Computer Geek Ch. 09

A few hours later she heard her phone ring. She didn't answer or even look at the display. She had a strong suspicion as to who was calling and she didn't want to talk to neither him nor anyone else for that matter. The world could wait. Besides, her voice and her face could need a good night's sleep before the traces of tears would disappear.

The next two days, she called in sick. Her voice sounded so hoarse that Stuart had accepted her lie about having a cold. He wished her well and hoped for a speedy recovery. Kate knew that was a bit optimistic, but she didn't argue the case. She felt like a coward choosing to postpone meeting Scott but she worried she would start crying if she did.

During the next two days, her phone kept ringing several times a day. She tried to ignore it as best she could, and in the end she just pulled out the plug and put her mobile in silent mode. The same number had tried to call her fifteen times. It was Scott's mobile. She knew it well by now. She flung the phone away and walked into the kitchen to fix herself a sandwich.

She suddenly realised that she hadn't eaten all day and her body felt starved. The dizziness in her head could be explained by the fact she hadn't drank any liquid either. This was absurd. She wasn't going to waste away just because of a man. It was embarrassing that she responded so deeply to his rejection.

Still, she couldn't deny the fact that her heart felt hollow and that her mind seemed to need a restart. She gulfed down the sandwich before walking into her bedroom. Since the conversation with Scott she had spent her days crying and tidying, until her entire apartment looked spotless.

She had even packed all her new and sexy outfits in boxes and stored them at the back of her closet. The present situation made her unable to put on anything other than her old and comfortable clothes. Besides, who would she dress for? Her third condition to Scott about meeting other men was more a pretence than an actual wish. She had no intention of losing her heart to a man ever again.

Returning to her living room, she turned on her computer for the first time in two days. It felt weird that something that seemed so natural just two days ago, would make her dread all the reminders she would find of Scott. She deleted all the emails he had ever sent her, even the ones stating where to file the project papers as well as the project number which she should use on her timetable. It was childish but it felt better to remove all traces of him from her precious computer.

Having done that, she wrote a short resignation letter and emailed it to Carl. Unfortunately, her length of notice was now three months since she had completed her trial period. She hoped Carl would show some understanding and let her leave earlier.

An hour later she heard a loud banging noise from her front door.

"Open the door, Kate. I know you're in there," Scott bellowed.

"Go away," Kate shouted at the locked door.

"I'll break down the door unless you open it immediately."

"I'm busy. Go away."

"If you have another man in there I'll kill him."

"Oh, go to hell. You're so stuck in the Middle Ages you don't even see straight."

"Open up. I want to discuss your resignation."

"Stay out of it."

"I can't. I'm the owner. Now stop being so childish and let me inside."

Kate realised he would be standing there shouting until all her neighbours knew exactly what was going on between them. So much for discretion, she thought, as she unlocked the door and walked into her living room. She was glad she had managed to take a shower and dress herself properly before he started pounding at her door. Now, at least all traces of tears were washed away and she felt a lot better despite her baggy clothes.

"What do you want?" she asked in a neutral voice as he entered her living room.

"You have been sick?" he almost sounded worried.

"The flu. Thin clothes and freezing is a bad combination. I'm feeling much better now."

"Glad to hear it. I thought you were sulking."

"Why would I?"

"You seemed a little shocked at my proposal."

"I'm okay."

"Have you changed your mind?"

Countless of times, she thought but the words would not be spoken out loud.

"No," she replied instead.

"Good. The wedding has been set to Monday at 10 o'clock. In the city hall. There was no time to arrange a traditional church wedding, you see."

Kate just nodded. If it was a scam wedding it could take place at the front steps of the local game shop, for all she cared.

"I've arranged for you to come and try on a few dresses at the local wedding store tomorrow. That friend of yours, Laura, has agreed to help you."

"Okay."

"She even mumbled something about helping you pick some sexy underwear," he grinned at the statement, but she wasn't taking the bait. He paused a little while scanning her entire person from head to toe. "Are you planning on treating me this coldly for the rest of our marriage?"

