It was Saturday morning and he wondered as he read the newspaper, if he should get an early start at the office. Just then the phone rang and he answered it.
" Hello?"
" Hi Prem, Its Veera."
Prem smiled, the rest of his family had turned their backs on him when he'd gotten into his own world of business, but he and his younger sister had stayed in touch and kept a close relationship in spirit if not in distance, " Hi, Sweetheart. What can I do for you?"
" I have a really big favor to ask. Please don't say no"
"I'll try not to and you know that"
" Rishabh proposed and I want you to be in the wedding..."
" Veera,,"
"Don't say no, I talked to mom and dad. They said yes."
"Can I have that in writing?"
"Prem!"
Prem closed his eyes. His parens' house was the last place on earth, he wanted to go to." Ssweetheart you know I wish the best for you and----"
" I want you there....please?"
How could he say no? " All right"
" You'll come?"
"yes, I'll come"
****************************
Heer was in her office, working with the laptop, when Prem walked in. Heer immediaely stood up and said "Mr. Jhunejha...You could have just called me if you needed anything?"
" No, I was hoping to take you out for coffe. There's a business proposition I'd like to discuss with you."
Prem Jhunejha wanted to take her out for coffe? Was she hearing things? Was she dreaming? Was he....? Heer slammed on her mental brakes before her imagination could get carried away further.
They walked to the door. Prem held it open for her.
" Where to ?" she asked.
"How's the coffe bean?"
"That's fine"
Soon they were in his car and Heer watched him as he drove, his movements controlled and precise, just like his life. When the silence got too much she asked " What is it that you wanted to discuss?"
Prem kept his eyes on the road" What I want to talk about is a job offer of sorts."
She was temped to pint out that she was already employed in his office,as his personal assistant, but she kept quiet.
Their arrival at their destination cut the conversation short and the subject did not come up again until they had been seated and had given their orders to the waitress.
"Now, then, Ms. Mann, how would you like a one-week, all-expenses-paid trip to Lake Wyndham? Plus Salary."
The mention of the exclusive south Florida community, second only to Palm Beach in its wealth and old money staus, made Heer suspicious. "Just what would this job entail?"
"Essentialy its an acting job."
" An acting job. Shouoldn't you call a talent agent?"
"Let's say I'm typecasting."
"Why would you be looking for someone to play a business tycoon's personla assitant?"
" I'm looking for a woman to play the part of my fiance for a week."
She tilted her head to once side " You think I look like the kind of woman you would marry?"
He paused "You look like the type of woman my parents would expect me to marry."
" I don't know. Can I think about this and get back to you.?"
He nodded in agreement.
Heer asked " Just how far does this acting job go? I mean, you're not expecting me to sleep with you or anything?
"Ms. Mann, I'm offering a legitimate business deal. What you're suggesting is illegal."
And I'll bet the implication that you might be trying to pay me to have sex with you really ties your boxers in a know, too
. Besides, if he'd just lighten up and smile once ina while he could probably charm his way into any bed he wanted. She wassure he had a killer smile.The waitress arrived with their coffe. Heer thought, maybe she could pull it off, even without formal acting experience.
Once the waitress left Prem continues "You'll have your own bedroom and the place has so many servants, you'll think you're ina hotel. We'll need to spend time together. Engaged couples do that sort of thing I belive. But I'll be sure you have time off to pursue your own recreational interests. There are horses,a sailboat, and the beach is about an hour away."
" You do make it tempting. But I need to think about this."
Indian Idol 16
