Wife for Hire

Chapter 1

Hey guys! Here's the new project that I promised! I know I know, it took me forever and you're probably wondering what happened with Bad Girl Gone Nerd. Its on hiatus right now because I have some things to workout and it will probably end up getting completely re-written and I've made a promise to myself and I'll make it to you guys too. I won't post a book unless it's completely finished. I don't want to make you guys wait eight years (this is an exaggeration) for me to get unstuck on a certain part. So, until then...enjoy!!

(Jason)
My father sat behind his desk staring at the newspaper. The only indication that he's made of noticing my presence was when he motioned for me to sit down.
    He clears his throat and lowers the newspaper so that I can see his face. It's stern as always only this time, it looked a little different. Tired. He rubs a hand through his salt and pepper hair, those blue eyes that matched mine were colder than ever.
    "Would you like to tell me why you're here, Jason?" I sit up straighter knowing that slouching bothers him. I squeeze the handles on my chair and begin to answer.
    "You called me here?" He comes and stands in front of his desk, crossing his arms.
    "Yes, but no. You're here because You're such a disgrace to this family!" I jump at his change of tone. He notices this and I look away. He throws the newspaper down in my lap and I look down at the title and picture on the front page.
    'Cooper corporation's new boss?'  I read the title and frown, I was in a lot of trouble.
    "Tell me, Jason," He says rubbing his hands together. I know what's coming next.
    "Why must you spend my money on, whores and alcohol? Why can't you be more like Stefan?"
    "Because I-" Slap.
    "Wrong answer."  My cheek stings and I don't bother to reach up and touch it. A sign of weakness to him.
    "Because you're a selfish idiot, that's why." I say nothing and I barely move, afraid he's going to do more.
    "Now, I have a proposal for you Jason. You will take it or leave it and by that I mean you have no choice." I nod waiting for him to continue.
    "Good. Now you have a date next Friday. If you really want this then you'll do as I say and settle down. If you don't the company and my fortune goes to Stefan, are we clear?" Another nod and he smiles lightly patting me on the cheek.
    "Good, now get out of my office." I stand and head outside to the race track. He wasn't going to win this. I wasn't taking this lying down.

    I make my way outside to my car and get in the backseat before my driver even has the chance to open the door for me. He climbs in the front and I think of all the places I can even begin to go to help me calm down and come up with some kind of plan without digging myself a deeper grave. 
    "Take me to Derek's." The driver nods and we head down to Derek's apartment. He was always a big help when it came to foiling my dad's plans. 

                        *

(Karmen)

