Chapter 38: Chapter 38

As work came to a close, I was informed that there was a brief staff meeting happening in the staff quarters and Paris wanted all the staff to be there, initially I thought Paris wanted to declare her "return" which is something she normally does, but when I saw Rory standing close to her, and also a couple of press with cameras and others recorder and others writing pad a little behind, I knew that was not her reason for gathering the staff.

So here I am, standing for the last minute along with the rest staff wanting to hear what it is she has to say.

"I called you all here to inform you that Rory and I," as she says this, she entwines her fingers with Rory's and the cameras does not miss a single moment from taking shots of them. "Have set out engagement to happen in two days time which is Friday the fifteen."

Aww. Goes the whole room of over a hundred of people and they all burst clapping their hands and cheering in approval as she says this.

"And our wedding date would be on the seventeen of next month." I see Rory face narrows and I can not miss how surprised he is at the sudden rush in Paris words.

I scrutiny-ly watch the way he looks and it I'm not the only one seeing these reactions, it might end up in tomorrow celebrity news:

Paris announces the wedding date, but the reaction on Rory's face shows he's just as surprised as everyone to hear it.

"And I want every single one of you to be present at the party, and we'll consider it an honour for you to be there."

Everyone begins to murmur little things to their neighbour and Paris continued.

"There will be no work here tomorrow 'cause I want every one of you to prepare for the party that we are having."

The workers clap again.

Rory whispers something that makes her frown, but she giggles and turns to place a quick kiss on his lips, but when Rory responds, the kiss deepens.

The aww grows louder, but Paris silences them. "Well, that's all for now, thanks so much for the support."

Everyone including myself clap our hands. I know I'm not happy, but I'm happy for Paris.

With that I walk away, walking as fast as my feet can take me out of the place that has now become my nightmare. I come out of the building and to the road. I look at the road, but no taxi is on my part so I take the time walking, hoping that I will find a taxi, but ten minutes later and I'm still walking.

I walk to the nearby coffee shop and although I'm quite exhausted, I do not think coffee is gonna help do justice to my exhaustion.

"Okay bye-bye, we'll seal the deal tomorrow, Beth, I promise." Comes a deep voice coming out of the coffee shop, I guess he's speaking over the phone. "Tell mom this time I'll bring her a girl and not a whore okay?" He chuckles. "What!? Not tomorrow evening, how do I find a decent girl before then?"

As I'm about to walk past the stranger standing and taking on the phone, he turns and collide with me and the hot, liquid in the cup I spot in a glimpse splashes onto my skin. I close my eyes and shrink as the hotness of the liquid that's poured against my body burns me. Trying to squeeze my eyes so tightly and hold my lips so hard not to scream out in pain.

"Oh, fucking shit!!" The stranger stumbles back and I'm frozen, but physical roasted and all my senses want to scream, but I can't bring myself to. "I'm so, so, so sorry!" I peel my eyes open to see his take his white, ironed handkerchief from his pocket and begins to wipe at my chest, pushing my jacket off and pulling down my top to go deep with the handkerchief when my hand grab hold of his right hand.

Okay, that's too much.

In surprise, he looks up and his blue eyes lock in mine and his mouth parts a little before forming a cute pout.

"You don't have to, that's my personal space," I tell him.

His mouth goes wide and then forms a small 'o' before backing away. "Well does it burn?"

"No, not really," I answer because the cold that hit me as he shrugs off my jacket seems to suppress the hotness of coffee.

"I'm sorry for this, I'll make it up to you. I'll take you home, Miss.." His eyes scan my blouse as though my name is somewhere tagged to it. He looks up from my chest when he sees there no tag on my blouse and he gives me a goofy grin.

"What's your name?"

I cockily glance at him. "You think because you just set me on fire by pouring your coffee on me I'm gonna tell you what my name is?"

"For a nerdy tomboy, you're not only sexy, but you're also smart." He comments, looking at me from head to toe.

"Girl normally give me their name within thirty seconds and their number withen one minute."