"I'm not cold."

"It's practically freezing in here."

"This was what you wanted."

"No, I wanted a warm relationship between friends. Not a cold-hearted bitch that couldn't wait to get rid of me."

"Then I suggest you pull out right now and start finding another willing bride for your charade."

He took a deep breath as if to control the outburst that he had on his tongue.

"I said I wanted you and I'm sticking to it, no matter what you choose to believe. Now, what is the resignation about? I'm not accepting it as you should be well aware off."

"I can't both live and work with you, Scott. I need some space of my own."

"And you're trying to get that by throwing away your entire career?"

"Not at all. I'll find myself another job. I'm not made for being a housewife."

"I have a suggestion. What if we transfer you to Carl's team instead? That way you can keep your job and still maintain your distance to me."

"I would prefer to change company."

"In today's market? You know it's difficult out there right now. Besides, you can always apply for other jobs while working for us. What do you say?"

"All right. I'll withdraw my resignation -- for the time being."

"Good." He looked around with an expression of surprise. "You've been tidying."

"I was feeling better."

"Where are all your books?" he sounded almost shocked.

"I've tidied, as I said."

She didn't want to reveal that she had packed them away, not bearing to look at all the love novels she had acquired through the years. Not when her life was in such disarray.

"Well, at least it will make it easier for you to sell the apartment."

"I'm not selling."

"You can lend it out then. After we're married you'll have to live in my house at least for a year."

Kate was shocked. She hadn't thought about that before.

"But what about my things?"

"You can take them with you. I have plenty of room, or you can lend them out with the apartment. I'll help you move this weekend," he volunteered.

Kate just stood completely still. Living with him, meeting him at every meal, talking to him, being so close to him without being able to touch? What was she letting herself in for anyway? This was madness, but she had agreed to help him. She had kept telling herself it was only for a year, but that actually meant 365 days of torment.

She had some serious shopping to do: she needed a large stack of crime novels to keep her mind of him, and a stack of unsexy underwear and sleepwear. No way if she was ever going to show herself in her panties and tight t-shirts no matter how many times he had seen her naked. "I'm sorry, but I have a meeting to attend," Scott interrupted her thinking. "Will you be all right?"

"Of course I will," she tried to smile.

"Good," he repeated himself, before coming slowly closer and giving her a light kiss on the mouth. She jumped back in surprise. "We need to practise more if we're ever going to convince anyone that this is a love marriage," he said teasingly.

"Why don't you just tell them that my breath smell bad?"

"You don't. You taste and smell so wonderful, I wish it was our wedding night."

"There won't be any," she snarled at him and took a step back from him. "So don't get your hopes up."

"I can dream, can't I?"

"Keep them to yourself and don't involve me."

"Oh they already involve you, in the most interesting positions," he said as his eyes smouldered with want.

"You had a meeting?" she reminded him.

He looked at his watch.

"I'm late already." He started to walk for the front door. "Just let me know if you need my help to practise. I can come over in a few hours and stay the night."

"Don't bother. From now on I will close my eyes and pretend you're Brad Pitt whenever you decide to kiss me. That will work out just fine."

She could see his angry expression at her words, before she closed the door in his face.

The next morning she dressed up in her new clothes to meet Laura. Her friend was so excited at the news that she could barely stop talking. It suited Kate just fine as she tried on several fancy dresses that cost way more than she wanted to spend on a scam wedding. Laura prodded her on and finally they had ruled it down to just one dress.

"You look wonderful," Laura said with a grin. "Oh, you must be so happy. Marrying the man of your dreams in a hasty wedding. He must really love you in order to rush the wedding this much."

"Well, as soon as we decided, it was no use to wait for the large church wedding," Kate explained while she took off the expensive dress and redressed herself.

"Are you disappointed that you'll not have the larger wedding?" Laura asked carefully.