"C'mon Joe! I need those philly cheesesteaks!" I yell to Joe watching as he fumbles around the kitchen.
    "God dammit Karmen! Don't you see i'm moving as fast as I can!" I sigh and look around the crowded diner. He needed to move faster because everyone was getting a little rowdy. I fill cups and take them out to the tables. One old couple smiles at me and I can't help but return their smiles. They were so nice, the best customers I have ever served. I head over to table six asking them if they need anything else. Maxine needed to hurry up.
    "Karmen come get your damn plates!" I glare at him and he sticks his tongue out at me and I can't help but smile. It wasn't like he didn't call me a "female dog" everytime he ended a sentence.
    "Thanks Joe." He rolls his eyes and moves on to another order. I carry the steaks to the old couple and they smile at each other. A few minutes later I see them feeding each other. I sigh and look back at Jo.
    "Aren't they cute?" He looks to where i'm looking.
    "Bitch please, i'm into the youngs men don't be pointing out no old geezers, unless they some fines old geezers." I roll my eyes again and continue serving.
    "I'm so sorry i'm late, Bobby would not stop crying when Jenny got there." I smiled. Bobby was the cutest little boy I had ever seen. He had bright green eyes, just like his momma and he was almost always smiling, except for around Jenny. I don't blame him though. Jenny was one of those babysitter's that always forced you to take naps and almost always forgot to feed you.
    "I don't think he likes Jenny." I say as she ties on her apron. She looks at me and gives me a face that says "no-shit".
    "I don't either, but she's all I got." I make an offended face.
    "You could bring him here and me and Joe can help you watch him." Joey stops stirring his gumbo.
    "Chick don't be volunteering me to take care of no snotty nosed kids." I look at him and cross my arms.
    "Don't make me come over there and slap you. You know you love kids." Another roll of the eyes.
    "Why don't you take yo chocolate self out there and take more orders?" I huff and walk back out to do what I get paid for.
                        *
    I unlock the door to my small apartment and smile, home sweet home. It wasn't the best, but with my mom in the hospital and her hospital bills running into the million category, I didn't have much of a choice. I walk into my room and take the tips that I made from that night and split it in half. Half of it going into the box of money that I have saved to help with my mom's hospital bills and the other back in my pocket so that I could use it for groceries. There was a knock on my door and quickly pushed the money back in my safe before locking it and making my way up front. 
    I stood on my tip toes to peek out of the peep hole and saw that it was my neighbor Shelly. I opened the door and stood back so she could come inside.
    "Hey girl. I'm glad you're home, I got some tea for you." I laughed, not only did she have some actual information for me, but she literally had a box of tea in her hand as well. 
    "Oh yeah, what kind?" She looked down at the box in her hand and handed it to me before pulling me into the kitchen to start boiling some water.    
    "Green Ginger, but also I heard Rico talking earlier," I rolled my eyes, Rico was one of our neighbors that had been flirting with Shelly for years but wouldn't make his move. 
    "Okay?" I said prompting her to continue talking. 
    "Oh right, and the club he works at is looking for some singers to help with live entertainment if you want to audition." I looked away from her as she poured water into two mugs and sitting the tea bags in each. 
    "Shelly..." She shook her head. 
    "Don't say no yet okay, it's a nice club and definitely not like the one we sent you to last time. They have real security and you won't have to worry because Rico can come and walk you home every night." I thought back to the last club she'd asked me to work at and I shook my head, I liked the job I was at now and I enjoyed the people I worked with. I didn't want to have to work their and have all the same bad things happen to me again and besides, the diner paid more than enough because I'd been there for years and I was so close to being able to cover my mom's treatment. 
    "I'm gonna pass Shelly, I can't do that not with my mom in the hospital, she wouldn't approve." Shelly nodded and continued stirring her tea and moved on to the other information that she had about our neighbors. I was only half listening, I really wished that life hadn't dealt me such a shitty deck of cards, if not I'd have gone to the fine arts school of my dreams and I'd be a singer by now, my mom would have the treatments for her cancer and we'd both be happy. 
    "Alright hun, I'm going to head out I have work in an hour." I nodded and took a sip of my tea as she left. I took this time to undress and get ready for bed. Just like any other day I would have an early start and would need all the rest that I could get. 
   
                        *

(Jason)

    "So what you're telling me is that your dad wants you to get married to help you settle down or else he won't give you the company?" I nodded and Derek looked me over before he started laughing in my face. 
    "Hey! What's so funny?" He shook his head.        
    "I told you that you might want to start settling down before your dad said something to you, but of course I'm never actually making any sense." I rolled my eyes and even though I knew he was right, I would never admit that to him. 
    "So what's your plan?" He asked. I sighed, I didn't really have a plan so far, If I knew my dad the way I thought I did, I'm sure he had plenty of girls lined up for me, the only thing is I knew for a fact that I wouldn't like any of the girls he brought my way. 
    "I guess find my own girl?" At this Derek laughed. 
    "I'm sure the girls you run around with won't last a second under your dad's watch." I nodded. I knew that much. 
    "Yeah, I know which is why, I'm going to find someone new, someone that isn't exactly my usual type." Derek nodded and leaned back in his seat taking a sip of his coffee. 
    "Okay, I'll put together a list of girls and fax them to you, you also need to come up with a list of terms and conditions, because if I know the girl you're going to end up with she's not just going to get with you out of the kindness of her heart." I rolled my eyes at his little joke, but I definitely did take it into consideration. He stood and grabbed his jacket before getting up and leaving for work. I leaned back in my seat and stared at the ceiling, what kind of girl would I need.