"How does it feel having a girl who does not have interest in you or your charms."

He runs a shaky hand through his ginger coloured hair before he says. "I feel honoured." He stretches his hand out for a shake. "I'm Keenan, Keenan Hilton."

Is shake his hand, "Not so nice to meet you, Keenan, I'm not telling you my name."

"Damn! I can't believe my charms aren't working on you, I think it's must be the fact that I spilt the coffee."

I give him a disbelieving look. "You've got charms?" Surprise dripping off my voice.

He takes a step closer and the six feet two-inch man leans closer to say "I've go other names apart from Keenan you know Just for my charms alone, but you can call me Keen."

"Okay, creepy stranger, I'll be leaving now.."

I try to walk away, but he holds my hand. "Don't leave just yet."

"Why not? You've proven in the little time I've spent with you that on a scale of 1 to 10, you're 11 on weirdozology"

"Does that win you over?"

I roll my eyes and a small smile appears on my face. "I won't be wanting to leave if it did," I say with a bored face.

Just then, my phone begins to ring in my bag and I groan in frustration, clearly knowing who it is.

"Ah! You're ignoring someone." Comes the voice of the stranger I've forgotten is still around.

My eyes raise to him and then back to my ringing phone before nodding.

"Don't answer it." He advises, "if you feel this way, it's probably 'cause you aren't happy with him, but you can't do anything about it though and I don't advise you talk to him in this condition. If you don't answer him, it keeps him in more torture, but this time it's both physical, emotional and mental torture because he will be thinking of the million and one reasons you refused to answer his call. I can give you helpful advice if you want about how to go in your relating with him."

I raise a suspicious brow at him. "What do you know about giving advice?"

That makes him grin sheepishly. "Well if it'll make you feel better, I was the adviser of all my best friend ex and that paid well too."

"How was it paid off?" I ask, as my phone stops ringing and a miss call notification appears on the screen.

"They dumped him and dated me." He replies pridefully with a silly smile.

I raise my nose irritably at him. "I'm never dating you."

His face dramatically saddens for a moment before it vanishes. "Well you're not my best friend's girlfriend and besides, something tells me that you're on the losing side with him."

He's right, with Rory I know I'm on the losing side because he always has the upper hand and I don't want that to be more than anything and he's offering a quick escape which I think I desperately need right now.

"So if I say yes, you're going to teach me how to control how I feel for him?"

"Yes, absolutely." He answers with a genuine smile.

"Okay then."

"There's a little condition though."

"FYI, I'm not sleeping with you."

"No gosh!" He exclaims. "That wasn't what I was thinking, you're so dirty-minded."

Well, that's the first.

"What is the condition stranger?"

He pouts and gives me puppy dog eyes, which mind you isn't working with me. "I'm gonna take you home to dinner with my mom and introduce you as my girlfriend."

"What?!" I begin to walk away from him, clearly seeing he is a mad man.

He follows me, "It's not much, my mom will only meet you and after that, we'll tell her we broke up."

I pause and turn to him. "So let me get this straight, you want me to lie to your mother that I'm your girlfriend even when I'm not."

"Simple." He replies as if it's that simple.

"No." I fold my hands and shake my head in refusal.

"I'm not asking you to do more than that all you have to do is pretend you're my girlfriend and I in return will help you with all your boy trouble."

The way he talks makes it so easy even when it's not but I needed help more than anything. I need to get back at Rory for choosing to ignore his feelings for me and go after money, I need to make him realise his mistake that choosing money over love can never happen.

"Okay, I agree."

"That's the best decision you've yet made." He says walking towards his red sports car and opening it he says. "Come on, let's get you out of here and home."

Something about this stranger draws me in and even when he has been all bad boy, player mode since I met him, I still think there's a good part of him. He does look decent and nice and I could use some distraction, not that I plan on using him, but I do not want jealous to eat only me up, I want jealous to eat Rory up at well.

I enter the car and he closes the door before coming to take his seat and starting the car, he drives off.