The Real Deal

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"Wait a minute, Shawn, you want me to do what?" Mark asked in shock as he almost choked on his burger.

"She's in a bind man." Shawn said with a shrug.

"That's not my problem."

"Look from what Laurel told me, Harley is a good woman she is just skeptical when it comes to guys, for personal reasons, and I thought if anyone could relate and be sympathetic it would be you, seeing how your last marriage ended and all."

Mark glared up at his friend at his last remark.

"Don't bring that shit up man, you know I don't even like to think about that gold digging slut." Mark said angrily as he thought back to his eighteen month marriage to Christina. Everyone tried to warn Mark that the woman was no good, but he just wouldn't listen. She was a ring rat that had been with over half the roster, but to Mark she was "the one"… or so he had thought. The two had dated a short three months before he proposed to her. He quickly regretted meeting the woman because less than six months into the marriage Mark realized that all Christina wanted from him was his credit cards. Christina had maxed out three cards in a matter of months, but Mark had over looked her spending habits because of her ability to perform like a porn star in the bedroom. What Mark couldn't over look though was the fact that Christina was cheating on him and he felt like a world class idiot for putting up with it for so long. After their bitter divorce Mark had swore off relationships deciding to stick to one night stands and plenty of them.

"Look, it's not like you really have to marry her, just help her out for a few days while her mother visits and then you will never have to see her again."

"She must be a dog if she is willing to pay a guy to pretend to be her husband."

"Who said anything about getting paid?" Shawn asked raising an eyebrow.

"You mean I would be doing this for free?"

"You're acting like you need the money. This isn't some kind of escort set-up or something; it's a favor for a friend."

"She's not my friend." Mark scoffed as he picked up his beer and took a swig.

"Let me invite them over to your place so you can meet her for yourself and then you can make a decision, all right?" Shawn asked.

"At least tell me what she looks like."

"Well I've never met her, but Laurel say's she is a natural beauty."

"That's code for homely." Mark said glaring at his friend.

"It is not, look what can it hurt to meet her?"

"Fine you can bring them over for dinner tonight, but if she is a coyote ugly date then you owe me big time, buddy." Mark said slapping Shawn on the back as they finished their meal and left the restaurant.


"Shawn you are the greatest." Laurel said happily.

"Don't go giving me that title just yet. Your friend has a lot of work to do if she wants to convince to go through with this charade."

"I don't think that will be a problem, Harley is the best and any guy would be lucky to have her." Laurel told Shawn.

"Look I will come and pick you two up at 7:30 so make sure you are both dressed and ready to go, if we are even two minutes late it will give Mark the perfect excuse to back out."

"We will be ready, see you at 7:30." Laurel said before saying her good-byes to her friend.

"Now all I have to do is figure out a way to get Harley to go tonight." Laurel sighed.


"Hey girl thought you were coming over for pizza and movies last night." Harley said when she opened the door to find Laurel standing on her front porch.

"Sorry went home and crashed." Laurel said as Harley stepped aside to let her in the house.

"That's fine maybe we can try again tonight?" Harley asked as she walked into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee.

"I have a better idea." Laurel said with a sly smirk.

"And what might that be?" Harley asked eyeing her friend suspiciously.

"Well you remember my friend, Shawn?"

"The hunky wrestler guy that you showed me on TV that time?"

"That would be him."

"Ok, what about him?"

"Well we hadn't talked in quite a while so I gave him a call and he invited me to dinner tonight so we can catch up."

"That's great Laurel, I hope you have fun." Harley said pouring them both a cup of coffee.

"Well there is kind of a problem, you see he has invited me to have dinner with him and one of his closest friends and I would feel odd being there with him and his friend so I was hoping you would join us."

"Oh no, Laurel what did you do?"

"Nothing I swear, I just need you so I don't feel like the odd girl out is all." Laurel said innocently as she sipped her coffee.

"I'm sorry but you are on your own tonight chica."

"Harley please, I already told Shawn to tell his friend that there would be three of us."

"Then call him back and tell him you made a mistake."

"Harley, you are going, now stop acting like a child. Shawn will pick us up at 7:30 sharp. Be ready and wear something…tight." Laurel winked at her friend before sitting her coffee cup down. "I am going into work for a few hours and when I get back here you better be ready."

"Laurel…"

"I am serious Harley, we are going to go and have a good time tonight, do you hear me?"

Harley knew better than to argue with Laurel when she was like this so she sighed and nodded at her bossy but best friend.

"Good girl, and if I could make a suggestion about what you should wear tonight."

"Could I possibly stop you?"

"I think you should wear that sexy black mini dress that you have hiding in the back of your closet."

