Knight in Shining Suit

4. RSVP

4.

RSVP:

Répondez s'il vous Plaît, meaning, “Please Respond”

I’m not going. I’m not going.

At least that’s what I kept telling myself over the last two weeks. Now, it’s one week until the wedding and no phone calls from my mother begging me to go. Not even an encouraging look from Adam.

So finding mystery Alpha Male is out of the question. Until I received the call that I thought I would never receive.

“Sweetheart, it’s Uncle Jack.”

I took a deep breath. “Hey, Uncle Jack! How’s it going?”

“Not bad,” He replied. “How are you?”

“I’m…fine, Uncle Jack.”

He sighed. Then he said, “Sweetheart, I know that what Geena did to you is just… unforgiveable. I… couldn’t believe it when I found out. I know how hurt you must have been.”

“It’s fine, Uncle Jack. I’m… over it.” I lied.

“If you won’t make it to the wedding, I would definitely understand,” he said.

I didn’t answer. Somehow, there’s a hidden message there. Does he or doesn’t he want me to attend the wedding?

“Astrid… I’m sorry. For Geena’s behavior.”

“It’s fine, Uncle Jack. You don’t have to apologize,” I said weakly.

“You’ve been like a daughter to me too. I know your pain, sweetheart. Like I said, I am deeply sorry for what Geena has done. And if you can’t find it in your heart to forgive them… I wouldn’t hold it against you.”

I took a deep breath and went silent for a while. And then finally, I said, “You must be excited for the wedding, Uncle Jack. You’ll be walking Ge… her down the aisle.”

His tone finally lightened. “Yes. It’s a proud feeling to be walking your little girl down the aisle. It’s… probably going to be the happiest day of my life…” He trailed off, realizing that he probably said too much.

“It’s okay, Uncle Jack. I know you feel very proud. And I will attend the wedding. For you. So your joy will be complete.” I didn’t know why I said that. But I guess, I really love Uncle Jack. Enough to sacrifice my pride… just to make him complete on that day.

For a while there was silence, then I heard his heavy intake of breath. “Oh sweetheart, sweetheart…” he started saying. “Sweetheart, you don’t need to do that.”

“For you, Uncle Jack,” I said, trying my best not to cry. “I will do it for you.”

He sighed again and I thought I heard tears in his voice when he said, “Thank you, Astrid. You’re a wonderful woman. And someday, you’re going to meet somebody who will make you happier than you have ever been.”

Now, I really cried. “Thank you, Uncle Jack. That means a lot to me. I’ll see you next week.”

After I hung up the phone, I must have cried for hours until it dawned on me that I had a bigger problem now.

If I were to bite every bit of my pride, I would do so with dignity and grace! Even if it’s just for the show.

I stood up from bed and called all of my friends and asked them to meet me at Oil Rig.

Adam had a smirk on his face when I walked past him in the living room.

“Ten grand,” he said to me.

“What?”

“That’s what I’m willing to pay for your date,” he said without even blinking an eye.

“Wow! Why so generous?”

“Because you’re more desperate now than you were two weeks ago.”

“You’re not kidding, are you?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

He shook his head. “I don’t have a sense of humor, Ash. You know that.”

When I met my friends at the bar, I told them about my sudden problem.

“We could have found the perfect guy by now if you had only decided two weeks ago!” Dannie complained.

“I know guys! Now, I’m just plain desperate.”

“Where are we going to find your perfect guy? And how?” Nicole asked.

“Adam,” I replied.

“Adam? Are you crazy! He’s your cousin! Even if you are not related by blood, you grew up as cousins!” Nicole said, clearly abhorred by the idea.

“No, silly! Adam gave me an idea. He said, I only need to find a super hot guy and the rest is easy.”

“Are you forgetting? We want super hot, super rich, evidently smart and successful?” John reminded us.

I shook my head. “We only need super hot and maybe desperate for money!”

They all looked at me as if I just lost my mind.

“Adam is willing to pay a guy like that to pretend to be smart, rich and head over heels for me.”

“How much money?”

“Ten grand,” I replied.

Nicole sucked in a deep breath, Dannie’s eyes went wide and John almost choked on his drink.

“Wow! That’s a lot of money!”

“Well, he will have expenses. He needs to rent a suit and a nice car. Plus he needs to… act. And act well!”

“What’s in it for Adam?” Dannie asked.

