by J. J. Bella
Molly had thought about investing in some things, but hadn’t gotten around to calling an investor. “What is it?”
For half an hour, her dad talked about a new tech company called TechWise that was about to release some ground-breaking software. They were looking for investors.
“It’s like if we would have invested in Apple back in the 80s. That big,” he said.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Don’t think too long. We have to move on it fast if we want in.”
“Send me the info.”
Molly had also made a point of getting out more. Instead of reading at home all the time, she now sat in the library to read for a bit. She took long walks in the park, and like today, sat with her computer or a book at the local coffee shop.
Today, she was researching pets. Sarah and her mom had both recommended it and she thought it might be time. She just couldn’t decide whether to get a dog, a cat, some other creature, or a combination of options. A fish tank seemed pretty and easy enough, but she also wanted something cuddly and loyal. A dog or cat seemed like the best option, but she hadn’t had any pets besides a hamster in her childhood. She wanted to be fully prepared for all that was involved.
She was scrolling through kitten photos, reading up about different breeds, when she glanced up to see who had walked in. Her mouth went dry and her cheeks warmed. It was Gavin. Today he wasn’t in workout gear. He wore black pants and a light grey button-down shirt. A black patterned tie hung down his middle. His dark hair was brushed back. Everything about him looked well put together and sexy. Even better than when she could see his thick biceps in his t-shirt. This look exuded confidence, and it drew her in.
He looked over her way, and she ducked behind her computer screen. After their encounter the other day, she didn’t want him to see her. Though, he’d be more likely to ignore her given his attitude when they talked. She was embarrassed by the whole thing and hoped he’d get his coffee and go.
She peeked a few times to see where he was in the line. She was about to look again after staring at a photo of an adorable grey kitten, but when she looked, she didn’t see him. Good. He must’ve gone. She clicked to the next photo, this one a black and white kitty.
“I knew it. You’re working on becoming a crazy cat lady, aren’t you?”
She jumped at the sudden voice behind her. She froze. It was Gavin, and he was standing behind her, talking to her. He’d come over to her. Never mind that he’d just insulted her. He’d seen her, come over, and talked to her when he could have just gotten his coffee and acted like she wasn’t there.
She turned to face him, hoping she wasn’t bright red. “I thought a pet would be good for me.”
“Go with a dog. They’re much better companions.”
“I considering a puppy, too.”
“Need a refill?” He held out a coffee cup to her, and she noticed for the first time that he had two cups in his hand.
She took the cup hesitantly. “Thanks.”
“I know I was kind of rude the other day.”
“It’s okay. You were out with your dog and busy.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “It’s okay that I was rude because I was busy? I don’t think so. Rudeness is never okay.”
“Okay… Than it’s not okay. Thank for apologizing?”
“I didn’t actually.”
What game was he playing, here? She had no idea what to say to that. Her mouth hung open stupidly while she tried to think of a good response.
“I am sorry, though. I came over here to buy you a coffee and apologize. There was no excuse for me to act like that. Did you get out and see the neighborhood?”
“Sort of. I did get to meet the local police.”
He gave her a questioning look. “Why is that? Mind if I sit?”
“Oh sure.” She moved her laptop to give him room, and so she could see him better. “I set off my house alarm and couldn’t get it shut back off.”
“Ahh. At least you know it works.”
“Right.” She chuckled. Was this really happening? Was he really sitting here, talking to her, being nice? Buying her coffee and asking about her? What had she done to get him to change his mind like that?
“I looked you up, Molly Newton,” he said. “New money. Real new.”
“Yeah.” She stared down at the table, feeling ashamed for some reason. She shouldn’t, she told herself. There was nothing wrong with winning the lottery or having your parents give you money. She intended to use it for good and keep working to make it grow. She wasn’t going to just blow it on stupid, overly expensive things.
“You won’t get much friendly interaction in our neighborhood.”
“I’m seeing that. It’s a shame,” she said. “We all live so close, you’d think people would want to get along.”
“Where you came from, that’s how it was? Everyone in each other’s business, knowing everyone and everything?”
“I guess. I mean, I knew the people on my block at least. We said hi to each other and talked.”
“People here don’t want that,” he said. “They want to be left alone. They want to be anonymous. They don’t want someone coming up to them, trying to be chummy.”
She hated how he talked to her like she was a child. And she felt stupid all over again. A kid in high school had called her “sheltered” once, and she’d hated the phrase. She was feeling it more than ever now. Her parents kept her safe, but maybe they’d also kept her a little too naive.