"No way that is not an appropriate dress to wear to a dinner."

"Nonsense it's perfect, wear it that's an order missy. See you later." Laurel said with a smile before leaving.

"You are so up to something Laurel Hansen." Harley said shaking her head as she continued to sip her coffee.


Shawn arrived at 7:30 on the dot and Laurel smiled as he walked up onto her front porch.

"Wow you look just as beautiful as I remember." Shawn said as he kissed Laurel on the cheek. She was wearing a red knee length spaghetti strapped dress with a pair of black flats. Her long hair pulled up in a lose bun.

"Thank you handsome. You look pretty good yourself." Laurel said admiring Shawn in his khaki pants and white polo shirt and his hair was pulled into a low ponytail.

"Where is your friend?" Shawn asked realizing they were the only two in sight.

"She is at her place; I was on my way over there to see if she was ready."

"Well we can go and get her together." Shawn said as he placed his hand on the small of Laurel's back as they began to walk the few feet to Harley's.

"Look I should tell you, Harley has no clue that I am setting her up. Well that's not entirely true she is very suspicious but has no proof."

"Wait, I thought you said she was looking for someone to pretend to be her husband."

"She was going to confess to her mother that she had lied, but I talked her out of that. I know that if she comes clean then her mother will really give her hell and she doesn't need that. I am just trying to look out for my friend."

"But what if her mother finds out that this is all a scam anyway? Won't the just make matters worse?"

"Well then I guess we will just have to deal with that if the situation arises." Laurel said as she rang Harley's doorbell.

Harley gave herself the look over once more before walking to the door. She took Laurel's advice and had put on the black low cut mini dress that had sat in her closet untouched for over a year. She had only bought the thing because Laurel had convinced her that every woman should own at least one "little black dress". She was wearing a teardrop diamond necklace around her neck that did nothing but bring further attention to her breast and she had put on the matching earrings. Her make-up was light and she wore only gloss on her full lips. She grabbed her purse and keys off of the nightstand and headed towards the door.

"Harley come on or we will be late." Laurel said and rang the bell again just as the front door swung open.

"I'm ready Laurel, geez." Harley said as she noticed the look on both Laurel and Shawn's faces.

"What? It's too much isn't it? I'm going to go change, just give me two minutes." Harley said about to turn and run back up stairs.

"Don't you dare think about changing! Harley you look absolutely gorgeous." Laurel said staring at her friend.

"Laurel is right, you look amazing." Shawn said causing Harley to blush.

"Oh I'm sorry where are my manners? Harley this is Shawn Michaels, an old friend, Shawn this is Harley Cooper, my best friend." Laurel said.

"It's very nice to finally meet you Shawn, Laurel told me all about you. She even made me watch a couple of your wrestling matches." Harley said with a smile as the two shook hands.

"It's very nice to meet you too, Harley, Laurel has mentioned you in conversation a lot over they years. It is nice to finally put a face to the name, and I must admit it is a very lovely face." Shawn said kissing Harley's hand.

"You were telling the truth Laurel, your friend is quite a flirt." Harley said winking at Shawn.

"If you think I'm bad just wait till you meet Mark." Shawn laughed.

"Is that the name of your friend that we will be joining for dinner tonight?" Harley asked.

"Yes, and we better get a move on before we are late. Mark can be a grumpy bastard." Shawn said as he held the door open for both of the ladies.


"Wow your friend lives here?" Harley asked when Shawn pulled up to the gate.

"Yeah."

"Him and what army?" Harley asked causing Shawn to laugh.

"It's just the "Dead Man". He had this place built a few years ago."

"Did you say "dead man"?"

"One of his many old wrestling nicknames. When he was still in the WWE he was known as the Undertaker."

"Sounds creepy." Harley admitted.

"People loved it. It was a sad day in the world of wrestling when that man retired." Shawn said as he pressed the button on the intercom.

"Who's there?"

"Who do you think Calaway, just open the damn gate already or I will take these two beautiful ladies elsewhere." Shawn said turning and smiling at Laurel and Harley, who both blushed a crimson red.

"Park round back I have the grill set up for a barbeque." Mark said as the gate began to swing open.

"I think I may be a little over dressed for a barbeque." Harley said now feeling really nervous and inappropriately dressed.

"You're fine Harlz, stop being such a worry wart." Laurel said glancing back at her friend.

Mark was in the kitchen making a tossed salad when Shawn walked in slapping him on the back.

"Man, you are going to love me. Harley is gorgeous!" Shawn said flashing Mark a smile.

"Yeah well why don't you let me be the judge of that." Mark said grabbing four beers out of the fridge before following Shawn back out the door. The ladies were seated on the deck, but they both stood when Shawn and Mark appeared.

