The Right Choice

Chapter 2

Stephanie

"I need you to marry me...”

SAY WHAAAAAAAT!?!?!?!

Did I just hear him correctly? Marry him? What the fudge knuckle?
“Uh Linc... What?” I say in disbelief.

“Just hear me out, okay?” he says quickly, and I nod. “My mum and dad insist that I need to settle down and prove that I can be stable for the company and all that bullshit. Apparently, because I sleep with different women regularly, that means I lack commitment. They refuse to promote me until I can show stability to the board of trustees, even though my leadership has increased revenue tenfold.”

“So naturally, this means that I would have to marry you?” I say questioningly.

“I need to get engaged soon, and there’s no one I trust more than you. I know who you are inside and out Steph, you’re my best friend. I would never hurt you, and you would never hurt me.”

“But there are thousands of women lining up for you. Why not one of them?”

“Because all they see is the money. They don’t know me or want to know me as a person. I’m just a dollar sign to them and nothing more. I can’t marry a gold digger. This doesn’t have to last long. I need to be engaged. We don’t necessarily need to get married, hopefully, but if we do, we can divorce after a year.”

“Linc...”

“Please Steph! I need you. You know I wouldn’t ask unless I was desperate!”

“Gee thanks Linc!” I say in a huff, glaring at him.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I trust you with everything I am. I love you, you love me. We CAN do this, people will believe it.”

“Yeah but you’re not IN love with me, and I’m not with you, Linc! That matters to me. I never pictured myself in a marriage of convenience. I thought you said you wanted to be different from your parents!”

“That’s not fair, and you know it!”

I pout in annoyance. Why me? Seriously? I have been avoiding drama rather successfully these last few months, and now this comes along? "Linc! Come on, be serious. This is all coming out of left field for me.”

“I know, I know. You know me. I wouldn’t ask unless it was serious. I need your help, you know I would do anything for you and I will do whatever you ask of me, just please agree to marry me. Pleeeease!” He begs me with his puppy dog eyes, and I know the exact moment he sees my resolve falter.

“Fine! But that wasn’t the most romantic of proposals Lincoln Townsend!”

Linc smiles in victory. “About that...”
He climbs out of his chair and kneels on one knee.

My eyes go wide with shock, and I gasp, “Linc!”
I feel all eyes on me as the busy restaurant falls into a quiet hush as they all focus on the man kneeling at my feet.
I can’t take my eyes off of him as he reaches into his jacket and removes a black ring box, and my hand flies to cover my mouth.

“Steph... I love everything about you. Your gorgeous smile that lights up a room, your kind heart, and your willingness to always help others and your loyalty. I have never met anyone who just gets me like you do. You were made for me, made to be mine. Please make me the happiest man alive and agree to become my wife. Nothing would make me prouder than to walk through life with you by my side, as my best friend and my wife...”

I stare in shock at the words that come out of his mouth. I focus on the key points he emphasised, like loyalty, friendship, and understanding him like no other. I swear to all that’s holy if anyone else asked me to go through a sham engagement, I would punch them in the face, but this is Linc... The same man who helped me pick up the shattered pieces after Gary and Louise, the same man who drops everything when I need him to. So I can do this for him. He would do it for me.

A bead of sweat rolls down his forehead as he waits for my answer. Summoning all my gusto, I answer in the strongest voice I have. “Yes...” Okay, so maybe it came out all breathy and girly, but fudge it!
Lincoln grins widely as he opens the box to retrieve the ring. I gasp as he slides it on my ring finger, my hand shaking with genuine shock. It is the biggest rock I have ever seen, and when I say rock, I mean rock! It’s the most glorious ring I have ever seen in real life. It’s got to be at least 3 carats! A beautiful oval diamond in a solitaire setting with diamonds along the gold band. It’s ostentatious, yet classic, and I couldn’t imagine a more perfect ring. My hand trembles at the shock that he bought a real ring, an expensive one at that.

I’m startled back to reality by the sounds of clapping all around me. Lincoln rises to his feet and lifts me out of my seat and into a hug. I’m still startled by everything when he whispers in my ear. “You won’t regret this, I promise! I’m sorry for this next part...”

“Wha-”

My garbled words are cut off by Lincoln’s lips pressing against mine. I’m too shocked to resist, and whilst it’s innocent and without tongue, I cling to him like it’s my last breath. Slowly, we separate, and Linc is smiling broadly, and I can’t help but echo the joy on his face. He helps me to sit back down into my chair and retakes his own across from me. I am engaged... Yep, you heard it correctly. How in the holy Nicholas did that happen? Like yeah... I obviously know how...but whaaat?

Lincoln keeps talking to me, but honestly, most of what he is saying is being filtered out until I get stuck on “Move in with me as soon as possible...”

