Her Substitute Groom

A Way Out?

I’ve been working at the club for a week now and while I wasn’t bringing home a thousand dollars a night, I’ve been seeing almost five hundred dollars a night. Of course, Maurice hasn’t been letting me wait on any of the really big tables yet. Maybe when I move up I’ll start seeing even more money. Still it was more than what I was making at my other jobs. I remember leaving home tonight and my mother had taken the opportunity to talk about my outfit. She really had no clue I was working three jobs now to help them out. Walking downstairs in my tight black dress I see Mom frown. “Where are you going dressed like that?”

“This is my uniform for the club I waitress at.” I stand there with my head slightly bowed holding onto the hem of my dress. My mother has never been very encouraging about my body. I have slightly full breasts and hips. Nothing to write home about but an average sized girl. I’m not large by any standards but I definitely take after my dad’s side of the family instead of Mom’s. She’s very thin and tall with a curvy small rear end she gets from lots of squats and breasts that are fake I’m pretty sure. I’ve heard her say jokingly that her lift after I was born was the best gift my father ever gave her. She always says I have great birthing hips. My mother visits the gym five days a week to ensure she has no body fat. Me on the other hand, I’m sure I have enough for both her and I.

“You would get more tips if you’d visit the gym with me and work on lifting and toning your curves Carys.” She looks bored.

I blink away her words as I’m taking a five minute break between tables when I hear “Carys? Carys Blake? Is that you?” I turn and see a face I haven’t in a while.

“Lorenzo? How are you?” His face breaks into a wide smile.

“I’m great. Haven’t seen you since junior year of high school. How have you been?” He walks over and hugs me.

“Pretty good.” Lorenzo and I were good friends in high school. My parents couldn’t afford the tuition at the private school after my sophomore year so they pulled me out. The first sign my mother was horrible with money.

“So what are you doing working here? I thought you were going to become a famous author. You were always jotting down in your spare time.”

“Oh I am working toward that but it won’t pay the bills you know.” I laugh nervously and he stares at my face carefully. I hear the hostess tell me I have a new full table coming and I tell him bye. He sits down still looking thoughtful as I begin to walk away. One of them men he is with mentions an impending deadline and he says loudly “I know. I may have found the solution though.”

Two hours later we are closing and Lorenzo is still here. He comes to my side “Carys I was wondering if we could go grab a coffee or something. I wanted to talk to you.”

“Um yeah sure, let me finish here and grab my purse.” Very weird since we haven’t seen each other in so long.

“Great meet me at the one down the street, Hot Brews.” He walks out with a wave.

He holds up two coffees as I walk into the coffee shop. After I sit, he wastes no time.

“So how are you really old friend? And what is your real reason for working at a club designed to give large tips out to women in tight clothing?” I blush at his words and he surveys my face closely.

“My parents are having some financial issues and I am trying to help them out.” I brush over the situation mildly.

He raises an eyebrow. “Carys try again. I can tell when you are lying remember. Remember who I am.”

“You already know don’t you?” I whisper as I watch his face.

He breathes out a sigh “Yeah I checked up on you after seeing you earlier. Your parents are losing their house.” He clasps his hands in front of him and waits. I gasp. Dad didn’t tell me about the house.

“You didn’t know that part. I’m sorry Carys.” He pauses then starts again. “Don’t run screaming. I have a proposition for you. It will help us both. If you agree to help me, then I will pay off your parents debt and that will leave you free to do as you please with your life.”

“What is it you need?” I ask him softly.

“My grandfather left a clause in his will so that we wouldn’t inherit our trust funds without proving we were worthy of them. Now I don’t really need the money but with it comes some property. That’s what I really want from the trust fund.”

“Where is this property?”

He smiles “Mine would be in Greece. My cousin, Maxim’s is in Italy.”

Ah right, his cousin Maxim. I remember him from school too. He was tall and quiet. Always almost seemed brooding. He was gorgeous just like Lorenzo.

“What do you need with me?” I am curious.

Lorenzo smiles his eyes twinkling “Well I need a bride to inherit it. So I thought you could marry me and that should solve everything. I can take care of your parents debt and you fulfill my grandfather’s requirement.”

I stare at him shocked into silence. Finally I see him waving his hand in front of my face “Carys? You ok?”

“I’m sorry did you say I would marry you?” I ask bewildered. Surely I heard him wrong. There is no way I would get married to Lorenzo Taylor.

“Yes but only for three years. That’s the deal. Then I inherit my land and we can go our separate ways. I will compensate you heavily for this. And we can be just friends throughout the marriage. Nothing romantic or physical. What do you say?” His face and tone are sincere but I am still reeling from his proposal.

“I umm, I think I need to think it over.” I finally manage to stammer out.

“How about we meet again tomorrow night for dinner? Would that be enough time?”

I nod slowly.

“Great I will text you tomorrow and we’ll pick a place. Feel free to call me with any questions you have. It will all be drawn up into a written contract too to ensure nothing goes wrong Carys.”

My mind is blank as I watch him leave with a friendly wave. As I climb into my car, my mind is still halfway convinced that I dreamed up the last two hours. There is no way Lorenzo Taylor proposed we get married to solve both our problems.

I call Annis and tell her I am coming to stay at her house. I cannot face either of my parents knowing they kept the fact we could be homeless soon from me. Annis is appalled and angry when I explain the house thing. “Girl if that happens you can come live with me. Your dad can come too but not your dumbass mother.”

“Annis she’s still my mom.” I feebly protest.

“Yeah and she’s horrible. I wouldn’t even call her a mother. She always undermines your confidence.” Annis frowns at me. Knowing she is going to shriek, I warn her to not freak out then begin with the rest of my evening.

Her eyes had grown wide but then she squealed. “You have to do this Carys. This is your way out. You can save your dad and imagine the traveling you’ll probably get to do. I mean he is always going somewhere in the social media posts. I am sure he will take care of you too like a new car and wardrobe.”

I shake my head “No I don’t want any of that. But maybe I can work on my editing or write a book while we are married so when it’s over I have my real career started.” She keeps going over all the points in favor of saying yes and I fall asleep still waffling.

Should I marry him or not?