“I know,” she mumbled. “I’m not trying to talk to people anymore.”
“Molly.” He gave her a softer look that made her feel like she was about to get lectured. “I don’t think this neighborhood is for you. You’d be happier in a place that wasn’t full of old money and rich snobs. Some nice suburb somewhere with big houses so you can save your money.”
“I’m not in danger of losing my money.”
“Yet. Do you know the statistics on lottery winners? Do you know how many lose it all within a few years?”
Her vision blurred with tears, and she blinked fast to keep them from falling. “Did you come over here to apologize or insult me?”
He sighed and sat back. “I’m sorry. Money is what I do. When I see a risk, I do my best to try to change it.”
“Thank you, but I’m not at risk. I’m looking into a few investments, and I’m not blowing it all on junk.”
“But you bought a house in the most expensive neighborhood in the city.”
“So did you.”
He laughed. “I make in a few months what you made in one winning.”
“Good for you,” she mumbled.
“I’ll let you get back to your cats. I need to get to the office anyway.” He stood and pushed in his chair. “I’m sorry if I was rude again and you felt insulted. If you need investment advice, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thanks,” she said as he walked away.
Through the shop’s window, she could see him climb onto a sleek silver motorcycle and drive away. Who rides a bike like that wearing nice clothes? Someone who could afford to buy new ones every time he dressed. Maybe he was right. She didn’t belong there. She’d been thinking that since she arrived.
But, what did it take to be someone that belonged there? Just having money a long time? Gavin was in his late 20s and had only acquired his billionaire status a few years ago. His money was fairly new, too. His parents hadn’t been broke like hers, but he hadn’t grown up rich, either.
She wished she could fit in there. Fit in with his world. What did a man like him want in a woman? Someone more beautiful surely. Someone who came from money? Someone who had more business sense? Who wasn’t getting ready to collect pets to keep her company?
He’d said he looked her up. She’d meant to do the same for him, but never had. Now, she opened her computer again and went to a fresh browser window. She typed in his name and started searching.
4
Molly wasn’t surpr
ised by her search results. Lots of articles in business magazines. Lots of photos of Gavin with a beautiful woman on his arm at a social event. She looked more closely at the women he dated. She wrote down a list of their names, then went back and looked them up as well.
There were several women over the years from wealthy families. But there were one or two who weren’t, including the most recent one, Eva. They were all gorgeous of course. Super model, didn’t-leave-the-house-without-an-hour-spent-on-hair-and-makeup gorgeous. They had perfect bodies and faces and dressed like they had personal shoppers. Maybe they did.
They had a mixed variety of education. A few had graduate degrees, a few undergrad. But one had only finished high school and hadn’t gone to college at all, like her. She tried to find all the things they had in common. Tried to figure out what his type was. What made him chose each of them.
Maybe she could learn to be more sophisticated like these women. Act like old money, be more cultured. She had the time to do it. What was stopping her? She could learn about wine and the theater, she could go on exotic vacations. She could even purchase an expensive tiny dog. She could buy new clothes and do her hair differently.
She closed her laptop with new determination. She didn’t need to move. She just needed to become a little more like the place she’d chosen to be. She would get a makeover, buy some new clothes, and head to the nightclub she’d seen Gavin photographed at many times. Maybe if he ran into the new her, things would be different. Maybe she could be what he wanted.
She started with clothing. She’d done a little research online about personal shoppers. Most people hired one person to shop wherever they went, but she wanted to get this done now, not go through the process of interviewing and hiring and all that. She thought about bringing Sarah, but then quickly dismissed the idea. Sarah fit her old style, and she wouldn’t want to shop where Molly was going today. She felt wrong for thinking it, but Sarah wouldn’t be much help to her if she was going to fit into her new world. She’d figure out a way to bring in her best friend later. And no matter what, she would not leave Sarah behind. She wasn’t going to be like that.
Even though she didn’t have her own shopper, a lot of upscale boutiques had one on staff that would help you. She made an appointment with a shop that sold the brands she’d seen some of Gavin’s exes wear. When she walked in, she felt completely intimidated. The scene from Pretty Woman came to her mind. At least she wasn’t a prostitute, she reminded herself, and this was her own money.
She spent two hours in the store with a woman who Molly swore was talking down to her the whole time. But, she walked out with several new outfits and a new charge on her account. She’d bought shoes and accessories and everything there to complete the look. She didn’t want to risk trying to buy shoes somewhere else and choosing the wrong thing. Next time, she would have her own shopper. Someone cool who wouldn’t give her looks when she asked about fabric. When she had sold clothing—granted it was $15 shirts at City Style—she never treated anyone like they were an idiot.
