"I go home fridays after work for the weekend." Claire stated.
Ryan was a little surprised that she had agreed to marry him. But after all, who could turn down the most eligible bachelor in town and ten million dollars?
He leaned back in his chair and let his gaze roam over the woman seated opposite him. Today she was wearing a blue shirt tucked in the usual black skirt. No woman was supposed to be this beautiful without wearing any make up and yet, here she was with nothing but a pink lip gloss on her lips. Full lips he couldn't stop staring at now.
"You don't have a boyfriend or anything back home, do you, Claire?" There was amusement in his tone.
"Then i wouldn't be here, would I, Mr Gordon?"
"We are getting married. We are past formalities, don't you think?"
"I don't have a boyfriend or a husband, Ryan." Curse the way his body reacted when his name rolled out of her mouth. Why was reacting like some high school boy about to lose his virginity? He didn't remember being this way when he was married to Vanessa. Yet here was, sitting there with a raging boner straining against his suit.
"Anything else?" He strained the words out, amazed he had been able to say anything at all.
"Yes", she leaned back. Was that discomfort showing on her face? "It says here intimacy. uh, explain." She placed the paper in front of him and stared at him with those baby blue eyes he had found he liked very much.
"Just the usual hand holding and kisses on cheek kinda stuff. no sex, promise. Scout's honor." He raised his hand. His heart almost stopped when she let out a small laugh, revealing a tiny dimple on her left cheek.
"I didnt know you had a dimple." Judging from the sudden look from her eyes, that had not been his inside voice.
"There are many things you don't know about me, Ryan" What in God's name was that,Claire? She mentally slapped herself. Was that a flirt?
"Is that so?" he smirked. She thought she saw a hint of desire in his eyes before his face became neutral again. "Is that all, the list, I mean?"
"Yes. and I'm assuming this will only stay between, yes?" she had began standing up, ready to leave his office.
"For the time being." Her shoulders stiffened before she straightened up again. "I'm sure everyone will know after this weekend."
Of cause they would. This town was like a Big Brother house when it came to the Gordons; there was always a camera somewhere.
"We are going to the court house at two. I will pick you up at one o'clock. In the meantime, you should probably go home and pack your stuff. You're moving in today."
"Already?" She had at least expected a few days to gather her wits.
This is actually happening, Claire.
" We need to get our stories straight before Friday. We need to be comfortable around each other so that they don't even think anything suspicious."
She supposed that made sense; although she doubted she would ever be comfortable with Ryan. "Okay, I get it. I'll be ready by then."
"You're home early today. Everything okay at work?" Her mother asked as she closed the door.
"Hey, Ma. Everything is okay, actually better than okay." She had rehearsed all the way from work. She just hope her mother would be gallible enough to believe it.
"I got a promotion at work. Well, not entirely. I have to train for six months before I actually get it." Claire looked at her mother, feeling more ashamed of herself than when she did when she had lied to her whilst covering for Clara who had gone to a party. "The only downsize is it's in another city."
"That's wonderful news, Claire. But another city, are you sure?" She heard the doubt in her voice.
"Don't worry, Ma. I come back every weekend. It's a paid training and you know we need the money. Plus it's only two hours away." She smiled, hoping she had been convincing enough.
"I suppose it's a good thing," Claire let out a sigh of relief, "but.. what if...?" She knew what her mother was worried about. Since her diagnosis, she had collapsed two times. That had been one of those times when she had completely felt utter useless.The doctors had suggested surgery but because there was no money, well... But now she could afford it. She would make sure her mother gets that surgery as soon as possible.
"Don't stress. Ava will check on you, daily. Marcus is a smart kid, he will know what to do." That seemed to calm her down.
"So when are you leaving?"
"In two hours. I came to pack my stuff."
"So soon?"
"Yeah. Um, they wanted me to start right away."
After two hours of packing, crying and some more packing, Claire finally managed to say goodbye.
"Cumon, Ma. I'll be back next weekend."
"What about Marcus? He will be mad to find you gone just like that?"
"I talked to him earlier but I will call him tonight."
"Okay then. Be careful and work hard. Don't let yourself be distracted." Her mother advised. Claire understood why her mother was reluctant to let her go. She became overprotective when Clara died. This was the first time Claire won't be sleeping under the same roof with her for more than a week.
"I'll be fine, Ma. I love you. Take care of yourself and don't hesitate to call me anytime about anything, okay?"
"Okay." She gave her mother a last hug and kisses after hearing-assuming it was Ryan- a car pull over on the side of the road. "Let me walk you out."
"That's okay, Ma. I can manage. Shouldn't you be worried about that pot you left on the stove, though?" She laughed when her mother cussed as she made way to the spilling pot. "Bye, Ma. I will call you." She hurriedly left before her mother came back.
It's not like she didn't want Ryan to see her mother. She didn't want her mother to see Ryan.
And there he was. God, this man was beautiful. He was leaning against his car, one leg crossed over the other in a lazily manner. He had changed into a grey suit, with a white shirt; which by the way, did absolutely nothing to hide that flat stomach. His shirt had three top buttons undone to reveal a small part of black ink which left Claire want to badly know just what was tatooed on his skin.
Maybe a skull? Or a dragon? A dragon would suit him better.
"Need help with that?" He asked, probably because she had been busy undressing him to the point that she hadn't moved from the porch.
"I can manage." He eyed her suitcase when she had reached him. "What?"
"One suitcase?"
"Everything I need is in there." She smiled at him. She never really had much clothes because she never needed them. Clara had been the fashionista between them. Three bags wouldn't even begin to cover half her closet.
"Let's go."