A Question of Marriage Read online

  “Ha ha, very funny,” he gave her a dirty look. “I’m glad you think so highly of me.”

  Payton shrugged. “Just being honest,”

  Jordan leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. “Just think of it as a business arrangement, you help me and I help you.”

  Payton crinkled her brow in confusion. “What do you mean?”

  “If I recall you mentioned something a while back about wanting to start your own magazine, I can provide the capital you need to do it.”

  Payton’s eyes narrowed. “How could you use my dreams as a bribe to get me to help you?”

  “It was the only thing I could think of. My entire future is in jeopardy.”

  “Whose fault is that? You were the one who chose to let his dick rule his head, that’s why you’re in this mess. No one held a gun to your head and made you make the decisions you have, then you have the audacity to use my dreams as leverage to get me to agree to this insane plan, how could you?”

  He could always count on Payton to cut him down to size with her honesty. She definitely didn’t pull any punches where he was concerned. He couldn’t pour on the charm and make her fall in a puddle at his feet, like most women he knew, which was why she was the perfect choice.

  “I’m sorry, you’re right no one is responsible for my actions but me. I was wrong.”

  “You damn right you were wrong.”

  Jordan leaned back in his chair. “Will you at least think about it?”

  “I don’t know Jordan, I mean marriage? That’s a pretty big step this plan could backfire on you.”

  “It’s a chance I’ll have to take I don’t really have a choice.”

  “Alright,” Payton sighed. “Give me a week to think about it, then I’ll get back to you.”

  When their meals arrived, their conversation shifted to an easier topic. Payton couldn’t believe she was actually considering helping him. She was either insane or crazy in love either way she was in big trouble.

  Chapter 3

  The City Limits was the newest night spot catering to the twenty and thirty something crowd.

  It also boasted of having the best cocktails in town. Payton and her two best friends, Mavis Tucker and Andrea Yates, sat at a table illuminated by candles in a glass bowl. The club’s décor was a mixture of hippy-chic and modern nuances that made it appealing to its intended crowd.

  “So Andrea, how was your date?” Mavis asked, picking up her dirty martini and taking a sip.

  “The worst,” Andrea replied over the music playing overhead. “Remember the guy I met on line

  a couple of months ago, the investment banker?”

  “Didn’t you show us his picture?” Payton asked. “I thought he looked nice.”

  “Oh, he was nice alright,” Andrea assured her. “Right up until the moment he tried to grope me,”

  “He tried to grope you? What did you do?”

  “After rebuffing his advances in the restaurant hadn’t worked on the way home I grabbed a handful of his balls.”

  Payton laughed “I bet that put the kibosh on that. So what happened next?”

  “On the way home I made the driver stop long enough to push him into the street. Then I had him take me home.” Andrea waved her hand, shooing away the memory of her bad date. “From now on, no more internet dates. I’m going to meet men the old fashioned way, in clubs like everyone else.”

  Of the three of them Andrea was the most hopeful when it came to finding love. A hopeless romantic, the petite blonde vowed she’d be married by the time she turned thirty-four she had two years left.

  “I’m not sure looking for your future spouse in clubs is such a good idea,” Mavis pointed out. “Maybe for a one night stand but for a husband, I don’t think so.”

  “Maybe you’re right,” Andrea conceded. “What about you Payton, ever think about finding your one true love?”

  “I haven’t given it much thought,” Payton responded as an image of Jordan flashed in her mind.

  “I never think about those things,” Mavis told them, “I’m way too busy enjoying the life I have, without messing it up, bringing a man into the mix.”

  “Since when did you become so cynical?” Payton wondered. “I thought you wanted that happily ever after.”

  Mavis snorted. “You’re mistaking me for that one over there.” She pointed at Andrea.

  Andrea frowned. “Hey! What’s wrong with wanting a husband and family?”

  “Everything,” Mavis retorted.

  Andrea shot her a disapproving glare. “I bet before long you’ll find the man of your dreams and fall hopelessly in love.”

  “Highly doubtful,” Mavis shot back then raised her hand signaling the waiter for a refill.

  While she listened to her friends talk Payton’s thoughts went back to the situation with Jordan, tomorrow she would give him her decision, the fact that she’d made up her mind to help him, knowing they were basically using one another as a means to an end. He needed a wife and she wanted her own magazine, but in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t make her feel any better about what she was about to do.

  ******************

  As she rode the elevator up to Jordan’s penthouse apartment, Payton was a bundle of nerves, butterflies fluttered around in her stomach. When the door slid open she stepped off the elevator walked up to the door took a deep breath and rang the bell. A few minutes later the door opened revealing a bare-chested Jordan, dressed only in faded jeans, his hair was damp and a white towel was draped around his shoulders. Her eyes followed a drop of water rolling over his well sculpted chest and abs until it disappeared past the waistband of his jeans she realized she was gawking when he cleared his throat.

  “Come in.”

  Stepping aside, he let her in then shut the door. “Give me a few minutes I just got out of the shower, be back in a second.”

