Heat Exchange(24)
Janey flushed. "It's just that we live in different worlds and our agreement is only for the week. It's supposed to be mutually beneficial, except it's not so beneficial for him. He won't even let me buy groceries."
"Rightyo," Oliver said. "The last stage of resynthesis is futuring. Let's envision what the future holds here. This is a relationship we're talking about, so let's do some futuring centering around relationships. Janey, do you want to get married one day?"
"Oh, yes. I hope so."
"And who do you see yourself married to in the future?"
She closed her eyes. "Maybe somebody in the hospitality industry like me. The last guy I asked out managed events for his company. We handled the CEO's birthday and he seemed interested. I asked him out, but he acted like he was only interested in my orange vanilla cream cake. So not him, obviously, but somebody."
"All right. Nyall, Amy's said you're not the marrying type, but you've been married before, if rumor has it right," Oliver went on. "Do you ever plan to marry again?"
"Yes," Nyall said firmly.
"You're freaking me!" Amy said. "I thought Kimberly burned you out on marriage but good."
"Only singed," Nyall stretched, which made his chest look very appealing. "I still think a normal life is not outside the realm of possibility. So yes, I want to get married again."
Janey's eyes became saucers. "You do? Really, Nyall?"
His eyes narrowed and he tilted up her chin. "Yeah."
"You actually want to get married." She was suddenly excited. She gave his arm a little shake. "I didn't know. I thought all you were interested in was uncommitted sex. Nyall, this is perfect. I have an incredible idea. This is what I'm good at."
His mouth curved into a twisted smile. "Yeah, sweetheart?"
"Oh, boy." Her heart gave a huge, painful squeeze at the images in her mind, but she ignored it. It didn't matter what she wanted. She was already getting so much out of this arrangement. This was the answer that would not only give something back to Nyall, but keep her heart protected from hurt.
"I know what it would take for me to stay with you this week so I don't feel like I'm taking advantage of you," she told him with a little shiver of dread and hope.
He hooked a leg over hers and turned her, looking at her intently. "What's that? Something to do with marriage, Janey?"
She nodded, pretty sure he was worried Janey had grandiose ideas for herself. It only confirmed her sentiments that Nyall was out of her league. She rushed to placate him.
"Definitely something to do with marriage," she said reassuringly. "You know how when you suggested to me you could help me with my virginity problem, I agreed almost right away? Well, I want you to do the same with me and trust me. You see, I don't have too many special skills, but one thing I am really, really good at is matchmaking. I've set my own sisters up on dates with guys they've even married! So Nyall, if you agree, what I'll do is I'll go ahead and help you get that normal life you want by finding you the perfect wife!"
Chapter 11
TO: Amy Ellen Winch
FROM: Nyall Anderson
SUBJECT: Resynthesis
Amy, next time I wish for something idly while texting, remind me to be careful what I wish for. Your man gets paid for this crap?
Nyall Anderson
CEO
Sonneman Anderson Research Group
TO: Nyall Anderson
FROM: Amy Ellen Winch
SUBJECT: Re: Resynthesis
Hey, she's staying with you, isn't she? Mission accomplished. Her cheesecake was outstanding, by the way.
Is she seriously gonna do it though? Find you a wife?
Amy
TO: Amy Ellen Winch
FROM: Nyall Anderson
She's dead serious. The moment you guys left she was all over me with this insanity. She's going to throw me a fucking charity ball. She calls it a Prince Charming ball or Cinderella ball or whatever the fuck it is. For fucking Halloween. And I get to pay for it.
Nyall Anderson
CEO
Sonneman Anderson Research Group
TO: Nyall Anderson
FROM: Amy Ellen Winch
Not getting the connection. How does that find you a wife? Are you supposed to meet a wife there?
BTW, you're pissy today. You need to get laid.
Amy
TO: Amy Ellen Winch
FROM: Nyall Anderson
Thanks, Einstein.
Everyone who comes to the ball is going to be dressed as a Cinderella character. Dozens of princes and princesses. She's going to blast through her "upper class" (her phrase) connections via her catering gigs to find eligible women.
Eligible fucking women, Amy. From which she plans to hand-pick the very best—her words, the very best—and auction them off to the highest bidder. I'm supposed to pick somebody to get engaged to. She's lost her sweet little mind.
Nyall Anderson
CEO
Sonneman Anderson Research Group
TO: Nyall Anderson
FROM: Amy Ellen Winch
You're not agreeing to this?
Amy
TO: Amy Ellen Winch
FROM: Nyall Anderson
Of course I damn well am. I get her this week if I do.
