Escort by Mistake (Contemporary BWWM Billionaire Romance)

by Tiana Cole

  All that was behind her now, she reminded herself. This was a different service and they had a job opening. If she took the job, it wouldn’t be forever. It would be just long enough to get her new toehold in New York with money to get an apartment. In time she’d find work that suited her better.

  Cassidy stopped with all of her reflections. Her head felt full. She reached into her bag and pulled out her notebook and a pen. She had about fifteen minutes before she needed to leave, and her writing ambitions were definitely still a part of her plan. She’d written so much while staying with her mom and dad, and most of the writing was inspired by her pregnancy. She started jotting down bits of conversation.

  Later, she stood with a crowd of pedestrians by the street corner of Canal Street and Baxter near the Chinatown area. She checked for the address that the woman on the phone had dictated to her. She fidgeted with her black skirt and matching blazer, wishing she had worn her sneakers and had changed into the stiletto heels when she reached the office. Her feet were killing her, but she was glad her mom had insisted they visit the salon the day before she left Alabama. She knew she looked fine today.

  This was it. Time to make use of the new haircut and her formal clothes. She knew she could handle the work; it wasn’t that hard. Mainly she would have to take care of the inquiries and schedule appointments, same as before. This job could be the start of her new life. She thought about Dee, took a deep breath, and headed toward the address.

  It was important she made a good impression. Checking the folder she clutched in her hand, she made certain her resume was inside. If she was lucky, she would have a job today and wind up working as a secretary or assistant in this particular agency. She knew her experience with the previous escort service was a huge advantage.

  Satisfied that she was ready for the job interview, she waited for the pedestrian light to turn green, noting that a working crew was doing street repairs just up ahead. Cars slowed down as they rounded the corner. Impatient drivers honked their horns, urging the cars ahead to move faster. Among the swarm of cars was a silver BMW with its convertible top lowered down.

  Cassidy drew in her breath. For some strange reason, she felt nervous as she caught sight of the car navigating the corner where she stood among the crowd. She felt an unexplainable panicked reaction to do an about-face and move away to the opposite direction, but she was hemmed in on all sides by pedestrians wanting to cross. Unable to do anything, her eyes were drawn to the car’s progress until it was almost in front of her. There was no mistaking it: Tristan was behind the wheel. He didn’t notice her standing on the curb as he stepped on the gas to gain an opening in the road up ahead.

  The crowd surged forward and Cassidy was dragged like flotsam in seawater. When she reached the other side, she felt her heart pounding wildly inside her chest. He may not have seen her, but she had seen enough to know that he still looked gorgeous as ever. The aviator glasses hid his eyes from view, but the square jaw and the cleft chin were prominent enough to distinguish. He had cut his hair shorter, but it still blew wildly in the open car. One hand was holding a phone to his ear while the other expertly handled the wheel. He wore a black leather jacket.

  How could she have been so naive? Of course, it was bound to happen. In some ways New York was a huge city and in others it was small. How could she think that, in returning to New York, she would somehow be lost in the millions and that she would never run into Tristan?

  Her heart continued to pound. Tristan. The old feelings bubbled up. She could feel his hands touching her. She saw his playful smile as he chided her for some seemingly self-effacing thing she said. In spite of her vows and all reason, her body surged in desire at the sight of his tousled hair blowing in the wind and gleaming in the sunlight. However, it was the woman seated beside him whom Cassidy found hard to miss.

  She was truly beautiful, with long blonde hair that reached just below her shoulders. She, too, wore huge sunglasses that covered most of her face, but Cassidy could tell that she was stylish and chic in a white, sleeveless dress. She was smiling as she cajoled him about something, reaching for his arm that was holding the wheel. She was everything Cassidy wasn’t. She seemed sophisticated and full of self-assurance. Probably just as rich as Tristan. Or, and this thought made her stomach knot, she was a “date” from an escort service.

  Cassidy was glad it had happened so soon. Tristan was just as good looking as ever, his smile just as charming, but now Cassidy knew that underneath the outward charm lay lies and deceit.

