Her eyes shot up to my face. “Into what?” She sounded almost panicked.
“Erm…” My voice faltered.Take control, Sebastian. Business meeting. Business meeting.“The reason you asked me to meet. I assumed it was more than to be in my company, since the last time we met, you weren’t particularly pleased to spend too long in my presence.” I raised an eyebrow.
“I…” She glanced away for a moment. Was she changing her mind? Was she reconsidering whatever decision she had made when asking me to come today? Was she…
But then she shook her head and met my eyes again, something like determination across her face. “Your proposal. You promised to help my mom?”
“And you. Provide for both your mom and…”
She shook her head vehemently. “I will go through with it for my mom. Only for my mom. Only for her. I hope I can trust you…”
See, Sebastian. She is like every other woman. She doesn’t care anything for you.
But she cares about her mom.
I felt the urge to reach out my hand and take hers. Squeeze her soft hands in mine. Feel the warmth of her skin between my palms.
Sebastian.
“We will make a contract detailing all the terms we will both agree upon. Just like in any other business deal. I will make sure it’s legally binding so that you do not need to rely on your faith or ‘trust’ in me.”
“Oh…business deal.” She echoed my words, looking as if she was feeling them in her mouth.
It stayed like that between us for a few minutes before I drew out my tablet and stylus pen. “Shall we discuss terms, then? I already have a few I am quite adamant about but, as they say, ladies first.” I tapped on the document and my bullet points from the night before appeared. Already color-coded.
“Oh, uh…go ahead. I’d like to hear yours first.” She bit her lip.
“Okay,” I said. “But before I do, I just need a verbal okay from you. Because you haven’t said you were going to go ahead with our…”
“Fake marriage? Yes, I am going through with it. The poor sad girl who needs your sympathy and pity.” Elly rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms behind the tablecloth.
“Okay. Good. So, I guess I can go ahead and read them to you. Here goes.” I paused to clear my throat. “The contract period will include a two-month build-up to the marriage—sooner than that and everyone is going to know that it was all a fake, or that it’s flaky.”
“Wait what? Two months? I didn’t think this arrangement was going to go that long!” Elly hissed. More guests were arriving in the breakfast room now.
“This isn’t a week-long job. I expect the full contract to last a year, so that there are no sideways glances or searches for vetoing the union before the time is right.”
“One year,” she repeated. She glanced down at her hands that were clasped in front of her, her elbows leaning against the edges of the table.
But then she raised her face again. “If you want a year from me, I will need an advance. To pay for my mom’s surgery. She…she needs it urgently.” Her voice was level, but her eyes could not lie. There was pain there.
You’re a real piece of work, Sebastian. Can you at least show some feelings?
“Of course,” I said. “I think that’s only fair. An advance when we sign the contract and then we can discuss the installments question later, when I have some figures to show you.”
Figures? Cold.
She nodded at this.
“My second term,” I continued, “is that while you are in Colombia—which I expect you to be for eighty percent of the duration of our contract—you are to reside in my abode.”
There was a pause. “Your what?”
“My home,” I replied.
“Your home? I…I guess that’s only…erm…natural for these kinds of things. It just never crossed my mind. I just…”
“You will be perfectly comfortable there,” I assured her. “Private ensuite bedroom in the other wing, private sitting area. So, if you were…”