He had to be kidding. But no, he was dead serious.
“W-what? Why?”
“I am going to give you an advance. How do I know you aren’t going to run away?”
How indeed? He did have a point but no way in hell was I going to stay with him!
“Look” said Jude, “we have to make this believable so it’s the most natural thing for us to be living together. Besides my friends are coming to meet you.”
I sat there wondering not for the first time what had I got myself into? We drove in silence and soon reached Jude’s home. I got out of the car and looked around. It was a classy neighborhood. Of course! Where could Jude live? I turned around to see Jude struggling with our shopping bags. I rushed to help him. We entered his house and I kept the bags that were in my arms on the floor. I looked around impressed. For a bachelor living alone he sure kept the place clean!
“Nice place.”
“Thanks” said Jude kicking off his shoes.
Both landed in opposite directions and he didn’t even bother to put them on the shoe rack! He just left them there.
He proceeded to stock his fridge with beer that he had picked up on the way back.
“Are you hungry?” He asked.
I shook my head to say no. He shrugged and proceeded to pull out something from his fridge and heating it in the microwave.
“My friends will be here soon so go freshen up. Change into this.”
He said tossing a bag at me. I looked in and gasped. It was the cowl neck top that I had put away when I saw its price! I looked up at him and he shrugged saying “it will look good on you.”
I smiled at him and realized that I would have to go to the nursing home quickly and get back before his friends got here.
“Um Jude I need that advance today. Like now.”
“Ok. Do you mind if-”
“yes, I do” he looked at me surprised. “I do mind you asking me why I need it.”
He scowled at me and gave me some money. That would take care of mum’s needs for 3 weeks! But I would have to remove some for myself.
“You know curbing your expenses will help you solve your troubles.” He had to do it. He just had to ruin a perfect day. It had almost been fun, almost.
“If I need your advice, I will let you know. Till then keep your opinions to yourself.” I rushed to the washroom and slammed the door. I splashed water on my face a few times.
Calm down Natasha! Never forget that he is a jerk. Just a rich, spoilt jerk and that’s never going to change. It’s not like he is bothered about you. He bought you all that stuff just to maintain an image in front of his friends. After that lecture to myself I quickly changed and re applied kohl and gloss. The red top looked hot. It was definitely worth the price. I pinned my hair and once I was happy with the way I looked I stepped out. Jude nearly dropped the beer tin he was holding when he saw me. I smirked and picked up my bag.
“Be back soon honey.” I said snarky and got out.
“Come back soon” Jude yelled when he had recovered, I was almost out the door. I hurried along glancing at my watch.
Jude’s POV
I mopped the beer I had spilt. God, she looked like a diva! It was like she was transformed from the maid Cinderella to Princess Cinderella! I found myself wishing that I had been wooing her instead of making this deal with her. That she was high maintenance I knew. Both the days that I had met her she had got calls about overdue payments. What did she spend on? Had to be food! She ate like a pig! I had never seen a girl eat so much. It was refreshing. She was a refreshing change from the girls I dated, that’s for sure. She didn’t come on to me like other girls but yeah what she had in common was their expenditure. She needed money and from her appearance I could tell that she had simple tastes. It just did not add up.
I had to live with her for a year and yet I didn’t know anything more than her name and where she lived and yes, her phone number of course. I checked my watch and realized my friends would be here in less than an hour. I just hoped Natasha would be here on time. I went about dumping the dishes in the sink and ordered for some pizzas. I changed into shorts and a T and settled myself in front of the TV. I kept looking at the watch it had been over an hour and she hadn’t returned yet. I was apprehensive now. Why wasn’t she back yet? Had she changed her mind? God what an idiot I was! Why hadn’t I insisted on going with her? Suddenly the doorbell rang and I answered the door.
“Hey Jude!” Said Gary “look who I found outside.”
Natasha stepped out from behind him.
“Where were you?” I asked relieved to see her.
“Um I got lost?” I rolled my eyes. Then saw a puzzled look cross Gary’s face.
” Natasha you have a terrible sense of direction.” I said closing the door. I gave her a warning look as she opened her mouth to protest. She seemed to have understood and gave me a slight nod.
She entered and put her shoes on the shoe rack. She hesitated then picked mine as well and put them on the shoe rack.
“Jude!” She yelled and I turned towards her “how many times have I told you to not throw your smelly socks around! Put them in the laundry basket where they belong.”
I looked at her shocked and saw her trying to hide a smile. “Oh honey – am so sorry. I will do it right away.”
This time I bit back a smile at her shocked face. Well two could play a game. Meanwhile my best friend Gary sat in silence watching us and to say that the poor guy was shocked would be an understatement.
“Er Natasha” he started hesitatingly “where is Jude and who is this impostor?” Natasha busted out laughing while I gave them a fierce look. They were enjoying this at my expense!
“So Jude, Natasha here was telling me about how you guys me the first time. Very entertaining story, I must say” said Gary with a huge grin.
I looked at Natasha panicking a little. I didn’t know what she had told him how were our stories going to collaborate? She just smiled at me serenely.
“What? I just told him that when we met the first time, I ended up slapping you coz I thought you were a pervert!”
Gary was laughing so hard he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. Ok that did it. She was being sassy I wasn’t just going to sit back and watch. So, I grabbed her and kissed her in front of Gary and I kissed her hard. She had turned red but I kept going on.
Finally, when I pulled away, I said, “yeah but you forgot all about that when I kissed you and asked you to marry me.” Gary gave a low whistle.
“Whoa I go out of town for a month and you my friend have got yourself hitched already!”
I smiled at him putting my arm around Natasha who was staring at the dishes in my sink with disgust. If I can convince him then I will have no difficulty in convincing my parents that I am truly in love with Natasha.
“Well Natasha” said Gary “I have to admit you are nothing like the doting, simpering and purring girls that Jude dated. Gorgeous-yes but not an airhead.”
I glared at Gary, “yes thank you Gary for that little insight in my love life.”
Natasha was hardly paying attention she was searching for something in the kitchen. When she found what she was looking for she gave a yell. She snapped on the rubber gloves that she found and started washing the dishes that I had just left in the sink.
“Er honey? Mrs. Bower will do that in the morning.”
She waved me aside, “honestly Jude if that good lady wasn’t there this place would be a sty coz you live like a pig!”
Gary snorted at that and I could just stand there and stutter. Oh my God! She was one of those obsessive-compulsive people! She just needed to keep everything in its proper place and everything had to be clean. Just like Monica from friends! What? I like friends, so go ahead and sue me! As Natasha washed the dishes Gary and I pulled out a beer from the fridge and sat in my living room.
“So? What do you think?” I asked Gary.
“Dude she is hot! And not only that she is also smart!”
He said like he had made this incredible discovery that good-looking people had brains too. Then he said what I had been waiting for, “I like her already. I think she is exactly what you need.”
I nodded in agreement. If only he knew that we could be civil to each other for not more than a minute, I wonder what he would say. She was feisty for sure. If I was really getting married to her she is exactly the kind of woman who would keep me in line. I smiled as I thought of our kiss. She was so embarrassed it was totally worth it. Soon Natasha joined us.