Then There Was You: A Single Parent Collection

by Gianna Gabriela

  What a mess. Just when things had been going so right. Burdens had just begun to lift from me and now they came crashing back down.

  My life would never be my own. I may as well accept it.

  I walked into the hotel to see if they had any rooms ready to check into. Booked in, I dashed to the room, threw myself on my bed and cried the most desperate and empty tears I’d experienced since I’d lost my father.

  Not thirty minutes later my phone had started bleeping with text notifications.

  Jude: I’m so very sorry. I fucked up. I know the truth now. Where are you? Can we talk?

  Jude: I know you’ll be mad at me. I don’t expect you to forgive me straightaway. My words were unforgivable, but please hear me out?

  Jude: I need to see you so badly. Please Pippa.

  Ann: My son is a fuckwit. I’ve told him it’s on him to sort this out. I can have you moved to another office on a different floor. Don’t worry about your job.

  But I did. Because I’d still be near Jude and then there’d be gossip of why I didn’t work for him anymore. Oh, I’d manage without the bonus payments. I’d only received one. Life would just return to normal, but to have to work in the same building as him… Yet unless I found another job quickly, I’d have no choice. Where could I find a really high-paying job fast? Maybe I should be the whore he accused me of being. A high class one.

  Wait a minute…

  I didn’t have to be a whore.

  But I could be an escort…

  I dialled Ann’s number.

  “Pippa, darling. Are you okay? I’ve been out of my mind worrying about you.”

  “I’m upset, naturally, but I’m sure I’ll get over it. That’s not what I’m calling you about though. It’s about a job.”

  “I can get you transferred no problem.”

  “No. Thank you. I’m not going back there.”

  “Do you need a reference then? I’m more than happy to provide one.”

  “No. I want a job. With you.”

  “I’m not following, darling. Oh… you mean…”

  “I want to be an escort. No sex, just escorting rich men to functions. I need to start as soon as possible please.”

  “Oh, Pippa. Please don’t be hasty. I’m sure Jude will be on his knees to apologise very, very soon.”

  “Your son called me a whore. I’d hate to disappoint him. I might just land one of the rich men you fix me up with.”

  “You’re hurting, Pippa. Please take a few days and if you still feel the same on Monday we will talk more about my company. Though I will point out again, I don’t run a brothel.”

  “But that’s not how your son would see it though, is it? Not that I’ll ever breathe a word of it to him.”

  “My son needs to grow up. Maybe it’s time I do tell him exactly what I do and how I met his father.”

  “Well that’s for you to decide. Prepare to be called a whore like I was.”

  “His words were disgraceful, but he thought I’d been paying you to seduce him, Pippa. We all make mistakes in life. All I’m saying, is take time to think about what you really want and don’t do anything out of vengeance towards Jude. He’s an idiot but I know he can’t take much more. He’s a beautiful, broken boy, is my son.”

  I hung up. Right now, I didn’t need to hear how broken her son was. I was tired of thinking about other people. I sent for a bottle of wine on room service and then drank myself to sleep.

  When I woke, my eyes were so puffy I could barely see out of them, my head was banging, and my tongue felt like I’d licked dog fur. I struggled to my feet and used both mugs provided to make two strong black coffees. I’d need both. Then I ran the shower and stood under it until I started to feel human again. I texted my mum and lied saying I was going out straight from work and I’d be back around ten. Then I ordered food from room service so I could try to feel human again. My tears had stopped. Now I just felt bitter and numb.

  Leaning back against the pillows, I decided I’d do one escort job for Ann; just to put an extra few pounds into my bank account, and then I’d search for a new PA post, one with decent prospects. I was good at it and I enjoyed it. My receptionist post had been given to someone else and I owed it to myself to not go backwards anyway, but to move on. I’d focus on my career and forget all about Jude bloody Davenport.

  And the text notifications that still kept appearing.

  I lasted thirty-two minutes exactly before I looked at them.

  Jude: I totally get why you’re not talking to me. I’m a complete tosser.

  Jude: I meant what I said. I saw a future with you Pippa. Please don’t let one mistake ruin this.

  Jude: If you don’t contact me, I’m coming to your house.

  Shit! That last text had come through ten minutes ago. I picked up my phone.

  Pippa: Don’t come to the house. I’m not there. I don’t want to see you right now.

  Jude: Where are you?

  Pippa: In a hotel. I’m going to look for my next trick.

  Jude: I deserved that. I am so very sorry. You are the most beautiful, caring woman I’ve ever met. I can only keep apologising and hope you’ll forgive me.

  Pippa: I’m not sure I can.

  Jude: I’m not prepared to let you go.

  Pippa: You don’t have that choice, Jude. Now leave me alone. I’m turning off my phone. Do not contact my family. That’s something I could never forgive you for.

  Jude: That means maybe you might eventually forgive my harsh words. I hope I don’t cause you any more upset this evening. I’m here if you change your mind and want to talk.

  I didn’t reply to that. Though neither did I turn my phone off. Instead, I spent time re-reading his messages and thinking random thoughts until finally feeling somewhat human, I checked out of the hotel and went home.

