Romeo for Hire

by Ali Parker

  ***

  “Are you ready to go?” Leslie asked from the doorway to my office. “Mom’s been texting me nonstop reminders all day.”

  “I’ll be done in two seconds,” I said without looking up.

  Leslie stepped inside, her heels thudding softly against the carpet. I was too focused on my computer screen to pay her any attention, so she sank onto her usual chair and crossed her legs. Within seconds, her arms followed, and she hummed impatiently.

  “Two seconds,” I said again, my fingers flying over the keyboard.

  “If we’re late,” Leslie said. “I’m blaming you.”

  “I can live with that.”

  Typing furiously, I finished up one final email and sent it off. Looking up, I saw my sister’s gray eyes glaring at me.

  “Oh, relax.” I rolled my eyes and stood up. “I’m done. Let’s go.”

  “Finally.” Leslie huffed and followed me to the elevator.

  We stepped inside and waited for the doors to close. Leslie tapped her foot incessantly the whole way down. Glancing at her, I saw that her eyes were still narrowed in anger.

  “What’s your deal today?” I asked.

  “Nothing,” Leslie snapped without looking at me.

  She jumped off the elevator the second the doors slid open. I had to run to keep up with her as she practically sprinted across the lobby.

  “Hey,” I said, grabbing her arm. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  Leslie sighed. Her shoulders slumped, and she stepped forward for a hug. I wrapped my arms around her and ran my hand over the back of her hair.

  “What?” I asked again. “What is going on?”

  Sniffing, Leslie pulled away and blinked back tears. My chest tightened like it always did when Leslie cried.

  “Today was a nightmare,” she finally said. “I can’t even … I don’t even know where to begin.”

  “Come on.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and led her outside. Stepping up to the curb, I hailed a cab and stood back so Leslie could slide in first.

  She put her head against the window and sighed dramatically, still blinking furiously to fight off the tears that threatened to pour down her cheeks.

  “Talk to me,” I said gently.

  “Heidi yelled at me.”

  I waited for the rest, but nothing else came. Leslie continued to stare out the window with swimming eyes.

  “And?” I finally asked.

  “And?” Leslie snapped her head around. “That’s not enough?”

  “No, no,” I said quickly. “I just don’t understand.”

  “Something happened with a photographer today,” Leslie said, waving her hand like it didn’t matter. “And I guess that really stressed everyone out. Something about layout changing all of our marketing strategies.”

  “Yeah.” I nodded. “Roberto quit today. We’re dealing with it, but it has everyone on edge.”

  “Well, that’s not my fault!” Leslie cried. “Heidi screamed at me because I mislabeled a file. One stupid file!”

  Fighting back my laughter, I moved closer to my sister and wrapped my arm around her again. She laid her head on my shoulder to pout.

  “I yell at you all the time,” I reminded her. “You should be used it by now.”

  “You’re different,” Leslie said. “Heidi is no one. A nobody yelled at me!”

  “She’s your boss.”

  “Whatever.”

  Snorting, I pushed her up and smoothed her hair down. “Put on a happy face,” I told her. “We’re here.”

  The cab pulled up to our mother’s house and stopped. Leslie and I both took a deep breath before we got out. Walking up to the door, Leslie wiped her cheeks to clear away any signs she’d been crying.

  “Okay?” she asked, waving her hand over her face.

  “Perfect,” I promised.

  “Good.”

  Mom answered the door before we could even ring the bell. Holding her arms wide, she welcomed us inside.

  “My girls.” She beamed. “Oh, come in! It’s been too long since I’ve seen you both together.”

  “It was two weeks ago,” I reminded her.

  “Too long.”

  Mom turned halfway toward the kitchen but stopped dead, her eyes on Leslie’s face.

  “Leslie Anne.” She grabbed Leslie gently and examined her face. “You’ve been crying.”

  “How the hell?”

  “Don’t curse!” Mom interrupted, her hands flying to her ears.

  “I’m fine,” Leslie said firmly. “Just a bad day at work.”

