Chapter 7

Kelsey shook her head firmly and took a deep breath. When she felt like she was ready, she went inside the glass door and made her way to the booth.

"Good morning, Mr. King." She greeted formally with a tight smile on her face.

"Ahh, you're five minutes early. I'm impressed." He said nodding his head in the process. "Have a seat." He ordered as Kelsey sat on the connected booth across from him.

"Mr. King, I would-"

"First of all, if you're going to agree to this arrangement and accept my offer, I think you have to call me by my first name. It would be weird calling me so formally, is it not?" He asked with a raise eyebrow.

Kelsey shot him a weirded look and shook her head. "Okay...Mason. I would like to hear your terms and see the contract, please."

"Here." He said handing her a folder. "Everything is explained in there. How you would act as my wife, the story of how we met, and other relevant details. Do you need time to read the contract over?" He questioned as she started reading the contract as he spoke.

"Actually, yes. That would be nice." She answered as she kept reading.

"Well, if we're staying long, might as well order something to eat." He suggested and Kelsey nodded in agreement. Mason clicked the buzzer by the wall and a waiter came in a few seconds.

"Can I get you anything, ma'am, sir?" He asked nervously.

"Where's Ricky?" Mason asked pointedly.

"He's working, sir. He actually sent me here to serve you." The poor young man said with his head bow. He couldn't even look at Mason in the eye in intimidation.

Mason studied him causing the waiter to fidget and fiddled on where he was standing. Kelsey felt the awkward tension thickened in the room and she was starting to feel bad for the poor waiter.

"Hi." She greeted as his innocent blue eyes met her chocolate brown ones. He must have only been at the age of seventeen or so and he looked really shy. "Can I get your special waffle breakfast, please?" She said politely as he nodded and wrote her order down.

"W-what toppings would you like?" He stuttered nervously as he stared at the floor.

"Well, what do you suggest?" She asked trying to made him feel less anxious, but by the looked of it, he got even more nervous than he already was. Sweat beaded down his forehead as he wiped them with the back of his hand.

"Um...I- um..." He tried to answer as Mason stared at him intently.

"You know what, I'll just have some strawberries and cookies n' cream ice cream on top." Kelsey answered as the kid nodded.

"And add in chocolate milkshake and a pancake platter." Mason added causing the boy to nod his head with extra firmness before he left.

Kelsey stared openly at Mason as he shot his eyebrow upwards. "What?" He asked innocently.

"What is wrong with you?!" She questioned with narrowed eyebrows.

"What is wrong with me? What is wrong with him?" He retorted.

"Okay, it was clear that he was nervous. You could have at least be a little nicer and polite to him."

"I could have... I just chose not too." He bluntly replied.

"You're obnoxious." Kelsey fired at him.

"Yeah, an obnoxious man who is paying you a million dollars. Now more reading and less talking." He ordered making her roll her eyes at him.

"Jerk!" She muttered under her breath as she returned her attention back to the contract.

"Heard that." He said checking his phone for emails.

~ * ~ * ~

"A pleasure doing business with you, Ms. Parker." Mason said shaking her hand. After reading the whole contract and double checking everything with him, she finally signed it. It took her two hours to read and re-read it again and again until she had made her mind to make the final decision.

"Right. But is it necessary to move in with you?" She asked again for the millionth time. She wasn't really fond of the idea of living with this man and leaving her family.

"It has to be believable, okay? And the only way to do that is for you to move in and pretend to be love struck and what not." He explained.

"Fine, but I'm moving out tomorrow." She said defeatedly.

"Alright, I'll be there at nine to pick you up."

"Okay, I must be going now." She said standing up and getting her purse.

"Great, I'll drop you off." He insisted.

"No, that's fine, I'll just take the bus." She informed him.

"Are you sure? My meeting doesn't start until three o'clock, so I still have time."

"I'll be fine, see you tomorrow." She assured him and made her way out. She waved goodbye to Ricky, who was cooking some crepes and he waved back before she left.

When he finished his batch of crepes, he decided to go to the private booth and find out how it went. He made sure to bring some water with him since all Mason drank all morning was his favourite chocolate milkshake. The guy sure did love his milkshake.

As soon as he entered the booth, Mason was still on the same spot reading over the contract. Ricky then sat opposite to him and passed him the water bottle. "I'm guessing it went well?" He asked.

"Yup, she signed it." He said showing Ricky her signature on the contract. A mischievous smile was dancing across his lips.

"I can see that." He replied nonchalantly. Mason studied his friend and he knew something was bothering him. Knowing Ricky for most of his life, he knew something was off about him.

"What's wrong, Rick?" He asked as he closed the folder and put it aside.

"Do you have any idea what you are doing, Mason?" Ricky questioned him as Mason furrowed his eyebrows at him.

"Of course I know what I'm doing." He answered in all honesty. However, he was confused about why Ricky, of all the people, was against the idea of him hiring a bride.

"Really? 'Cause it doesn't seem like it. Mason, you're a grown up man. Do you really think that this plan of yours is going to work? Do you really think this is a great idea?"

"I know what I'm doing, okay? You said it yourself, I'm a grown up man. I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing and I know what I'm getting myself into, and so do that girl." He said feeling the tension in the room. Sure, he and Ricky would fight, it was natural. But fighting about something like this, it was a lot more serious.

"That girl is naïve, innocent, and oblivious on what she is getting herself into. She's willing to go along with this plan of yours because her family is having financial problems. She's doing this because she has to for the sake of others. Don't you see it, Mason, she's different." Ricky explained as he tried to twist it into Mason's head.

"She's after my money. That doesn't make her any different." He retorted.

"I don't think you get what I'm saying-"

"Seriously Ricky, I'm not having this conversation with you. Just go with the plan and stick to the script. I'm gonna go, I have a meeting to attend to." He interrupted as he gathered the contract in his hand and left Ricky behind.

"You are going to get it one day, Mason Emerson King, one day." Ricky uttered to himself.