His Appointed Wife

7. Cookies, Contracts and first fights

"I love it when you look at my cookies like they are the best thing in the whole world and then you smile that contagious smile of yours and I want to bake everything and anything to get another one of your smile." - Alex

7. Cookies, contracts and first fights

(Logan)

Logan was very tired and his head was pounding as he stopped his car. It was a long day, and a very long meeting and Alex was constantly on the front of his brain, messing up with his mind.

He felt like there were a thousand knots on his shoulders and everything in his body ached. He opened the door and his body instantly went loose and light, when he smelled what felt like thousand different aromas suffused in the air.

It smelled warm. Like home. It smelled different and he liked it.

He didn't know how he had lived so long in this big house, all alone, and how he was able to walk inside the dark house after every day of work.

Now the lights were on and there was laughter in the kitchen. Alex's followed by a man's.

Now, his body went rigid again, as he walked to the kitchen trying to maintain his calm. It wouldn't do to kill the man she had in his kitchen, but he had to know who that was.

The man was bent under the table. And there was no sign of Alex, as well. "Alex, I am sorry I did this to Logan." A very familiar voice said. Daniel.

What were they doing under the table?

"For God's sake, Daniel, don't worry. It is alright."

"I am so sorry about this. You know."

What were they talking about?

"Just pick it up already. I have another batch in the oven." And then she stood up, her hair flying everywhere and her face was half covered with flour and she jumped up and pressed her hand to her heart when he cleared his throat.

"God, you gave me a heart attack. When did you come? For a moment I thought it was a serial killer or something." She said as she rubbed her hands. "Oh, sorry for this mess. It is your friend."

"Hey, you made some mess, too."

"What are you two doing?"

"I was reading books. And then he came, I thought he was an intruder and he stole the cookies I baked. He wanted me to teach him to make cookies and then he burnt his batch and stole some more from yours. And then he spilled the flour and knocked down a tray of cookies and God, I can go for another hour." She said as she looked up at him. "How was your day? Is your meeting go alright?"

And he melted when she asked that with her eyes filled with eagerness and concern.

"Yes. Of course." He said with a smirk. "They would be lucky to work with me."

"Oh, of course, you smug little jerk." She said with a teasing smile.

He heard a ding. "Oh, it is done." She clapped her hands like a kid. She put on her mitten and took the steaming tray out from the oven. She put it on the counter. "We will let it cool." She said and narrowed her eyes when Daniel was trying to steal a cookie from her tray.

"Daniel, don't you dare touch it. It is for Logan." She slapped his hand away. "You already ate a whole damn batch."

Logan felt his heart swelling when she said that.

"You are so partial, Alex." Danny said with a pout and Logan had to smile. "Man, you are very lucky." He grunted. "I feel so unwanted here."

"Oh, stop being so dramatic." Logan said as he looked at the freshly baked cookies. It was so lush and he could smell its heavenly smell. The chocolate chips were half melted at the perfect top and God, he swear he could feel its taste at the tip of his tongue just by smelling it.

He smiled. "God, this is amazing. You are amazing."

"Can I get that in the record?"

"Don't push your luck." He said as he tried to grab a cookie and she slapped his hand away, too, with a head shake.

"Logan Forte. You didn't wash your hands."

"Sorry mom," He mocked as he washed his hands and finally, finally he could taste her cookie. And it was amazing. World's best cookie. His mom would have his hide if he ever admitted it out loud, but it was the truth.

It was luscious and crunchy and the chocolates just melted in his mouth. He closed his eyes and groaned.

"This is heavenly."

"Thank you." She bowed with a smile and he couldn't take his eyes off her. She was unkempt. Messy. And beautiful. How could she do that? Being that effortlessly beautiful?

There was a bit of a batter on her lips and he stared. "There. You have something there in your lips." He wanted to lick it off, but he couldn't.

He had already made his mind about having her in his life even after the year was over. As a friend. And so he couldn't do anything he really wanted to do to her.

"What?"

"Looks like the batter you stole from my cookies."

"Ah." She smiled and wiped it off.

"Gah. You guys, you are so adorable it hurt my eyes."

"What?"

"I could see hearts winking in your eyes."

"Oh, stop talking nonsense." Logan said and waved his friend off. To which, Danny simply threw a very annoying wink at his direction.

After that, the three of them sat there and talked about Logan's meeting and the disaster that was the kitchen and then Logan ordered pizzas for dinner and they ate together.

After a while, Danny left as Logan did the dishes.

"I can't move." Alex complained as she slouched lazily in the couch. "I feel like I am going to burst."He laughed at her before he walked into his home office. He picked a bunch of documents and his brows wrinkled.

He wondered what she would do if he gave her that and he knew... He knew it would make her angry, but some things are better done than not.

He sighed and put it back down.

There was still time for that.

***

(Tuesday)

Hey again,

Breakfast in the damn table. One of these days, I am going to get rid of that table. It is such an eye sore. & don't forget the groceries, today. Yawn, my bed is begging me to go back. Tata. Smile, a little. - Lex.

