Contractual Obligation: The Contract by Lauren Keller Page A

could fantasize and believe her life was more interesting than she knew it was.
    “Thanks Ally,” he didn’t look up, he was already buried in one of the files.
    Running his hand through his dark hair, Michael stared at the papers in front of him. Sorting through his priorities, he turned to his computer and read the prioritized email. Normally focused and strong, his mind scattered, wondering what his future held and if his father was serious.
    How did he expect him to meet his dream girl and marry her within a year’s time, when he hadn’t even found a girl to hold his interest for more than a week or two? Usually within two or three days, he’d grown bored of the socialites at the local club scene all looking to get drunk and laid, forgetting that they had tons of money and Mommy and Daddy had been too busy to spend any time with them in life, so they were out trying to fill that void…just like Michael was.
    He was a man child, unwilling to grow up, unwilling to let go of his party life, and unwilling to follow the path his father had taken by marrying woman after woman, and then divorcing them one after the other.
    Spinning his chair, Michael caught his reflection in the shaded window, overlooking the city. He was holding up well in his prime, and refused to give up the best years of his life to some lifestyle his dad was demanding. It’s absurd.
    Michael put a call into James, “James, how are you today?” A hesitation, “Great, great, I’m just calling to let you know I won’t need those files after all. Right, go ahead and cancel our afternoon appointment. I have some business to attend. No, no, I’ll give you a shout when I have a few minutes later this week.”
    With a Cheshire grin, he hung up the phone. That was easy enough, now to put the brakes on his father’s plans, but that would take some doing.
    Within moments, his phone rang. Looking at the caller ID he frowned – seriously, that fast?
    “Your canceled appointment has been moved up. He’ ll be in your office in twenty minutes, and I’m on my way too. I wasn’t kidding, Michael. It’s time to make a choice – your personal life or business. Have Allison push all of your other appointments back.”
    Michael stared ahead, annoyed that his father was putting him on the spot like this. It would serve him right if he got up and left the office now, but he realized he’d just be putting off the inevitable.
    “Fine,” he said, hanging up the phone without another word.
    When the men congregated, Kent started the conversation, telling him that James had done some research and found some women from local modeling agencies that were offered the job of becoming a possible trophy wife. He continued, “Many applied, and then James weeded through them, selecting a handful for you to look at. We didn’t want somebody too high profile.”
    Michael snorted, “So you just plucked through some models, and offered them all cash to be seen as my partner. Lovely,” he spat out. “You’re a real class act, Dad.”
    “Watch your tone, and get your shit together.” Turning his attention to James, “You can leave the files with Michael.” Turning back to his son, “When you’ve made your selection, let James know so he can arrange things, and if there’s more than one you’d like to meet, don’t dawdle making your choice. We need to get things rolling; we could use some better publicity.”
    Staring at his father, his angst was noted.
    “That will be all, James. Thank you for your time and discretion as always.”
    “Is this how you meet your wives, Dad, hiring models that have nothing better to do than hang on the arm of an old man?”
    “One of us has to run this company, and you’re apparently too busy partying.”
    “It never interferes,” he shot out. “I’m damn good at what I do.”
    “And you’ve got an incredible future if you’d stop ruining your reputation, and taking this company down with you. Mom