Page 5 of Hitched

All six eyes are on me, and they open wide.

I shake my head quickly. “Duh. It’s the oldest trick in the book, you guys. The two proteges of billion-dollar businesses marry and join forces? Come on. Tell me you weren’t thinking the same thing.” I lift a finger. “Oh, but, that’s not what Dougall Harris has in mind, that snake. He wants to take over the business. He’s into all those acquisitions.”

“But, don’t you do acquisitions, too?” Janice asks.

“Yes, but we acquire businesses that are doomed, rebuild them, and sell them off to build our equity. Like what Edward, or Richard Gere’s character, did for a living, in ‘Pretty Woman’.”

“And Harris Investments doesn’t do that?” Wendy checks.

“No, they do a hostile takeover, and use the money that suckers invest in their company, to create more equity, essentially buying them out. Now, they’re not doing that with their latest kill with the Ford brothers.”

Wendy gasps. “I heard about that! So, they’re not trying to take over the airport or Crystal Land Developments?”

“No, the Fords are investing with them, not the other way around.” I clarify. “I imagine it’s because of the huge skyscraper project and the airline deal with the other asshole Ford clan. They’re going to make too much money and they have to put their big boy pants on to help deal with that.”

“So, he wants to marry you?” Wendy snorts. “That’s novel.”

“He doesn’t want to marry me. He just wants to fuck me. It’s his da that wants us to get married.”

“Has your dad ever suggested such a ridiculous thing?” Janice asks with an unimpressed growl, as she sips her wine.

“Of course.” I shrug. “But da knows that I have no intention of ever getting married, despite his incessant need to have more McAdams babies.”

“Well, isn’t that the idea? I mean, how is the company legacy going to be carried forward?” Brandy states.

“Yeah, I mean, even if you squirted out a couple of McAdams slash Harris brats, it doesn’t mean that you have to raise them. Hell, if your dad rents fucking spies, I’m sure he can chip in for a nanny.” Janice adds.

I shudder. “God, the thought of squeezing out a kid.”

“It’s awful.” Brandy makes an expression like she just ate a lemon. “Blood, guts, the whole deal. Plus, you get fat and get stretch marks. And you never get to sleep again, like, ever.” Wendy volunteers.

“How would you know?” I ask, not buying it.

“My friend had a baby. She said it’s the worst experience ever. She said she’d rather get an abscessed tooth pulled without pain killers.”

I decide it’s time to change the subject, as I lift a hand. “Okay, I think we’re getting a little bit ahead of ourselves here.” As I say this, I watch Caleb, still licking his wounds at the bar. The bartender has freshened his beer and now he’s making a call. I figured he would leave, but I guess he’s not finished with me yet. It’s okay. I can handle him and his adolescent hard-on. I’m not about to back down from a billionaire mogul, even if he is the most gorgeous man alive. He does nothing for me. At least, that’s what I try to tell myself. I don’t let on to my girlfriends that my heart really was pounding fast when I was that close to him. His scent, his big, blue eyes, his accent that matches mine, and the attitude that does, too.

Truth is, I have no idea if he had a hard-on or not, but he had that look in his eyes like he did. Even though, judging by the magazine articles that I’ve seen him in, it’s a common look for him. Maybe he always has an erection. He probably fucks around enough. I’ll give him this: he’s good at discretion. I have yet to see an article about him dating a celeb or a supermodel, which is usually the type that rich bitches like him go after.

“Okay, why do we keep staring at him?” Wendy says.

“I'm not staring at him.” I lie. “I already said my piece.”

“Come on. You're telling me not one iota of estrogen in your body was talking to you as you were over there?” Janice queries.

“Not one iota.” I lie.

“God, you must be one hell of an actress then.” Wendy says. “I swear I was just about to bet Janice that you were going to take him out back.”

“Well, in that case, I'm glad that you didn't waste your money. Because I would sooner sleep with one of you guys than sleep with him.”

“You're telling me you wouldn't even just use him? Not even for a one-night stand? You've done that once or twice, don't lie.” Brandy reminds.

“Oh my God! Who with?” Janice gushes.

“Probably another handsome billionaire is my guess.” Wendy says. “That is, after all, the type that you meet on a daily basis, isn't it?” Janice adds.

I give her an eye roll, and then gesture with my chin towards Caleb. “Yes, and we all know how gallant those types are, don't we? Let me run out right now and you can grab me one.”

---