His Hired Girlfriend

by Alexia Praks

  Jayden wanted to growl. She was calling their relationship a deal now? And that it was her obligation to complete it? This was ridiculous. “Alex, listen to me, sweetheart.”

  “Jayden, you don’t have to call me ‘sweetheart’ anymore. We’re alone. I’m getting cold. Can we go now?” she said abruptly and moved his hands away from her. She turned and strolled back into the captain’s area, away from the sudden onset of cold wind.

  Jayden felt defeated. He also felt like half of him was dying, very slowly and very painfully. My God, how he wanted to explain everything to her even though none of it actually made any sense to him.

  Yup, she hated his gut all right because he had lied to her. And yup, she hated him even more now because he wasn’t gay. Shit!

  He spun on his heels, went back to the wheel, and then started the engine. Their drive back was a solemn and quiet one. Even though they were within arm reach of each other, their emotional connection felt like it was miles away, perhaps even as far as the distance between New Zealand and the States. The atmosphere was tense and thick.

  Once home, Alex told everyone that she had a terrible headache and that she need a good rest before dinner. Alone in the bedroom, she cried her heart out. She hated herself for falling in love with Jayden. She couldn’t believe she was that weak. How she wished things were different. How she wished Jayden loved her. But that was impossible because he was still in love with Sarah.

  Never mind, she told herself, the wedding was in a few days time. Then after that she’d be gone, back to New Zealand. She would never have to see Jayden ever again.

  The thought didn’t sit well with her though. She sobbed and more tears poured out off her eyes.

  ***

  JAYDEN HEARD THE soft sobbing from the other side of the door. He knew in his gut that he was the cause. He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.

  ‘Oh, Alex sweetheart, I didn’t mean to hurt you,’ he wanted to tell her. ‘Okay, Jayden,’ the voice at the back of his head said, ‘Just go in and tell her. Tell her everything. Tell her that you love her and that you are glad what happened has happened. Tell her you’re glad you found Sarah cheating on you. You’re glad that you dumped her. You’re glad Peter suggested you hired her, Alexandra Stuart, as your girlfriend. And that you’re glad you are in love with her because she’s a great woman.’

  Jayden wrapped his fingers around the door handle, about to open when…ring, ring, ring...

  “Shit!” he swore under his breath. He snatched the BlackBerry from his pocket trousers and flipped it on. “Jayden speaking,” he growled into the phone.

  The voice on the other side said, “Boss, it’s me.”

  Jayden recognised it as David Peterson, his executive associate.

  “David, what is it?” he snapped.

  “We’ve got a problem. It’s about that piece of property Mr. Marcelo wanted to sell us.”

  “What the heck is wrong with it?”

  “It’s big. You’ll have to come see for yourself. I’ll be in the office.”

  “Damn! Yeah. Be there in five.” He flipped his cell shut. “Shit!” he swore again, glancing at the door to his bedroom, knowing that Alex was in there crying her heart out. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said and then ran down the stairs. ‘I’ll be back soon,’ he thought.

  *****

  CHAPTER 20

  TRIED AS SHE might Alex just couldn’t get up the next morning. What had happened yesterday in the yacht still played fresh in her mind. Thank God Jayden hadn’t returned to their room to sleep, so she had been able to cry herself to sleep. Otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to face him. She had no idea where he had gone off to. Probably back to Sarah and making out with her. She felt like Sarah had jabbed a knife in her heart at that thought, while the woman laughing mockingly and glaring at her of course.

  She felt bad that she had roughly told Gracie not to bother her last night when the woman had come to ask if she wanted dinner and that if everything had been all right. She had lied that she had had a really bad headache and that she hadn’t felt like eating and that food made her feel sick. It had been true, however, about the food part. She knew she wouldn’t be able to eat because she had been feeling sick in the stomach. A normal dysfunction surely when ones were in a mood of depression – the heart broken type.

  She slowly and reluctantly got up, showered and dressed. No make up for her today as she didn’t feel up to the task and the fact that the makeup artist was coming anyway to do a trail.

