by T L Swan
I think quickly. It’s Wednesday now, so if I fly Mom in on Thursday or Friday, I will be good to go again on Monday. “Can you just tell him that I had an emergency and I won’t be in until Monday?”
“Sure.”
“Can you please tell him that I will be taking the days without pay?”
“Ashley, that won’t be necessary. You’re entitled to sick days.”
“I’m not sick,” I reply. “I’m just unable to help it that’s all, but I want him to know that I am not sick.”
“Okay,” she answers. I know what she’s thinking: This chick is wacko.
“Just… tell him that I will definitely be in on Monday.”
“Okay. Good luck. I hope everything works out well.”
“Thank you.”
I let out a sigh of relief. I did it.
* * *
We’ve parked the car at the airport and are walking across the parking lot towards the terminal. Jenna and Owen are in front of me holding hands and I’m dragging the suitcase on wheels. “Look at that big plane, Owie,” I call from behind.
A plane takes off over us and we all stand still as we watch it zoom past.
“Awesome!” he yells, and we all laugh.
My phone rings. It’s Mom. “Hey.” I smile as I struggle with the heavy suitcase.
“Hello, love. We have a problem.”
I freeze. “We do?”
“My bloods came back, and remember how I stopped taking the blood thinners for the thrombosis I had last year?”
“Yes.” I frown.
“The doctor said I am unable to fly for a month.”
“What?” Shit.
“He said I can’t fly until I take another course and it will take a month until my blood is safe enough for me to travel.”
I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. Fuck’s sake.
“But that’s okay. Why don’t you fly Owen here and he can stay with me for a week or two, and then you can fly back and get him?”
“Oh no. That’s okay. I’ve never been away from him before. I couldn’t do that.”
“Ashley, he will be fine.”
“No, Mom. It’s too long. We’ve never been apart for more than one night. Never mind, I will try and think of something else.”
Jenna has overheard our conversation and is standing watching me with a frown on her face. “What?” she mouths.
I shake my head. This is just my luck.
“Can I speak to Owen for a moment, please?” Mom asks.
“Sure.” I hand the phone to Owen. “Say hello to Grandma.”
He jumps excitedly on the spot and takes the phone from me. “Hello, Grandma.”
“What’s going on?” Jenna frowns.
“Mom can’t fly for a month because of her thrombosis.”
“Shit.”
“I know, bloody hell. She offered for me to fly him there, but that’s impossible.”
Jenna frowns. “Why?”
“I can’t be without him for that long.”
“He’ll be fine.”
“I won’t.”
“Like you have another choice. Do it.”
I shake my head. “Nope, not happening. I would rather lose my job than be without him. I can work it out.”
“It’s his grandmother. He will be safe.”
“I can’t do it.”
Owen holds the phone down. “I want to go to Grandma’s for a vacation.” He beams.
I look at him, deadpan. “We will go later. Give me the phone.”
He gets back on the phone. “I’m coming, Grandma. Mom said it’s okay,” he tells her excitedly, his eyes flickering to mine. “Yes, tomorrow.” He smiles cheekily and nods. “Yes, I will bring my swimming things.”
I roll my eyes and Jenna smiles. I snatch the phone from him. “Hi, Mom.”
“So I will see you tomorrow?” she asks hopefully.
“Mom, I love you, but no. Thanks for the offer, though.”
“Ashley.” She sighs.
“Bye.” I hang up.
Jenna puts her hands on her hips in disgust. “Ashley!”
“What?” I snap as I start to pull the heavy suitcase across the parking lot again.
“You don’t have a choice, Ash, and it will do the two of them good to spend some quality time together.”
I shake my head. “I can’t be away from him for two weeks, Jen. I would die not seeing him for that long.”
She smiles sadly and takes the suitcase from me. “Fine. We will work something else out then.”
* * *
Tears fill my eyes as I hold my little boy in my arms at the airport. It’s Friday morning and I am about to fly home to LA without him for the first time. After agonizing over it for a whole eight hours, I had to concede that I had no other choice but to fly Owen to my mom’s. Yesterday we made the trek here, and today I fly home without him. This is my worst nightmare.
“You be a good boy for mommy,” I whisper.
He smiles excitedly and I turn to Mom. “Please ring me the instant he needs anything.”
“I will.”
“I can be on the next flight.”
“I know, darling.”
I bend to Owen. “I will call you every morning and every night, and if you want to speak to me, you just tell Grandma and she will call me straight away.”
He smiles excitedly. He couldn’t care less. He’s just excited to be at Grandma’s.
“You better go, love.” Mom smiles.
I frown and bend to squeeze Owen in my arms. Maybe this isn’t a good idea. I don’t care about work. “Oh, I don’t know,” I whisper to Mom.
“Go,” she mouths. “We are fine.”
I nod, and through tear-filled eyes, I watch her lead my son away as he waves happily. I walk through security on autopilot and take a seat at the bar while I wait for my flight.