___

Hey Lex,

Good morning back at ya! I don't know why you hate my table so much. It is alright. I will get your groceries today if I have some free time. But I need an incentive, say, more of your incredible cookies?

Stay out of trouble. - L

___

(Wednesday)

Hey Logan,

Good morning. You know the drill. Breakfast up and grumpy, didn't I tell you not to put your shirts with mine for doing the laundry? Proof: One pink shirt by the side. Esther is blaming me for that, as well. That woman hates me. She so wants me gone. She thinks I'm leeching off her precious Mr. Forr-the. Bah! Angrily, Lex.

___

Hey Lex,

Good morning. Thank you for the waffles. Yum. Your hands have some kind of magic. And if I eat like this everyday, I am sure my pants wouldn't fit me anymore.

Pink shirt?! Oh my God. What blasphemy.

And Esther! What are you talking about? She is the most meek and kindhearted woman I have seen. She doesn't hate you. Now, don't be a drama queen. - L.

___

(Thursday)

(Alexandra)

She lay on the couch and watched a movie, as she waited for Logan to come back home. It was an old classic and had always been her favorite one, but she was distracted. Her ears and eyes we're at the door so often. She missed him whenever he was not home. And she was often bored cooped up inside the house and bantering back and forth with him was her only entertainment.

She thought about the sticky notes and smiled to herself. It was fun. It felt like it had become kind of their routine and it was stupid, but she kept all his notes. Inside a small box for safekeeping.

And then the door opened. He looked weary, but smiled when he saw her and slumped on the couch with a huff.

"What is wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. Just another day haggling with the contractors --God those people will rip you off if you are not careful-- and dealing with clients who need constant babying." He said with a yawn.

She watched as he tried to remove his tie and then let it go as if his fingers were too tired to unknot the tie. She scooted closer to him and removed his tie for him as he watched her with hooded eyes that seemed to hold so many secrets. Secrets she so badly wanted to know.

"Did you finally buy the grocery, Logan? Three days. It has been three days." She sighed as she leaned away from him. Sitting closer to him any longer than the acceptable five minute was not good for her health!

"The grocery. Oh, Tom did it for you and he wanted your cookies, too. Ugh. I forgot it in the car." He said. "I will bring it in a second. Or maybe several years later." He groaned as he stretched his lean body and Alex felt like a village kid in the city for the first time, staring.

Oh, she had seen her share of handsomeness, but this here, it was one of a kind. Strength and confidence and a mix of arrogance - she loved watching him just being himself.

He got up from the couch before he looked back at her. "What about the cookies?"

"Oh, I made sugar cookies today. Go on, it is in the side shelf in the cookie jar."

"When do we have a cookie jar?" He asked amused and she swatted at him.

"Since today. Go on and let me watch this in peace."

He came back with a plate of cookies and gave her one. One!

"How generous!" He laughed at that. After that they stayed in peaceful silence and watched the movie. When it ended, Logan went back to his room and Alex continued surfing channels and looked up when she heard him coming back.

She waited for him to say something, but he didn't. She looked up to find him looking rather twitchy. He was scratching his chin and she had learnt that he did that whenever he was nervous. His tell.

And that was when she noticed the papers in his hands.

"What is that?" She asked as she sat straight. Something in her gut told her that she was not going to like his answer. And she was right.

"It is the contract. For our coming nuptials."

And it was like someone had thrown extremely freezing water at her face. She was wide awake from her dream.

A contract!

She smiled wryly. "Ah. I thought we were almost becoming friends and then there you go, a contract!" She laughed, though her laughter was bitter. "Only you can come up with these ridiculously amazing plans."

"Hey. It is for your peace of mind." He said and she glared at him and hoped that he would get the hint and not talk at all. She just wanted to punch him so bad, and she would have, if her legs hadn't been shaking so hard. She couldn't stand now, she couldn't stand now and show him how his one word had destroyed her.

She wouldn't show him that and gave him the power over her.

"Ah. Very concerned for me, I see. But I am not the one who had trust issues here. I didn't ask you to prepare a damn contract." She said as she fisted her palms on her laps.

He looked down the floor. He looked guilty, but he didn't back off. He shrugged and then handed the papers to her.

"This has to be done, Alexandra. It is better be safe than sorry. It is for both of us. I mean, what would you do when I try to cheat you out of your money?"

"Stop, okay. Stop trying to make this about me. I didn't ask you to prepare a damn contract. I didn't. And I understand where you are coming from. So don't try to make excuses."

What a jerk!

"This is a business deal and you know that."

"Yeah. I see that now. So, what did you think? That I would go and fall in love with you and then would refuse to be gone when the time comes? Don't worry, I can never fall in love with someone like you."

His body went rigid. His jaws worked, and his eyes brewed storm in its depth. He looked menacing, but she just didn't care.

"What did that mean?" He sounded dangerous. As if he was at the verge snapping. He took a step in her direction and stopped halfway. "What the hell do you mean? What is so wrong with me?"

What now? She thought. He just gave her a contract and he dare ask what was wrong with him. Smug jerk!