  When she finally came down stairs, the makeup artist, Laura Andrews, was there and chatting away animatedly to Kelly, Gracie and Beth in the drawing room and showing them new collections of makeup trends that had just came out.

  “Alex, did you sleep well?” Gracie asked, a concern look on her lovely face.

  “Yes,” Alex replied, but her tone and her eyes told a different story. “I’m starving.”

  “And so you should be,” Gracie said. “Not good missing dinner, you know.”

  “I know,” Alex replied. “Hi,” she said to Laura.

  The middle aged, beautiful woman replied a polite greeting.

  “Morning, Beth,” Alex said to the elderly, regal woman.

  “Morning,” Beth replied stiffly.

  “Hey, Kelly, I’ll be back after breakfast,” she said. Once she had gotten a confirmed nod from the bride to be, she headed toward the dining room.

  “She looked awfully pale,” Laura commented. “Is she not well?”

  “Maybe just tired. She’s from New Zealand,” Kelly said. “Don’t you love her accent?”

  “Yes, it’s very unique,” Laura commented. “She’s Mr. McCartney’s girlfriend?”

  “Yes,” Kelly replied, a bit too enthusiastically in Beth’s mind.

  “What a lucky girl,” Laura said and then they returned to their make-up consultation.

  A moment later Stephanie barged in through the door with an uncontained enthusiasm. “I have the most exciting news,” she announced to her audience.

  The four women looked at her with raised brows. Stephanie rushed into the room. “You’d never believe what I saw yesterday.”

  “What?” Kelly asked, her eyes half closed as Laura expertly applied a golden brown eye shadow on her left eyelid.

  “It’s Jayden,” Stephanie shrieked excitedly. “I saw him and Alex at Tiffany and Co.”

  “And?” Kelly asked. Now Laura was applying a thin layer of black liquid eyeliner on her right eyelid.

  Stephanie took a deep breath and then basically shouted, “Jayden was buying Alex’s an engagement ring.”

  Kelly shot up and growled, “You’re kidding me!” The black liquid liner spread up to her temple.

  “Oh dear.” Laura frowned at the marked she had made on Kelly’s pretty face. But Kelly didn’t seem to mind. She was too excited about the news.

  Gracie said, “Oh my God. This is great news.” Then she rushed up to Kelly, who looked dumbfounded and hugged the girl. “Oh Gosh, Alex is going to be a part of the family and—”

  “And the baby,” Stephanie shrieked, jumping with joy.

  “What?” Beth shot up from her seat and glanced from Gracie to Stephanie. “Alexandra is pregnant? And now they are engaged?” She turned accusingly to Kelly and snapped, “Why am I the last to know about this?”

  Kelly was lost for words. Apparently she didn’t know about it either. Heck, weren’t her brother and Alex only acting? At least she had thought so. Oh My God! This was all so confusing.

  “I can’t believe Jayden hadn’t told me,” Beth said bitterly.

  Gracie put in, “Jayden hadn’t told anyone.”

  “And?” Beth prompted, frowning, obviously very upset about the whole thing.

  “And we should all pretend we don’t know and keep it quiet until Jayden and Alex tell us themselves. They are probably waiting for the right time.”

  “I agree,” Stephanie put in. “Oh I know. Maybe he’s going to tell eve
ryone on your wedding day, Kelly.”

  “That would be the perfect time,” Gracie agreed.

  “What’s all the locomotion about?” an unwelcome familiar voice said at the door.

  Stephanie turned and folded her arms across her chest. “Who invite you, Britney?”

  Britney brushed her long hair over her shoulder. “Beth of course.” Then she did a cat walk into the room, her hip swaying from side to side. “So what’s going on?”

  Kelly said, “Nothing much.”

  “Just that,” Stephanie put in, “Jayden and Alex are getting engaged.” She finished off with a brilliant smile, showing off her white teeth.

  Britney glared at Stephanie and her face turned red. “What? That’s impossible.”

  “Well...” Stephanie shrugged her shoulders, implying that she didn’t have to believe it.

