You Can't Buy My Love

"She actually agreed to all this?" My brother asked, flabbergasted.

"I told you little brother, money can buy anything." I told him matter-of-factly, sipping on a cold beer.

"And when is this rouse supposed to be taking place?" He laughed.

"This weekend, and you know what? You better not breathe a word of this to Dad. Not a word or I swear to Christ, you are dead to me."

"Oh, I'm not going to say anything," he started with a sly smile. "I'm just going to stand idly by while this fails in your face."

"I don't need your negativity," I sighed, rolling my eyes at him. "This is a well laid plan, and honestly, it's going to work."

"What if Dad finds out?" He asked.

"He's not going to."

"But if he does, you're cut off for sure," he laughed. "When is your new wife going to be here anyway?"

"She'll be here tomorrow, and I'm taking Dad out to meet her tomorrow night."

"Wow," Ben laughed. "Not even going to practice for a day?"

"I had my assistant write down everything there is to know about me, she'll have enough practice," I explained.

"What about all there is to know about her?" He asked, raising his thick brow.

"I'll learn as I go," I waved him off. "She's so perfect! She's just boring enough that I don't like her, and just pretty enough to be able to stand next to me and pass as believable." I stopped to think for a bit about her. "And her personality is tolerable."

"Wow, Noel! You're talking about a human being, not a damn dog." I all but spat at him, then turned the Sunday football game up higher.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you, the game is on."

~*~

I had to mentally prepare myself for Olivia's arrival. Ever since I moved out, I've lived alone. I never had a woman stay more than a night in my bed; I don't like people all in my space. But I guess I can sacrifice a few months of my privacy for the greater good.

As soon as I was done girl-proofing my home, the doorbell rang shortly after.

When I opened the door, it was not only Olivia, but a little blonde girl. "Hello?" I said, but it came out as more of a question than a greeting.

"This is my little sister, Dina." Olivia explained with a suitcase in her hand. "She's dropping me off to the 'airport'." She did air quotes when saying the word airport, and I immediately lit up with understanding. "Ohhhh," I sighed. "Well, come in you two." I gestured for them to enter, then took the suitcase from Olivia.

"Wow!" Dina exclaimed, looking around in amazement. "Nice place!" She grinned, making herself at home.

"Don't touch anything," I told her, sitting Olivia's suitcase down next to the couch. "Please." I noticed Olivia sitting shyly down on the edge of the couch and furrowed my brows, she seemed so much more quiet and reserved than her sister.

"You are about to be staying here?" She asked Olivia, looking though my refrigerator.

Olivia just shrugged, then looked up at me. "What did you tell your mom?" I asked her, honestly curious.

"A huge, elaborate lie that she made me take part in." Dina answered for her, smiling sarcastically. I chuckled softly, then crossed my arms over my chest in amusement.

"Do tell," I grinned, looking at Olivia who still hadn't spoken a single word.

"Well, my sister here-" Dina started, sitting next to her sister on the couch. "Is doing some work in Africa for a free ride to college."

"Africa?!" I asked, my eyes bulging. "You couldn't have been closer?" I asked her with a laugh, and she rolled her eyes at me.

"It was just a quick thought." She said, playing with her dark curls in a way that actually made her look kind of cute. Wait. What? Shut up, Nolan! She is off limits.

I sighed heavily, standing up to my feet. "Well, we've got a long day of getting to know each other, so how about I show you to your room?" I asked her, and she nodded. "Okay. Dina I guess you can leave now, I'm safe." She told her sister, and walked her to the door. "And be careful while you're driving, you know you don't have a license." "This small girl is driving?" I asked in disbelief. She looked like she could be no older than twelve.

"I'm not small, I'll be fifteen next month!" She corrected me, and I blinked in shock.

"Your mom just lets you drive around?" I asked them both.

"My mom taught us all to drive at ten. In this family, if you're old enough to see the road? You're driving." Olivia told me, then shooed her sister out of the door. "Text me when you get home," Olivia said, giving her a tight hug.

"Text me when you get to Africa," Dina laughed.

Once her sister was gone and it was just us, I took the opportunity to make fun of her. "So Africa, huh?" I asked her with a teasing smile.

"Shut up." That was all she said before closing the door.

"Not even Hawaii?" I asked, following her back to the living room as she rolled her eyes at me once again.

"Can you just show me my room?" She asked, her eyes squinting at me.

"Follow me." I led her down the hall, and into the guest room. I only had a three bedroom, but since Ben still lived at home with my Dad, I kept a bedroom ready for him just in case. "Here you are," I told her, sitting her suitcase down. "I'll let you get settled." She looked around the room, and I slowly backed out of the door. "When you're ready we can get started on the quizzing. You still have the file my assistant gave you right?" She nodded her head 'yes', so I left her to unpack.

I know this sounds weird, but I didn't know how to act around her. It's like, legally she's my wife but, in reality we're just strangers. She's a teenaged girl trying to figure out her life, and I'm a grown ass man still trying to do the same.

Almost two hours had passed by, and she finally came out of her room. Not that I was keeping count or anything. "Hey," I said as soon as she descended the hallway. "I hope you like Chinese because I ordered." I gestured to the Chinese that I scattered on the kitchen table. "I didn't know what you liked so I just got one of everything." For some reason, this made her laugh.

"Thanks," she said, sitting across from me.

"Are you okay- I mean, did you get settled?"

"Yeah." She answered, grabbing a box of rice and chop sticks.

"If you need anything, just let me know. Seriously, anything, it doesn't matter what it is. I want you to be comfortable." I told her honestly, I'm sure the whole situation must have been awkward for her.

She looked at me before eating, and didn't say anything. Her expression was unreadable, but in the end she nodded. "Okay." Was all she said. "Let's get started on these questions shall we?" She asked, picking up the file from the table.