"Oh, go and look at yourself in the mirror and you will know." She snapped. "I mean, you don't have to worry. I will be gone when the time is up and you can not do or say anything to make me stay. But by all means, let us be safe than sorry. Okay?" She scanned the document and snorted. "This is one of the most romantic proposals I have ever seen, Party A." She said with a sarcastic smile and he looked at her, frustration clear in his eyes.

He looked so ready to pounce, and she wanted him to. Maybe then she could hit him back.

The document read like one of those long privacy agreement you never read and clicked I agree without bothering with it. But she got the gist of the document.

Point 1. The contract must be over after a year. Exactly a year from which they were married. Party A and party B must never back out from that.

Point 2. Party A will then pay Party B the agreed amount of a million dollars, deposited in the bank and invested as the shares so that Party B can get the profit from it.

Point 3. Party B has no other legal claims to party A's other financial income and assets.

Point 4. The termination of the contract should be easy and hassle free. No party has the right to appeal for a longer stay and both party must agree not to dispute/contest the terms of the contract.

And then there was another non disclosure agreement (NDA), to never disclose their agreement to a third party under any circumstances. She signed under it, too.

It was all so clear about what he thought of her. He could give thousand reasons about why it was for her benefit, as well, but she would not accept them. He was afraid that she would turn into a leech, after a year and that stung.

As she finished signing it, she felt like a dirty hooker, a very expensive escort. But she needed the money, didn't she, and if it made her feel all dirty and disgusting, she should learn to make peace with that.

She needed that money to fight for what was legally hers, what was stolen from under her: her dad's blood and sweat. His lifetime work. She also needed it to live comfortably and work in peace.

She handed the papers back to him with a cold smile. "Done and done. I thought you wanted me to be your appointed wife because you believed I am not greedy. So what changed?" She sneered.

"Nothing changed, okay. I know you are not greedy, but sometimes it is important to have everything in words."

"Yeah, I can see how very important, Party A."

She stood up. He handed a small box. Ring. Oh, God, she wanted to throw it back at his face, but she refused to give into her temper. She accepted the box with a smile. "The final nail in the coffin." She muttered. "Should I thank you for this?"

"Don't be like that." He said as she stood up. Switched off the TV. She felt like a machine.

"Hey." His voice was hesitant. She pretended she didn't hear it as she walked upstairs and closed her room door.

She felt like someone had so cruelly taken a knife to all her dreams and thoughts. She wanted to cry, but she refused to. She wouldn't waste her tears on a man like him.

What did she expect? She knew this was a business deal, and this was going to stay just that. This wasn't a friend helping out a friend.

But somewhere deep inside her, she was happy he did that.

What he did was an eye opener for her stupid heart. She was this close to falling for him, but now she could safely say that she would never...

She could never fall for someone like that. All cold and calculating. With zero compassion and zero heart.

Even as she thought that, a part of her denied that.

He wasn't cold. She had seen him being all warm. And she had seen his compassion, too, his concern for her when he first saw where she lived and then when she drove his car.

But...

She rubbed her face and sighed.

Hear that stupid heart, it is reality crashing down on your head. Listen to it and don't you dare. Promise me you will never fall for him.

"I promise. Alright." She whispered as a thick black cloud surrounded her sunny skies.

***

(Logan)

He couldn't sleep no matter how much he thrashed and turned. And exercised and ran in his treadmill. The look on her face when he handed her the contract haunted him.

She looked like he had kicked her in the gut. And he was sorry for that, sorry he was the reason for hurting her. But he had known deals gone wrong, even amid friends. Friends turning their back against something after the words were given. Promises broken after so loyally made.

He had been so trusting back when he had started his company. He had put his faith on some opportunists and when everything was done, they had shown him their true colors. He had to bear the brunt of their greed and selfishness and what he lost wasn't just money, then--though it was a lot of money and he had almost lost everything he had built from the ground. It was his ability to trust, as well. It made him cold, calculating and always cautious of where he was stepping on.

She wouldn't understand that, understand that how undecided and sorry he was to do that. But he had to. He had no choice.

He trusted her. But he doubted and second guessed himself for trusting her. He didn't want to be wrong and lose her in the process. So he made sure it would always be right.

But it looks like you have already lost her.

"No, this will go away and we will be okay. But I can not bear it when she turned out to be anyone other that who I thought she was..." He whispered to himself as he pulled his blanket high and covered his face with it.

The next morning, there was no sticky note. No breakfast. He felt empty. Alone.

But breakfast wasn't the part of the contract, a small pesky voice reminded him.

"I have survived without breakfast for so long. I can survive it now, as well." He whispered to himself as he picked up a carton of milk and took one gulp and put it back inside. He felt angry and sad as he drove away.

"Good morning boss." Tom greeted him and then gulped, a nervous look flitting across his face. "Oh, looks like it was a very bad morning. Want some coffee?"

"Yes. Extra strong."

"You are back, boss. Will be right back with your coffee."

Tom walked away and Logan glared at his PA's back with irritation.

Why was everyone in his life was so so annoying?!

___