  Once the weekend had passed, I pretended I’d booked annual leave.

  “Already?” Mum said.

  “Jude’s on a business trip, so it made sense.” I lied.

  “Well, it will be nice to have you home. Fancy a trip to a garden centre for a potter around?”

  “Sounds good.” I said, and it really did. My family were the most important thing to me, not wealthy name-calling bosses.

  Oh God, I was thinking about him again…

  19

  JUDE

  “Meet me for lunch at Taylor’s.” My mum’s voice came down the line.

  “I don’t want to, Mum. I just want to get my head down and work. I have twice as much to do now my assistant has abandoned me.”

  “It’s about your assistant, and also about me. Leave your judgements at the door on your way in. I’ll see you at midday.”

  I hung up wondering what on earth my mother was talking about. But if it was connected with Pippa, I was going. I called my lunchtime and afternoon appointments and cancelled them and got ready to drive to Taylor’s.

  Taylor’s was an upmarket bistro in Mayfair. All genuine Art Deco antiques and gold fittings. The maître d′ escorted me towards my mother, who greeted and kissed me on both cheeks before sitting back down. She ordered a gin and tonic. I asked for a scotch.

  “Make it a double for him.” Mum said.

  “Good job I cancelled my afternoon appointments.”

  “I know you did. I rang Debra to get her to cancel them and she said it was already done.” Debra was one of my father’s assistants. He was so busy he needed two.

  “So what did you want to talk to me about, Mum?”

  “Let’s wait until we get our drinks, shall we, and have ordered our food. The drink because you’ll need it and the food to make sure you stay.”

  My eyes narrowed. “I’m not getting a good feeling about this.”

  My mum just shrugged. “Could go either way, darling.”

  “Hence why you’ve brought me to one of the busiest, swankiest places in London, so I don’t cause a scene.”

  “Well, you do have form.” She answered curtly.

 
I sighed. The bartender brought over our drinks and I took a sip.

  “So. Pippa has asked me for a job, and I wanted to run it by you first?”

  “A job? What job? Is she wanting to transfer to another office? She doesn’t want to move to another branch, does she? Is she leaving London?”

  “For God’s sake, Jude, stop panicking. She wants a job at my company.”

  I looked at my mum blankly. “You don’t have a company. Does she want to help with your charity work?”

  My mum’s hands fidgeted around her glass. “This is why I’ve brought you here. You see, I do have a company and it does rather well. But it’s extremely elite and no one knows I run it, or that it’s connected to the Davenport’s in any way.”

  “Go on.”

  “This is where I need you to hear me out entirely and not make a huge scene where you call me a whore or say something similar in your conversation.”

  I felt my face drain of all its colour. She couldn’t mean…

  “I run a high-class escort agency, Jude. No prostitutes. Just dates for the upper classes who can’t get them for themselves. Specifically, it’s for charity functions. My employees are collected from the function and taken straight home. If they meet up with their client again, that’s on them, but I’ve not had many who do. There has been a marriage or two though because of it. Including mine and your fathers.”

  “What?”

  “Close your mouth, darling, there’s a draft.”

  Close my mouth? My mother just told me she ran an escort agency and she’d met my father while she’d been one.

  I swallowed several mouthfuls of scotch, the burn causing me to cough, and requiring me to follow it with a large chug of water.

  “I think you’d better run that by me again, and then you need to explain what this has to do with Pippa.” A lightbulb moment went off in my head and I stilled, the water glass in my hand. “God, you didn’t meet her at the hairdressers at all, did you? She’s one of your women.”

  My mum slowly picked up her gin. “Don’t be silly, darling. Pippa worked at my salon exactly as I said. Though I do believe it’s my ability to choose the right date for the right person that made me realise she’d be the perfect assistant for you.”

  We were interrupted as our food arrived.

  Then during lunch my mother told me all the details of her secret business and how she’d met my father. I ordered several more scotches.

  “Okay, so you have your company, which seems a sound business idea actually given that it doesn’t cross the boundaries of decent moral behaviour.”

  “Well, I’m glad the man who slept with several assistants approves of my business.” Mum said, her voice laden with heavy sarcasm.

  “It’s okay with me if Pippa wants some secretarial work there with you. I’d rather she came back to work with me, but I know she needs to keep earning to support her family, so if that’s the alternative, at least she wouldn’t be out of my life altogether.”

  “Heavens. You’re my son, Jude, but sometimes you’re beyond stupid. She doesn’t want a job in the secretarial field. She wants to be an escort.”

  “Absolutely no fucking way.” I yelled, making heads swoop around.

  “That’s my membership cancelled.” Mum huffed.

  “She is not taking a job as an escort.” I said a lot less loudly.

  “Well, I had my own feelings on that.” Mum said, and then she told me her idea.

  20

  PIPPA

  My mum thought I had a date.

  I did. Just not with a guy I met at work like I told her.

