by Dez Burke
“Thanks anyway. It was a nice touch. My father’s asleep now but I’m sure when he wakes they’ll cheer him up more than the ones we usually bring him once in a while,” Angela added, wanting to be gracious.
“I’m glad. Have you made up your mind yet?”
Angela’s eyes darted and she didn’t know what next to say. The refusal was already on the tip of her tongue. She sighed deeply and started off with, “Well, I do need the money but…”
“Think of the good it would do,” Shane said lightly. “And I’m ready to go further to say I’ll sweeten the deal and see to it myself that your father gets the finest care this city can offer. And if not here, then wherever he chooses to go. My assistant has done some checking into it. She said there are a couple of very nice assisted living facilities here in Nashville with openings. And your sister…Sasha, right? She can give up that waitressing job immediately. One of my corporate sponsors is recruiting staff and someone with her skills will definitely find a suitable position. She’d be happy for something more stable and better suited for her level of education, don’t you think?”
Angela drew in a ragged breath. “Is there anything about me or my family you don’t know?”
“Don’t hold it against me,” he said with a slight twist of humor in his voice. “I have a reputation about being very determined when it comes to getting what I want.”
And I want you, he didn’t add but she could almost feel the words coursing through her. Oh God, thought Angela. She really, really shouldn’t. He made her feel things she didn’t understand, didn’t trust.
“Three weeks, Angela. Tops. Starting tomorrow night when I’ll be holding a dinner party at my home. Ten or so friends and business associates, at the most,” Shane was saying in a brisk tone. “The papers can be looked over and signed the next morning after you’ve had a chance to try it out. It’s not really about you anymore, but helping your family, as well. This would be the best thing you could do for them.”
Damn! He was right. Angela hated to admit it, but he was. She couldn’t keep waiting for her big break. At age twenty-seven she was getting closer to that stage where younger, fresher faces would get a better chance at certain roles. At least she could make some serious money, more than she could dream of making in two years. Shane was being very generous and yet that was one of the things that made her wary. Why would he pay so much if he wasn’t expecting to get a little something extra from the bargain?
But no…he’d promised her this was legit. And he wanted to help her father and sister. So maybe he wasn’t a sleazy rich playboy who thought his money could buy him everything. He needed her as much as she needed him, she had no doubt about that or why would he have gone to this extra trouble?
“Okay. I’ll do it,” she said breathlessly. She felt like she was taking a chance; falling off the edge without knowing how far off the ground was. But wasn’t life about risks?
Maybe this would be one great big adventure. And at the end she’d be smiling all the way to the bank. Angela was sure if she kept her head on straight, she’d do just fine…
Skin Deep: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FLYFWGW
Copyright 2014 Dez Burke
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