  Her eyes followed the car and its two passengers until they were out of sight. Even if panic was her first reaction upon seeing him unexpectedly, she couldn’t deny the thrill that bloomed in her heart; a thrill that was suddenly dashed to pieces when she saw he wasn’t alone. Her heart felt constricted like a tight band was wrapped around her chest.

  Shit… she thought to herself. What did you expect? A guy like him will never lack company. He’s clearly moved on. Accept that, Cassidy Johnson. Forget it and focus on the job interview ahead.

  It took all her determination to forget what she'd just seen as she found the agency’s address. She entered the cool interior of the office and approached a woman seated behind the reception desk.

  “Hi, my name is Cassidy. I was asked to come in for an interview.”

  The woman, bored and chewing gum, sized her up. Cassidy didn’t know if she liked what she saw, but she was asked to follow to a small office on the same floor.

  “Hi, there! Cassidy Johnson, I presume? I was told you’d come in today.” An older woman approaching fifty hailed Cassidy as she entered the office She was dressed in a stylishly-cut grey suit that was unbuttoned at the top to reveal a deep décolletage. She exuded confidence with her commanding demeanor.

  Cassidy looked around the room. The walls of the small office were strewn with blow up photos of women in various poses. Even the small table was littered with photo prints. Cassidy was familiar with this environment. This woman’s job was to screen the girls who worked as escorts. The photos were part of every escort’s portfolio, which was used for publicity shots or posted on the internet.

  Maybe the agency is hiring me to assist in profiling the girls, Cassidy thought. She was elated with the idea. She could do that very efficiently. She drew out the resume she had prepared and showed it to the woman behind the desk who barely glanced at it.

  “If you’re not ready with your portfolio, it’s alright. I can dispense with that one for now. Just hand it over to me when you’re ready. When do you think you can start?”

  Cassidy was momentarily puzzled. Portfolio? The woman must be confusing her with someone else.

  “I can start right away if you need me to,” she replied, excited over the prospect of immediate work.

  It was the woman’s turn to look surprised. “Um… that would be great, except… I don’t think you’re quite ready. I mean… you’re not dressed properly for the job,” she retorted, giving Cassidy the same probing look the girl at the reception gave her when she entered.

  Cassidy was confused. “Oh… you mean you require a uniform for the staff?” The girl at the reception didn’t seem to have a uniform on.

  “Staff? What staff? Wait a minute. There seems to be a mix-up here somewhere. We’re not hiring staff. We are looking for girls applying to be escorts for our clientele.”

  “Oh! Oh, I’m sorry… when I called earlier and was told of an opening, I assumed it was for the office. And since I’ve worked in an agency before, I just thought…”

  Cassidy trailed off. She suddenly realized the misunderstanding. She was so excited about the job that she'd hardly asked any questions when she'd made the call. The girl who answered must have been busy as well, and failed to make it clear what the opening was for.

  Dejected, she made a faltering move to gather her resume. Her disappointment was written all over her face. So much for starting with the first step of her plan.

  “Wait…” the woman stopped
her.

  Cassidy was taken by surprise. She was ready to leave, already looking ahead to the phone calls and appointments she needed to make

  “Look… I understand there was a mistake somewhere. I see from your face that you are disappointed. That only tells me one thing. You need a job badly.”

  She looked Cassidy up and down and continued, “Why don’t you give it a try? You’re young and very pretty, I see that. If you don’t take it you’ll probably end up waitressing somewhere, and while I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that, I think the money you’ll earn here may be worth taking a risk. What do you say?”

  “But I… err… I mean… I’ve never done this before,” Cassidy replied. Once more she thought back to her conversation with Kim. Even if she did become an escort, she just could keep it at that. She didn’t need to provide the extra services. She knew how to hold a conversation and with a little help, especially from a different wardrobe, she could look quite stunning. She had a flash of all the times Tristan had told her how beautiful she was. A very selfish thought quickly followed: her pregnancy with Dee had been good to her body. Her stomach was once again flat, and her breast were firm, perky, and proportioned.

