanted me there with him. Like I’d told him, I was game. I was down. Team Bradbury-Davis, ready, break! Or was it just Team Bradbury now? Either way, I took a minute to enjoy the fact that Holger had taught Patch how to sit and then I quickly packed my things. I grabbed some stuff for Michael, then loaded Penny and Patch in the Suburban so PJ could take us to pick up Michael and Ruben from their office. I texted Daniella again on the way.
Change of plans. It’s going down tonight. Leaving for Miami now.
She hit me back right away.
How exciting! Have fun and tell Michael I said good luck.
I wish you could come. I realized that nonsensical feeling of ickiness was back as I typed the words. I really needed to get it together.
Duke is still on time out. I can’t risk running into him out in those streets. You know what I mean. Next time, though.
She sent a few heart emojis
and that was that. I’d be with Michael and the puppies and Ruben, but somehow I still felt like I was on my own, which didn’t make sense. I didn’t realize how loud I'd groaned until I caught PJ looking at me in the rearview mirror.
“I’m fine. Just forgot something. Nothing important though.”
He glanced at me again, keeping his focus on the road and just nodded. PJ never said much.
When Michael hopped in the car he paused mid-conversation with Ruben to kiss me and greet the dogs and then it was back to business. They talked Miami and all the other business odds and ends he had to move around now that the deal was really happening.
The flight crew was ready for us when we got to the airport and after waiting our turn for clearance we were on our way. I sat on the couch with Michael, holding the puppies, keeping them distracted and secure during take off while Ruben gave us more of the low-down on what to expect when we arrived in Florida.
“The house is good to go. I already called ahead to the owner and I’ve arranged for a housekeeper who cooks and is good with walking the dogs. Her name is Vera. Holger actually found her so I’m sure you guys’ll love her. Aaaand … Paola Morre just sent over your full schedule for tomorrow.” Ruben did some pressing and some sliding on his tablet before he went on.
“Okay. Let’s see. The announcement will be made in two hours. We can watch online. She sent a link. OMG Paola, so considerate. The press conference is at ten a.m. at The Continental Hotel, but they would like us there at nine a.m., then there will be a full press junket with Coach Bata, Kevin Mal and Derek Chekovick. All the local papers and a bunch of sports journalists will be there…” He trailed off before he looked up at Michael. “Looks like that will take up the rest of the afternoon, but I’ll have lunch brought for you. You have dinner with Mr. Sands, Rick Chase and Coach Bata tomorrow night. Kayla, we can hit South Beach if you want,” he added with a smile.
“Su—”
“I’d like you to come along, actually,” Michael said.
SO RIGHT: A Sugar Baby Novella Page 5