by Tina Folsom
Paul opened the door to the guest room and ushered Holly inside, setting her suitcase on the floor next to the closet. “Make yourself at home.”
“This is very cozy.”
There was a full-sized bed with a bedside table, a small desk and chair at the window, and a comfortable armchair and ottoman, all in white and soft pink.
Paul smiled. “It used to be Olivia’s room, but since she’s going to come with her husband and her son, she’ll be taking one of the guest suites near my parents’ room.” He winked. “At least that means we won’t hear Jonathan screaming when he doesn’t want to sleep.”
Holly looked around. “Does this door lead to a bathroom?”
“Yes, but it only has a shower, so if you want to take a bath, you can use my bathroom.”
“Oh,” she said far too quickly, “that’s okay, a shower is fine.”
Well, he couldn’t blame her for not wanting to share his bathroom. “Just thought I’d offer.” He looked down at his feet, then said what he needed to say before he changed his mind. “Anyway, since my parents aren’t here until Thursday, I guess this means you’ll get the night off. No playacting for the next two days. If you want to, you can borrow my car and visit Sabrina. I heard that she and Daniel are visiting his parents for a few days.”
A smile spread over Holly’s face. “You wouldn’t mind?”
Did she seem overly eager to get away from him? “No, of course not. I’ll see which of my friends is around and go out for a beer.”
At least then he wouldn’t do anything stupid tonight.
13
Holly had dropped him off at the Dune Bar and then left to drive to the Sinclairs’ house. Paul watched as his Porsche disappeared in the distance, before he opened the door to the bar and entered the dim interior.
It was a typical local dive. He’d come here since he was barely old enough to drink, happy about the fact that at this bar a man would be left alone if he preferred solitude and would have company if he sought company.
He glanced down the long bar and Zach waved at him. Next to him Jay downed the rest of his bourbon. As a Southerner, he insisted on drinking bourbon instead of whiskey.
Paul was glad that his two friends—and fellow members of the Eternal Bachelors Club—had nothing better to do tonight than hang out with him. Jay had just bought a house in Montauk which was under renovation. And Zach was working out of his beach house while his condo in New York was being repainted.
“Hey Zach, Jay,” he greeted them, and took the empty barstool next to Zach.
“Paul, great to see you!” Zach responded.
“I’ll have another bourbon, and a drink for my friend,” Jay said to the bartender, then turned to Paul. “What are you having, Paul?”
Paul nodded to Steve, the guy behind the bar. “A pilsner on tap, thanks, Steve.”
“So you finally came, huh?” Zach asked.
“Finally?”
“Yeah, I ran into your mother the other day down at the general store. She was complaining about you spending too much time in New York and not visiting often enough.”
Paul rolled his eyes and took the beer Steve set in front of him. “I hope you didn’t take her side.”
Zach laughed. “I know how to handle mothers. Trust me on that.” He lifted his beer glass and clinked it against Paul’s. “Cheers.”
“Wait a sec!” Jay motioned to the bartender. A moment later, he had his bourbon in hand. “Now I’m ready.”
They toasted each other, then drank.
Paul liked the feel of the slightly bitter liquid as it ran down his parched throat, cooling his body from the inside. Being around Holly had made his body temperature rise to an uncomfortable degree.
“Ahh, I needed that,” he commented as he set his half-empty glass on the worn bar. “Steve, start working on another one of these.”
Steve acknowledged his request with a nod.
“How long are you staying?” Jay asked.
“Just for a week. I don’t think I can stomach it any longer than that. Particularly with that big party my parents have planned. Did you guys get invitations?”
Both his friends nodded. “I believe everybody in the Hamptons got invitations,” Zach said.
Jay nudged him in the side. “You mean everybody with money.”
Zach laughed. “That goes without saying.” Then he shot an apologetic look in Paul’s direction. “Hey, sorry, man, but you know as well as I do that your mother’s invitations are prioritized by net worth. No offense.”
Paul shrugged and downed the remainder of his beer just as Steve placed another full glass in front of him. “You couldn’t offend me if you tried.”
“Did you hear that, Jay? Looks like I’m going to have to try harder.” Jay and Zach exchanged a laugh, and Paul joined in.
“Are you guys coming to the anniversary party?” Paul asked.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Jay claimed, “even though your mother has a knack for inviting the most boring single women—though they are pretty.”
“In most cases,” Zach qualified. “At the last party your mother held, there were a few duds.”
“I’m sure they made up for it by being extremely rich and well educated,” Paul added.
Jay leaned closer and dropped his voice. “Yeah, but would you rather fuck a gorgeous woman or a rich and well educated one?”
“One doesn’t have to preclude the other,” Zach said, grinning. “Besides, you can always turn off the lights.”
Jay turned to Zach. “Now, I know you don’t mean that. And the reason I know that is because you, my dear friend, never settle for anything less than perfect. So why should the rest of us?”
Paul shook his head. It was true. He’d never seen Zach with a woman who wasn’t stunningly beautiful, which made it even more surprising that Zach was still unattached. He had everything a woman could wish for: wealth, good looks, breeding, and charm.