  While she waited, Payton surveyed the interior of his apartment with a mixture of surprise and awe. The living room was spacious and airy; there were floor to ceiling windows, the walls were painted a cream color. There was a black marble fireplace against one wall and a black lacquer entertainment center stood against another. The furnishings were beige and brown, colorful paintings hung on the wall, a burgundy and beige Persian rug lay underneath a smoky glass table on top of a highly shined parquet floor and various plants sitting in different corners of the room. This did not resemble a normal bachelor’s apartment. No leather furniture or animal print rugs to be found, this was a place she felt comfortable being.

  “Have you made a decision?” Jordan asked, as he walked back into the room pulling down a black t-shirt.

  “As a matter of fact I have,”

  “What did you decide?”

  “I’ll help you.”

  Jordan smiled “Thank you. Make yourself comfortable I’ll be right back.” He told her, then disappeared into another room only to return moments later carrying a briefcase.

  He sat down beside her on the sofa. Opening it, he reached in and pulled out some papers, placing them on the table in front of her. His clean fresh scent overwhelmed her, as she tried to concentrate on the papers realizing it was a prenuptial agreement.

  “Why do you want me to sign these, if this is going to be a business arrangement?”

  “Because despite that fact, I have to protect myself as well as my assets, besides this is standard.”

  Payton looked over at him. “You say that like we’re picking out wall paper or something. This is a prenuptial agreement.”

  “I know what it is. Sign where the red arrows indicate.”

  Picking up the papers Payton read a few lines then tossed the papers back on the table. “I’m not signing these.” Standing she picked up her purse and pushed the straps up her shoulders.

  Jordan frowned in confusion “Is something wrong?”

  “Yes. Jordan when you asked me to help you, you never mentioned anything about me having to sign a prenuptial agreement. And not only th
at, I bet there’s nothing in it that protects me, it’s all about you isn’t it?”

  When he hadn’t denied her words, Payton turned and started walking towards the door, Jordan not far behind her.

  “You can’t just leave, we need to talk about this.”

  “What is there to discuss? As usual this is all about you,” Payton replied continuing to walk when she reached the door she turned the handle pulling it open.

  Jordan strode up and pushed it shut, standing in front of her close enough to touch, his cologne stirred her senses. Payton swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, as she gazed into his deep, blue eyes, trying to steady her erratic heartbeat. Briefly closing her eyes, opening them again, taking a deep breath she spoke.

  “I don’t think I can do this.”

  Jordan lowered his arm, stepping away putting some distance between them shoving his hands in his pockets.

  “Why? Tell me what the problem is.”

  “Why would you even think I would sign those papers? Do you honestly believe because we’re friends I would simply sign on the dotted line without even questioning it? Jordan we’ve been friends for ten years, do you think I’m that gullible?”

  It was the combination of hurt and anger in her voice that made him realize he had been wrong about his assumptions thinking that marriage between them could only amount to a simple business agreement. It was then he realized that maybe she wanted more, but did he want more as well?

  He didn’t know what he wanted, but one thing’s for sure he didn’t want things between them to be strained. Payton wasn’t just his friend. she was the woman he’d grown to depend on for advice and comfort when things in his life were at their most chaotic. Though they hadn’t been together sexually, he still felt closer to her then he’d felt with any other woman in his life, with the exception of his mother.

  “Fine, I tell you what, let’s sit down and talk about it, maybe we can reach a compromise.”

  Payton eyed him for a moment. “Do you honestly think it’s that simple, the two of us sit down talk then bam I sign on the dotted line? I don’t think so; I think we need to forget the whole thing, you need to come up with another plan.”

  “That’s not an option, there are no other alternatives.”

  “This thing has really got you spooked doesn’t it? Personally if it were me, I’d call your father’s bluff and go from there. I’m sure you’ll land on your feet, once the smoke clears."

  Jordan shoved his hands through his hair. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I should just forget the whole thing this is way more trouble then what it’s worth.”

  “That’s entirely up to you, in the meantime I’m going home,” Payton said opening the door walking out.

  “Well that went well,” Jordan muttered then walked over to his bar and poured himself a drink.

  ******************

  Sitting at her desk doing paperwork, Payton’s thoughts went to Jordan. She hadn’t heard from him in over a week she wondered if he’d come up with another plan. She’d stopped herself several times from picking up her phone and calling him, after all, he’d created this problem he should be the one to solve it.

  “Hey, you busy?”

  “No, just doing paper work what’s up?” Payton said looking up to see her friend and photographer Mavis walking into her office.

  “I thought I’d stop by on my way to the photo lab, to develop the photos from Trudy Stark’s party. Are we still hanging out tonight?”

  “Yeah, how was the party?”

  “It was okay.” Mavis told her as she sat down on the leather sofa, her camera on her lap. “You know Trudy, she’s always trying to play the matchmaker. She thinks people are supposed to be as happy as she and Mort,”

  Truselle Stark was considered the matchmaking maven of Manhattan society. Every year around the close of fall, she would invite all her single friends out to her East Hampton estate in hopes they would meet the men or woman of their dreams. Something anybody who had any pride, would avoid at all cost.

