The Contract

by Melanie Moreland

  Aside from the small tilt of his chin, he said nothing.

  “I knew you would never hire me. I had heard of the tight-knit way you ran your business. My reputation was less than stellar, on a personal level.” I barked a laugh. “It didn’t matter what I could bring to the table, business-wise, because my lifestyle and personality would stop you from even considering me.”

  “That’s true.”

  “It occurred to me, if you thought I wasn’t that person, maybe I would have a shot.”

  “And you came up with this plan.”

  “Yes.”

  “How did Katy come into this scheme of yours?”

  “Not willingly. With the rules at Anderson, I knew she was the most obvious choice. Aside from the fact she was different from any other woman I had dated, that she was my assistant was the perfect set up.” I shrugged my shoulders in resignation. “I didn’t even like her. She wasn’t crazy about me, either.”

  “You both played it well.”

  “We had to. It was important to both of us.” I leaned forward, earnest. “She did this for one reason, and one reason alone, Graham.”

  “Penny.”

  “Yes. I paid her to pretend to be my fiancée. I practically coerced her into marrying me to continue the charade. She hated the lying and the deception.” I rubbed the back of my neck, my fingers digging into my skin hard. “She was, is, so fond of all of you that it became too much for her, I think. She couldn’t do it anymore.”

  “How much of this deception was Brian Maxwell privy to?”

  I had already decided not to let anyone else suffer because of me. I refused to jeopardize either Brian or Amy. “None. I told him the same story I told you. If he suspected anything, he kept it to himself. I think he truly thought I had changed, or he wouldn’t have been part of this. Amy,” I added, “knew nothing. Nothing.”

  He regarded me for a moment, tapping his chin. “I’m not sure he was as innocent as you say. However, I’m going to let it pass. Amy is a trusted employee, so I do believe she knew nothing.”

  “She didn’t.”

  “So you came on board. What was your plan?”

  Putting my head down, I clasped my hands behind my head, pulling my neck. I felt tight and anxious, as if I would jump out of my skin any second.

  “Richard, you need to calm down. Try to relax.”

  With a huge exhale, I released my neck and looked up at him. “I don’t know where my wife is, Graham. I can’t relax. My life is in turmoil, and the one person who can make it better is out there somewhere”—I waved my hand toward the window—“thinking I don’t care.”

  “When did you fall in love with her?”

  “I have no idea. It was supposed to be an act. I needed her to make me more likable. I thought if I could get my foot in the door, prove my worth to you and your company, show you what I could offer to your campaigns, maybe my personal life wouldn’t matter as much. Eventually, I would divorce her, and we’d go our separate ways. I’d keep working; she’d be in a far better place financially than she had been. No one would be any the wiser.”

  “But?” His question hung in the air, simple and heavy.

  “Things changed. I changed. What was supposed to be an act became real. We became friends. Allies. Then we became more. I never saw it, though. I never saw how important she was becoming to me. I never thought I was capable of having feelings like that for anyone.”

  “Where does Penny fit into this situation? I think she was a huge part of it all.”

  “Katharine never wanted me to meet her or have anything to do with her life. She didn’t want to confuse Penny’s already muddled mind. The night you had the get-together when I joined the firm, and I had too much to drink—we argued. Or rather, I was an ass and I pushed her. She told me about her parents’ accident and how Penny came into her life. She informed me, in no uncertain terms, exactly what she thought of me.” Even with my worry and the seriousness of the conversation, my lips curled into a smile. “I saw a side of Katharine that night I never imagined she possessed. She wasn’t an insignificant weakling as I’d originally thought. She was, is, fierce and strong. Loyal.” My smile fell. “And she opened my eyes to what a bastard I truly was—to her, to everyone around me. The next day, I went and met Penny.”

  “I assumed she impressed you?”

  “She reminded me of someone from my past. One of the few good people I had in my younger life.” I tugged at my cowlick and stopped talking, knowing I had to regroup my thoughts. I didn’t want to dig that far into my past with Graham. “Despite everything, Katharine married me that day because we had a deal and she kept her word.”

  “And you fell in love with your wife.”

  “Yes, I did. But it was too late.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “She left me. She left everything I gave her behind. Her phone, the money, even the car. I have no idea how to find her or where she might have gone.”

  “What about Penny’s things? Did she take them?”

  “No, those are at the condo, along with a few of her personal things. I assume she’ll contact me as to where to send them.”

  “You don’t want to wait until then.”

  I stood up, going back to the window. “I don’t think there is anything to wait for, but no, I need to find her.”

  “Are you willing to fight to change that—do you want to fight, Richard?”

  I spun around. “Yes. I want to fight for all of it. Her. My job. Everything.”

  He stood up, crossing his arms. “I suspected you were lying the first time I met you.”

  I gaped at him. “What?”

  “I was fairly certain. I found your thought process intriguing, though. You intrigued me. Talking to you, I had a sense there was more to you than you allowed people to see. There was a spark, for lack of a better word, I could see. For the first time ever, I wanted to hire someone I wasn’t entirely sure about. Laura felt the same way about you—even stronger, to be honest. She felt you needed to be given a chance.”

