Wife for Hire

Chapter 26

(Karmen) 

    The gala had finally arrived and I was actually really nervous. Jason and I had gone out a couple of times, but they were usually only for show this time since our relationship had changed and I felt like I was really being introduced to friends and family as his wife, I was nervous. Annaliese had come over to help me get ready and wouldn’t even let me peek in the mirror until she was absolutely done with me, clothes and all. She talked to me though, about the kind of people that would be there and what I would need to focus on and a lot of good pointers on who to avoid and who to be sure to introduce myself too. Even though I knew none of the people that she named, I figured Jason would me with all of that. 
    “And voila!” She said as she turned me around to face the mirror. My jaw practically hit the ground. I knew that I looked good in this dress, but honestly I looked even better with the makeup and hair as well. I walked away from the mirror and then back in front of it again. Yep, that was definitely me. I looked at Annaliese and back at myself and sure enough the girl in the mirror definitely copied my movements. I pulled Annaliese into a hug and she laughed before hugging me back. 
    “Alright ma’am. I have my own preparations to make, so I’ll see you at the gala.” She said, before packing up her things and rushing back downstairs. I shook my head again and looked at myself one more time in the mirror completely taken aback. Annaliese had straightened my hair the night before and put giant rollers in it so that it fell in loose curls today instead of my natural curls, she pinned all the hair to one side and made sure that the dangly earrings that her and John had picked out were shown off along with a floral hair clip that was keeping all of my hair to one side. I kept the necklace that Jason had given me, I hadn’t taken it off since I had gotten it and she left me with a light golden shawl to drape over my shoulders. I didn’t know what to say honestly, I still couldn’t believe that this was really me that I was looking at. I took a deep breath and smoothed the front of my dress one more time before opening the door to head downstairs. 

(Jason) 

    “And you’re sure the room is set up exactly the way we discussed?” I asked the hotel manager over the phone. I had a room set aside for me and Karmen tonight once the gala was over, or somewhere to slip away if we ever needed a small break from the crowd. I had this whole idea planned and I needed every aspect of it to be just right. After what happened Christmas night, Karmen and I’s relationship had completely changed. We hadn’t talked about what it meant for us or the contract, but I was worried that next morning she was going to say she regretted it and I didn’t want her to feel that way, but tonight I was hoping to get a good answer and some clarification on what all of this meant for the both of us. 
    “Okay good.” I said before hanging up and pacing in front of the door downstairs. Annaliese had left a couple minutes ago and when Karmen didn’t come right down behind her I got worried and then I began to get anxious that everything was going to fall through and the night was going to be ruined. 
    “Karmen, are you ok-” She stepped out of her room and I could swear my jaw was literally touching the floor. I had began to make my way up the steps to check on her, but she had stepped out of her room before I could. I stopped dead in my tracks, unsure if this was really Karmen I was seeing or an angel. 
    “Does it look bad?” She ask, all of a sudden feeling self conscious and fidgeting with her fingers. I shook my head and met her up the stairs. 
    “Far from it. You look...amazing. Like, wow.” She smiled and I almost found myself falling down the steps. She grabbed my arm to steady me. 
    “I don’t look that good.” She said with a laugh. I shook my head. I wish she could see herself the way that I saw her right now. She was absolutely breathtaking. The golden dress hugged her curves in all the right places, it was strapless and her breasts were sitting pretty high, high enough to grab a little attention, but low enough that they didn’t feel like they were hitting you in the face either. Her hair fell in loose curls over to one side and she was still wearing the necklace I had given her. 
    “Karmen, we might just have to miss the Gala. I don’t think I want to share you tonight.” I said pulling her to me and placing kisses on any of the exposed skin. I felt her shiver against me and smiled in delight. 
    “J-Jason. Jason, we promised your father we would, we promised your father, that we would be there tonight. So, w-we, we have to go.” I groaned, but nodded. I had a whole room set aside for us and I would have her to myself even after the gala so I wasn’t too upset about it, but I really didn’t want to share her with anyone else tonight. Not even my father. I took a quick glance at my watch and then nodded. We needed to head out if we wanted to make it to the Gala on time. I held my arm out for her to grab onto before leading her downstairs and out to the car that my father had sent for us, I hoped everything would go as planned.