  Mom rounded on me. “You. I told you hiring her was a mistake. Look, she’s already so upset, she’s in tears.”

  “It was just a bad day,” Leslie said again. “I’m fine, Mom. I promise.”

  “Hmm.” Mom pressed her palm to Leslie’s cheek and smiled sadly. When she turned back to me, her angry glare was back in place.

  “I’m gonna get some wine,” I said before she could speak. “Anyone?”

  “Red.” Leslie raised her hand. “I’ll meet you in there. I have to pee.”

  Without another word, Leslie darted into the bathroom. I didn’t wait for Mom to follow as I hurried into the kitchen and uncorked a bottle of wine. After I poured three glasses, I finally turned around to see Mom leaning against the island with her arms folded.

  When our eyes met, she clucked her tongue disapprovingly and turned away.

  “Oh, just say it,” I said. “Get it over with so we can have a nice dinner.”

  “Your sister is fragile,” Mom said simply. “You know this, Candice.”

  “Leslie is twenty-nine years old. She’ll be fine.”

  Mom didn’t get a chance to answer before Leslie appeared in the kitchen. I handed her the second glass and walked briskly to the table.

  True to form, Mom already had dinner ready and waiting for us. We settled in our usual chairs and ate peacefully.

  Mom chatted about the latest auction she attended, the gala she was planning, and the newest piece of artwork she bought. By the time she was finished talking about herself, we’d moved on to dessert.

  “Tell me,” Mom said, turning her attention to Leslie. “Who are you dating these days, honey? I feel like I don’t know anything about your life anymore.”

  “Oh.” Leslie stuffed a bite of crème brulee in her mouth. Swallowing hard, she waved her hand casually. “No one important.”

  “There must be someone,” Mom pressed. “Leslie, you’ve always had so many men after you.”

  Leslie shrugged. “There’s a guy from work, but—”

  “Who?” My eyes widened.

  “John,” she said simply.

  “From accounting?” I demanded.

  “Yes.” Leslie frowned. “Is that a problem?”

  I shook my head. “No. Just surprised.”

  “Candice has a no-dating rule when it comes to the company,” Mom said simply.

  Holding my breath, I waited for the inevitable question. My mother always made a point to ask about my love life. It was her greatest source of pride when it came to Leslie, but her greatest disappointment when it came to me.

  I kept waiting, but soon, dessert was finished, and Mom was saying her goodbyes. She hugged me tightly and pressed a kiss against my cheekbone. Smiling, she turned to Leslie and did the same.

  “Thank you for coming,” she said. “Will I see you both next week?”

  “Sure,” Leslie said. “I think so.”

  “Call me, okay?” Mom asked as we stepped outside.

  “Of course,” we both said.

  Mom waved and closed the door between us. Turning to Leslie, I stared, dumbfounded.

  “What?” she asked.

  “That’s the first time in thirty-one years that Mom hasn’t asked if I’m seeing someone.”

  “Oh, come on!” Leslie laughed. “That can’t possibly be true.”

  “Well, it is,” I insisted. “She always asks. Always.”

  Les
lie thought about it for a second and then shook her head. “Don’t question it,” she said. “Just take the win.”

  Nodding, I led the way down the sidewalk. We walked a few blocks before I hailed a cab, and Leslie disappeared down the stairs to a subway station.

  On the way home, I tried to obey my sister’s advice, but it was impossible. My mother had never once avoided the topic of my love life. Was she trying to be nice? Or had she finally given up on me?

  Chapter 15

  Ryan

  Standing in front of my mirror, I buttoned my shirt and narrowed my eyes. My green button-up brought out my eyes better than any other shirt I owned. Smiling, I turned around and held my arms wide.

  “How do I look?” I asked Paisley.

  Lying on her stomach, Paisley propped her head on her palms and surveyed me closely.

  “Hm,” she said. “You look okay.”

  “Just okay?” I spun back to the mirror. “Why?”

  “I don’t like that shirt,” Paisley said bluntly.

  “Oh, no?” Laughing, I turned to face her. “But it brings out my eyes.”

