His Hired Girlfriend

by Alexia Praks

  “Well, well,” the woman began, unfolding her arms and leaned forward across the table.

  Alex closed her book, preparing for the bitchy onslaught that was about to come her way.

  “Back from your conference already, have you? Actually, was it really a conference, Alexandra? In New York City? Surely not?”

  Alex gritted her teeth. “What do you want, Mary?”

  Mary shrugged her shoulders. “Though I’d ask just to be polite. After all we used to be classmate.”

  Alex stood up to her full height. “Oh really, Mary? Since I’ve known you, you were never nice to me. Let me tell you this now, Mary. I don’t like the way you treat me or my friends. Yes, I’m a geek. Yes, my family is not rich. But that doesn’t mean you have the rights to treat me the way you do. I think I’ve put with your nonsense long enough, don’t you?” She narrowed her eyes at the pretty woman. Alex knew she was standing on dangerous territory, but she couldn’t care less. She was tired. She was frustrated. And bloody hell! She just didn’t have time for this stupid thing anymore.

  “You know what, Alexandra? You’re a slut. That’s right, Alexandra, you are a slut. You think you’re so great? Running off after a billionaire like Jayden? You think he’d really marry you? You think he’s really into you? Forget it, Alex, he’s a bloody billionaire. He can have any woman he wants, a woman who’s a hundred times better looking than you.”

  “Mary? I hate you. I hope one day you get want you deserve,” Alex gritted out and walked away, her hand fisted.

  “What’s that supposed to mean, Alex?”

  Alex ignored Mary’s outraged question and headed toward the exit. She passed Peter who stopped and looked at her with concern. “Alex, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” Alex replied and rushed away.

  Peter glanced over at Mary. The woman saw him and shrugged her shoulders. Peter headed back to catch up with Alex. “Alex wait!”

  Alex halted in her stride and turned to look at her friend.

  “Alex, I know it hadn’t been easy for you but...”

  “I don’t want to talk about it, Pete.” She gazed up at him, tears were brewing in her eyes. “Please? Can you just leave me alone for a while? I need space.” She bowed her head and turned to go.

  Peter watched his friend walked away. He knew Alex hadn’t been the same since she had gotten back from New York a week back. He needed to know what Jayden had done to his friend.

  He went up to Mary and slid into the seat opposite her. “What did you say to her?” He went straight to the point.

  Mary looked taken aback. “What do you mean?” she asked innocently.

  “Mary, you know it doesn’t work with me,” he snapped. “Stop playing innocent.”

  Mary bit her lip. She frowned and thought she better tell Peter the truth. She folded her arms across her chest and said, “Just the truth.”

  “What truth?”

  “That he’s out of her league. That she’s daydreaming and not seeing the reality.”

  “Get to the point.”

  Mary grunted. “Oh, all right. I told her that she’s a slut, running off after Jayden. But I’m right. He’s way out of her league. I mean he doesn’t even look at me. Why would he want her? I can’t believe she went all the way to New York after him and lied to everyone that she’s there for a conference.”

  Peter was stunned. “That’s what you think happened? That’s what you said to Alex?”

  “Yeah? I mean what else could there be to it? I mean just think how much money she wasted just to go to New York. She’s poor and her old man isn’t very well what with his heart problem. She’s selfish and a slut. I can’t believe you don’t see that in her.”

  “What else did you do?”

  “Nothing.” Mary glanced away, couldn’t bare the intense gaze of Peter’s eyes.

  “Mary? What else? How did you know Alex’s dad isn’t well? How did you know Jacob has heart problem?”

  “I...I went to her house. I meet her dad. I told him what I knew.”

  “What exactly did you tell him?” Peter probed.

  “That Alex ran off with Jayden.” She didn’t dare tell him that she had lied to Jacob that Jayden was a married man.

  “Holy shit, Mary? Do know you what you’ve done?”

  Mary snorted. “What I’ve done, Peter? What exactly have I done? I’m helping them. I help Jacob, or whatever his name is, see what his daughter is really like.”