  “Well,” Laura began as she knew she was about to see a cat fight between Stephanie and Britney soon if she didn’t do something like cooling down the tension that was thick in the air. “Very exciting news I must say. Kelly, what do you think about this look? Good? Not good? And Stephanie my dear, please come here and get yourself ready for me to do your face.”

  Stephanie narrowed her eyes at Britney who just folded her arms across her chest and told Stephanie with her look to ‘bring it on’. Stephanie itched to obliged the woman only she knew better because they were in the company of the two most respected women in New York, Beth and Gracie, and went to ready herself.

  Kelly brought the hand mirror up to check out her face. She clamped her lips together and shook her head. “We should try something else.”

  “Yes.” Laura began cleaning Kelly’s face.

  Beth walked up to Britney and said quietly, “I think you should leave.”

  “What?” Britney snapped.

  “Come with me.” Beth led Britney toward the door. “You know I was not pleased with the way you treated Alex the other day at Vera Wang.”

  “But I thought you agree she isn’t good enough for Jayden.”

  “Things change, Britney. I hope your behaviour toward Alexandra will change the next time I see you two together. See you at the wedding.” She turned and went back into house.

  Alone at the front door, Britney gritted her teeth. “Stupid old witch,” she muttered under her breath. Some way, some how she’d have to get what she wanted, and she wanted Jayden’s money. The only way was to get Jayden himself.

  She strolled to the side of the house and flipped her cells on. She dialled a number and waited. A second later a male voice said, “Hello?”

  “It’s me, Britney.”

  “Darling, I’ve missed you. Shall we meet somewhere?”

  Britney didn’t beat about the bush. “Kyle, I need your help.”

  A pause. “How can I help you, my dear?”

  She could hear the playful mock in his voice, but she ignored it. “I need to get that stupid slut Alexandra far, far away from Jayden.”

  “Alexandra? Jayden?” Another pause, as though he was trying to think who these people were. “Ah, that Alexandra.”

  “Well?” Britney prompted.

  “I think in this case, sweetheart, you and your enemy will have to work together. You two have the same purpose.”

  “Are you talking about Sarah?” Britney snapped.

  “Who else, darling?”

  Britney took a deep breath. “Fine, I’ll see her. Where?”

  “Good, darling.”

  After Kyle had given her the location in which they were to meet, Britney flip her cell shut and sighed. “Shit!” she swore and stalked to her car.

  In the music room, clutching her trusty duster against her chest, Maggie felt sick to her stomach after she had heard the monologue outside the window. Ignoring her half-finished job, she hurriedly made her way to the door to find Gracie.

  *****

  CHAPTER 21

  ALEXANDRA STARED AT herself in the mirror, wondering if perhaps she was a bit too pale in that lotus pink mini wrapped dress. No, no, she looked all right. She was just a bit tired that was all.

  She groaned. She didn’t feel up for the Hen’s Night, but she had agreed with Kelly that she’d come along. It was supposed to be fun, after all, with only the girls out and about having a good time. She hoped they wouldn’t be doing anything too embarrassing or naughty like back in Dunedin such as making the bride kissing random guys and asking for guys’ underwear in the bar etc.

  “You look fine,” she murmured to herself, once again wondering where Jayden was. She hadn’t seen him all day and already she missed him dearly, which was a bad sign. She knew she had gotten too attached to him. Now every minute she’d start thinking about him, which was crazy.

  She quickly put on her black pump, grabbed her handbag and left the room.

  Down by the door, she saw Gracie who looked rather anxious. Perhaps she was nervous and emotional about the wedding. It was a big thing for a mother, after all, to let her only daughter go.

  “You look beautiful,” Gracie commented, taken a hold of Alex’s hands.

  “Thank you,” Alex replied. “I love Laura’s makeup. She makes my eyes look bigger.”

  “Yes, she is good. Are you sure you’re feeling well enough to go?”

  “Oh yes. I’ve agreed with Kelly, so I’m not letting her down.”

  “Don’t you tired yourself you out,” Gracie tsked. “You have to look after yourself.”