  Paisley frowned. “Huh?”

  “Nothing.” I laughed again. “This is the shirt I’m wearing, kid, so deal with it.”

  “You asked.” Paisley sat up and hopped off the bed. “Why can’t I stay with Uncle Max tonight?”

  “Because,” I said, grabbing my wallet off my nightstand. “Uncle Max has a date.”

  “Then, you should stay.” Paisley grinned playfully.

  I ruffled her hair and took one final look in the mirror. “I wish I could,” I said. “But Daddy has to work, so Miss Tanya is coming over to play with you.”

  “I know.” Paisley sighed and followed me downstairs.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked. “I thought you liked Miss Tanya.”

  Paisley shrugged. “I do,” she said. “She’s really old, though.”

  “Paisley,” I warned.

  “I won’t say that to her!”

  Nudging her head, I raised my eyebrows severely. “You better not,” I said. “If you do …”

  I raised my hands and poked out my fingers, my eyebrows wiggling playfully. Paisley’s flew wide. She squealed and darted around the back of the couch to hide.

  “I’ll get you!” I cried. “Come here! Tickle monster time!”

  Grabbing Paisley around the waist, I lifted her easily in the air and tickled her ribs. She giggled and thrashed my arms.

  A knock on the door ended our fun. I set Paisley down on the couch and hurried over to let Tanya inside.

  “Thank you for doing this,” I said.

  “No problem.” Tanya beamed at Paisley. “We’ll have fun. Right, Paisley?”

  “Right!” Paisley grinned.

  “All right.” I turned to Paisley and kissed her head. “Be good. I love you.”

  “I love you too!”

  With one last smile, I stepped outside and pulled the door closed behind me. Things between Paisley and me had been better since Saturday, but I knew she was still sad every time I left her. It was already hard enough to send her to pre-K every day. Being gone most evenings and some weekends made it so much worse.

  Still, I couldn’t deny I was excited to see Candice again. It had only been a few days, but I missed her.

  I rapped my fingers against her door and stood back. This time, my palms didn’t sweat. I bounced on my heels, trying to contain my excitement.

  “Hey, there,” she said as she opened the door.

  I grinned and raked my eyes down her body. “Hi,” I said. “As always, you look beautiful.”

  “Thank you.”

  Candice leaned forward. She kissed my cheek gently and then grabbed her purse off the entryway table and stepped into the hall.

  As we drove through the city, I tried to remind myself that this was a job. Candice and I had such an easy rhythm, it was hard to remember we weren’t really dating, even though she believed we were.

  While Candice talked about work, my mind drifted to her mother. I wondered what led Deborah to Beatrice and the Rebound Romeos. If it was really just motherly concern or if she just couldn’t resist sticking her nose in her daughter’s business.

  “So, tell me,” I said. “What else do you have in your life? Besides work, I mean.”

  Candice laughed shakily. “Well, you know I have a sister.”

  “Yes.” I nodded. “Do you have parents?”

  “Of course,” Candice said. “My father passed away.”

  “Right. You mentioned that.”

  “It’s been about … four years now, I guess.” Candice’s eyes darkened.

  “Were you close?” I asked, turning the wheel to park.

  Candice smiled sadly. “Yeah,” she said. “My dad was my best friend.”

  “I’m sorry he passed,” I said, reaching for her hand.

  I squeezed it gently as our eyes met. Candice rubbed her thumb over my skin before letting go to climb out of the car. I pushed open my own door and quickly walked around to join her.

  “Where are we going anyway?” Candice asked, glancing around. “There’s not really anything close by.”

  “The park.” I nodded to the left.

  Candice blinked. “We’re eating at the park?”

  “Yup.” I grinned mischievously and hurried to the back of my car. Popping the truck, I pulled out the picnic basket I’d packed earlier.

  Laughing, Candice took a small step back and shook her head.

  “No way,” she said. She waved her hand over her body. “Do you see what I’m wearing?”

  “Oh, yeah.” I raked my eyes over her dress one more time. “Trust me, I see it.”

