by Ashley Goss
Dr. Shepard arrived at the given location around 5:30pm in a limousine. I slipped inside the limo with a smile. He looked at me like he was surprised. He looked magnificent. He was wearing dress pants with a light blue button-up shirt, only the first two buttons were left open. I could see a glimpse of his chest.
“Are you ready for tonight?” He asked me.
My mind immediately went to a dirty place, but then I realized what he meant. “I’m always ready,” I replied. The rest of the drive over was spent in silence, not really knowing what to say or ask him. Silence would be better than awkward blabbering. It’s what I always did when I got too nervous, just start talking about the most random things. It helped calm me down.
We arrived at a very tall building, a hotel. Many people were slipping inside with their most elegant clothes on. I took a deep breath as he opened the door for me. I took his hand and walked in his arm wrapped around mine. Eighty percent of the room was men. When I thought about this job, all my eyes could see was nasty old men. I was wrong. Most of them were under forty and looked pretty damn good. Don’t get me wrong, some men looked to be in their fifties, but the one good thing about this job was if I get hired, the clients would request me, and I could turn them down if I didn’t think it would be to my liking. So, I wouldn’t have to do with anyone I didn’t want too.
He took me around and showed me off to clients. I felt them staring at me, up and down. I didn’t mind. This was the whole reason for coming tonight. They needed clients to meet me. Requests had to come from the clients. Most of the time, they will request the same woman multiple times if they enjoyed their company. I wonder how many requests I will get after tonight? Hopefully, enough that I could cover my tuition and be done with it. I didn’t want to do this job long term. This was a short-term job. Only enough to cover tuition and then I would be done.
At the end of the night, Shepard tells me I’ve already got twelve requests. I could go thru them and decide which one to accept since they were all for next week. We walked back to the limo and head towards my place.
The ride home Dr. Shepard told me I was well received tonight.
“Being beautiful pays off you see,” He winked at me.
“Thanks,” I replied shyly.
“But there is one thing.”
My heart started to race. Crap, what did I do wrong?
“Gita...the name sounds cheap. I know that’s not your real name.”
“It’s Lacey.”
He nodded in satisfaction.
“We’ll keep Lacey. No need to change such a pretty name.”
After that, He also explained that I would have no issues finding work. The men liked that I could have a casual conversation with everyone without being awkward.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they start fighting over you. I’ll send some requests over to you tomorrow for you to go thru. Just email me back with your answer.”
We pulled up to campus and said our goodbyes. I made it home to find Angela waiting up for me. She wasn’t back when I left.
“Where the fuck did you go? Is that my dress?”
I hoped she would be asleep, so I could just slip it back on the hanger and have it washed before she noticed. Angela didn’t take lightly to me borrowing her clothes.
“I had a date. I’ll wash it and put it back in your closet. No damage.”
She didn’t like that answer. Angela always had a resting bitch face for sure. She always looked pissed off.
I take a shower and crawl into bed feeling fresh and clean. Tomorrow, I must pick my lucky client. I should receive an email on everything tomorrow, and I just respond with which gig I want to take or if I want to take multiple. Who’s the lucky guy going to be?
Chapter 2
Matteo
“Are you seriously gonna be single for the rest of your life?” Abigail whined to me over the phone. Rolling my eyes, I forced a chuckle out in hopes of lighting the mood. Abigail had always jumped down my throat to get a girlfriend. Ever since I broke up with Lauren, she pressed me over and over, swearing up and down that having a significant other would take my mind off the hurt. I knew she only wanted me to be happy, but I realized it never occurred to her that maybe I was happy with myself. So, I tried to avoid her exuberant phone calls, especially when I had a good enough excuse. However, amidst the news of Abigail's hasty engagement to her boyfriend of one year, I knew something had to be done.
It wasn’t just Abigail either. My whole family wanted to see me with a girlfriend. So, with the appearance of a girlfriend, perhaps they would get off my back.
There’s only one place that gives full access to quick girlfriends. It’s a good little business on the side that one of my old-time pals told me about. The first I used it I was very skeptical, because it seemed shady and unethical. But my first date had been incredible. The girl was a beautiful with a head full of glossy black curls, and killer curves. If I could find someone like that, I’d be treated like a king by my family.
It’s time to go revisit Dr. Shepard. It was early morning, so I knew he’d be open for business. I swiftly threw on my blazer and walked out the door. Right on a cue, A limo was waiting for me. I slid onto the plush seats then ripped off my shades.
“Hello, Mr. Ventura. Another appointment?”
“Yes, thank you Freddie,” I chirped. The day just seemed promising. The wedding was coming up soon, but I knew Dr. Shepard could ease my fears.
The ride was swift, thanks to the speed racer Freddie. I hopped out the car and smoothly walked into the sleek, black building. It was a rule of thumb to always make an appointment, but I don’t go by the rules. I arrogantly walked straight into his office, throwing my blazer on his chair before sinking onto the large tan couch beside his desk.
Dr. Shepard jumped, startled by my sudden intrusion.
“Matteo?” He asked in shock.