Mark's mouth began to water at the sight of Harley. The dress she was wearing left very little to the imagination and Mark liked that.

Shawn saw the look that Mark was giving Harley and he bit back a laugh. "Oh yeah Mark is definitely going to go through with this." He thought to himself.

"Ladies this is a good friend of mine, Mark Calaway. Mark this is Laurel Hansen and Harley Cooper." Shawn said making the introductions.

"It's nice to meet you both." Mark said as he continued to stare at Harley.

"It's very nice to meet you as well." Laurel said with a smirk as she too noticed the look that Mark was giving Harley.

"Nice meeting you." Harley said shyly adverting her gaze from that of the big man.

After a minute Harley took a chance and sneeked a peek up at Mark. The man was absolutely gorgeous. He had to be close to if not seven foot tall and he had long hair that at the moment was tied back in a ponytail giving Harley a view of his beautiful green eyes. He wore a black fitted shirt that showed off ton's of tattoos. Harley had never met a man that looked so damn good.

"I hope you girls are hungry steaks will be done soon." Mark said holding out beers for them pulling Harley out of her deep thoughts.

"Thank you." Harley said taking the beer from Mark's big hand.

"Why don't you ladies have a seat here on the deck while Mark and I go man the grill." Shawn said with a smile as he and Mark walked off of the deck and over to the grill.


"So, what do you think?" Shawn asked Mark once they were alone.

"She is all right." Mark said nonchalantly.

"You are a bad liar. You were practically salivating when you saw her." Shawn laughed.

"Bull."

"Still think she is homely?"

"Shut up!" Mark said as he looked up on the deck at the woman who had him thinking x-rated things.


"So what do you think of Shawn?" Laurel asked her friend.

"He seems like a really sweet guy." Harley said sipping her beer as she turned to look at the two men at the grill.

"I guess the better question is what do you think of Mark?" Laurel asked winking at her.

"Oh god, this was a set up wasn't it? That's why you had me put on this "come get me" dress?" Harley asked eyeing her friend who simply smiled at her.

"I really can't believe you, I told you not to do this." Harley said looking over her shoulder again.

"No, you told me not to fill out a profile for you and I didn't I just made a phone call."

"He really agreed to do this, no questions asked or anything?"

"Well not really, Shawn said he is a little skeptical about it." Laurel said but stopped talking when Shawn and Mark started their way back up on the deck.

"Uh-oh they got quiet when we got here, they must have been talking about us man." Shawn said smiling at Laurel and Harley.

"Harley and I were just saying how lovely Mark's home is and how it is a shame he lives here all by his lonesome. Ummm, Shawn think you can show me to the ladies room? " Laurel said winking at Shawn.

"Real smooth Laurel." Harley said as she drained the rest of her beer.

"Sure, you two chat we will be right back." Shawn said to Mark and Harley as he helped Laurel up from her seat.

"I'm sorry about this, Laurel set me up."

"Shawn told me about your situation and what you are looking for, is your mother really so bad that you had to lie about having a husband?" Mark asked taking a seat beside Harley.

"Yeah, she is. She has been on my ass about marriage and kids for years, she says its because she wants me to be as happy as my sisters are, but the truth is both of my sisters are miserable, but they do whatever pleases mother." Harley said.

"And you don't?"

"No, I live my life my way."

"If that is true then why are you looking for a make believe husband?"

Harley opened her mouth to speak but the truth was she didn't know why. She was just so tired of her mother making her feel inferrior to her sisters that she said the only thing that would shut her mother up.

"Because I am sick and tired of my mother treating me like the black sheep of our family."

Mark simply nodded but he didn't say anything.

"You think I'm pathetic don't you?" Harley asked looking over at Mark.

"No, I think you're just tired of letting other people run over you." Mark said sincerely as he placed his big hand on top of Harley's tiny one.

Harley blushed at the contact but didn't move her hand from under his.

"Thank you." Harley said with a shy smile.

"So let's talk details, just what are you looking to accomplish with your little charade?" Mark asked Harley as a smile covered his beautiful features.


Laurel and Shawn watched the two from the kitchen and smiled.

"I think they like each other." Shawn said.

"Yeah, I do too and who knows maybe if they decide to do this the whole pretend marriage can turn into a real relationship. It is obvious that they are attracted to each other, did you see the look Mark was giving her when he saw her in that dress?" Laurel asked.

"Oh yeah I did, but let's not get too over-zealous. Let's just see how dinner goes." Shawn said as he and Laurel continued to watch their friends have what seemed to be a very intimate conversation.