  “Alex is nothing like that. She’s not like you, Mary.”

  “What do you mean by that, Peter?”

  “Stop fooling around, Mary, and open your eyes. You know you’ll never be a doctor. And stop using those boys to do your work for you. I know what you’ve been up to. If the deans know about this...”

  “Peter, you won’t!”

  “Yeah? Watch me.” He stood up. “And don’t interfere with Alex’s life again. Understand?” Before she could utter another word, he stalked away.

  Alone in the quiet corridor of the hospital, he took his BlackBerry out and dialled Jayden’s number.

  ***

  NEW YORK, USA

  THE PENTHOUSE, BIG and luxurious, overlooked Central Park and New York City below. It was dark and all that Jayden could see was dots of tiny lights across the city. He felt alone, as though he was missing half of himself. How he missed Alex. How he wanted to hug her and kiss her and do so much more to her... Just hold on, Jayden – he told himself. Soon you will have her again.

  His BlackBerry rang. He glanced over his shoulder and reluctantly picked it up. “Jayden speaking.”

  “What the hell did you do to her?”

  Jayden frowned in confusion and then he remembered who it was. “Peter!”

  “Yeah it’s me. So tell me, old friend, what the hell did you do to Alex?”

  “I’m sorry, Pete, I...”

  “Explain yourself. I told you Alex is like a sister to me. I told you not to hurt her in anyway. So what happened? I’m giving you a chance to explain before I terminate our friendship.”

  Jay raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. “I’m willing to explain everything. I... Pete?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love Alex. I would never do anything to hurt her.”

  “Oh?”

  “Things just kind of gotten in the way. There’s Sarah...”

  “So you got back with her and broke Alex’s heart? Is that it?”

  “No. That’s not it. She came back and made things messy. Alex found out I wasn’t gay and she found out about Sarah who wants to get back with me.”

  “Holy shit, mate! What the hell?”

  “Yeah. Well my grandmother wasn’t exactly happy with me. She set me and Britney up and things got even more complicated.”

  “So what are you going to do about it?”

  Jay paused. “I’m going to ask Alex to marry me. But first I need to get things straight with her parents. Pete?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Can you help me?”

  “Sure thing, mate.” A merry laugh followed. “Just so you know our friendship has not been terminated.

  “Good,” Jayden chuckled.

  *****

  CHAPTER 28

  DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND

  WITH HIS MAC laptop in hand, Peter Thompson marched up the short driveway to the small bungalow in the secluded cu-de-sac. He rang the doorbell and waited. A few second later, the lady of the house appeared.

  “Peter, come in. Alex is out with Tim and Emma, showing them round uni,” Maly said cheerfully.

  “Very good. Jacob home?” Pete asked.

  “Yes. Of course. I made sure.” Maly winked at him.

  “Thanks for helping out.”

  “Peter, I should thank you for helping my daughter out. Come on now.”

  They made their way to the living area and found Jacob there, reading the Otago Daily Time.

  Jacob glanced up from his newspaper in surprised. “Peter? How have you been? C
ome on in and sit down. Alex’s out at the moment.”

  Peter prepared himself. “Jacob, how are you, old guy. Not working too hard, right?”

  Jacob chuckled. “Of course not.”

  With that polite greeting out of the way, Peter went straight to the point. “Jacob, you need to hear this. Actually you need to see this.”

  “What is it?”

  Pete slide onto the seat beside Jacob and turned on his laptop. “It’s about Alex. It’s about what really happened in New York.”

  Jacob stood, his faced harden at the mention of his daughter’s name and New York. “I already know what happened, Peter. You don’t need to tell me.” There was a hard edge in his voice.

  “What you heard from Mary?”

  “Peter, are you here to rub it in? I thought I knew you better than that. Alex is a good girl. Yes, she may have done a stupid thing but she’s my daughter and don’t you dare...” He rubbed his temple.