  Six years earlier, Trudy met and married real estate mogul Mortimer Stark after the first date and according to Trudy it was love at first sight. The rumor mill said, she took one look at the size of his bank account and immediately fell in love with his money. The two of them seemed very happy as mismatched as everyone thought they were.

  “Anyone we know show up?”

  “Nope, just the usual losers,”

  “I hope you got some good pictures, I need a fill-in for next month’s issue.”

  “Don’t worry.” Mavis assured her. “I got it covered. Too bad you weren’t there you would have kept me from dying of boredom.”

  Payton glanced up. “It was that bad huh?”

  “God yes, at one point this guy with the worst looking toupee tried to make a pass at me. I was so busy staring at his rug, waiting for it to get up and walk away, I didn’t hear a word he’d said.”

  Payton cackled. “Better you than me.”

  “The next time Trudy has one of these, you should come with me.”

  Payton raised her hand in protest. “No thanks. I think I’ll pass, besides, shouldn’t you be inviting Andrea instead, she’s the one who wants to find a husband?”

  “I don’t think so she has desperation stamped on her forehead.” Mavis said standing. “That girl would scare the hopeless and horny men away.”

  “That’s not true,” Payton said in defense of their friend. “She just doesn’t want to be alone.”

  “Yeah right, whatever you say.” Mavis replied unconvinced.

  Their conversation was interrupted when the phone rang, Payton answered.

  “New York Beat, Payton Hollister.”

  “Payton, its Elaine Cain I’m calling about Jordan.”

  Panic gripped Payton as she glanced up at Mavis, who waved goodbye as she was leaving. “Something happen?”

  “He suffered a heart attack can you come to the hospital?”

  “Is he alright?

  “We’re not sure. He just got out of surgery, we’re waiting on the doctor to tell us something.”

  “What hospital is he in? Grabbing a pen and paper Payton jotted down the name and address, then grabbed her coat and purse and headed to the hospital.

  When Payton arrived she was greeted with a hug from Jordan’s mother Elaine and a scowl from his father J.D Senior. His grandparents were present as well. She’d met them when she’d attended several Cain family functions, while working on the article about him.

  “What is she doing here?” J.D Senior asked, scowling at her.

  “I called her, besides she’s Jordan’s friend. She has a right to be here,” Elaine told him.

  J.D Senior mumbled something about her being an “Interloper.”

  “How is he?”

  “Not good, but at least he’s stable.”

  “How did this happen?”

  “Well,” Elaine began. “He was in the courtroom, from what we understand, when he grabbed his chest and just collapsed. The doctor’s discovered a blockage in one of the valves leading to his heart, they performed an angioplasty. Now it’s pretty much a wait and see situation.”

  “Can I see him?”

  “Yes, he’s in ICU.”

  Making her way down the hall and into Jordan’s room, she was greeted with the smell of disinfectant and antiseptic. He lay motionless on the bed, hooked up to a heart machine that beeped and an IV tube attached to his arm.

  She walked slowly over to his bed and gazed down, seeing her best friend, one of the strongest men she knew, laying in a hospital bed. Her chest tighten, she realized she’d be lost if he died, she really loved this man. Reaching down she took his hand, his eyes fluttered open.

  “Hey,” Jordan said, his voice coming out horse.

  Payton reached for the bed remote and carefully adjusted the head of the bed, then picked up a plastic cup filled with water and bought the straw to his lips so he could take a sip then sat it back down on the slidin
g table beside the bed.

  “If you wanted to get me to agree to marry you, this was a little drastic don’t you think?” she said half joking doing her best not to cry.

  Jordan tried to laugh but it came out more as a wince. “I had to convince you somehow.”

  Try as she might to hold back her emotions, Payton wept. “I’m sorry, I just…. I just never expected to see you like this.”

  “I’m going to be fine, they repaired the blockage and I’ll be good as new, you’ll see,” Jordan reassured her.

  “I know,” She said grabbing a tissue from the box on the table drying her eyes.

  The door opened and a nurse dressed in colorful scrubs, walked in the room. She adjusted the IV attached to his arm, checked the heart monitor, took his blood pressure then noted something on his chart.

  “The doctor will be in to see you soon,” she said, then she left the room.

  “So about that thing you said about us getting married.”

  Payton frowned. “We don’t have to discuss that now wait until you’re out of here and fully recovered, then we can revisit the issue.”

  Silence passed between them for what seemed like an eternity but only lasted a few moments before Jordan spoke.

  “So does this mean you’ve changed your mind about helping me?”

  Payton shrugged. “I don’t know, I mean this whole thing’s got me spooked I don’t want to lose you Jordan, you’re one of my best friends, even if you are one of the biggest whore’s I know.”

  Jordan chuckled. “You’re not going to lose me, they do a million of these procedures, I’ll be fine trust me.”

  A smile played on Payton’s lips as she let his reassurance sink in. “I know, but it doesn’t make this whole situation any less daunting.” She waved her arms gesturing to their surroundings.

  “Relax, I’m not going anywhere. So about us getting married…”

  Before he could finish his sentence the door opened and his doctor, a short balding man, walked in the room.