Chapter 15
Marti was sitting on the bed in her robe, drinking a cappuccino when the door opened.
“Hi wifey. I have some great news and some not so great news. Which one do you want first?” he smiled, sitting on the bed next to her.
She sipped her cappuccino, “Tell me the good first, I need it after this morning.” glancing up at him over the rim of her cup.
“Vargas International is going to be featured in Forbes ‘Top Ten Places to Work’ at the end of the month.” He smiled. “I knew it. Treating all the thousands of employees like they were family was the best thing we could ever do. Supposedly, it’s because I’m a Cancer. You know… that astrology stuff? Cancers always make people feel like they are family. And this time, apparently my managing skills work. When is your birthday?”
“March 7th, why? I’m a Pisces. Does it really matter?” She shrugged. “And anyway, what’s the bad news? Forbes is cool, but you said you had good and bad. Tell me the bad.”
Stumbling over his words, he took a deep breath and exhaled. “We are legally married, and…and we can’t get it annulled quite yet. My attorney called back and with the Forbes deal, he doesn’t want any scandal. He says the article can really boost our sales and help us out in growing the business. I know you don’t want this, but if we could just be married a few months, until all this ‘Top Ten’ stuff dies down, you would really help me out. Well, help out the company. We are headed to be a billion dollar company and it would mean a lot to us. You don’t have to, but –“
“What’s in it for me?” She interrupted. “You want me to stay married to you?”
“You’ll be a very rich woman” He replied, hating to have to bring her into his work and company. He didn’t want her for that.
She sat for a moment, looking at her hand. “Okay Nick, I’ll do it,” she whispered, reaching up to push the hair off his brow. “I mean, we are good together and if it helps you out, well…you, you have helped me out quite a bit and it’s only fair –“
“Thank you so much, Princesa.” He leaned over and kissed her on her forehead. “Now one more thing….”
“What?”
“They are coming to take pictures of us for the magazine, can you please just act like you are in love with me? You know… my newlywed bride and all?” He pleaded.
“Piece-o-cake!” She laughed. “I can love you up so much you are gonna think this marriage is for real! When are they coming?
“In about fifteen minutes.”
“Oh shit!” spilling her cappuccino, “I better get ready.” She jumped off the bed, and ran to the closet.
He sighed. This was turning out better than he expected. Shit. Married. Fuck.
Marti stepped out of the closet in a short, gold, semi-formal dress with beads across the neckline and gold and silver beads dangling from the cap sleeves. “How’s this?” as she turned around in circles, showing off the beautiful dress and her perfectly round ass. She bent over toward him, her cleavage in his face, giggling, “And this?”
“Preciosa, You are so beautiful.” He reached up under her dress to feel her butt cheeks and his hand slid between her thighs, feeling her furry mound, moving toward her slit.
“Stop!” she giggled, “They’ll be here any minute,” noticing the bulge in his pants, struggling to get out.
“Okay, okay” he chuckled. “I’ll be good, but when they are gone…”
“You’re gonna take me out to eat! I’m not gonna waste this beautiful dress and makeup on nothing but some stupid pictures.” She turned to grab her shoes when the phone rang. It was Jesse letting them know the photographers were there.
Nick opened the door, “Come in, come in,” he smiled; he looked hot in his black tuxedo and slicked back hair. Nick had long legs and the tails of the tux just made him taller and leaner. He was a hottie all right.
The cameramen set up their equipment as Nick chatted with some reporters. News 7 was there and Marti was nervous. Who are these people? Nick acted perfectly at home with the cameras and lights, but Marti felt a little ill. Butterflies were swarming in her stomach and her whole body broke out into a cold sweat. Shit! I can’t be nervous now!
Sauntering over to Nick, a glass of whiskey in her hand, she gestured toward the cameraman. “Hello Darling. I see the photographers have arrived.” Darling? Where the hell did that come from?
He slid his arm around her waist. “Ah, yes, mi amor. They are here and they will take pictures of us together and the reporters will film us and ask a few questions.” He turned his head, smiled his big bright smile, a flash went off and turned back to her. He whispered “Smile.”
She smiled, talking through her closed lips, “Reporters? Like news reporters?” Her knees wobbled, was she going to be on the news? She better call her mama before this was all over the TV.
Grinning from ear to ear, Nick posed with Marti for the cameras. “Yes, Princesa, news reporters and this is live, so smile and nod.” Smiling at the cameras, she hissed through her teeth, “Is this live right now?”