"Not at all," Kate laughed. "200 guests and one year of preparation sounds much too stressful. No, simple and private that's more my thing. I like it actually," she smiled broadly. It was easy to lie when she kept herself close to the truth, she decided.

"Where will you go on your honeymoon?" Laura wondered.

"I don't know yet. We haven't thought about that."

"Oh, this is so romantic. He's in such a rush to have you that you barely have time to shop."

"Well, he owns a large house, so we could easily spend our honeymoon there, investigating every room."

Laura just gave her a playful push in the side. "Naughty girl. I like that. I just wish I could find myself a man like that."

"They're out there, but just not that easy to come across."

"Maybe I should try the IT business myself. There seem to be plenty of bachelors there."

"Most of them are terribly geeky, let me warn you," Kate laughed.

"As long as he's rich and good-looking, I don't mind."

"It takes more than that," Kate replied truthfully.

She had learnt by now that there were other qualities that were much more important in a man, like honesty and love.

"I know that. He also needs the equipment and of knowledge of its various uses," Laura laughed heartily.

Kate joined in the laughter, but kept thinking that Scott had that as well, but that didn't help much when there was no love.

"So, when do I meet this geek of yours? So far I've just heard his voice over the phone and he sounded very sexy. Is the rest of him equally pleasant?"

"You'll meet him on Monday so you can see for yourself."

"No details then?"

"Nope, I'm too biased to give you a good description," Kate laughed.

"Oh, give it a try, will you?"

"Okay. He's tall, good-looking with dark hair and blue eyes."

"And?"

"And he's the most handsome man I've ever met. With large hands, strong muscles and a lightly tanned skin and a well-trained body."

"He doesn't sound like your typical computer geek."

"No, he's not. You'll be surprised."

"As long as you'll be happy," Laura said and gave Kate a hug.

"I will be," Kate said with more conviction than she felt.

"Now, let's go shop some sexy underwear," Laura said eagerly.

"I don't need any more underwear."

"Of course you do. And a baby doll and lots of other skimpy clothes that will seduce the head of that husband of yours."

"I could use a new dressing gown," Kate admitted as she paid for wedding dress.

"I know just the right place," Laura said, before practically pulling Kate over to the next store.

As the day passed, Kate vowed to keep the tags on all the new skimpy underwear that she felt obliged to buy. She would return them at first opportunity and then buy herself something that could actually be worn for more than five minutes.

The wedding passed in a blur as Kate smiled her way through the wishwellers and tried to act as happy as she could.

"Will you be happy?" her father had asked her before the ceremony.

She looked him in the eye.

"As happy as I can be," she had replied and smiled.

He didn't seem entirely convinced, but her mother had interrupted by commenting how beautiful her dress was.

The ceremony was quick and they both said 'yes' at the right time. Kate managed to play her part until Scott tried to kiss her to seal their vows. She moved her face to the side, wanting him to kiss her cheek instead of her mouth, but he held his hand under her chin and gave her a deep kiss that made her cheeks glow with warmth.

"We have an audience. Behave yourself," she reprimanded.

"I can't help myself. You're so beautiful," he replied teasingly as the heat in his eyes met hers.

She heard several sigh beside them as them falsely mistook his words for love.

They received congratulations from the audience that only consisted of near family and friends, before attending the reception that Scott had managed to arrange. Everything was just perfect, and everyone seemed happy, Kate thought. Maybe they had managed to fool them. She reached out her hand to grab some food and looked at the ring that seemed so out of place on her finger. It was a family heirloom, Scott had told her earlier.

She hadn't wanted it, but he had insisted, explaining that his family would start talking if she didn't wear it. It was beautiful and she was scared stiff that she might ruin it or lose it before Scott could give it to a woman that he truly loved. She would ask him to make a copy of it that she could wear instead. She wasn't accustomed to wearing any kind of jewellery.

Suddenly, Scott pulled her out of the thinking as he placed his arm over her shoulder and steered her in another direction.