“Sorry...what!?!”

“Steph! Have you been listening to anything I’ve said?”

“Meh... You kind of lost me at wife Linc.”

His laughter is joyous and unrestrained, and I grin at his mirth. I did that!

“I said that we need to have an engagement party soon which I know you will plan like the rock star that you are and that I’ll need you to move in as soon as possible to make this whole thing more believable.” He is talking quieter so that our fellow dining guests don’t hear the ins and outs of our agreement.

“Me...move in with you?”

Linc rolls his eyes and chuckles. “Yeah of course silly. How are we going to prove our engagement is real if we live separately? Plus, you can have your own room, you know I have the space. So can you move in? Like yesterday?”

“My lease is actually due for renewal, and I’m currently in negotiations as they want to raise the rent. So I could actually move in. You’re going to owe me big time, Linc, big time.”

“Anything you want, Steph, and it’s yours. I can’t thank you enough for saving me like this. I know it’s a lot to ask.”

“You’re right. It is a lot, but I think this could be good for me. Not that I want revenge per se. However, I don’t want Gary to think I’m some lonely loser pining after him. This isn’t the way I foresaw myself moving forward, but you need me, and I know you would step up if I needed you to do so. However, I’m going to need one favour a week, no questions asked.” He actually looks scared, and I hold my finger up. “Now terms... I won’t ask anything that is morally wrong, I will not ask for anything too embarrassing that could impact your company, and I won’t ask you to change who you are except for one thing... If we are going to do this, then we need to have fidelity. I won’t be laughed at again, not like that.”

“But that means...”

“No sex. Yep.”
“Steph!!!”

“Nope! I’m sorry. I just... I just can’t go through that again.” I start to sniffle, and his eyes soften.

“I’m sorry. Of course, Steph, I won’t step out on you.” I see his hands clench and release, and I begin to giggle. “What’s so funny, princess?”

“I foresee a lot of cold showers in your future, Mr Townsend, and sore wrists!” I giggle.

Linc smirks. “I’ve recently been reacquainted with my hand, thank you very much. I haven’t been with anyone for a little while. I’ve been too busy worrying about work.”

“Well you and Mrs Palmer will be best buddies in no time!” I chortle in glee.

“I’ll get you back in some way Steph, just you wait!” His eyes glimmer with a devilish mirth. This might get interesting.

We finish lunch and Linc pays, obviously. I say obviously, because the man won’t let me, no matter how many times I try. Several people congratulate us as we get up to leave, and I’m surprised to find that I’m actually smiling genuinely. Who would have thought?

“Come on, my beautiful fiancé, let me take you back to work.” Lincoln places his hand on the small of my back and escorts me outside. It’s a harmless gesture, but once he helps me into the car, I can still feel the warmth of his touch, like his hand has imprinted on my skin. Weird. The ride back to my work is filled with silence. My shock is still evident even though I was cracking jokes towards the end. When the driver stops outside the main doors, Lincoln rushes out and opens my door, helping me exit the car. It’s very gentlemanly, and if I didn’t know him better, truly swoon worthy. He walks me to the doors and kisses my cheek. “I’ll call you later, princess.”

“Okay...” I whisper, and he smirks. Bloody insufferable poop head. As if he knows I’m cursing but not quite cursing him in my head, he grins wider and blows me a kiss. Rolling my eyes, I turn away and wave behind my head. His laughter stays with me all the way into the building. Why don’t I curse? Well, that’s a story for another time.

I walk up to Joe, and he quickly gets the elevator called down for me. I brush some fallen hair off my face in annoyance, and Joe gasps. “Miss Lanning! That sure is some rock you’re sporting! It certainly wasn’t there this morning.”

“Uh, yeah. Eventful lunch...” I mumble.

“I’ll say! Congratulations, Miss, and he is a very lucky man, if you don’t mind me saying.”

“Thanks Joe. I think so, too!” I wink, and he laughs. I ride the elevator to my floor and hide my hand behind my hand bag as I walk back into my office. Nikki is quick to join me as soon as I’ve sat down.

“Bitch explain!”

“Huh!?!”

“Don’t you huh me! Why didn’t you tell me you and Lincoln have been dating! You know I’ve been hitting on him shamelessly for the better part of a year!” She shows me her phone with a trash magazine about Linc and myself saying, 'Cry your hearts out, ladies, Lincoln Townsend is off the market!'. “Is it true!?!”

“Yeah, it’s true, you flirt pretty heavily...”

“Steph!” she squeals, and I giggle.

“So, um... yeah...” I slowly placed my left hand on top of the table, which was clearly a huge mistake as Nikki screamed so freaking loudly.

“OH MY GOD! YOU’RE ENGAGED!!!”

And that ladies and gentlemen is my big mouthed assistant at her finest...