  “It’s not like that, Jacob. You know very well how much like a sister Alex is to me. I have to tell you the truth now. Alex would never lie to you, or you Maly, unless she had too.”

  “What do you mean?” Maly asked, her hands clasped together nervously.

  “I was the one behind it. But that’s not important. What’s important is what you need to hear from the man himself.”

  “Man? What man?” Jacob asked.

  “Yes, what man?” Maly echoed.

  “Jayden McCartney. The man who stole your daughter’s heart.” Peter looked heavenward and thought that that was a stupid way of putting it. “What I mean is... Oh heck! Bear with me for a sec.”

  Maly sat down beside Jacob, and he took her cold hands into his.

  Peter logged into Skype and then voilà – a young handsome face appeared in the screen.

  “Oh my! Who is that?” Maly queried, amazed at the young man’s good looks.

  “That, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, is Jayden McCartney, the man who had stolen your daughter’s heart.”

  Maly gaped in shocked surprised and Jacob was taken aback.

  “He is Jayden McCartney? But I thought he was much older,” Maly commented, her eyes on Jayden who was looking rather nervous in the screen.

  “He’s only thirty.” Peter shifted the laptop round so that it faced him. “Hey, Jay. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart are now yours. Do your best, bro.”

  In the screen, Jayden nodded.

  Peter turned the laptop back toward the couple and nodded for them to proceed. Maly made herself comfortable as she held onto her husband’s hand. Jacob waited expectantly.

  In the screen, Jayden took a deep breath and then said, “Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, I’m Jayden McCartney. I’m the one responsible for everything that had happened to Alex. She had only came to New York because I had asked her to. I needed her help, the type that I’m very embarrassed to tell. I asked her to pretend to be my girlfriend in exchange that I pay for the full price of your heart transplant, sir.”

  Maly gasped and glanced at her husband. Jacob tightened his hands about hers as he stared intensely at Jayden in the screen.

  “However, once she was here things got a bit complicated and I found myself falling in love with her. I really love your daughter, sir.” Jay looked at Jacob and then Maly. “I’m sorry for what happened, but now I only ask for this. I want to marry Alex. I ask for your permission and I ask for your help to set things right with Alex.”

  A long silent followed. Jacob seemed to be in some sort of dilemma.

  “Sire?” Jayden’s voice echoed into the silent room.

  Peter nodded. “Help him.”

  Jacob said, “Answer me this, Jayden.”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Will you do anything in your power to make Alex happy?”

  “Yes, sir. I love her. I will do anything to make her happy.”

  “And you will never hurt her in anyway?”

  “No, sir. I will never hurt her in anyway.”

  Jacob leaned closer to the screen, as though he was glaring into Jayden’s soul. Then he grinned. “Then we will help you. Welcome to the family, Jayden McCartney.”

  In the screen Jay sighed with relief and smiled.

  Peter gave out a loud “Yeah!”

  Maly laughed. “Welcome to the family, Jayden.”

  “Thank you,” Jay replied.

  ***

  NEW YORK CITY, USA

  IN THE STUDY room, Jay stroked his finger through his blonde hair in relief. He felt as though finally the world had decided to go his way.

  He looked up from the computer screen to his family who had been watching and listening to his conversation with Alex’s parents. Beth, Gracie and Stephanie squeezed in the small sofa. His father Tom sat on the other side with Kelly and Sam. Near the side table, Maggie popped the champagne and everyone cheered.

  As Maggie pour wine into glasses, Tom went round to the computer screen and introduced himself to the Stewarts. “Hello, I’m Tom McCartney, Jayden’s father.”

  On the other side Gracie came round and hugged Jayden. “I’m so proud of you.”

  Jay chuckled. “Thanks.”

  “And you’ll make her happy?”

  “I will.”

  “Champagne, everyone,” Maggie said, going round giving everyone a glasses.

  *****

  CHAPTER 29

  Two weeks later

  DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND

  LIFE FOR ALEXANDRA was colourless and meaningless. She was not interested in reading books, food just didn’t taste good, work was a haze of fog, people was just faces without souls and life was basically just a series of meaningless events.

