Chapter Seven

**Greyson**

I should have realised the second I said what I did that was not the right way to approach Genevieve, she is unlike anyone I have met before anyone else would have been like putty in my hands, but she is so strong-minded and already has a certain distaste for me.

I called her back a few times myself not to apologize but to suggest we meet and discuss what she called for. Truth be told my dad had already been on my case this morning asking me if had a plan yet so at this point, I need to get hold of her to get the final say if the offer I gave her is a no go or not.

I let Vicky know that the call dropped out and to try her again a few more times for me, Vicky comes back 10 minutes later her eyes puffy still from crying before and letting me know that she did not answer.

Needing a break to think through my options I head out a little while ago I found a small little tea shop around the corner it is so out of place in the area, but the owner was nice and honestly, the tea leaves me feeling a lot less wired, so I head there.

As soon as I walk in a see the owner laughing and smiling at someone sitting at a small table in the corner, I head the counter and she breaks the conversation to serve me. Handing me my tea I turn to leave to see the woman she was talking to was Genevieve, her hair wet from the rain and her cheeks flushed from the warmth, she is looking at her phone before she locks it and places it on the table.

Unable to stop myself I step towards her.

"You know its rude to not answer the phone when someone calls”.

She stares daggers up at me, so I slide onto the seat Infront of her.

"I don’t remember asking you to join me”.

She looks away immediately and stares away from me.

"I wasn’t aware I needed an invite to sit in a seat but if you insist, can I sit here?"

I Retort with schoolboy sarcasm.

"You already sat aren’t you. Look what is it you want exactly?"

What is it I want? I want an easy life I want my dad to get off my back, and I want the company simple really.

"Honestly?"

I stare at her waiting for her answer.

"Honestly. Yesterday you offered me a lot of money for a very weird job, I'd like to know why”.

"If I tell you everything, will you seriously consider my offer”.

She motions her hand towards the table.
"Lay it all out Greyson”.

She smirks at me, her eyes wide and fixed on my own.

"I want the company it’s that simple. I need to secure a deal and the other party are having trouble trusting a man who runs a family company but has invested not time in one, my dad wants me to change my image in the media from billionaire playboy to loving family man. If I do not do what he wants he will give the company to be idiot brother and his wife and I’ve worked too hard to let that happen, but I have no interest in actually being in a relationship thus the deal I offered you was born. "

She does not say anything, but she studies me before she finally erupts into laughter, she mutters through her laughter, but I only manage to miss I her say I’ve not missed this. I spend a second wondering what she meant until her laughter stops.

"Why me?"

"What do you mean why me?"

"Well, you could have had your pick of anyone to pretend to be your girlfriend/fiancée whatever you want but you asked me, a woman who spilt tea and wine on you and has insulted you several times. If you had chosen someone else, I’m sure they wouldn’t leave your bed cold at night whether it was fake or not”.

She leans back in her seat taking a sip of her drink in a way that makes what I am about to say seem ridiculous.

"You have an air of elegance about you. You are right I could have picked anyone, but it needs to be believable and they need to fit in with my lifestyle, the way you held yourself at the party showed me that you were capable of that. As for warming my bed for me, I know you will not and I don’t mind as it means I can do what I wish with whoever I please, as can you”.

Again, she stays quiet but this time she does not laugh, I do note the serious expression on her face, however.

"So, on the outside, we are to play the perfect couple, but as soon as we are alone all bets are off. How do you plan on securing a whirlwind romance to the media exactly?"

This question is new, it is like she is actually considering it.

"Well, I guess it depends on if you say yes, I will need to know a few things about you first”.

She not hesitantly like she does not want to do that.

"I’m not saying you have to tell me your life story, but I’ll need to know your birthday, where you last lived little things like that a story from there”.

She looks as though she is trying to calculate something as her face screws up, it is like she’s trying to work out a really hard math problem. Eventually, she straightens up.

"Okay"

Now it is my turn to look confused did she just say okay.

"Okay like that’s a good way to get the story or okay as in you will do it? "

"Okay as in I accept your offer but not as it currently is, I have some things I’d like to add into the agreement”.

Wow, she said yes although my excitement is short-lived knowing she wants to add things in. I am about to ask them what they are when my phone rings pulling it out, I realise the time and I am for sure late for a meeting.

Pulling myself out of my seat I stand up.

