Wife for Hire

Chapter 21

(Karmen) 

    Tuesday came around a lot faster than I had intended it to, but I was really excited to go shopping for Jason’s present. Derek had asked me to meet him at the same cafe that we met at the first time to discuss the contract arrangements and I found myself smiling at the memory. I walked up to the counter and looked over the menu, I was no longer in the mindset that I couldn’t afford a five dollar coffee and ordered the largest frappuccino anyone could ever imagine, anyone being me. I sat at a table happily sipping away while I waited for Derek. 
I thought about the things that I wanted to get Jason. There were so many ideas, a watch, a fancy pair of headphones, anything materialistic like that, but I really wanted to get him something that was meaningful, that he would smile every time he looked at it. I sighed, why was he the hardest one to shop for? 
Derek showed up ten minutes before three, ordered a coffee and sat in the seat across from me.  
“Karmen! It’s good to see you, I feel like it’s been a minute.” I nodded. It had been a minute. The last time I saw him, me and Jason had a scandal on our hands. Other than that I hadn’t heard much from him since. 
“It has been a long time, how are you?” He shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee. We talked for a little bit, catching up. I asked him about the forbidden fruit that he had been avoiding around the time that we first met and he blushed. I laughed and reached across the table to ruffle his hair. 
“Awww Derek, you’re so cute! You still like her?” He sighed and sat his coffee down, looking away from me for a moment. 
“I thought I had moved past her, but when I saw her again for the first time in a long time, those feelings were instantly back. I don’t know, it’s like my day can be going to hell and I think of something she’s said or her smile and it makes it better. When I get to talk to her nothing can ruin my day. You know?” I nodded and thought back to Jason, he could be irritating and we could argue and fight like nobody’s business, but my day wouldn’t be right if I didn’t eat breakfast with him. If we didn’t watch tv together before bed. I sighed, I had it bad. 
“I know exactly what you mean, to want someone that almost seems impossible to have.” He looked surprised, but nodded, smiling nonetheless. 
“Well miss, you’ve got me here, what did you want to talk about?” I took a sip of my frappuccino and swallowed. 
“Jason’s Christmas gift.” He nodded and we sat there for a while spitballing ideas, but Derek was just as bad as me. 
“What did you get him?” I asked. He shook his head and zipped his lips. 
“You think I’m going to tell you, so you can steal my idea and give it to him first? I think not.” I rolled my eyes, how could he read me so well? 
“Whatever, my gift will be ten times better than yours anyway.” I said as I stuck my tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes and stood. 
“Come on, let’s go get some inspiration.” I nodded and threw my frappuccino cup away before following him out to his car. 

We had spent hours looking, we drove to multiple malls, multiple outlets and department stores and there was nothing there that I saw that I wanted to get him. I sighed, why was shopping for him so much harder than it had to be. I had just started banging my head against the table in frustration when Derek put his hand under my head to soften the blow. I looked up at him and smiled. 
“Don’t get too frustrated Karmen, I’m sure you’ll think of something. Maybe you can do something kitchen related? You know since he likes to cook?” I thought about what he’d just said and a gift idea popped into my head instantly. Of course! His dad was letting him chase his dreams, what would be more meaningful than something for his restaurant? I could just about kiss Derek. 
“That’s brilliant!” I said jumping up and pulling Derek into a hug. He looked at me confused, but nodded along anyway and jumped along with me in confused excitement. 
“I have to go home and order it, but thanks so much for the idea!” I started to say and run off in the opposite direction. Half way down the mall I realised that Derek drove me here and turned around to spot him following me at a steady pace, sipping his drink. 
“You finally remembered you rode with me, huh?” I blushed but nodded and followed him out to his car. 
When I got back home, I barely said hey to Jason before I ran upstairs to look online for his gift idea. When I found it I practically screamed in excitement as I ordered it. I could just imagine his face when he opened it. I searched online a little bit longer to see if there was anything else that I wanted to get him and something popped up for my mom. A little glass perfume bottle that I had caught her staring at so long ago I doubt she even remembered. My mom hated the idea of wearing perfume, she thought if you had to cover up how you smell then you obviously didn’t wash well enough. But, this little perfume bottle was the one thing that she had never been able to look away from, even when they took it out of stores she would stare at magazine cut outs. I instantly put that in the cart as well. 
Once I was done buying those gifts, one more thing popped up for Jason and I smiled as I thought about how he would feel about this gift. I hoped he would like it, but I could completely understand if he hated it as well. I shrugged off that thought, I’m sure he would love it regardless. When I was done picking out gifts and customizing what I could, I closed my laptop and sat it on the side of my bed. Finally, I had gotten everyone something for Christmas, now the waiting game.