  “You said as much one other time.”

  He nodded. “Katy—she was the deciding factor. She was open and real. Whether you realized it or not, you were different with her.” He smiled. “It was actually enjoyable watching you fall in love, Richard. We could both see it. We saw the changes in you.” He studied me, his head cocked to the side. “At the office, you were a wonder to behold. The way your mind works, spinning ideas, concepts. Your enthusiasm even got me going again. It was quite the spectacle to witness.”

  My throat tightened. I could hear the finality of his words. Were. Was. My career at The Gavin Group was over. Even though I knew it would happen, hearing it was still a blow—a small flicker of hope had burned, and now, it was gone.

  “Your company, Graham. My time there has been, without a doubt, the most positive, creative environment I have ever been part of in my career. The way you allow your people to work, the cohesive energy that permeates the environment you created. It was an honor to work for you. I can’t even begin to express my apologies for deceiving you. I won’t ask for your forgiveness, since I know I don’t deserve it. All I ask is that you forgive Katharine. I made her do it. I backed her into a corner until she had no choice.” I paused, unsure what else to say. “She’s so fond of Jenna and Laura. Once she comes back, it would give me great comfort knowing she had a friend she could rely on.”

  “Where will you be?”

  I shrugged. “Toronto, maybe? I don’t know. I won’t leave town until she returns and we settle everything.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “This is your idea of fighting? It sounds as if you’ve already given up.”

  “I can’t work for some obscure online advertising company, Graham. I’ll never go back to Anderson Inc., so I have no other choice really, except to move to another city and start again.”

  “Have I fired you?”

  “I assume it’s coming any minute.”

  “And when
it does?”

  “I’ll shake your hand, thank you for being someone I’ll respect the rest of my life—someone who believed enough in me to take a chance. Very few people have ever believed in me.” I swallowed the thick emotion in my throat—Katharine had been one of those people.

  “Why are you telling me all this, Richard?” he asked, confused as to my motives. “You could have stayed silent and ridden this out. Katy may come back and all this will have been for nothing. My suspicions would have remained simply that—suspicions.”

  I met his stare. “Katharine isn’t the only one tired of living a lie. I want to move forward on a clean slate, whether it’s here with you or elsewhere. I didn’t expect this plan to deviate. I hadn’t planned to fall in love with my wife, and I never expected your opinion of me would mean as much as it does. I didn’t”—I cleared my throat—“expect to feel this close to your family. I’ve never experienced anything like it—I never had a family, not a real one like yours. It was as if I had come to my own crossroad, and I had no choice except to tell you the truth. I’m sorry I let you down, Graham. I regret that more than I can express.”

  He stepped forward and I held out my hand, surprised to see it was shaking. He looked down, ignoring my outstretched palm. His hand was heavy as he clapped my shoulder and met my gaze. “I’m not firing you, Richard.”

  “You . . . you’re not?”

  “No. Not now. You have work to do. You need to find your wife and get her back. Then we’ll discuss your future with the company and in general.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “There is more to all of this than meets the eye. Your past has dictated the person you became as an adult—which frankly wasn’t the nicest of people, until Katy.”

  “What do you want, Graham?”

  “I want you to find your wife. Find out what she’s thinking—how she’s feeling. Be honest—lay your cards on the table.”

  “Then?”

  “Bring her home or finish it. One way or another, get your life on track. You and I are going to sit down and talk—really talk. I think you have a lot to offer my company.” He stopped and gave a nod as if he had reached a decision in his head. “I think my family and I have something to offer you.”

  “And what do I have to do to get it?”

  “Be honest. Real. I want to know about your life. The Richard you were and the Richard you are now. As well, I will expect apologies to my family. If you stay on board, you are going to have to earn our trust all over again.”

  “Back to square one?”

  “I’d say right now you’re a negative five.”

  “I understand.” I really did. His offer surprised me—it also terrified me. The thought of telling him my past life—the person I was growing up and before working for him—was daunting. However, I had something else I needed to do first.

  “I don’t know how to find Katy.”

  “I suggest you do the same thing as you did with me today. Start at the beginning.”

  “What?”

  “She and I talked a lot the day of Penny’s memorial. I think I know where she may be. If you look hard enough, you’ll find the answer in your home.”

  “Tell me,” I urged. “Please.”

  “No. You need to figure this out. Get to know your wife without help. If you try, if you think, you can do this, Richard.” He squeezed my shoulder. “I have confidence.”

  “What if I can’t?”

  “Then you don’t want it badly enough. If you love her, if you really love her, you’ll figure it out.” He paused and regarded me thoughtfully. “I’m going to ask you a question. I want you to answer me without thinking. I want your first thought.”

  I straightened my shoulders. I was good at that. “Shoot.”

  “Why do you love Katy?”

  “Because she makes me look at the world in a different way. She grounds me.” I lifted a shoulder in frustration of how to explain. “She makes life brighter. She showed me what real love meant.”

  He nodded. “I’ll drive you home now.”

  RICHARD

  IN THE HALLWAY, LAURA STOPPED us. She looked up at me, a frown on her face.