  “There’s always a first time for everyone. You’ll learn.” The woman gave Cassidy another once-over and nodded her head in approval. “We’re looking for someone just like you. We have a lot of calls for just your… qualifications.”

  “You don’t understand. I know what the girls have to do to earn more. I mean… it’s not something I think I can do.”

  “Miss Johnson, let me be frank with you. Upfront, we are an escort agency. The girls provide companionship, intelligent conversation, and amusement to the men who hire them. They get paid for that. What happens beyond that is none of our business, so long as the client is happy. The agency cannot force you to do something you don’t want to do. That’s between you and the client, you know what I’m saying? As long as you are classy and respectful, we’ll take you in.”

  Cassidy realized that was true. Most of the girls in the former agency she worked for pocketed the money they earned beyond providing companionship. Nobody was forcing them to have sex, but most of them did anyway of their own volition.

  She sat undecided. She desperately needed a job, and the woman was right. How much could she possibly earn being a waitress or whatever else she landed? She had enough self-assurance and poise to fend off demands for extra services. She just couldn’t do that. She could, however, spend an evening or an afternoon being charming and gracious.

  “Look, Cassidy, I don’t have all day to wait for your decision, but here’s one thing I can assure you: as soon as you step out that door, someone else will come in and snap up the job. It’s your call.”

  "Alright… I-I’ll take it,” Cassidy heard herself say.

  She couldn’t believe she’d done that. She thought about Dee and realized she could do anything to give her baby a comfortable life. She’d have to explain to mom and dad at some point, but they would understand her ultimate goal.

  An hour later, Cassidy found herself walking the streets with one thousand dollars in her pocket. The manager, Ms. Tillie, said it was advance money to buy new clothes if she wanted to start work that night. She thumbed down the black skirt and blazer, joking that Cassidy looked as if she were attending a funeral. The older woman suggested Cassidy visit a boutique on the Lower East Side that sold reasonably priced sexy clothes.

  “Remember, Cassidy, sexy does not mean cheap or vulgar. Go for classy and chic clothes. A few accessories in the right place can make you look like a million dollars.”

  “Yeah… thanks,” a bewildered Cassidy had replied. She felt disembodied, like she was sleep walking. How did she end up saying yes to being an escort? Dee. Dee’s future was the answer. A mother’s heart would do anything for her child. Agree she did, and now here she was in the boutique that Ms. Tillie recommended, going through clothes that were supposed to be sexy, but not vulgar; chic, but not expensive.

  “Fuck…” Cassidy muttered, looking helplessly at the wide selection.

  She was more of the jeans and t-shirt type, and never had to deal with this kind of problem before. She thought of the one red silk dress she owned, but that was still back with mom and dad.

  A young saleslady with a very friendly smile approached her.

  “Hi, I’m Sheena. Can I help you?"

  “I-I-don’t know which of these dresses are supposed to be… err… um… classy, not vulgar… but sophisticated…” Cassidy stammered helplessly.

  “I see you have picked out a few. Why don’t you try them on and see which one feels ‘it’ to you,” Sheena replied as she ushered her to a changing room.

  The first dress was red with a low-cut neckline and hem that ended just below her crotch. The material hugged her body like a second skin.

  “Ho” was the word that screamed in her ear as she hurriedly stepped out of it. It was like an unspoken invitation for extra services. The next dress was zebra print that fit perfectly, but the colors made her looked washed out. The dress joined the heap on the floor.

  Cassidy didn’t have much luck with the next couple of dresses, either. She may not have known much about clothes, but she knew enough to understand that none of them looked good on her. She was almost ready to give up when Sheena knocked just outside the changing room door. She held a garment bag in her hand.

  “Here, try this. I have a feeling you’ll look fabulous in this one,” the saleslady said, removing the dress from the bag.

  It was a silk and chiffon combo wrap dress, but it was the color that took Cassidy’s breath away. The dress was made in an ethnic collage of deep and vibrant colors, and as soon as she saw it she knew it was perfect for her mahogany skin tone. She put it on eagerly and sighed with relief as it fit perfectly.

  “This is it,” Cassidy gushed as she stepped out of the changing room to show the saleslady how she looked.