  “Ha. Ha.” She rolled her eyes. “This dress is not fit for a picnic.”

  With the basket in one hand, I reached for hers with my other. I raised my eyebrows and waited patiently for her to change her mind.

  “You can give me that look all you want,” Candice said. “But, there is no way I’m eating on the ground.”

  I trailed my fingers slowly down her arm. She shivered but held her ground.

  “Come on.” I leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “You know, there’s going to come a point when you have to relinquish control. Why not let that point be now?”

  “You’re so damn cocky.” Candice laughed.

  Grinning, I grabbed her hand and pulled her gently forward. Reluctantly, she let me. By the time we reached the picnic spot, though, her mood had lightened. She sat down on the blanket without complaint.

  “See?” I said. “This isn’t so bad, is it?”

  “I guess not,” Candice teased.

  We unpacked the picnic and settled down to eat. Candice was quiet for a while, a faraway look in her eyes.

  “Hey.” I reached over and touched her cheek. “Where’s your head at?”

  “Oh.” Candice dusted her hands off and shook her head. “I’m sorry. Just thinking about work.”

  “What about it?” I asked.

  “You don’t want to hear about it.” Candice waved her hand. “It’s boring to anyone who isn’t me.”

  Tucking a loose strand of dark hair behind her ear, I said, “Try me.”

  “Okay.” She smiled. “Well, remember how I told you about the photographer who quit?”

  “Mhmm.”

  “Well, his lawyers are on a mission to get him out of the contract unscathed,” Candice said. “All I want is the three-million-dollar retainer back. But he’s—”

  “Three million dollars?” My mouth fell open.

  Candice blinked. “Um, yes?”

  “Holy fucking shit.” I whistled, my eyes wide. “Yeah, I wouldn’t give that back either.”

  Laughing, Candice threw her hand back and popped another grape into her mouth. She was so much lighter than the girl I met at the coffee shop that day.

  “Why are you single?” I asked suddenly, surprising even myself.

  “What?” Candice looked around nervously. “What
do you mean?”

  “You’re incredible,” I said. “You’re funny and beautiful and successful. I mean, you run a goddamn empire.”

  “You just answered your own question,” Candice said.

  She looked down at the picnic blanket, that same subtle sadness back behind her eyes. When she lifted her chin, she smiled weakly and reached for a cube of cheese.

  “I told you, my company is my baby.” She shrugged. “That doesn’t leave much time for anything else.”

  “But you made time for me.”

  Guilt ripped a hole through my chest. Candice’s smile widened slowly. Her brown eyes were so deep, I could barely breathe. What was I doing to this girl?

  Shaking myself, I quickly shoved some food in my mouth to bypass the moment.

  “I made time for you because I like you,” Candice said boldly, the confidence I admired so much radiating off her in full force.

  “And you haven’t liked anyone else?” I laughed, trying to keep the conversation light.

  “Of course.” Candice shrugged. “I’ve dated, just not lately. You may be surprised to know I’ve even had a boyfriend or two.”

  “I’m not surprised at all,” I said. “Just that they were stupid enough to let you get away.”

  It was a line I’d used a thousand times before. I said it to almost every one of my clients, yet saying it to Candice was the first time I actually meant it.

  Our picnic ended, and I helped Candice to her feet. It was getting late, and Tanya would be expecting me back. As much as I didn’t want to leave, I led Candice back to the car, our fingers intertwined.

  When we reached Candice’s door that night, I dropped her hand and looked down at the floor. My heart pumped rapidly against my ribcage. It beat so hard, I could feel it in my ears. And when I lifted my eyes to Candice’s, it sped up even more.

  “Thank you for tonight,” Candice said. “I can honestly say I’ve never had a picnic in Central Park before.”

  “Really?” I grinned wickedly. “I was your first?”

  Candice rolled her eyes and turned to unlock her door. My eyes trailed down her body against my will. All night, I’d been trying to distance myself from her, but it didn’t work. Every time she opened her mouth, I was captivated. And when she was silent, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her.