The two hours fly by. I get an email from PayPal informing me that fifty grand has been deposited into my account in five different deposits. I still can’t believe my eyes.
As six o’clock approaches, I get busy with the usual close-up routine. My phone buzzes and I’m tempted to ignore it, but always the curious one, I pick it up.
“Hey, beautiful,” he says.
I smile. The sound of his voice pleases me more than I care to admit. “Hey, handsome.”
“What are you up to?” he asks casually, as if we’ve known each other forever, and not just about a month.
“I’m just closing up shop here at the café,” I explain. “I’m looking forward to getting back home. Thank you for the large deposit by the way. I just got a message from PayPal. I still think it’s crazy.”
He laughs. “I want to see you again,” he says, just like that. No more small talk.
He’s taken me by surprise. “Oh… well, I’m not sure that’s such a great idea, Colton.”
“Why not? I think it’s a brilliant idea.”
“I’m sure you have a lot of other options,” I say. “You don’t strike me as the kind of man who has a hard time finding a date.”
He sighs loudly. “That again…”
I know I keep getting back to that, but it is a dealbreaker for me. I wish it weren’t, but it is.
“I want to have a date withyou,Clara.”
“But why me?” I ask, playing the devil’s advocate. “What makes me so special?”
“I don’t know, Clara. You’re beautiful. You’re real. You’re sweet as pie. You’re a great Mom. What do you want me to tell you?”
“But you’ve already had me,” I point out. “Aren’t you bored already?”
He laughs. “No… definitely not bored. I just want to have a proper date with you, just the two of us. Dinner and a movie at my place, just us two.”
“Then sex?” I ask.
He laughs again. “Hopefully… that’s the plan.”
“I don’t know, Colton,” I say, still very unsure. “I’ve told myself to stay away from you. You’re bad news.”
He sighs again. “Do I need to pay you again?” he asks. “Because I will. I’ll pay you for every minute, even if it leads me to bankruptcy.”
I laugh. “Nooo! Absolutely not. No more exchange of funds, okay? I’m not a high class escort.”
“So it’s a yes?” he asks, his tone playful.
I’m so conflicted. On the one hand, I’m very wary of him, but on the other, my heart wants this. And I feel like I owe him…. he’s given me so much. “Okay… I guess so,” I say, reluctantly conceding.
“Yes,” he cheers. “Is next Saturday good for you?”
“Well, let me get my ducks in a row, and I’ll get back to you soon.”
“Looking forward to it.”
“Listen… I should let you go. Need to close up.”
“You’ve made me a very happy man, Clara,” he says. “Bye, Bella.”
“Uh… bye,” I say awkwardly before ending the call.
