“Yeah. Candice doesn’t need someone who focuses on the superficial. So I think you’re the best choice of the people I’ve interviewed.”
I blink. Mentally replay what he just said to make sure I’m understanding it correctly. “Oh. That’s great then. I’d… I’d like to meet Candice first if that’s all right. Before anything is decided.”
“Yes, of course. Makes sense.” He nods. Looks down at his phone. Then nods again. “Yes. I think this will work. She gets out of school shortly, if you have time to meet her today. If not, we can arrange something in the next day or two.”
I wrap both hands around my mug, off stride by how quickly everything is happening. But I have the rest of the afternoon free, and since I’ve gotten momentum going right now, it would be silly to stall and have to work myself up to it again later on. “I’m free for a few hours, so that would work.”
He stands up. He must be one of those people who, once they’ve made a decision, immediately jumps on board and acts on it. “Excellent. I’ll head over to pick her up. You can just meet us back here in about an hour. That way you and Candice can meet each other, and we can get this in the works.”
“That sounds fine.” I stand up too, unsettled and thrilled both. “I’ll meet you back here in an hour.”
He gives me a quick wave and strides out. He’s about six inches taller than my five-six, and he’s got broad shoulders and long legs. He’s big. Bulky beneath his suit. I really like how he looks.
I’d like to see him without his suit.
Immediately I push that thought away. It doesn’t matter if he’s an attractive man. He’s completely off-limits to me.
This job is about Candice. And about my making a windfall of money in only one month.
That’s more than enough reason for me to really want this job to work out.
Leaving the coffee shop and coming back in an hour would require my giving up my parking spot, so I end up staying at the same table and waiting.
I didn’t bring my laptop with me, so that’s excuse enough not to consider working on any of my schoolwork. Instead, I kill time on my phone, texting my sister and then my mom and then Giselle, my friend who recommended me to Companions for Hire in the first place.
Giselle must be free at the moment because she replies immediately and asks a bunch of follow-up questions about the interview. When I tell her Hugh went to get Candice so I could meet her and I’m just waiting at a coffee shop, my phone starts vibrating with a call.
“Hey,” Giselle says with a smile in her voice when I pick up. “I figured I’d save us both a lot of time texting and just call instead.”
“Yeah. That makes sense. You’re not busy right now?”
“Nah. I’ve got to teach a class in forty minutes and that’s not enough time to get big stuff done, so instead of being even slightly productive, I just always end up wasting the time.”
I laugh. “I do that too. If I don’t have a big enough chunk of time, I end up doing nothing. Which is one of the reasons I’m texting people right now instead of returning emails or getting some of my reading done.”
“So the interview must be going pretty well if he wants you to meet his daughter already.”
“Y-yeah. I guess so. I mean, I don’t know how it’s going well. I don’t think I did a very good job being impressive.”
“Maybe he’s not looking for impressive.”
“That must be it. He said he wants someone smart and mature but who isn’t too flashy.” I can’t help but chuckle again. “I suppose I must be the least flashy of the candidates. I always knew my boringness would end up helping me eventually.”
“You’re not boring. That idea is left over from what your ex always told you. People are different, and not everyone wants to be a social butterfly. You’re internal. You don’t wear your personality out for the world to see immediately. Some people recognize and appreciate that.”
“Maybe. But I suspect this situation is more that he thinks I’ll fade into the background.” I say the words, believing myself to be ironically resigned about them, so I’m surprised when my chest clenches. Like I’m hurt. Like I’d prefer to be something other than boring to Hugh.
I shake it off and continue. “But it doesn’t really matter, does it? If fading into the background earns me a ridiculous amount of money for spending a month in Italy, who am I to complain?”
“Exactly right. So what is the guy like?”
“He’s…” I shrug as if Giselle can see me. “I don’t actually know. He comes across as one of those typical businessmen. Competent and no-nonsense and always busy. But he treated me with respect and seems like he’s a decent dad. I think he’s okay.”
“That’s good. So if the girl is all right, then there aren’t any red flags?”
I get a flash of that hot attraction again—the one that hit me more than once around Hugh. Maybe that’s a red flag, but it’s not an important one. Who cares if I’m attracted to him? Obviously nothing is going to happen, and I’m more than capable of controlling myself around people I’m attracted to.
Acting on impulse—particularly when prompted by physical desire—is not something I do.
“No. I don’t think there are. Not that I’m going to assume anything until after I meet Candice. She might be a spoiled brat and completely uncontrollable and make it impossible for me to do the job Hugh is expecting of me.”
“Yes. True. But if he’s really a decent man, then surely his daughter isn’t completely out of control.”
“I hope not. We’ll see.” I’m starting to get nervous again, so I change the subject. “Anyway, that’s what’s going on with me. How are things with you? Have you and Steve set a date yet?”
Giselle and her fiancé got engaged just last week. “We’re still trying to figure it out. We might just do something small and get married in early August before the semester starts up again.”
“Oh, that would be quick! But sometimes smaller is the way to go for weddings.”
“Yes, that’s what we’re thinking too. Neither of us like big productions. And neither of us have large families.”
“Does it ever feel weird that Steve started as your client and now you’re going to marry him?” I knew from the beginning that Steve was initially her client at Companions for Hire, but I have no idea why I ask that question right now. No idea what prompted it. It comes out before I’m aware the thought even crosses my mind.
Giselle hesitates briefly. “No. It really doesn’t. It was awkward at first—when he was my client and we were falling in love. It made things very… insecure. Because I never knew what was real and what was part of the job, and neither did he. We did figure it out, and I’ll never regret any of it. But I wouldn’t recommend it as a regular practice. The rules are there for a reason, and in most situations they protect you.”
“Yeah. That’s what I figured.”
I know all the rules for Companions for Hire. Don’t get intimate. Don’t have sex. Always stay professional. The rules apply to both clients and companions. They’ve always made me feel safe.