“Back me up, Paul!” Jay added.
“You said it,” Paul responded.
“Well, in that case, who are you guys bringing to the party, given that the chances of finding a decent woman there are minimal?” Zach asked before drinking the last of his beer. He made a sign to the bartender to pour him another one.
“I might just go stag,” Jay answered. “And you, Paul?”
Paul took another sip of his beer. He hadn’t expected to have to mention Holly tonight. But it appeared that he couldn’t avoid the subject. Not that he would tell his friends much at all. “I brought someone for the week.”
Two pairs of eyes swung to him, pinning him with curiosity.
Zach was the first to ask. “Who?”
“She’s a friend of Sabrina’s. You might remember her. Holly.” He tried to sound as casual as he could.
“So she’s visiting Sabrina and Daniel and you’re taking her to the party?” Zach wanted to know.
Paul took a sip from his beer and looked at the row of bottles that lined the bar. “No, she’s staying with me at my parents’ place.”
Zach’s jaw dropped, while Jay whistled through his teeth. “You dog! How did you land her? That woman’s a stunner! Would have tried it myself, but she disappeared after the wedding and I didn’t get a chance.”
“Too late,” Paul said. Jay wouldn’t get to put his hands on her. Paul would make sure of that.
“Hold it!” Zach interrupted.
Paul tossed him a questioning look. “What?”
Did Zach know more about Holly? Was he maybe even one of her ex-clients? Not that Zach had ever mentioned that he’d hired escorts, or that he needed to, given that he could get anything he wanted from a woman for free. But then, would a guy like Zach really admit to having hired a call girl? Would the shit hit the fan before things had even started?
“If she’s staying with you, then what the fuck are you doing here with us?”
For a moment, his heart stopped. Then relief coursed through him. Zach was just joshing h
im. His friend had no idea who Holly was. Just like nobody else would know. Nothing would happen. His and Holly’s secret was safe.
“She wanted to catch up with Sabrina, so I told her I didn’t mind.” When both his friends gave him doubtful looks, he added, “And once she’s had enough of talking to her friend, she’ll be waiting in my bed for me.”
If only!
Zach slapped him on the back, but Paul knew he didn’t deserve his friend’s admiration. He was a fraud. He’d hired Holly to be his pretend girlfriend and now he was bragging to his friends that he was sleeping with her.
What a piece of shit he was. “Another beer, Steve.”
14
“Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re here!” Sabrina hugged her excitedly.
Holly chuckled. “Let’s not squeeze the baby to death!” She pointed to Sabrina’s baby bump, which, at almost five months, was now showing.
Her friend released her from her embrace and pulled her into the hallway of the Sinclairs’ home. It was quiet in the house.
“Where is everybody?” Holly asked as Sabrina led her through the open plan living room to the back porch.
“Daniel is on his way back. He was at the country club playing tennis with his father, and I guess they stayed to have a drink afterward. Raffaela is on her way to pick up James to go out for dinner with him.”
Sabrina took a seat on the outside couch and Holly sat next to her.
“I love this view,” Holly said, and motioned to the beach and the ocean beyond. The sun had already set, but there was still enough light from the houses along the beach to see the waves.
Sabrina ignored her comment and instead asked, “Why didn’t you tell me that you were coming? Where’s your luggage? How long are you staying?”
“Hey, one question at a time! And I wouldn’t just show up without letting you know and expect to be offered a guest room. I’ve already got a place to stay.”
“What? I won’t allow it. You’re my best friend. I can’t let you stay in a hotel.”
“I’m not staying at a hotel.” How could she tell her friend the situation she was in? After all, she hadn’t told Sabrina about her night with Paul. Because if she told her, she would tell Daniel. And then there was no telling what would happen. Knowing Daniel, he’d probably start a fist fight with Paul once he heard how he’d thrown her out of his house. Well, his parents’ house. Same thing.
“You’re not at a hotel?”
Holly shook her head slowly. “I’m staying with Paul.”
Sabrina’s forehead furrowed. “Paul? Paul who?”
“Daniel’s friend Paul.”
Her chin dropped. “Paul Gilbert?”
“Yeah.”
Sabrina bounced on the couch. “You’re going out with Paul? Oh my God, that’s so exciting! When did that happen? Why didn’t you tell me? Come on, spill!”
Holly rolled her eyes. “It’s not like that.” She fidgeted, not knowing how to start and how much to tell her friend. “It’s complicated.”
“What’s complicated about you going out with Paul? Well, apart from the fact that he lives in New York and you’re in San Francisco. But even long-distance relationships can work out.”
“I’m not going out with Paul.”
“But you just said you’re staying with him.”
“Yes, but not as his girlfriend. Well, actually, I’m supposed to be playing his girlfriend, but I’m not really his girlfriend.”
Sabrina reached for her hand. “Holly, start from the beginning, because what you’re saying makes no sense.”
“Fine.” Holly sighed. “Paul hired me to be his pretend girlfriend to get his parents off his back and make them stop trying to set him up with women he has no interest in.”
“Hired? Are you trying to tell me he hired you as an escort?”
“Yes.”
“But you quit! Don’t tell me you went back to it.”
