Page 4 of Accidental Proposal

“Yes, you may. Here is my number. Let me know when you have decided,” Liam said, handing me a business card. He stood up and waited for me to get up and follow him. Holding onto the card, I grabbed my cup and followed Liam outside to the car. He slid in beside me and looked over at me. “Your address.”

“184 Burton Street,” I said, feeling ashamed about my neighborhood. He repeated the address to the driver, and the car started back to my apartment. Thankfully, Liam didn’t say anything about me living in a pretty bad neighborhood or that I lived close to the club. A few minutes later, we pulled up to the front of my building.

“Thank you for the drink and ride back,” I said, opening the car door.

“You’re welcome. Think about my proposal. I want a reply by the end of the week at the most,” Liam said, turning to me. I frowned at his formal answer and the way he was talking to me. I held back an eye roll and got out of the car. Closing the door, I made my way inside my apartment.

During the entire walk to my place, I kept replaying what Liam told me. How could I marry some stranger I just met, and for money? When I got inside my apartment, I threw away my drink and changed out of my clothes. I crawled into my comfortable bed and stared up at the ceiling. Even though I have been up since six this morning and didn’t go to bed until four, I was now wide awake. When I looked at my clock, I saw it was midnight. I knew I should try and go to sleep because I had to be at work at nine, but everything that had happened tonight ran through my mind. The crazy part about it all was I was really considering taking Liam’s deal.

***

The next day at work, I was almost in a daze. I hadn’t been able to sleep all night, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Liam’s proposal. The idea of marrying someone I didn’t even know wasn’t appealing, but that kind of money was. People would probably think I’m a gold digger, but since I’ve been on my own most of my life, I have never had anything nice or anything that wasn’t a necessity. I could maybe have a life.

All the pros and cons ran through my head as I went from table to table. I was starting to think I was crazy for even considering the deal. What would even happen to me during this year? Would Liam expect me to act like I’m some high-class lady? To act like I was madly in love with him? And what if someone found out this was all a hoax? Plus, what would happen to me at the end of the year marriage? All these questions came to mind throughout the day.But it’s only for a year.My shift ended at 5 p.m., and I sat on a stool, thinking. Sophia kept asking what was on my mind, and I wanted to tell her, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want her to make me change my mind or to think I was crazy for considering this deal. After sitting there for five more minutes, I made my decision. I asked Sophia for her phone, and she gladly let me see it. Going into the back room, I dialed Liam’s number.

“Hello?” he answered after three rings.

“Liam? This is Jenna Howard,” I said nervously. I was about to make either the worst decision of my life or the best. “I will marry you.”

Chapter Three

I didn’t know that when I agreed to marry Liam, I would also be signing over my soul to the devil. A few days after I made the deal with him, a couple of big men came to my apartment around nine in the morning and started packing my things up. When I protested, they simply told me Mr. Stanford had paid them to come here and start gathering my stuff. They also mentioned that Liam wanted things to be mostly packed away by the end of the week. With it being Wednesday, that was practically impossible. Plus I didn’t want some random guys going through my stuff. After a few minutes of arguing with the movers, well of me mostly threatening them, they agreed to come back tomorrow. The moment they left, I grabbed some quarters and left my apartment. I headed to a payphone down the street, fully intending on giving Liam a piece of my mind.Man, I really need to get a phone,I thought to myself as I put in some quarters and dialed the gross buttons. The moment Liam answered, I started yelling.

“Liam Stanford, what were you thinking? You think you can send some random movers to my apartment and let them tell me I’m suddenly moving?”

“Jenna—” Liam started, but I cut him off.

“No, Liam, just because I agreed to be your fake wife does not mean you get to run my life! If you want me to move, you have to tell me directly. Now, why do you want me to move?” I ranted, pausing for a moment to hear his answer.

“You will be moving into my place with me.” His answer was curt and rude. “I will resend the movers there to give you boxes to pack, and by Friday morning they will be moving all your stuff into my place. I do not want your furniture, so bring only your clothes. Leave everything else in boxes. You will need to quit your job at the club. ‘My wife’ would never be seen working there.” There was a moment of silence, and I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off. “Oh, and Jenna…do not ever yell at me again.” His voice was hard. With that, he hung up on me. I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared down at it.

What the—

***

The movers were back at my apartment an hour later with boxes to pack my stuff in. After telling them I did not need any help, I sent them away. I sat on my couch and just stared at the wall. Moving, quitting my jobs—so far agreeing to marry Liam was not turning out the way I wanted. Since I didn’t have to work until two, I had a few hours before going to the diner. I started packing some of my things, beginning with the stuff in my bedroom, as I had the most stuff in there. I honestly didn’t have much, and not moving my bed or couch into Liam’s lessened the load.

About an hour and a half later, I sat on the floor with a few boxes all around me. My room looked practically bare, and I couldn’t help but sigh.

“How pathetic. I already packed almost all my bedroom stuff and my bathroom, and it only took five boxes to do so,” I said to myself. I left out the stuff I would need for the next two days, but the rest was already packed away. I guess when you didn’t have money or a real home, you didn’t need much to get by.I may have to call Liam and have him bring the workers tomorrow instead of Friday.Seeing the time, I got up and changed into my work uniform.

I wasn’t looking forward to saying goodbye to the few friends I’d made at both my jobs. I’d miss them more than the job itself. I didn’t even know what I was going to do when I was living with Liam, but I guessed I’d just have to find something to keep me occupied. I walked to Ruby’s, trying to think of the best way of telling Pete I was leaving.After my shift, I will.I nodded. That sounded like the best option. Walking through the front doors, I breathed in the smell of the diner one last time. The scents of grease and hamburgers filled my nose. I smiled and made my way to the counter to put my stuff away. Thankfully Sophia was working today, so I could tell her goodbye. I didn’t work tomorrow, and who knew when I would see her again, or if I’d see her at all after I left?

When I walked through the door, I saw almost all the tables were packed, with Sophia and the other two waitresses running around. Since it was practically lunch time, I quickly put my things away and grabbed my apron, tying it around my waist as I started helping at random tables. Seeing the diner packed like this was good, but I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen when I left. Would there be enough workers? Would Sophia have to work even more? Instead of dwelling on those thoughts, I pushed them aside and helped out the customers.

For the next hour or so, I was busy going from one table to another, then back to the kitchen. I knew it was weird, but I was going to miss working here. The customers were usually very nice and knew who I was. Even after the rush died down and it was only me, Sophia, and this new girl, Vanessa, sitting around, I kept putting off telling Sophia and Pete all afternoon.

“Jenna, are you okay? You’re quiet today,” Sophia said, standing in front me.

“It’s nothing,” I said, playing with my fingers.

“Jenna.” She had her hands planted on her hips as she stared at me. Sighing, I braced myself for her reaction.

“I am…quitting today,” I said, peeking up under my eyelashes at Sophia.

“Wait? What? Why?” she asked, her voice high.

“I…it’s a very long story.”

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