  Sheena clapped her hands in delight. “You look so pretty. No man will resist you tonight.”

  Cassidy was stunned. “Is it that obvious? I mean… that I work for an escort agency?”

  “No. But the girls who come here are often referred by Ms. Tillie. Most of them know what they want. But you looked so unsure of yourself. I figured you’re new.”

  “Yeah…” Cassidy admitted, “and I’m scared shitless. I went in looking for a job doing clerical work, and I came out an escort. And now here I am.”

  “Maybe I can do your hair and makeup for you? I’ve been taking some classes.”

  “You’d do that for me?” Cassidy asked, awed by the girl’s generosity.

  “Yeah, sure! We can keep in touch and you can tell me how things go with you. I’ve been thinking I want to be an escort, too. Just don’t know if I’m pretty enough like you.”

  Cassidy couldn’t believe her luck. She was relatively clueless when it came to make-up, and here was someone offering to do it for her. On top of that, she didn’t have any friends in the city and was thrilled by the prospect of adding one to her life.

  “I didn’t bring any make-up with me, really. Just lipstick, rouge, and some powder,” Cassidy said, hating to admit that was all she ever used.

  “Oh, don’t worry about that. There’s tons of free make-up lying around. I’ll go find something that will blend nicely with your dark skin. You will glow, I promise!”

  A few minutes later, Cassidy was seated in the back room of the boutique, looking askance at the oodles of stuff Sheena brought back with her. She was tempted to comment that she didn’t want to end up looking like a drag queen, but thought otherwise. It wasn’t something that was nice to say to someone who would be in charge of your face for the next few minutes. Besides, Sheena was doing this for free.

  “Don’t worry,” Sheena giggled, reading her mind, “I was one of the best in my class.”

  Seconds later, Sheena was busy working on her face. Cassidy watched as she mixed color palettes, dabbing
the makeup on and then wiping off the excess. She would frown when she wasn’t happy with the result, wipe it off gently with a wet sponge, then re-apply again.

  Cassidy had no mirror to check the progress. She knew she was leaving her fate in the hands of a random but seemingly kind woman she'd just met. However, just like the dress Sheena said would look fabulous on her, Cassidy knew things would be alright.

  She was right in putting her faith in Sheena. When her newfound friend finally allowed her to see the results of her work, Cassidy couldn’t believe she was looking at her own reflection. It was still her face that she saw, but she looked different somehow. Her eyebrows were thicker and perfectly arched, her lashes fanned out over eyes lined in smoky colors, the apples of her cheeks seemed more prominent, and her lips more luscious than ever.

  “Oh my, Sheena, I hardly recognize myself. I look…”

  “…Sophisticated?” Sheena volunteered.

  “Yes, like a movie star on a Vogue cover. You’re really good! You should open your own salon. You’d be famous in no time.”

  “You think so?” Sheena asked, gushing from the compliment, and then added, “Hope someone gets to appreciate all my effort on you, because you look absolutely stunning.”

  Cassidy remembered that this was her first day of work as an escort, and that she’d likely sit out the night. Suddenly the pretty dress and the make-up all felt like a waste of time. Surely nobody would ask for her. Not tonight. She didn’t know if she was relieved or disappointed.

  Sheena saw the play of emotions on her face. “It’s alright, you know. You can wear the dress again some other time, and I can always redo your make-up whenever you want. I’ll give you my number. I’ll start teaching you the tricks. Once you get the hang of how to enhance your face, you’ll have the confidence to do it yourself.”

  Cassidy felt a surge of affection for this woman who had been so very helpful. Even if things didn’t work out at the agency, somehow she had a feeling she had found a good friend. She hugged her and whispered thank you before leaving the boutique with Sheena‘s number. Dusk had fallen over the sky as she made her way to the bus stop. The looks that followed her confirmed that Sheena was right: she did look stunning with the new dress and the make-up. She felt confidence that she’d never had before. Cassidy had no idea that clothes and make-up could bring such a change to her self-assurance. She managed to negotiate the crowded sidewalks in her sky-high heels without breaking an ankle.