Holly shook her head vehemently. “No, I didn’t. I quit for good!”
“But he hired you. What’s going on? How does he even know? And why didn’t you tell him you quit?”
Holly raised her hands. “One question at a time, remember? He found out at the wedding. You know, when I was still working as an escort.”
“How did he find out? Did Tim get drunk and let it slip?”
Their mutual friend from San Francisco, who had been Daniel’s best man at the wedding, was a chatterbox, but he wasn’t to blame for this particular disaster. “Tim didn’t do anything. It was just a dumb coincidence. No big deal. He’s not going to tell anybody here. Trust me.” Because then Paul would have to admit that he’d slept with an escort, and she knew firsthand that he wasn’t going to expose himself like that.
“But you quit. Letting him hire you means you’re back in the business.”
“I’m not. We agreed that there would be no sex. It’ll all be above board. All I need to do is pretend to his parents and their friends that we’re dating.”
Sabrina shook her head, disbelief etched on her face. “That’s irrelevant. Whether you’re having sex with him or not still means you’re his escort. Why are you doing this? I thought you wanted to start fresh and start your own business. Or have you given up already?”
Holly rose abruptly. “No! I haven’t! But do you have any idea how hard this is? The bank refused my loan.” She didn’t want to go into the details, because they were irrelevant to her plight. “I had it all lined up to buy this great matchmaking business from a woman who wanted to retire. And then, bam! Another roadblock. I needed the money, okay?”
“Holly, calm down! I’m not trying to beat you up. I’m just trying to support you. When you told me two months ago that you quit, you also said that I should keep reminding you to stay on that path. That’s all I’m doing.”
Holly sighed and dropped back onto the couch.
“There’ll be other businesses to buy. In the meantime, you’ll find a job and save some money, gain more experience. It’ll all work out for—”
“I can’t do that, Sabrina.”
“Of course you can.”
Holly couldn’t hold it in any longer. “I’m pregnant, Sabrina. Nobody will hire me once I start to show.”
Sabrina’s gasp was louder than the ocean waves breaking on the beach. “Pregnant?”
Holly bowed her head. “That’s why I need the money. With it I’ll be able to buy the business and be independent. I’ll be able to take care of my baby.”
“Oh, Holly!” Sabrina shifted on the couch, and a moment later, her arms came around Holly. “Who’s the father?”
Holly shrugged. This was one secret she couldn’t share with her friend. “Some guy. It’s not important. I don’t even know his last name. He was from out of town.”
She felt bad lying to her best friend, but it was better this way. If Sabrina knew it was Paul’s baby, she would concoct some scheme to make Paul aware of it and force him to do the right thing.
“But you have to find him. He has to help you with the child. At least he needs to pay child support,” Sabrina protested.
“This child is mine. I’m not going to have some guy I met once interfere in its life. No, Sabrina, I’m going to do this on my own. That’s why I need the money Paul is paying me.”
“I understand, but it can’t be enough to make a difference. You’d have to accept a whole bunch of assignments like that to get enough money together to—”
“He’s paying me two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the week.”
Sabrina’s chin dropped a second time and for a moment, she didn’t say a word, only stared at Holly wide-eyed. She swallowed hard. “That’s crazy. And you’re telling me he doesn’t even want sex in exchange for paying you two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?”
“Who doesn’t want sex in exchange for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?” a familiar male voice suddenly asked from the door to the living room.
Holly whipped her head in his direction and wa
tched in horror as Daniel stepped onto the porch.
Crap!
Daniel’s gaze fell on her. “Holly? Wow! What are you doing here? Where’s Paul?”
“Paul?” she echoed. Did Daniel already know what was going on? But how?
“Yes.” He jerked his thumb toward the house. “His Porsche is parked in the driveway.”
“Oh, yeah, that.” Holly squirmed on the couch. “He let me borrow it.”
Daniel’s expression changed to one of disbelief. “Paul never lets anybody drive his Porsche. Least of all a woman—no offense.”
Holly shrugged.
“What’s going on?” His gaze bounced between her and Sabrina. “Baby?” He looked at his wife and raised his eyebrows.
Holly exchanged a look with Sabrina. She knew her friend wouldn’t say anything unless Holly allowed it. “Fine. But let me tell him.” At least that way she could control how much Daniel found out. “Paul hired me to pretend to his parents that I’m his girlfriend. It just a job for a week, and then I’ll be back in San Francisco again. That’s all. No big deal.”
Daniel whistled through his teeth. “No big deal? Did I hear right? He’s paying you a quarter of a million dollars for it? And he doesn’t even want sex?”
“That’s right. So don’t make it sound like it’s something distasteful. You of all people shouldn’t throw stones.” She hated having to remind Daniel that he at one time had hired an escort too, only the woman who’d shown up hadn’t actually been an escort, but a lawyer: Sabrina.
“I’m not throwing stones. But I would like to point something out to you: If you think that Paul would pay a quarter of a million dollars for a pretend girlfriend without expecting sex, then you don’t know him at all.”
Holly jumped up. “I’m not having sex with him! And I don’t intend to in the future.”
