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I had what I loved taken from me, and I could never let that happen again.
But I couldn’t say that. I could barely stand to think it.
“That and my, uh, present circumstances,” I said instead.
“You mean your money,” she said.
“That’s right. It’s hard to tell if people are being genuine with me. It doesn’t happen often. So when you turned out to be a nice girl, it was just hard for me to believe it,” I said.
Audrey snorted in exasperation. “I’m a f**king escort, James,” she said, her hands on her hi**ps. “I’m anything but a nice girl.”
“But you are,” I said. “You are a nice girl, Audrey.”
“Where do we go from here, James?” she asked, her face a businesslike mask. “I need this as**signment. I need it to go smoothly. Just tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it. Even if that means f**king your best friend.” She shrugged. “I am a hooker, after all. It’s not like I have a real right to be offended.”
“Yes, you did. Cole was being a complete prick, and so was I. I talked to him again, and I told him to stay the hell away from you.” I paused for a beat, willing my hotness to subside. “I also suggested he call Elena and ask for Jenny,” I said, almost apologetically. “I hope that’s okay.”
Audrey’s face perked up. “Jenny would love him,” she said. “That was actually really nice of you.”
I smiled, pleased that I’d done at least one thing right since I’d met her.
“So…where do we go from here?” I asked, echoing her question. “I want you to stay. I want you to stay with me, and I don’t want you to f**k my best friend, and I don’t want you to say mean things about yourself, and I don’t want to hurt you.” The words just tumbled out. Perhaps I’d had one too many bourbons.
To her credit, Audrey said nothing, her face an impenetrable mask.
“Just stay. Let’s stick with the agreement.” I stood up abruptly, lest I started trying to take her to bed.
“We have a brunch tomorrow and then a bunch of other crap events for the rest of the week. Let’s just make it to the wedding. Together.”
“Okay,” she said. If she was disappointed by something I said, she did not let on.
“It was better tonight with you there,” I said, heading off to my room. “It was almost bearable.”
“Almost,” I heard her say before I closed my door.
Audrey
I lay awake all night. Waiting for him. I hoped he would come to me, but he didn’t, and I didn’t dare go to him.
I wanted to, though. The empty bed next to me was like a physical ache. I could feel him, just down the hall, just out of reach.
The next two weeks were going to be hell.
I dressed carefully the next morning, in linen pants and a pink blouse. I pulled my hair up into a bun. It was all very appropriate, all very unlike me.
I looked out at Newbury Street from my window. The sidewalks were clean. It looked like it had rained lightly late last night, but now the sky was glorious and clear.
I decided that I was going to make the best of this situation. I started forming a plan as I put on my makeup. I applied it carefully, so that I didn’t look like the prostitute that I was, and went out to look for the resident Hottest Bachelor.
“You’re looking proper,” James said as I entered the kitchen.
“It’s not my usual style,” I admitted. I went and helped myself to coffee.
“I like your sweatpants better,” James said.
“Me too.”
James was wearing another suit, his hair fixed perfectly. He looked as if he was about to charge through a hundred corporate meetings, not attend his brother’s pre-wedding brunch.
“Are you working today?” I asked.
“I have some calls to make,” he said. “Other than that, I’ve had my schedule cleared.”
“I’m free, too,” I said, joking, “If you want to hang out.”
“Hang out?” James asked and laughed.
“Yes,” I said. “When was the last time you had nothing to do all day?” And the last time I had no one to do all day?
“I don’t remember,” he said.
“Me either,” I said. I sat down and drank my coffee; I had to face his mother and her collarbones soon. I needed to be properly caffeinated. “So let’s do it. After brunch we can change. We could go to the park, walk around…we could probably go to a Red Sox game. If you’re into that sort of thing.”
“You like the Red Sox?” he asked. He was looking at me as if I had three heads, all of which were glorious and gorgeous.
