2011 Scarlet Boa

Scene #4 Home for the Holidays: Fake Fiancé "I can't, no I won't do this anymore." Miranda whispered. "Randy, you don't know what you're saying." "Grant, listen to me carefully, you are on your own. I will no longer lie to all of these people with you. Let me finish, “ she held up her hand,” It was one thing to tell your old high school classmates whom you haven't seen in 15 years that I am your fiancé, however it’s completely different to tell your parents the same lie. Did you see your mom? I thought she was going to cry when she hugged me. It's like you've never brought a girl home before. And she asked me to call her Mom!" "Randy I." "You what Grant? Don't care about who you are hurting? Don’t care about anything but what you want? Well I care. I won't lie to your parent's or anyone else. First thing tomorrow morning, before breakfast, I am telling them the truth! I should never have agreed to this crazy idea to come up here to your home town in the mountains for Christmas." "The mountains are 45 minutes away. And what are you going to tell my parents? You're going to tell that you work for me and this is a business arrangement? That I blackmailed you into coming here by threatening you job? What? The truth? Oh okay, what’s the truth Randy? I want to know because you certainly didn't have a problem with our arrangement last week when we shook on it or a day later when you deposited my seven thousand dollar check-the same day I gave it to you." He watched Miranda's posture stiffen in the bed next to his chair. "Keep your voice down Grant, your parents could hear us. I needed that money, it‘s for " "So you said," he interrupted, " and I needed a fake fiancé for the holidays. I didn't ask you your reasons behind accepting my offer and you didn't push for details about why I needed to pretend to be getting married. And no, they can’t hear us, dad snores like a train and mom, probably because of dad, could sleep through an army invasion." "I should have, " she murmured, "pushed for details. You deliberately mislead me. You told me this was for business. You said that one week posing as your wife to be and I would be growing your business, our company." "And you are." "Oh really?” she snorted, “How is making all of those people at the reunion last night and your family believe that we are in love and getting married good for our bottom line? Any why do we have to do it here? In your childhood home, in your old bedroom?" "Randy," he started. "Don't call me that, I hate when you call me that." "What?" "I'm Miranda, not Randy," she crossed her arms over her chest. "Everyone calls you Randy." "No, Johnson calls me Randy. I work for Johnson, so he can call me Randy. There’s a difference." Grant smiled, "And you don't work for me?" "Well, I, it's...not the same. He's my direct boss. I report to him." "I'm pretty sure it's my name on the company door and on your paycheck." Miranda sighed, "It's besides the point, Grant, call me whatever you like. When we get back to New York after the new year I won't be working for either of you. It will take some time, but I will pay you back. With interest." "Miranda, shut up." he stood up and began to pace. "First, this will help my company. Tomorrow afternoon we have a meeting at the resort with Carrie Glendale to discuss the acquisition of his company. He's Irish, and very set in his ways. He won't sign his company over to anyone." "I know about the Glendale construction company." "Then you should understand why I need a family image to close this deal. 2nd, I am not letting you quit. You're the best paralegal we have on staff. 3rd , yes, we have to stay here, in case you didn‘t notice when we drove through town Christmas is a busy time, there aren‘t any hotel rooms open. And lastly, no I haven't ever brought a woman home to meet my family. " "Why?" she asked. "Why haven't I ever brought a woman to meet my parents?" he stopped mid pace in front of her and shrugged, " I just haven't." "No, Why me? Why did you ask me to be your fiancé?" He rand a hand through his hair, "It was your glasses." "My glasses made you ask me?" she paused " You're crazy, you know that?" “I’ve been quoted in many local papers as being an unparalleled genius with a keen business insight.” “Okay Mr. Unparalleled Insight, what was it about my glasses that screamed wife? "I was late for a meeting with Peter Kemp when I came out of my office. You'd just picked up those contracts for the Southtown project off of Charlie's desk and your glasses slid down your nose. Then a strand of your hair had come loose from however you had it held back and was in your face. You cursed a long string of creative curse words under your breath-which was funny by the way. Then you pushed the glasses back up into place and ruthlessly used a hand to try and keep the flyaway hair tucked behind your ears. I watched you turn, heft the stack of contracts against your hip and before I could stop you, you ran smack into Charlie. Everything went everywhere. " "I was there." "I handed you your glasses back." "You did." "I'd never noticed that you had green eyes before. " "I do." "And I wanted." "You wanted?" she prompted. " This." Grant bent down, removed her glasses from her face with his hand, and stole a kiss.