Nyall Anderson
CEO
Sonneman Anderson Research Group
TO: Nyall Anderson
FROM: Amy Ellen Winch
Out of morbid curiosity, what does she mean by the very best of femalekind?
Amy
TO: Amy Ellen Winch
FROM: Nyall Anderson
From the names she rattled off, heiresses mostly. But also rich divorcées, businesswomen, celebrities, political daughters.
Nyall Anderson
CEO
Sonneman Anderson Research Group
TO: Nyall Anderson
FROM: Amy Ellen Winch
Preening.
Amy
TO: Amy Ellen Winch
FROM: Nyall Anderson
Yeah, you're invited, you heiress/businesswoman, you.
Nyall Anderson
CEO
Sonneman Anderson Research Group
TO: Nyall Anderson
FROM: Amy Ellen Winch
But when the party rolls around you're going to be a slime and dash the hopes of dozens of women?
Amy
TO: Amy Ellen Winch
FROM: Nyall Anderson
You laugh, but this is not fucking funny. By party time, she'll be a fixture in my bed and those women will know it.
Nyall Anderson
CEO
Sonneman Anderson Research Group
TO: Nyall Anderson
FROM: Amy Ellen Winch
Geez, why are you sitting there emailing me if you're so gone about the chick? You should be fucking her.
Amy
TO: Amy Ellen Winch
FROM: Nyall Anderson
She's scribbling out plans. She gets ten more minutes before I remind her why she's here.
Oh, and I'm not just twiddling my thumbs, Winch. This is a warning. If this actually goes down, you're going to inform every hopeful female you see there that counter to rumor, I am not wife-seeking, so leave me the fuck alone. (No arrogance intended.)
Nyall Anderson
CEO
Sonneman Anderson Research Group
TO: Nyall Anderson
FROM: Amy Ellen Winch
Don't even go there. You're arrogant as hell and you know it.
Roger as to rumors. I guess I should put a lid on psych guy, too.
Speaking of which, go away, it's time for me to bang him. Tonight was like watching a porn shoot. That girl's hot for you and your dick was pointing at her the whole time.
Amy
TO: Amy Ellen Winch
FROM: Nyall Anderson
Subtle, Amy, real subtle.
Let me know if there's fallout with the vomiting boss for taking you away tonight.
Nyall Anderson
CEO
Sonneman Anderson Research Group
TO: Nyall Anderson
FROM: Amy Ellen Winch
Nah, I'm good. Server's back up, nobody's fired, bribes to janitorial. I expect rum balls soon.
Amy
***
Marriage Candidates for Nyall Anderson
Charlene (Char) Johnson-Forks (daughter of Dad's orth surgeon & on Board of Directors St. Danes Medical Ctr, also ex-wife former governor)
Monica Broome (Broome trust fund—mega$$$ & leg model)
Alisha Scarbrough (best friend to wife of CEO Sumwun2luuv.com)
Sonya Woznyak (daughter of Woznyak Doors & Windows Int. also genius IQ)
Evelyn Saunders-Gleason (ex-wife of founder Redmond New Tech College—redhead like Amy)
Lize Zimmer (starred in Friends in a Fishbowl reality TV, also best friend of Monica Broome above)
Pamela (Pammi) Matarino (sister of somebody to do with car manufacturing can't remember who)
Bethany Ginsburg (CEO of Ginsburg Elegance)
Amy Winch (granddaughter of Nancy Penne who married into broadcasting fortune)
Cyn Chan (star of Play Me For a Lollipop, Sucker)
Sheila Joy Waters (CEO Bodi Bodi Fitness Clubbes)
Tamara Alison (Ally) Stulz (MD. Oncology, PhD @UW, Tineesoft heiress)
Who else? Janey nibbled the back of her pencil as she hunched over her notepad and tried to recall all the various well-heeled female connections she had. Any of the women already on her list she thought Nyall would like, but you never knew. Nyall was hot enough, charming enough, and rich enough to have his pick of pretty much anyone, so the more choices, the better.
She made a note to quiz him about his spousal preferences.
Vaguely she became aware of muted sounds from elsewhere in the condo. That had to be Nyall moving around. She tried not to think about being alone with him in his home again. In the hour that Amy and Oliver had been gone, he'd left her alone to do her brainstorming. Concentrating on finding a match for Nyall was better than thinking about their fight.
It reminded her that they lived in different worlds. But thanks to a stroke of fate, Janey's world skirted his in that in her capacity as caterer, her contacts knew his contacts. Janey's role in Nyall's life after this week was over was becoming clear.