The Marriage Contract

5. Words Are Knives

"There you go," the girl, Lauren, said. She spun me around in the chair to show me the finished product of my hair.

I took a sharp intake of breath as I saw myself. It was different. Very different. And I loved it! My natural beach waves looked more like loose curls now, and stopped above my shoulders. "Its perfect," I said with a smile, standing up from my chair. "Here. For doing such a great job." I handed the girl a fifty and walked out of the salon.

I wandered around the mall for a while, until I stumbled up on Hayley in a line at the food court, supporting three bags in one hand, two in the other and purse. I was quiet as I walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around, and almost immediatly, her eyes widened and a huge smile lit her face.

"What do you think," I asked with a smile, flipping my now short, bouncy hair around.

"I love it! Oh my gosh, Ryland is totally going to freak! Didn't you say that he liked long, straight hair," she asked with a devious look on her face.

"Yep," said matching her facial expression, "That is exactly why it is perfect. Plus, even though I am totally opposed to the whole idea of marrying him, I still think with the dress that I picked, the short hair is going to complement it," I said as she grabbed her ordered food and started leading me off to a table.

"I think you're right," she said sitting down.

We didn't waist much time eating and within fifteen minutes, we were in our cars, going our separate ways. As I pulled up to my building - that's going to take a while getting used to - I unintentionally hesitated in my car. All of the possible scenarios of Ryland's reaction ran through my head, and before I could stop myself, I worried if he would actually like it or not.

"No," I snapped, out loud to myself. "Pull it together. You don't give a flying fuck what he thinks," I said and jumped out of my car. Locking the doors behind me, I strutted confidently into the building with my head held high.

As I walked through the lobby, I noticed the same blonde guy - Taylor? - that helped me find Ryland's apartment yesterday. He glanced up at me, and let his eyes roll over my body, "You look nice, Miss. Aurora," he drawled and I smiled, until what he said hit me.

"Thank you, but hold on. How do you know my name? I don't remember telling you," I said suspiciously, as I walked a little closer to the front desk.

"Oh," he said a little caught off guard, "Mr. Steel came down a little earlier and added you to the lease."

I stared at him in shock. "Oh."

He chuckled at me, "Yeah. And the fact that you and Mr. Steel's names are plastered all over every gossip magazine on the rack."

"WHAT?" I ran over to the magazine rack that sat to the left of the desk and took a look, myself. Sure enough, there I was. Getting out of the car with Ryland this morning, going into the Bridal store. The titles read things like "Wedding Bells for Steel?" and "Sleeping Beauty and The Ice King: Has She Thawed His Frozen Heart?" Damn, they work fast. These pictures couldn't been taken but a little over two maybe three hours ago.

I sighed and put the magazines back on the rack, "This is just great," I grumbled to myself as I grudgingly walked towards the elevators that may or may not have been examined thoroughly last month. I pressed the button, and within seconds, the doors dinged, and opened. Before I could so much as move out of the way, a man wielding ear-buds and runners all but trampled me.

"Whoa! I'm so sorry," he appoligized, in a thick, deep Australian accent, pulling his earbuds out and looking over me as I did the same to him. He was attractive. Very attractive - although still not on Ryland's level. What? Let's be honest here, I may not like him, but i'm not blind! He had dark blonde hair that fell to the bottom of his neck with screaming blue eyes. He was tall, well over six feet and was built beautifully.