This is the worst week of all time. To save my job, I’ve had to leave the most important person in my life. What kind of a parent am I?
“What will it be?” The cute bartender asks.
“Can I have a vodka, lime, and soda, please?”
“Sure.”
My phone dances on the table and I pick it up. “Hello.”
“Hello, Ashley.”
I frown as I try to place the voice. “Hello.”
“This is Eliza from the club.”
My eyes widen. “Oh, h-hey,” I stammer. Shit, am I in trouble?
“Darling, I am just ringing because I have had a special request and I thought you may be interested.”
I frown. “Okay?”
“A gentleman has requested you for an Escape night.”
“Eliza, you know I don’t do that.”
“I know and I told him that, but he was very insistent.”
I shake my head. “I’m not interested, thank you.”
“He said to tell you that it was the man you gave the lap dance to the other night.”
Wait, what?
“Wait a minute.” I pause as my brain tries to catch up. “It was the man I was talking to when I saw you?” I ask.
“Yes.”
I stay silent.
“It’s very weird, actually, because he specifically asked me to tell you his name. Which I have never had before from a client.”
“What is it?” I whisper.
“His name is Cameron Stanton.”
“What does he want?”
“He wants a night with you… alone.”
My heart starts to race. “When?”
“Tonight.”
11
Ashley
I frown. “What?”
“I said, he wants a night alone with you… tonight.”
“Where?”
“In one of our Escape apartments.”
What the hell?
I don’t know whether to be flattered or horrified. Does he want to see me because he wants to see me, or does he want to pay to have sex with me so he can treat me like the hooker he
obviously thinks I am?
“I’m sorry, Eliza, but can you tell him that I’m not a prostitute for sale, and make sure you tell him in those exact words.”
“I’ll give him the message, but you know you don’t have to sleep with him, and he knows that, too.”
I think for a moment. What should I do? I want to see him tonight, but not under these circumstances.
“No. I’m sorry.”
“Okay. I’ll pass on the message.”
“Thank you.” I hang up as the bartender puts my drink on the counter. I pick it up and drink it down. Shit, what fucking next? I would have loved to have had a chance to talk to Cameron, but who in the hell does he think he is?
I sit and stare as I think about the night we could have had if he wasn’t such an asshole. Eventually, I click into Facebook and scroll through my feed. A message pops up from
‘Mechanic’.
I narrow my eyes and open it.
Why don’t you want to see me?
I roll my eyes and I reply.
For a smart man, you really are quite stupid.
He responds.
I want a night with you.
I shake my head and drink my drink as I think of something to reply with. Who the hell does he think he is? I text back.
And I want respect
A reply arrives quickly.
I do respect you.
What are you talking about?
I shake my head and reply.
No. You demanded I leave my job.
And you told me that you couldn’t stop thinking about me, and then you went to a strip club to sleep with someone else!
I imagine him reading my response, and the angry look no doubt on his face.
You told me you were having dinner
with your mother…
And then I find you working half naked
at the same strip club.
You’re not exactly innocent here:
Give Me A Better Argument!
I smirk. He is kind of cute when he’s throwing a tantrum. I bite my thumbnail as I think, what will I write. I text.
Why haven’t you called me?
I wait for his reply.
I don’t have your phone number.
Your file is kept in Jameson’s office.
I can’t exactly go and ask him for it.
I sip my drink and write back.
Whose fault is that?:
Oh, that’s right.
Yours.
You lost your phone.
Oopsie.
I laugh into my glass as I imagine his face.
Don’t make me come over there.
I am so angry with you right now.
Stop fucking with my head
I think for a moment. He is making an effort, so what should I do? I write back.
I’ve been thinking about you.
“Would you like another drink?” the bartender asks.
I nod. “Yes, please.”
A reply comes in.
I can guarantee you that you haven’t been thinking about me as much as I’ve been thinking about you.
Spend the night with me, Ashley
My breath catches and I frown as I write back.
I’m not a prostitute, Cameron.
You can’t buy me.
A reply comes in.
I know that:
If I could take you out for dinner,
I would.
I can’t, so… think of this as a date
in a protected environment.
I smile. A date in a protected environment. I think on it for a while, This could either be really, really stupid, or it could be really, really good. I don’t know what to do. I sip my drink while I sit and think. He messages me again.
So… I will meet you in the Exotic lounge at 9pm?
I inhale sharply as nerves flutter in my stomach. Why am I even contemplating this? I take out my phone and ring Eliza.
“Hello.”
“Hello, Eliza. It’s Ashley…” I murmur.
“Hey, Ashley.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “I’ve been thinking about your offer.”
“Yes.”
“Is it too late to accept?”
“I’ll call him back right away and let him know you’ve changed your mind.”
I smile. “Thank you.”
“Come in two hours earlier tonight and I’ll be here. We can go through everything then.”
I nod. “That would be great. I’m very nervous.”
