Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
This guy is one surprise after another. “You don’t want sex,” I say slowly. I’m not even trying to hide the fact that I don’t believe him. “Really.”
“I don’t want to pay for sex.”
“You want a freebie?”
“No.” He curses under his breath. “Look, this was probably a terrible idea to begin with. Here’s the deal. I’m attending my brother’s wedding this weekend. It’s taking place at a ranch outside of Vegas. It’s a really…” He blows out a breath. “It’s a really classy place, and God knows I don’t know the first thing about proper clothing or how to act. Can’t dance or make small talk, but that’s exactly what they all expect me to do. Why? I don’t know. I’ve been living off the grid for…” Another long pause. “I might have just gone and winged it, but my grandmother is ninety-five. The woman raised me. Worked two jobs to feed me when my mother couldn’t. Taught me everything I know about life.” I hear his swallow. “She’s going to be there and…it could be the last time I see her. She always said her greatest wish is to see me settled down and I thought I’d give her that. Or the illusion of that, rather.”
My heart is beating in my throat. Tears in my eyes.
I didn’t see this coming.
No one has ever called this place with such a pure motive before.
“For h-how long would you need a companion?” I manage.
“Two days, two nights.” He laughs without humor. “Just forget I called. This was a bad idea.”
For some reason I’m standing up. I’m not even sure when that happened. But there’s a determination inside of me to help this man. I’ve never been so sure that someone is genuine, and a girl doesn’t come across that every day. Not in the escort business. Not this close to Sin City. “No, wait. We have a package for that, believe it or not.”
I can sense his doubt. “You have a package for what I just described.”
“Well, I mean, not exactly to a T. But we can…customize,” I say, trying to sound cheerful, so he doesn’t know my eyes are brimming with moisture. Improvise. “What you’re looking for is the Girlfriend Treatment, Barry. Of course! An extended arrangement. Out of town. Upscale venue.” I hum and punch keys on my keyboard, as if I’m entering data, but I’m just imputing gibberish into the calendar. “You said this weekend? Friday through Sunday?”
“Yeah,” he says, sounding slightly hopeful. “This is actually possible? Someone is going to pretend to be my girlfriend for two whole days?”
“We can’t let your grandmother down,” I say, my voice wavering a little. “Sorry, she just sounds like a lovely person.”
“She is.”
My heart squeezes. “Just out of curiosity…there are no women in your life who might have gone with you?”
“No. Like I said, I have been off the grid. I don’t see women.” A beat passes. “Or…they don’t want to see me. You should mention to the date you’re sending that I have, uh…some significant scarring on my face. I was wounded in combat.”
There’s a note of loneliness in his voice that tells me he’s been through a lot.
My determination to help Barry triples.
“She’ll be honored to spend the weekend with a hero, Barry,” I say in a hushed tone. “You don’t have to worry.”
His low grunt is barely audible over the speakerphone.
When my color-coded screen betrays me, I slowly lower myself into my chair.
Oh no.
No.
The whole weekend is booked solid. All four of my sisters have already been assigned to jobs this weekend. With whales. Aka very rich men. There is no way I could cancel those appointments without damaging our reputation.
But I can’t let Barry down, either.
No. An intuition tells me I’ll regret it my whole life.
I have no choice but to be Barry’s escort at the wedding, do I?
“Um.” I wet my lips. “Just so I can set your date’s expectations up front. Will you be…requiring physical pleasure of any kind?”
“No.” He answers right away. “God, no. I wouldn’t make a woman do that.”
Make her? As in, it would be a chore?
Focus.
I’ll have to hire a temp. Make up some excuse for missing work.
When is the last time I lied about being sick? Can I get away with it again now?
“I’ll just take some details, Barry, including your credit card information. And then we’ll pick a meeting spot. You should meet your temporary girlfriend an hour or so prior to the event, don’t you think?” I swallow the trepidation in my throat. “She should learn a few things about you first. We wouldn’t want anyone to be the wiser. And don’t worry. You will be very happy with the girl I’m sending for your Girlfriend Treatment package.”
I sound so convincing, I almost believe myself.
Almost.
two
Barry
I keep my head down as a group of people enter the diner.