  “I was listening by the door, Richard.”

  “Okay.”

  “I heard almost everything.”

  I dropped my gaze, hers too intense to meet any longer.

  “You lied to me. To my family.”

  “Yes.”

  “So did Katy.”

  My head shot up. “Because I made her, Laura. She hated it. She hated the fact she had to lie in the first place, but once she got to know you, she loathed it.” I stepped forward. “She did this to make sure Penny was looked after and had a safe home. She . . . she became so fond of you, of all of you, this ruse ate her up inside.” I gripped the back of my neck, wrenching on the tense muscles. “I think it was the main reason she left. She couldn’t take the lies anymore.”

  She stretched up, tugging on my arm. I released the grip on my neck and allowed her to clasp my hand.

  “Was it still a lie when she left?”

  “No,” I admitted. “I love her. I’m lost without Katy.” I swung my gaze to Graham and back to her. “That’s why I had to tell you. I needed a clean slate, no matter what else happens. I needed you to understand this was all on me. Not her. If I leave town, and she comes back, I hope you’ll forgive her. She’s going to be all alone.”

  Laura smiled. “You’ve grown, Richard. Your first thought now is Katy and her well-being.”

  “It should have always been.”

  She squeezed my hand. “Find your wife. Tell her the truth. I think you’ll find you aren’t the only one who’s lost.”

  My chest constricted. I wanted to believe—to believe she loved me, too. That she ran because she needed to figure out her next step. I needed to find her so she understood she didn’t have to make it alone.

  “I want that.”

  Graham spoke up. “Then work for it. Earn it. Figure out your personal life. Once you do, we’ll discuss your professional one. As of this moment, you’re on leave until we talk again. You aren’t fired, but your future isn’t set in stone, either.”

  “I understand.”

  I had expected to be fired instantly. Thrown out of his house. No matter the outcome, or how difficult it would be, a future discussion was more than I deserved.

  “Thank you,” I stated sincerely.

  “I’ll take you home now.”

  I followed him to the car reflecting that without Katy there, it wasn’t my home. It was the place where I lived. Wherever she was right now, that was my home. Beside her. I had to find her and bring her back. Then I could call it home again.

  After Graham dropped me off, I wandered the condo, unsure where to start. On the coffee table was the file holding all Katy’s color swatches and ideas for the place. She had added to the list for my bedroom, her little sketches included rearrangement of the furniture and color on the walls. She was talented. I had noticed but had never told her that, though I should have. There were many thoughts I should have shared.

  I tossed the file back onto the coffee table. When I got her back, we could discuss whatever changes she wanted to make to our room. She could do whatever she pleased to the entire place, as long as she was there, it was fine.

  First, I had to find my wife.

  I went to her room, dragging a small file box off her closet shelf. I knew it contained legal documents for her and Penny. I sat down on the chaise and opened the lid, ignoring the sense of guilt. These were her personal things and I felt as if I shouldn’t be looking through them without her permission.

  However, I had no choice.

  An hour later, I put everything back in the box, my head reeling a little. Katharine was very good at keeping records. For the first time, I understood how close to the edge of poverty she’d been living. How every cent she made went toward Penny and her care. I was able to see how the expenses became greater while her i
ncome only increased marginally. She had cut back further and further on her own expenditures—moving to cheaper accommodations, spending as little as she could on everyday necessities. Thinking back to how I treated her at the office, the things she put up with on a daily basis, how I mocked her menial lunches—it all made me squirm. Shame, hot and deep, ran through me as I thought of the things I’d done, the way I’d spoken. How she ever moved past it, and had forgiven me, was a miracle.

  I shut the lid. Although I gleaned a bit more insight into her life and her unconditional love of Penny, this box held no clue as to where she might be.

  I hauled out the two unopened boxes from the floor of her closet and scoured them for clues. Yet, hours later, I sat back in defeat. They contained various personal items: school projects, report cards, pieces of bric-a-brac, a few family pictures, and mementos from her teenage years. They were memories that would mean a great deal to her but meant nothing to me, nothing to guide me to her whereabouts.

  I repacked the boxes and stood up, weary, but determined. I glanced around the room, then did a sweep of the drawers, shelves, bookcase, and bathroom. I pored over the pictures on the shelves, looked over the small knickknacks, and ran my finger over the book spines. I doubted her choice of literature would give me any clues.

  I flicked off the light and went downstairs. I poured a scotch, surprised to see how late it was. I looked around the kitchen but had no appetite to eat. I grabbed an apple, chewing it while sitting at the counter. Thoughts of her in the kitchen, cooking a great meal, floated through my head. I remembered her laughter and how she teased me when I growled about dinner taking too long.

  “Patience, Richard. All good things come to those who wait,” she said with a chuckle.

  I shut my eyes. I couldn’t be patient when it came to finding Katharine.

  I tossed away the half-eaten apple. In the den, I fired up the computer to check for an email from her, not surprised when there wasn’t one. I sipped my scotch, staring around the room. I always liked it when she would come in and sit across from me. I would show her what I was working on, and her comments were always positive and helpful.