I shrugged. “Like you, he’s was my punching bag too, remember? He sleeps next door to me when I cry at nights. It must have been excruciating to live with me for months now. If I know him well, I think he’s willing to pay ten grand for a change of scene. Or maybe he’s hoping this is the push I needed to get my act together soon so I can move out of his crib and move on with my life. Plus, he’s rich. Ten grand is nothing to him.”

“Okay, so your guy only needs to be sexy and handsome and must have a little bit of education?” John asked.

I nodded. “He must be in on the deal. He must pretend to be smitten with me.”

“And you won’t mind if this guy kisses you all over, puts his tongue down your throat, and his hands all over your ass?” Nicole asked.

I took a gulp of my beer. “If he’s super hot, maybe not.” I know that once I see Bryan and Geena all lovey-dovey, I just might put my tongue down this stranger’s throat!

We all agreed to scout for that hot guy who will be perfect for our scheme.

“Remember, he must rent or borrow a luxury sports car, if he doesn’t already own one. And he must come in an expensive suit,” Dannie reminded everybody.

“Oh, oh! Wouldn’t it be nice if he rents out the most expensive hotel room in the resort where Geena and Bryan will have their honeymoon?” I asked.

They all stared back at me.

“And what if he proposes to me on the same night? With a big diamond ring! A real diamond ring! That would really steal Geena’s thunder! And that’s only fair since she stole my wedding anyway!”

“Ten grand? Not going that far,” John chuckled.

“I’m sure there are rental diamond rings out there. We’ll return it after a day.”

“Ash, don’t you think that’s going a little too far?” Nicole asked with a worried expression on her face.

“They went too far, Nic! They cheated on me and they stole my dream wedding! Plus, they made me pay for their florist! Every single discount they got for their wedding was because of me! Because those suppliers thought I was going to be the bride! Now, that’s cheap!”

John shook his head and took a gulp of his beer.

Dannie nodded “I’m sorry, Nic. But I agree with Astrid. The only way she can get back at them for what they did to her, is to shine brighter than the bride on her wedding day, and to make the groom ask himself, ‘what the hell was I thinking?’” Dannie smiled at me. “I’m with you, Ash. Let’s find you the perfect man for the job!”

I was all set and excited for the next day. We were all supposed to reconvene at the Oil Rig Bar with pictures of prospects that I can choose from.

I’m was going ‘men shopping’ and for the first time in months since Bryan proposed to me. I actually felt a tingle of a thrill go down my spine.

The next day, as I was rushing to the Oil Rig, Adam handed me an envelope.

“What’s this?” I asked him.

“A down p*****t,” he replied.

I looked inside the envelope and found a check amounting to five grand.

“You’re really serious, aren’t you?”

“I keep my promises, Ash. And I know you need this more than ever. You can give this to your guy as an act of good faith. He can rent a suit and a nice car with this. The other half, he’ll get after the party,” he said.

“Adam, seriously, why are you doing this?”

He put an arm around my shoulder and pulled me towards him. “I hate weddings! I’m willing to pay for a little entertainment.”

I laughed and reached up to give him a peck on the cheek.

“Thanks anyway,” I said.

“Good luck. Make it worth my money, Ash,” he called in a teasing tone.

When I arrived at the Oil Rig, none of my friends were there yet. I sat in the bar and ordered a margarita.

“The best margarita in town for the beautiful lady,” I heard the bartender say.

I looked up and found myself staring at the most striking green eyes I have ever seen in my life. Long dark lashes framed his eyes. He was wearing a white cap over his dark hair and had a stud earring on his left ear.

“Can you sign, Ma’am?” he asked. It took me a while to realize that he had already asked me the question twice.

“Oh.” Was all I could say. He nodded slightly and his lips curved into a crooked smile, revealing a deep dimple on his left cheek.

I was pretty sure that my hands were shaking as I signed the slip he handed to me.

“Thank you,” I said.

“You’re welcome, Madam. Enjoy your drink. Just call for me if you need anything else,” he said, grinning.

I might have been in a relationship for too long because, for the life of me, I could not tell whether he was flirting with me or not. But since I had almost lost everything I had worked for, there was nothing I could say to him that would make me sink any lower. Bryan and Geena have totaled me out, thank you very much!

“And what name would I ask for?” I asked, mustering all the confidence I could manage, and hoping to God that my voice didn’t sound squeaky.

He flashed me a brilliant smile that made my world turn upside down and every nerve in my body tingle. His aristocratic face suddenly turned boyish and mischievous with a perfect smile that showed another deep dimple on his other cheek, and his perfect set of teeth.