  “Of course I won’t tired myself,” Alex chuckled.

  At that moment Kelly came down the stairs and said, “Don’t worry, Mum, Alex is a big girl.”

  “Yes, yes,” Gracie agreed. “Now two you go and have fun.”

  Kelly kissed Gracie on the cheek. “We will,” she said and led Alex towards the BMW.

  “Goodnight,” Alex said to Gracie.

  “Goodnight,” Gracie replied, nodding. She watched until the convertible was out of sight before she shut the door. At the corridor, she halted and gazed at the phone. She sighed, picked the receiver up, and started dialling.

  ***

  KELLY’S HENS NIGHT began at Parcha where they had their late dinner in a privately booked room. The food was excellent and the service was impeccable. Alex thoroughly enjoyed herself, and as she looked around the table, she was sure so was the other eight girls, of which she could not remember any of their names. She was glad that Kelly and Stephanie had chosen to sit next to her and that she had never felt uncomfortable or left out despite that she was an outsider.

  When the meal was over they left for the club.

  Alex couldn’t believe there were so many people, young women dressed in their most expensive, sexiest dresses and men in jeans and formal shirt. The music was very loud as people mingled and danced.

  Stephanie and Kelly both pulled Alex’s hands towards the dance floor. Oddly enough the fast beating of the music made her heart pump faster and her blood to rush about her vessels like a formula one car racing. Alex suddenly felt like dancing, not that she was very good at it.

  All the girls shrieked, “The bride! The bride!” as they were dancing and laughing along with the song Barbara Streisand by Duck Sauce. Suddenly Kelly was in the middle of the dance floor and did her moves, which Alex thought was very impressive. Then Kelly grabbed her hands to join. Alex was very embarrassed and stood there awkwardly at first, not knowing what to do. When Kelly pulled her along in tune with the music, Alex let go of her reserves and started to really dance – shaking her body and moving her hands as if she was a pro. She closed her eyes, allowing her mind to relax and simply take in the beats of the music. She moved along with the beats, synchronising her body and the music as one. She didn’t know that time past as she was having so much fun.

  About two hours later, Kelly said, “I’m thirsty. Let’s get a drink.”

  The girls agreed and they all squeezed their way towards the bar. Alex collapsed on the comfy seat next to Stephanie and laughed. “I’ve never have so much fun,” she shout
ed.

  “What?” Stephanie blared back.

  “I said I never had so fun,” Alex yelled.

  Stephanie laughed. “That’s good,” she shouted.

  A waiter came to their table and took their orders. About five minutes later, after the waiter had managed to bump into an arrogant man in black, and uttering some apology, Alex finally received her lemon, lime and bitter. She was so thirsty she finished her drink within five minutes, which was a record for her. A few moments later, Kelly leaded the way back into the dance floor. When she saw that Alex didn’t move, she grabbed Alex’s hand.

  “No.” Alex shook her head. “I’ll be there in a second. I need a little rest.”

  “All right then. Come soon,” Kelly chuckled.

  “Will do,” Alex replied, smiling.

  Alex watched as Kelly and the girls disappeared into the thick crowd. She was now alone. Well not that she was really alone since there were loads of other people around, only she didn’t know any of them.

  She relaxed back in her seat and closed her eyes, listening to the pounding of the loud music. This time it was Memories by David Guetta. Her mind drifted off into a dream world. Her dream, however, only consisted of Jayden.

  She flashed her eyes opened, angry at herself for thinking about him again. She must forget about him, she told herself, at least for tonight.

  “Hey, there,” a male voice said.

  Alex looked up, shocked. Her heart missed a beat as Kyle moved in to sit next to her, too close for her comfort. She shifted, her body quivering uncomfortably.

  “I see you’re feeling lonely,” he said, resting his arms over the sofa so that it was resting over her shoulder.

  Alex grabbed her bag and stood up, intending to leave. She suddenly felt a wave of nausea rushing through being.

  He caught her arm and pulled her back down on the seat.

  “Hey, let go,” she snapped.

  “Feisty,” he chuckled.