Page 4 of A Bride for the Billionaire

"Ah, how is Louisa doing? I've known her for years. Tell her we must get together for some drinks soon." May says and I’m instantly at ease, her voice is gentle and soothing.

"I will do. I'm a little nervous because I've never heard of such an agency before. I've just been made homeless and lost my job so I am desperate at the moment. Louisa thinks that this work would suit me and I have to say I'm intrigued." I'm also listening out for the bathroom door to see if someone comes in, but there's no one there. Thankfully.

"Not many people have heard of us and I'd prefer it that way. We like to stay exclusive. Our clientele are very rich men who don't trust women very much. They've usually been burned and just want someone on their arm to get them through a family event or wedding or even a business deal."

"How long has been the longest assignment?" I'm curious.

"The longest has been two or three weeks. Usually, the business deal has been completed by then or the family event is over. Some of my clients like the wife to stay for a few days after the event just in case someone decides to call and check if she is his wife or not. Does that make sense?"

"Absolutely. I'd love to know more about it and how can I join?"

"We have a policy that you have to come in and be interviewed. It's quite a vigorous meeting, we need to ask certain questions and see what your level of retention is. You will be given a file which you need to read, digest and recall at a moment's notice. I'd like to meet with you, let me check my schedule. Just hold on for one moment."

"No problem." I listen to the calming on hold music and close my eyes and lean against the wall. This all sounds so surreal. Who pays money for a woman to pretend to be a wife? They must all be ugly, because when I look in the tabloids and magazines, I see those young rich men with different women on their arms all the time.

It's a few minutes then I hear her say, "Super, I actually have an opening on Friday morning at ten if you want to come in then."

"That's fantastic, I'd love that. What do I need to bring with me?"

She laughs. "Just yourself, we don't need proof of qualifications, we are not that kind of place. I just want to get a chance to know you better so that I know what kind of man to pair you up with. There's no point in me pairing you up with a man with five dogs if you are allergic to dogs."

"Super, Friday at ten sounds perfect. Thank you for this opportunity, May and I'll tell Louisa to give you a call."

"Thanks Cora, I'll see you on Friday." She hangs up the phone.

I take a deep breath, run my fingers through my hair and ruffle it a bit. I put my hands down on the worktop and lean into the mirror. I have a big smile on my face, this could be what I need to get enough money to find my own place. I'm grateful to Louisa for letting me stay, but I only want it to be temporary, I don't want to overstay my welcome. Smiling at myself, I push off the worktop and open the door to go back to the table and Louisa.

Chapter Three

CALEB

I called Miss May from Wife for Hire there and then and now it's Wednesday and I am sitting in her office area waiting for her to take me into her room. It's quaint and I can see she takes a lot of pride in her artwork. I stand and walk toward one piece of a woman holding up her wedding dress and running back down the aisle away from her husband-to-be who is standing there staring at her. Why is he not running after her? Why is she running in the first place? I have a lot of questions about this piece of art.

"You're an art man, Caleb," a small voice comes behind me. I turn and face the woman who is in the painting. I look back and forth to the painting and she laughs. "Yes, that's me."

"I have questions about it, but now that I know it's you, it would be rude to ask." I look at the painting once more before turning completely to face, who I assume to be May. "Miss May, I assume," I say, extending my hand for her to shake.

"Yes." She shakes my hand. "Come," she ushers me into the room. "I want to hear your questions, you'd be surprised how it can tell me a lot about you, Caleb."

I take a seat and get comfortable. "The first thing that hit me was that he wasn't chasing you and I wanted to know why. Then I wondered why you were running, with a smile on your face too, I noticed there at the end."

I watch her as her expressions change on her face. Then she smiles. "Not very many men ask the first question. Most are concerned that I ran away from a wedding that clearly cost a fortune and left my groom to deal with the fallout. That makes you a very interesting character, Caleb. Would you run after your future wife if she began running back down the aisle?"

"I would, unless she was running towards a man with open arms waiting for her, then I'd just leave to go and be happy. If she is running away she probably has a good reason, and we both know that you need to hear all sides of the story before jumping to any conclusions. But more than that, when I get married it will be because I love someone wholeheartedly and couldn't live my life without them. So the answer is, yes I would run after her and have the conversation that we clearly need."

I see emotions running over her face, especially in her eyes that seem to tear up.

"I didn't mean to upset you, Miss May."

"No, it's fine, Caleb. I wish my ex had even tried to stop me leaving him, but he didn't and it was for the best in the end anyway. I found out he had been sleeping with my best friend and she was pregnant with his baby." She looks down at her hands which are intertwined.

"Then you made the right choice and didn't have to go through the heartache of finding that out on your honeymoon or when you came back. It was the right thing." I lean over the desk and put my hand on hers. I don't know why I am doing it, but it just feels that she needs some comfort.

She looks up at me. "You're a good man Caleb." She takes her hands away and then leans back in her chair. "So, you need a wife to hire?" It comes out as a question rather than a statement.

"Yes, I have a wedding to attend. It's my ex's wedding. Like you she was cheating on me, even though we were engaged. She was cheating on me with my business nemesis and the guy who bullied me at school. She knew I hated him so they deserve each other. But to invite me to their wedding takes the absolute piss."

"Ah, I see. So you want to take a beautiful woman with you and pretend you don't care and that you are married already?" She turns toward her computer screen. "Let me see who we have available."

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