“Ryder,” he replied.

I nodded. “Alright. Thanks, Ryder.”

He stood there for a while, and I knew he was waiting for me to say my name. Then after a couple of seconds, he figured out I was not going to give it to him. I grinned back at him instead.

“Alright. Perhaps when I bring you your next drink.” And he gave me a wink.

I knew I was blushing from head to toe. How could I be flirting with a guy like that? When I was with Bryan, I didn’t care about how I looked or who looked at me. I always thought I’d be with Bryan until the end of my life. And what he thought about me was the only thing that mattered.

But now, flirting with the bartender who looked like he just stepped out of the covers of a magazine gave me a new string of confidence. I actually felt… womanly… beautiful!

I sipped on my drink, trying to get his face out of my head, but I just couldn’t. The memory of his perfect smile and his perfect features were playing in slow motion in my head. I almost forgot that it’d been an hour and my friends hadn’t showed up yet.

“Fancy another glass?” Ryder came back and asked.

I looked up at him and because he was so breathtakingly beautiful, I nodded instead of saying something.

My phone rang. It was John.

“Sorry, doll. I can’t make it tonight,” he said. “My sister had a little emergency and I needed to go take her.”

“Is she okay?”

“Yeah, she’s fine. Just a little cut on the elbows and knees. But other than that, she’ll live.”

“Okay… what about the prospects?”

“Well, I can’t find anybody else who would agree besides Jonathan. And I thought Jonathan was… not extraordinary enough for your taste.”

“Besides the fact that we never got along? He’s an ogre!” I muttered.

John laughed. “Easy, Ash. Beggars can’t be choosers.”

I sighed. “Find somebody else okay?”

Nicole sent me a text message that she couldn’t make it either. She had to work on some presentation that needs to be finished by tomorrow.

When I saw Dannie’s number appear on my phone, I was getting hopeless.

“Sweetie, I’m sorry.” It looked like he was going to come up with an excuse then decided to be honest. “Who am I kidding? I’m on a date. I didn’t mean to be, but you know Jasper? I’ve been dying for him to notice me in the office and finally, he asked if I wanted to hang out tonight! You understand right?”

“Do I have a choice?” I asked.

“Don’t worry. I might find some prospects for you. I’m going to a house party tonight!”

“Dannie! Chances are, you’re going to a gay house party! And there’s no hope for me there.”

“Well, you said your guy just needed to look the part. And act it out. You didn’t say anything about being straight.”

“Oh, that would just be nice.” I groaned. “Just enjoy your party. And please… find me a straight guy!”

I heard a suppressed chuckle from the counter as soon as I hung up. I saw Ryder smiling crookedly, and although he was not looking at me, I knew the smile was for me.

I raised a brow. “You shouldn’t eavesdrop on other people’s conversations.” I said sipping my margarita, not looking at him.

“I wouldn’t have, if your voice wasn’t that loud,” he said, approaching me.

“Oh, sorry,” I said. “People talk loud in bars, you know. Well, you should know.”

“Yes. I know,” he grinned. “So, what’s the quest for a straight guy for?”

Lie! I told myself. But somehow, the liquor in my system and the frustration I felt for being stood up by my best friends were wearing me out.

“Not just a straight guy. But a straight guy who’s willing to do anything for a couple of grand.”

He raised a brow. “You’re not doing porn, are you?”

I stared at him, clearly abhorred by the thought and then I burst out laughing. “Oh my God! No!” I said when I finally found my voice. “Well, it’s not porn, but it does involve the part of playing lovers.”

“Now, I’m intrigued. What could a girl like you possibly need a straight guy for?” he asked me.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” I said to him.

“Try me,” he said with a grin.

“It’s a long story,” I said.

“I’m here all night,” he insisted.

“Yeah, but you’re working.”

“It’s a lax night,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re pretty persistent, aren’t you?”

He shrugged. “I’m a straight guy. Who knows? I just might be able to help you out.”

“Oh! As if!” I rolled my eyes. “You don’t strike me as desperate.”

He raised a brow. “Everybody has needs, honey.”

I sighed. “Okay, where do I start?”

“From the top?” He grinned. As he flashed me that gorgeous smile, I couldn’t help thinking, I could go to bed with this guy! Then I shook myself back to reality. I took the last gulp of my margarita.

“Perhaps you should give me another margarita first.”

“Right away, Ma’am,” he said.