"Come, Kate. Here's someone I would like you to meet," and he pulled her along with him until they stood before an old man in a grey suit. "Kate, this is Mr Maximillian Harrison, my grandfather's solicitor. Max, this is my lovely wife, Kate."

A broad smile was plastered on the old man's face and he greeted them heartily, making it clear that he had known Scott for quite some time.

"Call me Max, the old man said invitingly. I'm so glad to finally meet you. Scott has told me so much about you. I'm glad you finally decided to put him out of his misery and married him."

"It's a pleasure," Kate smiled. "Although I know I have the work cut out for me teaching him the proper use of furniture and where to throw his dirty laundry."

Max laughed heartily, while Scott smiled stiffly, before pulling her closer to him.

"Don't worry, darling. I'll find us a bed soon," Scott whispered so load that everyone around them must have heard. She gave him a slight push in his side as if to remind him of where they were. "Ouch," he exclaimed as she smiled at the old solicitor.

"Sorry about that. He just loves to misbehave."

Max laughed heartily again.

"I know. I've known this rascal since he was a baby. I'm so glad that he finally found an intelligent woman to keep him in line."

"Don't worry about it, I will," Kate smiled as she felt Scott hand moving leisurely down her back and landing on her behind, before giving her a light squeeze. She tried to retain her posture as she moved his hand up to a safer area. "Not here, darling," she crooned at Scott.

Max just gave them a wink before wishing them a happy life. "I'll send you the papers later on," he told Scott, before he left them.

"What papers?" Kate wondered.

"The papers for the house, I hope. We'll see later."

Kate was almost disappointed. Was that all it took to convince the fiercely solicitor? She had dreaded this meeting for the entire weekend and all it took was a little flirtation and the deal was in order? There had to be something more to it, Kate suspected as she was grabbed in a bear hug by someone that smelled exactly like her brother James.

"Careful, James. You're ruining my dress," she shrieked. Scott looked as if he was ready to give the other man a punch.

"Scott, this is my scoundrel of a brother, James." The men shook hands, both trying to squeeze the other man's hand so hard it hurt. "How childish," Kate murmured.

"You'd better treat her well or I'll wipe the floor with your ass, buddy," James said nonchalantly.

"I'd love to see you try," Scott replied lightly.

"I'll leave you two to your pissing competition then," Kate concluded as she turned to find Laura.

She soon met up with her friend and Laura gave her a good hug.

"Oh, you must be so happy. He's gorgeous. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I tried," Kate said truthfully as she turned to see James and Scott still in conversation. She had thought they would start fighting by now, the way they were measuring each other up.

"Does he have a brother somewhere?"

"Not to my knowledge, no. But, James is still available if I'm correct."

"No chance there. He's too picky."

"And a brute. You wouldn't want him anyway."

"Probably not," Laura laughed.

The rest of the reception passed in a similar manner, and Kate felt the muscles around her mouth ache from all the smiling.

Eventually it was all over and they were walking toward his car.

"You were great," Scott complimented her.

"So were you," she countered. "Did you receive the papers from Max?"

"He will have them sent directly to the house."

"What now? Are we going on a honeymoon or back to work in the morning?"

"I thought spending a week at home might be in order. The honeymoon will have to be postponed until after the project is finished. Then I promise to take you wherever you want to go. Shall we?" he asked as he offered her his arm.

"I need to collect my car from my apartment."

"We can collect it tomorrow. Besides, I don't think you want to drive wearing those high heels and that long dress."

"I can change in my apartment."

"Please don't. I like looking at you."

Kate was quiet.

"What do you need your car for anyway? I can drive you wherever you want to go."

"I need to do some shopping and I don't think you would enjoy that."

Scott laughed. "That depends what you are going to shop for. I like looking at underwear."

"I've plenty of that. I need more books."

"Books?"

"Yes, you have a large house so I'll finally have room for all the books I want to read."

"Do as you like. It's your house also."

But Kate knew that wasn't the case. A year from now or probably much sooner, she would move back into her small apartment and continue with her life. A life that didn't include Scott.

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