"Look I have to go right now but I would very much like to continue this conversation over dinner and perhaps somewhere not so open, I will have a car pick you up from your place at 8”.

She does not reply but nods and I exit the tearoom feeling like my plan might work but then remembering it is going to require me to live with a woman who hates me, and the feeling is reciprocated.

I am now sat in the restaurant waiting for Genevieve to arrive, I’ve opted for something a little lower class than I usually would have but I don’t want her to be uncomfortable I’m about to throw her into this world full time I should at least leave her out of it for now.

The waiter came to take our drink and I order a bottle of champagne not knowing whether she will drink it, but I know I will, a short while later she walks in and spots and sits down. I asked to be put into a booth and paid the waiter a little extra to keep the tables around us clear, so we do not get interrupted and no one hears what we discuss.

There is a moment of awkwardness between us that I don’t like it’s too personal to feel awkward and this is business.

"So, Miss Hudson, what exactly is it that you wanted to talk about?"

"Wow talk about getting right to the point”.

She scoffs and takes a sip of her drink.

"Well, we are here to talk business, we have a deal to make and I’d like to complete this as quickly as possible”.

Her face hardens as she places her drink down on the table.

"Okay, then Mr Maddox you are correct. I have no plans on telling anyone the nature of this deal, but I do have a roommate who works for you who will wonder what is going on if I just suddenly move out to live with you. I have told him that I am meeting you here tonight to finalize details of a job. I told him you have offered me a job as your personal PA for 1 year at that it would require me to move in with you. I told him that it would be arranging your social calendar and certain elements of your home life."

The way she talks it like she has lived in the business world but as far as I can tell from her half missing resume, I scooped of the floor she is just a waitress.

"After I have lived with you for 3 weeks, I’ll tell him we had a whirlwind romance and then you can announce what you want to the world about how we met and fell in love. He informed me that you have a PA called Vicky at work, but I trust moving some of her responsibilities to me won’t be a problem to make this seem more realistic?"

She glances at me for a response, her face stern.

"Agreed. I will register you as my PA but that does mean for those three weeks you will have to do the job if I am no longer able to count on Vicky, do you even have any experience?"

"I have enough to get by”.

"I must as you Mr Hudson if we enter in this arrangement should I be worried about your room-mate. it seems as though you hold him in high regard”.

"Alex has done had helped me out a lot he is a very dear friend, and I don’t want him to get hurt in any way”.

I am curious as to how he has helped her, but I won’t press her too much right now, I need to find out about her life sooner or later.

"One more thing Mr Maddox "

I look up and her expression is dark and somewhat serious.

"With regards to my past, I will tell you all the relevant information that you need to know but under no circumstances are you to dig into my life”.

I eye her, what is she hiding that she doesn’t want me to know.

"Is there something in your past that should cause me or my company concern”.

I watch her face for a response trying to ensure I don’t miss any subtle hints of a lie.

"No there is nothing in my past that will put you or your company at risk, it is just that the past is exactly that and for me, it should stay there. Do you agree to these terms or not? “

"I agree but there is one more thing Miss Hudson, you cannot fall for me”.

I look at her smugly knowing she eventually will her face moves into a smile.

"Mr Maddox you ought not to worry about that you’re not remotely my type”.

She smiles this time showing her teeth with a hint of sarcasm still lingering in the air.

"Its settles then I will give you 2 days to pack up your things and say goodbye, I’ll have a car pick you up at one o’clock on Friday. I will have the contract ready by then”.

I lift my glass in a cheers motion and she does the same.

"We should eat”.

I say that she pushes her chair away and stands.

"Actually, now our business is done I have somewhere else to be”.

She starts rummaging through her purse before pulling out a small wad of cash, it reminds me that I wanted to ask her what she will do with the money. She goes to place the cash on the table before I stop her, although it Is the first time, I’ve been out with a woman who has offered to pay for anything before.

"Your money is not needed here you barely drank a thing, and I ordered the drink I’m sure if you had had a choice you would have gotten water”.

She doesn’t respond but places the money back in her back and turns to walk away. I call her intent on asking.

"One more thing, when this is over what will you do with the money?"

"Mr Maddox if you don’t mind, I’d like to keep that private after all we are business partners, not friends”.

With that, she walks to the door leaving the air in the room ice cold at my last question still present in the air, for a woman who shows a lot of emotion in her face she is hard to read.