Out of Contracts, Into Love

contract, explaining that I had earned enoug

s fingers through my hair, asking, "What's this ab

d me because my "boyfriend" was handsome and l

yfriend. Only I knew the truth. He was just my benefacto

ack to school from a part-time job.

ever imagined that little stunt would land me a five-year gig. The job? Playi

ever even dated. I wouldn't know how to

trick. If my grandparents or mom pushed me to settle down, I

ad a boyfriend yet. How was I supposed to jump i

with me to the my parents' house for dinner or tag a

lse. You have to promise me that." Love couldn't hold a cand

into a boyish figure anywa

sprout like me?" I tugged at my baggy T-

and my bravado fizzle

h the money. What he says g

looks good, sign it. You start tomor

this all along and I just h

d ever been during my college entrance exams. I read every sin

e. He sat quietly, wai

"But you need to add that

uy you as my girlfriend without some touching? There'd be nec

ou're the boss,

ence and no clue how to

ed up a lot and

nt to quit, I remembered that 100, 000 base salary.

t I'd somehow convinced him to ditch a slew of fancy socialites for a naive college

a naive college kid who'd been with him a long time. But he didn't fal

his family wasn't like the ones in

r folks to see him wed. Now that I was in the picture,

school, so he could use my reluctance to marry as an excuse. Plus,

I could clone myself to juggle school and

reathed easier. But I didn't slack off. I knew my

, I needed to build enough grit to land a

is family's marriage talk. The base pay hit six figures, with bonuses tied to how well I kept the

t gotten back to the dorm after class when my best friend Sirena burst in

ke you dump her son,

she's always on him to get married. Why

whole other deal. Haven't you seen in shows and books how rich families obsess over mat

eck to break up with him,

ck with your life. Don't fold i

into l

r-in-law already! She's by the pear tree to th

g jokes as she shov

pear tree. She wore a chic Chanel outfit, her thick, wavy hair sp

This wasn't Jonathan's mom; it had to be hi

omeone that gorgeous m

u Jonathan's sister? You ca

t mouth. I'm here for you, but

m so so

spot to talk." Jonathan's mom tugged me into

really tried to buy me off with a check, would I go for it? Hmm, I'd figure it out on the fly, I decid

here. H

napped back and

tled with whether to take

f girl would catch Jonathan's eye. I had some free time, so I

fine," I sa

hould thank you for putti

wasn't here to split us up! Damn,

ts me really w

d, but he's got great genes. The Dobson family has a long tradition of cheri

help laug

onathan's mom to be

to stress about her giving m

r on shopping trips and kept his grandparents laughing. I swatted away the endless stream of w

his career, I cleared out of his

paycheck. It kept climbing every month. Wh

we both came

ough, I hit l

unpredictable. He'd bl

had no idea

r been in a relationship. Tot

igure out wh

al couple's anyway, so there

I did my dad. Even if he'd let

What choice did I have? I needed to c

ainting classes on hold and threw myself

up, I treated it li

nail down a quick fix for Jonathan's

nd payday, it'd hi

a and CEO romance novel I could

time, once I'd stacked up 80 or 100 of those,

ome in handy later with cran

't planned on picking up a

r five years. Five years coul

had real backbone, I wouldn't have en

e, I guess. He was amazing, and he

alize I'd cau

I noticed I couldn't

d up, he was the first

a Jonathan gallery. Jonathan hard at work. Jonatha

d if I should walk away. But I couldn't bear

If I couldn't have his heart

n I couldn't keep my fe

stubborn belief that I wasn't some lo

e years later, I had the cas

, even convincing myself I'd be con

tember. While Jonathan mingled with busine

ly likes you? Let me set you straight. He doesn't like me, so there's no wa

y were thick as thieves growing up. If she hadn't gone overseas to study while h

is side right now. Five years with him. You? He sees you as nothi

n like me!" I fired back without missing a beat. It wasn't my first time getting

handle any fa

nd him, jealous women hadn't l

d it to avoid stirri

ses. If things went south,

ht it happening and told me

He'd pushed me hard to go from

His childhood sweetheart's coming back next month. Let's see you strut then!

wrapped up his schmooz

want with yo