07

Alexandra was going nuts ! She couldn’t concentrate or do anything right after that damn hot-choc with Peter and Jayden. Once home and alone in her bedroom, she threw her satchel on the floor and collapsed on the bed.

« You’ve sent me the wrong man, » she muttered under her breath, looking heavenward at the white ceiling. She sighed and rolled over to lie on her stomach. « He’s not even interested in me. He’s interested because I can help him. » She pouted her lips. « His girlfriend must be very hot. » Then she thought to add, « And very stupid. »

She rested her chin on her palm as she stared at her pink netbook screen. Well, you better stop thinking about him and start paying bills, Alex, she told herself.

Nodding her head and determined not to think about Jayden, she logged into her internet banking and started paying her electricity and phone bills. The balance in her bank account after that made her feel terribly depressed. She sighed. Oh, well, at least next Wednesday would be payday. Her spirit lifted with that thought. She moved on to check her e-mails. She stared up at the ceiling as she waited for her login. When she glanced back at the screen, she gasped.

« Oh my God ! »

She stared hard at the screen, which read : Jayden has requested to be your friend. Press accept if you know him.

She nibbled her lower lip, excitement bubbling up within her. Should I accept ? Her finger moved toward the link below that would lead her to the Facebook login page. Click !

Oh, Alex, you’re not a stalker, are you ? No, no, Alex, you’re not a stalker. You’re simply checking out this American guy, a guy who asked you to be his fake girlfriend. What type of request is that, anyway ?

So, okay, checking him out meant she was simply doing her research. After all, she didn’t want to get into an agreement with a weird creep who’d probably harm her now, would she ?

His profile picture was of him skiing at the top of a snow-covered mountain. Queenstown ? She couldn’t even make out his face. But he still looked hot even in that winter jacket, wool hat, and sunglasses.

Browsing through his Facebook, she found he loved extreme sports and he was a fan of many sports clubs. She concluded he was real. She noted he didn’t show his relationship status. He was probably still too heartbroken from the breakup.

After she had enough, she logged out of Facebook and turned off the laptop. She rolled herself over her double bed and sat up. Just then her cell phone rang. She wondered who it was as she reached for it. She flipped the phone on and saw it was Peter.

She grunted under her breath and said, « Hey, Pete. »

« Hey, Alex, how’s things ? »

Before Alex could say, « Everything is not all right, » because she kept thinking about Jayden and seeing his handsome face in her mind and she had just finished stalking him via Facebook, he said, « Look, Alex, so sorry about this afternoon. »

Alex bit her lip. « That’s okay, Pete. I know you want to help your friend. At least Margaret isn’t matchmaking you. Well, she doesn’t have to since you’re already engaged anyway. »

She heard him laughing, loud and clear, from the other side.

« Hey, so no hard feelings, right ? »

« Yeah, no hard feelings. I forgive you. »

« Thing is Jay is gay. »

Alex blinked. « Say what ? » she shouted into the phone. She drew back, shocked at herself for bellowing like that. She could just imagine Peter rubbing his sore ear as he stared at the phone in a bizarre way.

« Yeah, he’s gay. And there’s no girlfriend. Jay made it up so people think he’s—you know—straight. Anyway, you get the idea. You know, his family is well known in New York. If this gets out—«

Alex just sat there, her mouth agape in shock. Oh my God ! Jay is gay ? That hot dude who loves extreme sports is gay ?

« If his family knows, he’s in deep shit. Pardon my French. »

Alex asked, « That’s why he wants to hire me to pretend to be his girlfriend ? To prevent his family from finding out that he’s gay ? So they’d stop matchmaking him ? »

She looked heavenward and shouted internally, You totally sent down the wrong guy, mister. He’s gay ! Did you accidentally stuff up his genes before you sent him down to earth or something ? Is he supposed to have two X’s instead of an X and a Y ?

She said into the phone, « I’m sorry to hear that. »

« Well, aren’t you going to help ? Hey, he’s rich. This means more to him than making a million bucks. Besides, you could use the money for your dad. »

Alex thought Peter was right. She could certainly use the money, and her dad’s condition was getting worse. He had started to have fainting spells again. Not to mention chest pains, palpitations, and his depression was getting worse. She shouldn’t be selfish in such a situation. Not that she had ever been selfish in her life anyway.

« It’s like killing two birds with one stone, Alex. You’re helping a man in need, and at the same time, you’re helping your father. »

Bull’s-eye ! Alex thought Peter hit the target right there.

« Hey, Peter, can I phone you back in like an hour or something ? I have to think this over. »

« Yeah, sure. Talk to ya later, then. »

« Yeah, » she said and then flipped the cell shut.

She sat there on the side of the bed, deep in thought. She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want to have to ask for help. And this was the weirdest help she had ever received. But then again, this wasn’t help, was it ? Jayden was, after all, hiring her. So in effect, it was a job. A weird one.

She left her room and came into the living area. She spotted her dad taking his many medications. He was still young, at the age of fifty-five, and he had to go through all that ?

« You okay, Dad ? » she asked. She knew he hated that he, as the breadwinner of the family, was now depending on his family for survival. The very thought hurt him, and it threatened to kill him.

« Just a migraine, » Jacob said.