He disappeared for a while and when he came back, he handed me another margarita and a bowl of cheese sticks.

“Margarita and cheese sticks, on the house,” he said.

“Wow! All these for the pathetic story of my life?” I asked, taking a bite of a cheese stick.

“Well, some stories are worth paying for,” he smiled.

I sighed. “Okay. I don’t really see the point why I should be telling the tale of my somewhat…sad life to a complete stranger, but whatever.”

He leaned closer to me and my breath caught in my throat. “What color are your eyes?” he asked.

“Oh… they’re… blue,” I replied.

“You’re wearing contacts,” he said.

I nodded. “My eyes are bluish violet.”

He took a step back and smiled. “Nice color. Why do you want to hide that?”

“It’s… too different.”

“Different is good,” he said. “So, what’s the story of your life?” he asked. He picked up the champagne glasses in front of him and wiped them one by one as he listened to me.

“Okay… so three months ago, I had everything. A wonderful fiancé I was in love with… the job of making dreams come true… a best friend who is also my cousin, who I grew up and lived with most of my life.” I was trying my best not to cry again.

“My life was perfect. I was planning the wedding of my life. The wedding I had pictured in my head ever since I was a little girl. But… three months ago, I found out that my fiancé was sleeping with my cousin. And he knocked her up. To cut a long story short, my world fell apart. I lost my job because I could no longer picture the perfect wedding, or imagine happily ever after. The apartment I was living in belonged to my cousin… I couldn’t bear to live there anymore. I had to crash at my cousin’s brother’s place temporarily… until I get a job or my act together, whichever comes first.” Again, I was reminded about how sad my life was.

“I was at my lowest point… or so I thought. A couple of weeks ago, I found out that my ex-fiancé and my cousin would be getting married. And to make matters worse, the wedding I was planning months ago is still going to happen. All of it! From the invitations to the reception right down to the florist! All of it was going to happen exactly as I had planned. But not to me.” I took a deep breath. “Everything is going exactly as I had imagined it would be since I was a little girl… except that… I’m not going to be the bride.”

I didn’t know that I was crying until Ryder reached up and wiped my tears with his thumb. He had a serious look on his face. He didn’t say anything, but I knew he understood how I felt.

I took another deep breath.

“And worse, I have to keep a straight, brave face in front of my family. I’m going to attend the wedding.”

He raised a brow. “Surely they can’t ask that of you.”

“Oh, they can. Her father was like a father to me too. I’m going to do it for him. But God! I can’t be there alone!”

“And what do you need a straight guy for?”

“I need some guy to pretend to be my boyfriend… to pretend that he can’t keep his hands off me… to be so in love with me… so I can keep my dignity,” I replied.

“You not only need a straight guy,” he said, his eyes narrowed. “You need to make everybody think that you are a lot better off.”

I was taken aback by his analysis. Apparently, Ryder’s IQ was higher than I gave him credit for. I admired how immediately he was able to deduce my desperation.

I nodded. “The wedding’s in a week. I’m desperate. I’m… willing to pay if necessary.”

He looked like he was taken aback, but then he chuckled. “That’s cute,” he said.

“If I ask you, will you help me?” I asked boldly. It’s now or never… while the margarita is still effective in my head, I had to say it.

Ryder seemed like a man who had been through a lot in his life and it would probably take a lot to surprise him, but I could see that I had done just that with flying colors.

“I’ll… pay you. I’ll make it worth your while,” I said.

He chuckled and then he leaned his face closer towards mine. “You might not be able to afford me, sweetheart,” he said.

“Everybody has a price,” I said, refusing to back down.

“True,” he said leaning away from me. “I’m not sure I’m for sale though.”

“Ten grand. One night. All you need to do is rent a nice suit, come in a fancy car, maybe a Boxster, and rent a diamond ring… or something that will pass as a diamond ring, at least two carats in size.”

He raised a brow. “You really are desperate, aren’t you?”

I took a deep breath and stared back at him. But I didn’t say another word.

“Why the ring?” he asked.

I took a sip of my margarita. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”

“I find a lot of things you’ve said to me tonight hard to believe, but damn, I still believe you. So try me again,” he replied.

“My fiancé gave me a two carat diamond ring when he proposed. He said he worked hard for it and that it represented how much he valued me. When we broke up, my friends convinced me to pawn it to get back at him. I was jobless anyway, and I could use the money. I went to the jewelry store and had the ring checked out… it turned out to be cubic zirconia, gold plated. I couldn’t believe it. What a fool I’d been! I rushed out of the shop crying like a baby.” I didn’t realize it, but tears were rolling down my cheek.

