Contracted Love

I nodded absent mindedly with heavy sighs as my best friend, Bianca spoke about the dramas of weddings. I was playing with a packet of sugar, leaning back on the wooden counter. She didn’t need to tell me about wedding drama’s. I knew all about them by heart. No, not because I am getting married, or have been married. In fact, out of my three relationships in my twenty nine years, the longest relationship I’ve had was 4 months. I ended it of course because he was too clingy wanted to move in and things. I felt as if I was being smothered.

But the point is, I won’t be getting married anytime soon. My sister on the other hand will be getting married soon,very soon. On the first Saturday in December in fact, only two months away.

“Hey Kate.” My sister of course. I squeeze my eyes shut waiting for her to bombard me with questions. “So I was wondering if your boyfriend will be coming to my wedding?” I gulp down all the air can get, as the lie I had told my family months ago comes rushing back to haunt me.

"Of course. We’ll both be there from the 30th of November.” I said trying to sound excited. “Awesome. But make sure he’s not too perfect because, well, it is my wedding. Okay? Okay. I love you and you have to pick up the cake samples this afternoon. Bye.”And she hung up abruptly without another word.

Surprisingly, she signed off without asking about dresses, or flowers, or the wedding shower. But she’d asked the one question I never wanted her to ask. If my boyfriend was coming, staring at my phone, I wondered how I’d get out of this.

It had all started in June at my 29th birthday. Everyone was talking about Lucinda’s engagement when suddenly my mother turned to me and started going on and on about how old I was and how I should be getting married soon. We’d had this conversation so many times and not wanting to have to hear about love again, I lied through my teeth. I told them I had meet someone in April. Now it was October though, and I had wriggled out of every situation I could have introduced my ‘Boyfriend’ to them. But this time, I knew it wouldn’t work. And after all, weddings are the ultimate family event.

“I need to find myself a boyfriend.” I said, blinking at Bianca. “Why so sudden?”She questioned me as she made herself a skinny latte.

“Remember that lie I told my family,and how you told me that I should tell them the truth?” She nodded in understanding.

“Well, I kind of didn’t tell them the truth and the lies been going ever since.” B’s eyes grew wide, with both shock and excitement.

“So I need to find a fake boyfriend, visit my lawyer, make the so called boyfriend sign a contract and impress my parents.” I added to myself, to begin mentally planning my afternoon.

“Why do you need a contract? Why not go out there, be spontaneous and fall in love?” I rolled my eyes gagging inside at this terrible cliche. B had always been a romantic at heart and was often telling me to drop everything and take a chance.

“Won’t work.” I said as she handed me a latte. Decaf with skim milk of course. When I looked at her after taking a sip though, she had her lips pursed and eyebrows raised.

“Why not?” I put my coffee cup on the counter and looked her in the eye.

“Two reasons. First, spontaneity only leads to bad things. Always. And I speak from experience.” “One experience.” She interrupted smiling with so called wisdom. I just rolled my eyes and continued. “Secondly, love is a lie. Someone made it up. Probably to make money. It doesn't exist.” I ended taking another sip of my latte.

“Love is amazing. It’s like magic.” She said, out of this world. Her eyes had a glazed look and I rolled my eyes at her nonsense. “You would know.” I said sharply. B had never had a real relationship. She was independent and liked to be free. She liked to party, dance, paint and be her own boss. That’s why she opened her coffee shop, Green Bean. It meant she works her hours and does what she wants.

In some ways, I would love to have that freedom but I live on structure, routine, organization and deadlines. Those kind of things are my world and the thought of leaving it behind for a very tempting freedom scare’s me way too much. I mean, I make plans to plan!

In a way though, I kind of have to. My parents gave me the family business when I was twenty and I’ve been running it ever since. Rather well too if I may say so.

It’s a publishing business and it’s always complicated and busy. But I get a thrill out of rushing into the office, ordering a coffee and being rushed from meeting to meeting. Because when I get a spare moment to think, that's when feelings and emotions creep up messing with my mind. I’m not a cold bitch but relationships are complicated for my liking,so why bother?

The bell over the door rung out though the previously quite shop with a small ring, bringing me out of my thoughts. I stood up straight and adjusted my orange Yumi polkat dot skirt. Picking up my coffee cup, I took a step back as B stepped forward. I looked up quickly seeing a man wearing a blue shirt and black trousers. He was clean shaven and his dark hair was neat but not overly neat. He looked casual and had a care free air about him but was smartly dressed at the same time.

I fished out my phone as B took his order and began making his coffee. As B did so, she flirted with him shamelessly. He didn’t flirt back which was a surprise because he had that player air about him and B was absolutely stunning with honey blond hair and a pale skin tone. She was petite and delicate but fun and feisty. Eventually though she gave up and focused on making his coffee, whilst he read the newspaper at the other end of the long wooden bench.

“I’ll have a muffin too please. Anyone.” He said without looking up. B threw me a look that said, Can-you-please? I nodded and slid open the cupboard picking a random muffin and shoving it into a white paper bag. I then grabbed a brown paper bag, throwing in a napkin and loyalty card.