  Day after day she’d come to work and do her things. Only her thought was always occupied with Jayden – the way he smiled, the way he touched her, the way he kissed her, the way he moved and laughed...

  Then she’d started getting angry the moment she thought about him and Sarah together. Things only had gotten worse when one night she had been browsing the net and her eyes caught an article about Kelly’s wedding in the ‘Your Wedding’ website. It was a feature article and near the bottom page there was a photo of her and Jayden together. The footnote said:

  Young, handsome billionaire Jayden McCartney with beautiful girlfriend Alexandra Stewart wearing a Chandra’s gown. Rumour to be said there was a secret engagement, a baby on the way, and marriage is just around the corner.

  She had growled then, in anger and frustration. How she and Jayden had looked good together and it only brought back beautiful memories that she never wanted to forget.

  Snapping herself from that thought, she stared up at the clock that was hung on the cafeteria’s wall. Five to two it said. Time to go back work she supposed. She gave out a deep sighed and got up, grabbing for her handbag and half-filled cup of tea. With her head bowed and her eyes on the new dark grey carpet, she made her way toward the conveyer.

  ‘What should you do tonight, Alex?’ she asked herself. ‘Not Facebooking surely? You’re not stalking Jayden again. No. No. Don’t be stupid.’

  Of course she hadn’t been on Facebook since she had gotten back from America. Only Jayden’s handsome face was still in her mind. She really wanted to forget about him, but found it so hard, which was rather annoying.

  “Oh damn!” she swore. Why does it have to be hard?

  Bamb!

  She gasped, felt the warm tea splashing on her front, soaking into her bra and skin. She felt herself falling of balance, backward.

  A pairs of hands grabbed her arm and pulled her back onto a warm, hard chest.

  Alex glanced up and widened her eyes in shock.

  She must be dreaming. ‘Yes, Alex, you missed Jayden so much that you’re fantasying about him being here for real in New Zealand, right here in front of you.’

  Oh how pathetic she was.

  She just stared up at him, her mouth opened, her heart working hard out and loud in her own ears.

  “So you’re not that clumsy, eh?” came the voice that was
so similar to Jayden’s.

  “Huh?”

  “How are you going to fix this?” her fabricated Jayden pointed to his stained Calvin Klein shirt. “Clean it for me with you bare hands? Or put it in the washing machine?”

  Alex could only stare at him. Was she really fantasying this? He was so real.

  “Is it guaranteed?” he continued.

  Alex bit her lip, confused and lost. If he was her fantasy, she thought, when she touched him he’d disappeared. To test her theory, she brought her hands up and touched his face. She gasped. He was warm and very real. God! He was real!

  “Jayden?” she whispered, her voice shaking, tears brewing in her eyes.

  “Yes, Alex, it’s Jayden,” he chuckled.

  “I’m sorry I ruin your shirt again,” she said absentmindedly as tears flow out off her eyes and her heart bursting with overwhelming happiness. She couldn’t believe that he was there right in front of her for real.

  “But you’ll fix it, right?” he teased.

  “Yes. Yes of course,” she said. “If I can’t wash it out I’ll buy you a new one. Well, maybe not here cos we don’t have the type you want here. But a similar one.”

  “No. I don’t want a similar one.”

  “Then what do you want?” she asked, wondering why they were discussing about his stained shirt when he should be kissing her and begging her forgiveness or something like that.

  “This is what I want, Alex.” He bent down to one knee.

  Alex frowned in confusion as she looked down at him.

  “Alex,” he said, pulling a small box out off his trousers’ pocket. “I want you. That is all I want. You. Will you marry me?”

  Alex gasped. Her heart was pumping so hard she thought it’ll burst out of her chest any second now. Her whole body was shaking in reaction as she stared at the princess cut diamond set in platinum sitting in the pale blue Tiffany & Co box. The exact same one she had tried on back in New York.