Again, Ryder reached out to wipe my cheeks with his fingers. When I looked up at him I saw that his expression was soft, like his heart just broke for me, too.

“Do you really think I’m capable of making your ex-fiancé feel like a dwarf?” he asked softly.

I giggled in spite of my tears. “Needless to say, you’re a hundred times better-looking than he is. Plus, he’s just an inch taller than me. He’s short to begin with.”

He chuckled. Then gently, he squeezed my nose.

“Alright. I’ll help you out. You name the time and the place.”

I looked up at him and searched his face. And somehow his expression was warm and genuine. It seemed that my story moved him and he was helping me out just to… help me out. Not just for the cash.

“You need to rent out a nice suit. I might be wearing something violet at the wedding. Their motif is green. I want to make sure I will stand out.”

He laughed. “Alright. I’ll be your knight in shining Armani.”

“Plus, you need a good cover. Tell them you graduated with honors from an Ivy League school. Doesn’t matter where exactly. Just make something up. You invest money here and there. You have a six digit monthly income.”

“You really are going to murder your ex, aren’t you?”

“I want to make him cry!” I muttered. “As much as I want to save myself from a little humiliation.”

He laughed. “Then I won’t disappoint you.”

I took out the envelope in my bag and wrote my name and contact number on it.

“This is… a sign of good faith. You’ll get the rest after the party,” I said, handing him the envelope.

He stared at it for a while and then he took it. But he didn’t open it to see what was inside.

“How will I find you?” I asked him. “What’s your full name?”

“I won’t be here for the rest of the week. But I’ll be back in time for your wedding,” he said. He took my hand in his and wrote something at the back of my palm. I stared as he wrote his number gently. Then slowly, he brought my hand to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss. “It’s Ryder … Ryder W-Woodson,” he whispered.

I knew I was blushing from the kiss he gave me. He saw my expression and he laughed.

“You better get used to it,” he whispered. “Your knight in shining Armani will be doing more than that at the wedding.”

I swallowed hard and I knew I couldn’t control my blush anymore.

“Okay. So, I’ll get my bill now,” I said.

“On the house,” he replied.

“No, no. This is separate from our deal.”

He shook his head. “I’ll just take it out of your deposit.”

I stared back at his handsome face and I realized that he was serious.

“Th… Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, Astrid,” he said, saying my name for the first time. I realized I hadn’t given it to him, but I had written it on the envelope.

“I… better go,” I said.

He nodded. “Are you going to be alright? Do you want a ride home?”

I shook my head. “I’ll be fine.”

He nodded again. “I’ll see you next week then.”

I’m pretty sure I was still shaking when I got out of the cab in front of Adam’s place. In fact, I was still shaking when I entered his house. He was there, having some drinks on his deck.

“So, how did it go?”

“Well, my friends all stood me up.”

“So not good?”

I shrugged. “I can’t really say. Because… since they left me alone, I got to chat with the bartender. And… oh my God, Adam! He is hhhhooooootttt!!!”

“Boundaries, sweetheart. Boundaries!” he scolded me.

“Alright, I’m sorry. What I’m saying is, this bartender was so pretty. Like he just stepped out of the covers of a magazine. He looked classy and aristocratic and yet, when he smiled, it seemed like a million fireworks just burst into the room.”

“Ash… I get it, okay?” Adam looked at me sternly.

“Right. So, to make the long story short, I ended up telling him that I needed a guy to pretend with me for this wedding. And I ended up asking him if he was up for the job.”

“And he was?”

“At first, he wasn’t. But then I told him the story of my… fake ring. He must have realized how pathetic I am and… how desperately I needed help. So he agreed.”

“And you gave him my check?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I’m sorry Adam. I didn’t bargain. Ten grand.”

He shrugged. “You’ll get the rest next week. So, you told him he needs a cover?”

I nodded. “I will call him tomorrow when I’m not too tipsy anymore. Just to give him the specifics.”

“Great! I can’t wait to see the look on Bryan’s face.”

I smiled at Adam. Then I reached forward and gave him a peck on the cheek.

“Thank you, Adam. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

He smiled back at me and ruffled my hair. “You’re welcome.”

When I went to bed that night, I was smiling. I remembered Ryder’s handsome face and how he looked when he kissed my hand.

With a grin still on my face, I thought, where have I been all these years?