“Surprisingly, yes. I know I haven’t been here in a minute, but I’m in dire need of your help,” I confessed, leaning forward with my hands folded together. He shrugged, taking off his thick rimmed glasses.
“Well that's obvious. After three years, I assumed you weren’t into my business. How can I help you though?” Dr. Shephard asked with caution. I nodded and stood abruptly, stuffing my hands in my pockets.
“Well, what I need is a girl that is presentable and has manners. I have a wedding coming up that I am getting pressured to bring a date too. It’s a 7-day trip so they would need to be free for that extended period.”
Dr. Shepard immediately opened his file cabinets and shuffled through folders. There was picture after picture of gorgeous young women. Some were thin, some were curvy. I was almost shocked how the variety of young women there were. Finally, after a minute passed, he handed me a file.
“These are our best, most current girls,” He informed. I held the thick, brown folder in my hands.
“Current?” I repeated.
“Yes, meaning they’ve been us anywhere from a week to six months. They’re fresh and they best to choose from.”
I nodded and started to flip through them. Blonde. Busty. Too Thin. Too plastic. I exhaled heavily as I flipped through option after option.
“This isn’t very encouraging,” I grumbled.
“Well there’s a lot of girls in there, I’m sure you’ll find one you like,” Dr. Shepard assured me.
“Maybe this is a mistake-,” I paused. My finger grazed a picture at the bottom of the heap. Anxiously, I pulled it out, stunned by the treasure I had found. She was young, much younger than the rest and had long black hair and bright, green eyes. Her smile was faint, and she appeared to be petite. My heart pounded in my chest.
“You like her? I was just out with her last night. She’s brand new but delightful. I think she would be perfect for this event, ” Dr Shepard said as he leaned back in his seat.
“How old?”
“Twenties. Five foot four. One hundred and ten pounds.”
My mouth started to water.
God, she sounded perfect.
But I was a little hesitant because the last girl I took to an event, really caused a mess in my life. . About three years ago, I had a significant event to attend, but my PR thought it would be better if I showed up with a date, so that’s where Dr. Shepard came in. He swore he had the perfect girl for me, only she turned out to be the complete opposite. Sure, she physically was drop dead gorgeous, but she also expected me to sleep with her, which I wasn’t interested in. And to only add on to the mess, she accused me of being gay, sending in floods of reporters to capture that moment. The memory of it isn’t something I like to remember. It was a media nightmare that cost my so much. It’s the reason why I was hesitant on even trying again. However, I couldn’t show up alone to the wedding, so I was going to have to go on a leap of faith. “She will do. Please let me know if she can do it. I will need to meet with her before we leave. We will have a lot to discuss,” I instruct Dr. Shepard as grab my blazer and leave his office. I put my shades back on then step right back into my limo. Things were going to look up. They had to.
Just in the nick of time, Freddie brought me back to my penthouse. I had gotten the hard part out of the way, but i still was slightly aggravated. Why did I even need to jump through so many hoops just to please my family? Sure, I loved them, but I wasn’t that close. I liked to keep my distance, so people weren’t in my personal business. After plenty of failed relationships, i learned the hard way that my family could be satisfied with the simple lie that I had a girlfriend. But showing up is different, so obviously I had to make things match up.
Right as I collapsed on my plush, green couch, my best friend Shawn walked in with a torte in one hand, and a beer in the other. “Hey buddy, what are you doing?”
I shrugged. It wasn’t unusual for Shawn to just walk in at odd times. We’d been best friends since college and we both had keys to each other’s places.
“Nothing, just waiting for a phone call,” I replied with a sigh. Shawn sat across from me, taking a monster bite from his torte.
“Sounds like an unwanted call. Are you at least ready for the Bahamas?” He asked with a mouthful of food. I closed my eyes as a way to ignore his half-masticated food and my pending worries.
Was I ready to get away from work? Yes. Was I prepared to be surrounded by my family for a week? Absolutely not! However, I was willing to make the sacrifice for my beloved sister. Most of the time, siblings don’t get along, but we were different. We had always been very close. Matter of fact, we had known Shawn for almost two decades. We had all been childhood friends. So naturally, Abigail and Shawn started to like one another. At first, I was mad, but how could I when he’s my best friend and made my sister the happiest she’d ever been? I couldn’t ask for a better man for my sister to marry. I was honored he asked me to be the best man.
“I’m ready to get away from here but not excited about being stuck around my mom for a week. You know how she is. Harps on everything.” I replied.
Shawn laughed because he knew exactly what my mother was like. Hell, everyone did. She didn’t keep it to herself. She was a meddler. Nobody’s business was private in this family.
I opened my eyes and peered over at Shawn. He was grinning that loveable sheepdog grin that no one could resist. Unfortunately, if I wanted everyone to believe me, I’d have to start with Shawn.
Sitting up, I faked a smile. “So, I am bringing a girl I’ve been seeing.”
Shawn’s eyes become wide and animated. “What?! A girl? I didn’t even know you dated anymore. Dude, that’s awesome! Who is she?”