  Instead, on this ordinary seeming Tuesday evening, I was meeting a wealthy gentleman called Leon at a charity dinner at The Dorchester. My throat felt like I’d swallowed a golf ball, and my palms wouldn’t stop sweating, even though Ann had confirmed that the men who booked escorts were referenced and had signed iron clad agreements that there would be no inappropriateness with the exception of a small hand to the back in front of others or a whisper in an ear.

  I’d expected to be picked up by the client in the car, but Ann didn’t allow that. I was to be dropped off at the venue and met inside, then picked up and dropped home the same way.

  “The car’s here, Mum. See you later.” I yelled.

  “Have a great time.” She shouted back. “Text me to let me know you arrived safely.”

  “I will.” I answered. I had to text Ann too.

  I was glad my mum hadn’t looked out of the window to see the Bentley that had come for me. A driver got out, tipped his cap at me and then opened my door. Safely inside, he drove me to the venue and pulled up outside the private entrance on Park Lane, before once more opening my door.

  “Text Ann once you’re inside and she’ll tell you what to do next.”

  “Thank you.” I told him. I heard the waver in my voice from my nerves. The driver nodded his head, wished me a good evening and left.

  With a deep breath I made my way inside. A large event banner inside advertised the charity auction for You Matter a charity who helped vulnerable children. It hit my heart hard that there were children so much worse off than me, Jamie, and Libby; and also for that matter, Addy.

  Ann:Your date will meet you in the ballroom, you’re on Table Four.

  Handing in my coat in the cloakroom, I freshened up in the bathroom and made my way into the main venue. The opulence of the venue took my breath away. The floor was white with large gold swirls and there were gold columns, pieces of art, and a crystal chandelier. I searched for table four. The place was bustling with activity and people chattering and laughing. I found my place at the table, but my date was nowhere to be seen. There was no place-name beside mine either. Had he cancelled?

  Then a familiar voice came from behind me. “Hello, Pippa.”

  I rose from my seat slowly and prepared myself for facing the man I’d been avoiding for days.

  “Hello, Jude. I suppose it’s not totally unexpected I’d bump into you at a charity event, but I don’t have long. My date will be here soon.”

  “I am your date. Leon is my middle-name.”

  Scowling at him, I started to move away from the table, but Jude grabbed my arm.

  “You’re in breach of contract, Jude. You’re only allowed to touch the small of my back, remember? And if you’re expecting extras given you think I’m a whore, you’d better study that contract even closer.”

  His eyes looked dark and shadowed beneath but his chin jutted upwards with determination. “If you sit back down at the table, I’ll donate fifty thousand pounds to the charity at the end of the evening.”

  “F-fifty thousand pounds?” I choked out. He’d put me in an impossible position and he knew it. Sitting back down in my seat, I glared at him. “I’m only sitting down for the charity, not for you.” I looked straight ahead.

  “I know, but I’m hoping it’ll give me enough time to apologise profusely.”

  “Don’t bet on it.”

  The rest of the table filled and introductions were made.

  “Hello, Jude. My, you’ve grown into a fine fellow. And who do we have here?”

  “This is my girlfriend, Pippa.” Jude said. I choked on my drink and didn’t have time to correct him. Too busy coughing, the conversation moved on.

  “Fine fellow is Jude, young lady”, the man said. “Incredible things he’s achieved, and we’ve always been able to count on him. Dab hand with our dogs when he was younger, he was. They adored him. Stayed with him when we went on our holidays.”

  “So I’m used to being in the dog house,” Jude whispered in my ear. I had to try not to smile.

  “So how did you two meet?” The man’s wife asked.

  “On a street corner.” I said deadpan.

  She looked from Jude to me for clarification. He laughed. “Pippa is my personal assistant at Davenport’s, and yes, we all know what happened with Tillie, but I’m a firm believer lightning doesn’t strike twice, and well, when love comes calli
ng, I’m not going to send it away just because of what happened in the past.”

  Love?

  Jude wasn’t playing fair. I could feel my defences being worn down when I was doing my best to stay angry at him, but he’d donated fifty grand to charity, called me his girlfriend, and said the L word in reference to me. It was kind of negating his outburst, vile though the word used was.

  I drank more champagne and could feel myself thawing. He had been out of order and angry, but he’d heard something that made him defensive.

  He’d apologised since. Maybe if he carried on grovelling awhile, I’d give him a second chance. I’d name-called people myself in the past, especially some exes. I was no innocent.

  Maybe I’d forgive him. If I saw some more of his Mr Nice Guy side.

  After our meal, the tables were cleared of everything apart from the champagne which carried on flowing. I made sure to stick to water, so that alcohol didn’t sway my ability to make a decision regarding Jude.

  “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.” The compere on the stage said. “If I could have your attention please. We are about to start the evening’s auction. So, if I could invite the patron of You Matter up to the stage to say a few words.” He gestured to Jude.

  Oh, holy fuck.

  It was Jude’s charity.

  Ann Davenport was one crafty businesswoman. When I’d met her on Monday afternoon, she had made out as if she really didn’t want me to take the job, and yet all along she’d known it was Jude’s event.