Bending down to kiss her cheek, flashes going off from all sides of the room, “Yes, Peach, smile and look at me like you love me.”
“Sure, honey” between clenched teeth. She looked over at him. Love in her eyes and lust in her loins. I’m gonna have a little fun. She set her glass down on the table and ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him down to her, passionately kissing him in front of the cameras, her leg kicked back, her hands all over him. In her sweet southern drawl, albeit a little exaggerated, “Oh, Nick, Honee, Ah love you so much, honey bun, I jus cain’t keep mah hands off yew!” She smiled and winked at him.
He smiled back. His face beet reed. She was gonna pay for this!
Nick was a little embarrassed that she was so seductive in front of strangers, but he was laughing inside. He cleared his throat and stepped up to the small podium, sliding his hand around her tiny waist. Looking out to the small crowd, he started. “Hello ladies and gentlemen, I see you have met my beautiful bride. She’s a real Southern Belle. Don’t know what I’d do without her. Are there any questions? Do you need any more photographs?”
“Mr. Vargas. Did you have her sign a pre-nup?”
“No, next question.”
“Aren’t you afraid she will bleed you dry?”
“Excuse me? My wife? Bleed me dry? Please, do not disrespect my wife on national TV. You sir, may leave. Jesse? Take care of this man, please.”
“We heard she was a lot lizard and you met her at some skanky truck stop you stopped at. Is that true?” came a question from the crowd.
Marti gasped, she had never been a lot lizard, hell…she didn’t even know what one was. These asshole reporters are not going to disrespect me. She grabbed the mike and started. ”Excuse me; I did not meet my husband at a truck stop. And if you think you are going to come into our humble abode and try to discredit me like that, then you have another think coming. What is your name?” Turning her head, “Jesse, please get this man’s name and number and help him out the door.”
She smiled and continued.”I met my amazing husband in a little café at my home town in the South, we have been together twenty four seven ever since. I am not here to ‘bleed him dry’, I love my husband and he loves me. Now if you have any more questions, please direct them to Nick as I will be stepping away, I won’t tolerate any disrespect and if y’all know what’s good for you, you won’t be tolerating it either. I hope you got the pictures you needed and thank you.” She smiled and bowed out, walking to the bedroom and slammed the door. Skank! Lot lizard! I’ll show that son of a bitch who’s a skank!
Nick spoke into the mic. “I’m so sorry, this press conference is over. The reporters went a little too far, so please gather your things and go. I have a brand new beautiful bride I need to attend to. If you have any more questions, you can talk to Ellie, my PR manager in Memphis. Thank you and have a wonderful day.” Nick stepped down from the podium and gestured to Jesse and hotel security to show the reporters out.
Walking into the bedroom he sighed “Sorry, they were totally out of line. I didn’t mean to put you through that.”
Marti sighed and looked at Nick, her eyes welling with tears. “Do you think I’m a skanky lot lizard? What the hell is a lot lizard anyway?”
“No honey, you are not a skanky lot lizard and with your hair up like that and that sexy dress on, you look like an amazing Hollywood star.”
“Thanks. Are we ever gonna get to Hollywood? What ever happened with the truck? Did you just leave it at the truck stop?”
“Unfortunately, we can’t get to Hollywood right now, Preciosa. We need to get back to Memphis. This Forbes thing is going to blow up in my face if I am not there to take care of it. The truck was already delivered in L.A. No worries there.”
She exhaled. “So all this travelling toward my dream was a farce? Nick,” she brushed his face with her fingers, “You are really amazing, I have never met anyone like you, but I feel like I have gotten myself into something I can’t get out of. I know you said only a few months, but I feel like I am suffocating here. I don’t know if I can do this, especially with these reporters talking shit on me. That’s crap! They don’t even know me. Assholes. But won’t that hurt you, hurt your business?”
“No, honey, I tell you what…let’s order room service and we can have a relaxing evening here at the hotel. You can save your dress for another night, we will have more days and more nights together and we can figure this out. I don’t want to keep you from your dreams just to grow my company. We’ll figure it out, Princesa. You are such a beautiful bride, my beautiful bride.” His face was beaming.
She couldn’t contain herself; she fell on the bed laughing at everything that just happened. “Lot Lizard! I’ll show you lizard!” as she pushed him over on the bed wagging her tongue in his face. “And anyway, smarty pants, how do you know I was a beautiful bride? You don’t even remember the wedding.”