I knew it was wrong, but I had to start somewhere. If Shawn went along with this lie, then it would be easier for my mom and Abigail to believe it.
“We have been together for about three months now. I’ve been keeping everything under wraps. I didn’t want my mom to go crazy and dig up her phone number or anything. You know how she is.” I laughed, but that’s something my mom would do. Like I said, meddler.
“Well, I’m happy for you, bud. Hell, maybe you will be the next person to get married. Just kidding. No pressure. Just glad you are taking a chance at being happy with someone. That’s a big step for you,” Shawn mused, reaching over to place a warm hand on my shoulder. I shrugged and smiled.
“Yeah, maybe!” I knew deep down that would never be the case. I just needed this wedding to come and go so I could go back to living my private life. That is if the date actually turned out right.
Chapter 3
Lacey
The day I got an escort date, I was shocked. I mean, obviously I knew eventually someone would be interested. But it still came as a surprise. It had been Around noon, after I’ve attended my long and grueling classes. My plans had been to collapse in the study room and sleep until I was rested enough. However, the email chime disturbed my plans. I knew it was them. With my heart pounding in my chest, I opened it immediately. It was a list of the offers I had received last night. A couple of them seemed easy, but then one caught my eye. It included a summary of what’s expected, the pay, and a picture of the man. Most of the other men were very old with saggy skin and dead eyes. This man on the other hand was very different. He had messy, charcoal hair with very dark brown eyes. His shoulders were broad, and his jaw strong. He wasn’t bad looking at all, in fact, he looked closer to my age than the rest of them. Why did this man need to pay someone for the company? He looked like he could get his fair share of women for free. This interested me the most. My fingers were anxious to read the summary he left.
My name is Matteo Andrews. I am looking for a woman to accompany me to my sister’s wedding. I need someone who can look like a sweet southern girl. Nothing too slutty. Jeans and T-shirt’s are fine, but must have some evening attire. If not, we can discuss how to continue. This will be a week-long trip. Airfare and a room will be provided to you.
The next line makes my eyes literally almost pop out of my head.
Compensation: $10,000
Why would this handsome man need to pay a woman to accompany him to a wedding? Surely, he could get plenty of woman for free. I looked back at his culture, very confused. Was he crazy? Surely, he should have snagged some beautiful model type by now. If he’s handing out that kind of cash, then he has a damn good job too. I re-read the email another ten times before mentally agreeing to it.
It doesn’t say where we would be going but I figured that didn’t matter. I had my passport since my family took me to Mexico last year. Besides, with that much money, I would be content if we were staying in a cardboard box.
Without hesitation, I knew my choice. There wasn’t much to think about. I needed the most money offered, and Matteo was offered the most.
I quickly wrote back to Dr. Shepard.
Dear Dr. Shepard,
Please inform Matteo Andrews that I would be delighted to accompany him to his sister’s wedding.
I knew I would get a response from him shortly because he said he responds typically within an hour. His client, in fact, expects it. Sometimes they had immediate needs, and so he had to always be on call. My phone chimed.
Lacey,
He will be reaching out to shortly to make arrangements. Let me know if you need anything from us.
What could I do with $10,000? I could put it towards my tuition. This could pay for a whole year of school from just working for one week. A smile started to form on my face. My worries were soon to come to an end. Why didn’t I start this job before? The timing is excellent because after tomorrow it was Christmas break. What was better than spending break somewhere else and making money? Hell, nothing. It gave me an excuse to not go home over Spring Break. Although, I would have to come up with a good explanation why. I could just tell them I am going with Angela to the beach or something. They would buy it in a heartbeat. My parents would never second guess me. I’ve never lied to them before coming to college.
Throwing my book bag over my shoulder, I started to head to the study room once more. I wasn’t even hal
fway there when I got a text from a number I don’t recognize.
516-824-5845: We have been confirmed through the agency. I will pick you up tomorrow at 6pm from the agency. We will meet for dinner before we leave the following morning for the Bahamas. I want to make sure we have chemistry before we go. Please let me know if this works for you.
My heart raced. This must be him. Chemistry? I was positive finding chemistry with him shouldn’t be that hard. He’s smoking hot after all.
I quickly texted back:
We are on for tomorrow. See you then.
Right after I sent the text, my mom called. I was washed over with guilt. I knew she’d be heart-broken about me not coming home. But this was important. I had to get this 10,000. Taking a deep breath, I just shot her a text.
I won’t be coming home. I’ve been invited to the beach with some friends from school. I really want to go. Hope you won’t be mad.
I prayed she’d understand. I didn’t have many friends in High School due to my lack of social life. It was all about my GPA back then. Anything to get me into a good school so I could have a bright future. All my childhood, my parents complained about how college wasn’t that big of a deal. But when I got accepted, they were so proud of me. All the years I spent studying and stressed out paid off. . Even though they never admitted, i knew They both wished they would have attended. Life would have been different for us all if they had.
I heard a ding on my phone.
Mom: I understand honey. Have fun. Just call and check in with us, so we know you are okay. We will come to see you when you get back. Love you.