“Don’t be nervous, dear. He clearly had his heart set on you. He’ll be a very happy man.”
I smile as I imagine the night we’re going to have together. “Thank you. See you tonight.”
* * *
“Just turn right there, darling.”
I close my eyes in horror and turn to face Eliza. “I don’t think I can do this.”
Why in the hell didn’t I remember the stupid fashion parade? I’ve been walking up and down this damn catwalk for twenty minutes now and I still can’t get it. I’m wobbling all over the place in these ridiculously high shoes.
“Of course you can. You’re a natural.” She smiles calmly.
I look at her, deadpan.
“We’re just perfecting the delivery, that’s all.”
It’s 9.30 and the Escape Lounge is just about to open. Quite clearly, I didn’t think this through at all. I have to do a fashion parade before I get to see him, and now I wish I’d paid more attention to what the girls do in this stupid line up.
“Ashley, come with me.” Eliza holds her hand out. I nervously take it and follow her out the back where she takes me into a room filled with mirrors. She stands behind me and smiles. “Look at yourself. Take a good look at yourself.”
My eyes rise to the mirror and I stare at my reflection. My honey colored hair is loose and full from my earlier hair appointment. They applied my makeup model style, and because I was so early to arrive here, I got to choose my dress first. It’s amazing—white spaghetti strapped, fitted with tiny crystals that are embedded around the neckline, before it then drops softly to the floor with crystals scattered all over.
It’s super sexy without being cheap. In fact, it kind of looks like a dress you’d see at The Grammy Awards. I have sky-high, silver, strappy heels on. Underneath, I’m wearing a white, lace suspender belt and sheer white stockings with a sexy, matching strapless bra.
“Look at how beautiful you look?” Eliza smiles. “Do you know how blessed the man is going to be who gets you tonight?”
I smile.
“Now, as this is your first night, the men may be quite aggressive in securing your company. I want you to prepare yourself for that.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“New blood—new beautiful blood—means the men will be circling and competing against one another. This is a power game to them, but it’s you who gets to chose who you want.”
I frown.
“You don’t have to pick the man who invited you here. You can choose anyone you want.”
My eyes hold hers. I only want him.
“So, how does it work?” I ask.
“Well, you now can go in and have a few cocktails with the girls, half strength cocktails, of course. You’re not permitted to get drunk while working, but you are expected to drink for pleasure and to relax. Then the fashion show will begin.”
I nod. “Okay.”
“Once that’s finished, the Escape men are invited into the private lounge area for cocktails and that’s when it becomes interesting.”
“What do you mean?”
“You get to choose, and they know that, so they will be asserting their power over you.”
I feel a nervous flutter in my stomach.
“Some men won’t compete for you at all because they have their favorite girl and will be too busy pursuing her. Some men will be breaking their neck to be with you on your first night.”
I blow out a deep breath. This
is hectic. What if nobody competes for me at all?
Oh my God. Horror dawns. What if Cameron doesn’t show up at all and I have to choose someone else?
Holy fuck.
“I don’t want you to be rattled. Just take your time and choose who you want.” She smiles calmly. Is she kidding? This is just a walk in the park for her.
“What happens then?” I ask nervously. The thought that Cameron might not be here sets my heart into overdrive.
“It happens quite quickly from there. You will leave alone with him and go to your room.”
I swallow the lump in my throat.
“You will have champagne and canapés, and you may order dinner, cocktails, or anything you want from room service. We have butlers at your service.”
I watch her intently as my mind goes wild.
“You don’t have to have sex with him. You don’t even have to kiss him, but you are expected to be good company, make him laugh, make him feel sexy. Give him intelligent conversation.”
“How many of the women end up having sex with the clients?” I ask.
Her eyes hold mine. “To be honest… all of them. The men are gorgeous and powerful. This is a gift that our girls are given—a night with a beautiful man without consequence or judgement. A night where they can leave their morals at the door and enjoy being a virile woman and have their sexual fantasies met for a change. But, Ashley, beware and listen to this very carefully: these men, if you let them, will have you under their spell in a minute. Don’t ever fall in love. It’s dangerous to your sanity.”
I frown, because I’m already under his spell.
“There’s a spa bath and a pool on the rooftop. Whoever you choose is yours to do what you wish with,” she continues.
I swallow nervously.
She turns me back to face the mirror. “Now look at yourself, Ashley.”
I stare at the girl in front of me, and I hate to admit it, but I’m kind of excited. This is so far from anything I could have ever imagined, and I look good. I know I look good… but this catwalk thing is freaking me out.
“I’m just nervous, Eliza. Do I really have to do the walk?”
She thinks for a moment. “What if you come out on stage, but don’t actually do the catwalk?”
“Could I?” I ask hopefully. “It’s just these shoes. I’m not used to them and I don’t want to wobble and make a fool of myself.”
“Fine,” she concedes. “But you will have to learn how to walk properly before the next time.”