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She kisses me in response. “Thank you.”
“For what?” I ask.
“For everything? For this. For coming with me. For saving me that night. I just want you to know how much I appreciate everything you’re doing for me.” She sits up, wrapping the sheet around her body. She tucks her hair behind her ears and takes my hand. “I wish I could give you more. All you’ve done, a free trip doesn’t even begin to repay you.”
“Erin, stop it,” I say. I sit
on the edge of the bed, feeling like a goddamned monster. Every time I drop my guard and let myself enjoy being with her, something happens to throw what I’m doing to her back in my face. I wish I’d never agreed to the cash in the first place. But if the cash wasn’t on the table, would I have said yes? Probably not. I didn’t know it was her then.
“What? I’m just trying to make you see how grateful I am.” She’s confused by my reaction and I don’t blame her. “What’s the problem? Why can’t you take a compliment? And I thought I was bad,” she teases.
I force a smile and lean over to her. “Thank you.” I stand up and reach for my clothes. “Now, I’m going to get us some breakfast so we can spend the rest of the morning in bed. Coffee and croissants okay?” I ask her.
“Perfect.” She grins.
As soon as I’m in the lobby, I dig my phone out of my pocked and dial Calli. She answers on the first ring. I have no idea what time it is there and I don’t really care. I need to get this off my chest before things go too far. Even if it means having to deal with my gambling debts another way, I don’t care. By the time that’s an issue, nothing is going to matter anymore.
“I’m done. Sorry, but I can’t do this.”
“What?” Calli’s voice is breathless. “We had a deal. You keep an eye on my sister and my parents pay you twenty thousand. You can’t back out now, you’ve already been given the money.”
“Then I’m going to tell her.”
“Tell me what?” I turn and see Erin standing at behind me. She’s wearing sweatpants and a jacket. “I sent you a text. I thought we could eat breakfast down by the water somewhere.” She steps forward, her eyes troubled. “Tell me what, Cade?” she repeats. Her voice is calm, way too calm for me to believe she is actually calm.
Fuck. “It’s nothing,” I mutter. I end the call, but I can’t meet her eyes.
“It’s nothing?” she repeats “Who were you on the phone to? Don’t stand there and lie to me, Cade. If you’ve got something to tell, me just tell me.”
I swallow, seeing no way out of this mess. I’m freaking the fuck out. What the hell do I do? Lie to her? Tell her the truth? Both are going to end in disaster. I’m about to come clean when she walks over to me and snatches the phone from my hands.
“Erin, wait…” I watch helplessly as she presses redial, the blood draining from her face when Calli answers. “Let me explain.”
“Why do you have my sister’s phone number, Cade? And why were you calling her?” Her eyes flash with hurt. “Tell me what the fuck is going on, and tell me now.” Her voice rises, attracting the attention of the few people checking out early.
“Come back upstairs so I can explain.” I attempt to take her hand but she shrugs me off angrily.
“I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me,” she hisses.
“You sister and parents asked me to look after you.”
“They did?” She almost looks relieved, but I know that won’t last because the worst is yet to come. “Okay, I can see them asking that of you—Hang on,” she says, her brow furrowing. “When did you speak to my parents?”
“When they contacted me, asking me to apply to your ad.” I force the words out, knowing I can’t take them back.
Her eyes widen and flash with anger. “They contacted you?” she gasps. “How did they even know you?”
“Your mother and mine are part of the same rotary club and gym,” I rush to explain. “Your mum told mine what was going on with you, and my mum knew I was in trouble and needed help.”
“Are they paying you?” She keeps her voice even, but I can see how deep this is cutting her.
I don’t answer. How can I?
“How much?” she asks, taking my silence as an admission.
“Twenty thousand,” I say hoarsely. “And my parents are matching it.”
“Forty thousand dollars?” she growls. She backs up a few steps, hurt and angry. “And us, was that part of the arrangement? Did they ask you to show me a good time?”
