Chapter 8 - A much needed pamper

Keegan’s POV

I am in love, and I think we will have to get married as soon as possible. He was everything I wanted in a husband. He was strong, warm, smelled amazing and big enough to envelop my whole body in his cozy embrace. No, I wasn’t talking about Ryder. I wouldn’t marry that man if he were the last man on earth. Don’t get me wrong. He had some great qualities. I didn’t know anyone that would step up in their early twenties to raise their little sister, but it didn’t make up for some of his other qualities. No, my future husband was the bath in the ensuite of the room I was staying in. The bath at my Grams’ house was half the size of this one, so I outgrew it before I hit puberty. It had been a very long time since I had been able to enjoy a soak in a bathtub.

I woke up extra early after my first night in Ryder’s house, the bed was like sleeping on a cloud, but my body clock was used to me getting up early to clean rooms on the weekend. I felt awkward going downstairs, this may be where I was living for the next twelve or so months, but I still felt like a guest, so I decided to have a bubble bath instead, and it was the best decision I ever made. I submersed myself in the water for over an hour, and it was like my own little slice of heaven. If it were possible to marry an inanimate object, I would do it in a heartbeat. But alas, Walter, that’s the name I gave the bathtub, and I would have to settle for daily baths.

I studied my small amount of clothes in the walk-in robe for what felt like an hour, trying to decide what to wear. I mean, what does one wear to meet a personal shopper? What meager outfit of mine would help me blend in, in a store where I didn’t belong? So I stopped worrying about it and grabbed a pair of well-worn jeans and a simple black tank top and jacket before slipping on my tan leather knee-high boots. I applied minimal makeup and styled my hair in a side braid, I wasn’t going to make the fashion pages in this outfit, but it would do.

Thankfully I remembered my way to the kitchen, and when I got there, the keys were exactly where were Ryder said they were. On top of the car keys, he had also left me a house key and the gate code so I could get back in when I was finished. I know he told me that I should help myself to anything in the kitchen, but once again, it felt way too uncomfortable, so I would go through the first drive-through I found on my way to wherever I was going. I was in desperate need of coffee.

“It’s not going to work, you know.” Faith’s voice called out, causing me to jump and spin around to face her, “My brother’s not going to marry you. He’s not the marrying type.”

“I don’t want to marry your brother,” I advised her, trying to control the tone of my voice, so the sound of disgust wasn’t too obvious.

She crossed her arms across her chest, “Then what do you want? I know he’s funding the shopping spree you’re about to go on. Are you just after his money?”

Wow, this girl had an attitude galore. But that I could handle because I was that girl when I was a teenager. My Grams like to remind me that I nearly didn’t make it through my teenage years because she was ready to take me out herself some days. My mom was dead, my dad always promised to come around, but he didn’t and as great as my Grams was, it didn’t stop my adolescent mouth from taking it out on her. The only things my Grams could do was wait until I grew out of it, be there for me and always tell me the truth because lying always made it worse. When I was younger, she made up excuses for my dad when he didn’t show up like, he had been called away to an urgent meeting, or he really wanted to take me out, but she cancelled because she needed my help with something. Once she figured out that her lies made my behavior ten times worse, she promised not to do it again.

“I don’t want your brother, Faith.” I reassured her guessing her brother hadn’t told her the full story, “I don’t want to sleep with him, I don’t want his money, the only reason I am here is because my father gambled away my grandmother’s house. I help your brother with his contract, which means letting everyone think that we are a couple, and he gives me back her house free and clear. As soon as that happens, I’m gone.”

Faith seemed a little taken back, “Seriously? Why are you telling me this? Obviously, my brother didn’t tell me for a reason. What’s to stop me from calling you out on the sham in public just to get rid of you?”

I scooped up the keys and strolled over in her direction as she was blocking my way out, pausing just as I reached her, “Because I can tell you are protective of your brother, and you wouldn’t want to hurt him in that way. Now I better get going because your brother has advised me my wardrobe is not good enough for a girlfriend.”

She smirked at me, “you’re not going to make it easy on him, are you?”

“Not a chance in hell,” I answered smugly, causing her to laugh.

I walked around her but stopped as she called out my name, so I turned back, “I really am sorry that I called you a whore.”

“Apology accepted,” I replied before turning back around to hide the smile on my face. It wasn’t much, but it looked like I had chipped at the wall she had built up over the years.

The BMW parked out in the driveway looked brand new. As I opened the door and slipped into the butter-soft leather seat, I could still smell that new car smell. The engine purred to life as I turned the key instead of the loud bear-like rumble of Grams’ station wagon after it coughed and spluttered alive. With the inbuilt GPS, I had made my way to my destination smoothly and what I thought was going to be a shop of some description, but instead, it was a small studio office with a dressing room and a few racks of clothes. His personal shopper Courtney seemed lovely. She was bubbly, quirky and we got very familiar, very quickly when she bought out her measuring tape.

I thought this would be a full-day event, but she just settled on helping me find a dress for tonight. Yes, that event I thought was in a few days was actually tonight. Apparently, one of Ryder’s ex-teammates, who had now retired, had decided to open a restaurant, and all of the team was showing up to his opening tonight to show their support. It was the first time a lot of them had gotten together since they went on summer break.

Regarding my new wardrobe, that would be delivered to the house in a couple of days. She said this was just a get to know me session to get my measurements and that she would be going and picking the outsides when we were finished. I was glad I was in and out of there quickly as she couldn’t stop going on and on about what a sweet guy Ryder was and how lucky I was to be dating him. Asking all sorts of questions about how we met and how long we had been together, but I guess it was a good practice run for tonight because I was sure we were going to be getting those questions left, right and center.

My next stop was the salon, and let me tell you, the service at this place was incredible. I had never had a glass of champagne in my hand while I had someone doing my hair. I insisted on just a cut to clean up to the ends as it had been at least a year since I had had time to get it cut and some simple highlights. After I was done with the hairdresser, he sent me over to the other side of the salon for a manicure and a pedicure. After an hour in the massage chair and another glass of champagne later, I felt extremely relaxed and pampered.

I was always working so much that I never got a chance just to relax and take care of myself, so no matter the circumstances about who this day came about, I would take it because it was well and truly overdue.

When I returned to the house, Ryder was no wear in sight, so I took a much-needed nap and then got started on getting ready for our first date. Walter and I had another bubble date, and then it was time to shave, moisturize and get all dolled up. If Ryder thought I needed a more classy look, then I would go all out tonight. I started with a dark smokey eye, layers of mascara making my lashes as long as possible, and a deep red lipstick that screamed sexy vixen and styled my hair into a messy but still classy French twist. By the time I had my black Chanel dress on with matching black Louboutin’s with their signature red bottoms, I felt like a million dollars, which was nearly how much the outfit cost. Well, that was an exaggeration, but I made Courtney promise not to tell me what the final total price was. I didn’t want to know.

After one final primp in the mirror, I grabbed my clutch and took a deep breath. I guess it was now or never. I left my room and slowly made my way down the stairs, holding my breath as I caught Ryder at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me. He was looking down at his feet, hands in the pockets of his perfectly tailored charcoal grey suit pants. I was about halfway down before he lifted his head, saw me, and the look in his eyes sent me weak in the knees. He wasn’t supposed to be making me feel this way. This was just a business relationship. But now, it was like I was watching him undress me with his eyes and blushing about it. I was in big trouble…….huge.