She knew he was lying. She glanced at her mom and asked, « What’s for dinner ? »

« Sweet and sour salmon soup and beef and mixed veggie stir-fry, » Mali replied. « Honey, why don’t you go lie down ? » she suggested to her husband.

Jacob grunted and nodded. Then he made himself comfortable on the La-Z-Boy chair.

Alex grabbed the blanket and wrapped it about him. « Comfortable ? »

Jacob nodded and closed his eyes. Alex lowered her face to his and then gave him a peck on his cheek. « You’re not very good at lying, you know. »

« You’re not either. »

« It’s genetic, » she retorted.

After helping her mom with the veggies, Alex went back to her bedroom. She threw herself on the bed and slouched on her stomach. Then she grabbed her notebook and a pen. She wrote down on top of the page : PRETENDING TO BE MR. HOT-CHOC’S GIRLFRIEND. Then on the right side of the page she wrote : ADVANTAGES, and on the left side she wrote : DISADVANTAGES.

A lot of thinking, mumbling, writing, and furiously scribbling out later, she read aloud what she had written down.

« Advantages : help Dad pay for his heart surgery, pay off the mortgage, help Mr. Hot-Choc, get to see New York, get to go to a wedding, get a holiday, and get to see Mr. Hot-Choc every day for two weeks or so. »

She frowned at that last one and furiously scribbled it out. He’s gay, she reminded herself. Then she looked at the list below the word disadvantage.She read, « Away from home and family. Mr. Hot-Choc’s family might not like me. Who cares ! »She cocked her head to one side. « Decision made. » That meant she’d have to hand in her annual leave on Monday. She smiled at that thought. Finally, it was holiday time.

* * * *

Margaret Thompson glanced at Peter and Jayden from where she stood in the kitchen, armed with a knife and chopping board. She wondered what they were doing, sitting there for almost an hour now, staring at the BlackBerry that was on the coffee table. It looked as though they were daring it to ring, so intense they were at their task. The air was thick with tension and anticipation.

The telephone on the side table beside Peter shrilled out, causing the two men to jump. They glanced at each other. Peter ignored the ringing phone beside him that seriously demanded his attention and leaned closer to his BlackBerry. A second later, the continuous buzzing was starting to annoy the men. They both frowned at the damn thing and demanded it to shut up.

Peter said, « Mum, aren’t you going to get that ? »

Margaret looked up, her green eyes peering above her spectacles at Peter, her red hair bright and glowing under the light. « I’m busy, Peter. Aren’t you going to pick it up ? »

« I’m waiting for an important call, Mum, » Peter said, signifying that this could be a life-and-death situation.

« Well, your call must be very important, then, » Margaret retorted, shaking her head. She wiped her hands clean with a towel and rushed to pick up the receiver. Meanwhile, the two men turned their attentions back to the BlackBerry that refused to give any sign of an urgent incoming call.

« Hello, Margaret speaking, » she said, heading toward the kitchen. A short pause and then, « Hello, Alex dear, how are you ? »

The two men snapped their heads up and zeroed in on the phone in Margaret’s hand. They both jumped up at the same time and rushed toward Margaret, who was oblivious to their eager advance and was chatting animatedly to Alexandra.

Peter raced up and intercepted his mother. « Mum, Alex ? »

« What ? » Margaret asked, clearly confused. « Of course it’s Alex. Wait ! What are you doing ? » she snapped as Peter tried to seize the phone from her hand. « Don’t you dare ! I’m talking to Alex. » She shoved the phone away from him.

« No, Mum, this is important, » Peter begged.

« What is so important ? It’s only Alex, » Margaret said, the phone up in the air and away from their reach. « Besides, I haven’t talked to Alex for ages. »

Pete snatched the receiver from his mother simply because he was taller. « Sorry, Mum, you can talk to her later. » He placed the receiver against his ear. « Alex ? That you ? It’s Pete here. »

« Oh ! Hey, Pete. »

« So what is it ? What’s your decision ? » Pete asked as he eyed Jayden, who looked rather nervous all of a sudden.

« Look—um—I’ve been thinking—I’ve—I’ve decided to help Jay. »

Peter grinned and motioned a thumbs-up at Jayden, winking at the same time. Jay nodded and smiled.

Margaret saw Peter winking cheekily and shook her head as she went into the kitchen. She said loudly, « Why don’t you invite her over for dinner ? »

« Who ? Alex ? Okay, » Peter said and then to the phone. « Great, Alex. Good decision. Listen, why don’t you come over for dinner ? »

« Oh, okay. I’ll be there in a jiffy. Bye now. »

« Bye, » Peter said and hung up. The two men laughed.

Margaret saw and raised an eyebrow. She wondered if Peter was trying to set Alex and Jay up. She hoped so because that sweet girl deserved a fine young man like Jayden.

« She’s coming over, » Peter shouted to his mum.

Jay said, « I still haven’t forgiven you. »

« About what ? » Peter asked innocently.

« About that lie. I’m not gay. »

Peter chuckled. « Hey, bro, I know you’re not, but it’s the only way to get her to change her mind. She feels sorry for you. You ought to be pleased with that. »

Jay took a seat and leaned back against the comfortable sofa. « Yeah, I suppose I should. »