Next was the salon. She was going full out. She got a pedicure and a manicure, a new haircut complete with highlights, and a new style. Her long, straight brown hair no longer just hung to her shoulders. Now she had a shorter layered bob that the stylist had smeared all kinds of goo into to make it full and slightly messy looking.
When she got ready that night, putting on her new tight black pants, slinky strapped sandals, and long cut, loose tank top, she stood in front of the mirror for a long time, inspecting herself. She looked like a totally different person, and was starting to feel that way, too. She could be one of those women photographed with famous men. She looked pretty hot, she thought. She took a selfie and was about to send it to Sarah when she stopped.
What would Sarah think about this look? Hadn’t she made a point of telling Molly she’d turn into some rich snob and would be different? This photo would be proof of that. She tucked her phone in her back pocket and went outside to wait for the car she’d hired.
Her destination tonight was a place called Pomp. A nearby nightclub where Gavin was seen many times, and people of his type hung out there. She was where she needed to be. This was where she’d meet people that were part of her new lifestyle. Hopefully, she could make some friends and learn how to fully be the type of woman Gavin wanted, now that she looked the part.
The car pulled up to the club and she saw the line out front. Would she even be able to get inside? She wasn’t famous or anything. It wasn’t like her name pulled any weight. It might even have the opposite affect, like it had with Gavin. She got out and walked awkwardly to the end of the line, alone.
Everyone else seemed to be with people, talking. She stood there, feeling out of place. At least she looked the part, she kept telling herself. She just needed to have the attitude to go with it. She turned to the women behind her—three of them talking animatedly together.
“Isn’t this line ridiculous?” she said, rolling her eyes.
“It wouldn’t be exclusive if they just let anyone in,” one of the women said and winked at her.
One of the other women said something that made them all laugh, something about another club that Molly didn’t understand. She turned back around. After a while of standing, she leaned against the wall and put an annoyed look on her face. A man walked by and stopped to look her up and down.
She gave him a pissed off look, like she’d seen other women do. The kind of look that said, “Who told you you could look at me?”
“You alone?” he asked.
“Maybe,” she said with a cocky attitude.
“Come on.” He stuck out his arm.
She hesitated, but took it and walked with him to the front of the line. She was here to meet people, wasn’t she? And she wouldn’t run into Gavin waiting outside.
“I’m Grinder.”
“Molly.” She wondering what was behind his name, but figured that was something she could ask later, once they were inside.
Grinder nodded to the huge man guarding the door. The man opened the rope that held the line and let them inside.
“That’s how you do it,” Grinder said. “What’s your drink?”
Usually, it was cheap beer or some kind of hard drink like her and Sarah drank the other night. But neither seemed appropriate for this place. What did rich people drink?
“Martini,” she said.
“How?”
She’d never drunk martinis, so she had no idea how people took them. Snippets of phrases from movies and TV came to her. Vodka martini, two olives, dry. But she didn’t know enough to be sure she wouldn’t sound like an idiot.
“Surprise me,” she said with a wink.
He ordered and when she took a sip of the drink, she was fairly certain it was straight alcohol. She wasn’t used to the strong taste, but drank it without making a face each sip. She’d need to research this better. Next time, she’d have a drink that didn’t taste so strong, but was acceptable to this crowd.
Grinder drank his quickly and set his empty glass on the bar. “Ready to get out there?”
She held up her drink. “I need a minute.”
“Don’t take too long.”
He disappeared into the crowd on the dance floor, and she wasn’t sad to see him go. He’d gotten her in, but hadn’t spoken more than two words to her. Maybe he wasn’t the conversational type, but she didn’t just want some kind of booty call. She wanted Gavin. Or at least a lasting friendship with someone in her neighborhood.
When she finished her drink, she ordered another. After two, she felt confident enough to make her way to the dance floor to find Grinder. As she searched the faces, she wasn’t even sure she would recognize him. There were so many people and it was dark. She hadn’t spent that much time looking at him.
But then she saw a familiar face. Gavin was across the room, talking with a man in a button-down shirt and tie. Must’ve come straight from the office. Gavin hadn’t though. He wore loose fitting jeans
and a tight shirt that showed off his muscles. Why was it that no matter what he wore, no matter what environment he was in, he looked hot and confident. She not only wanted him, she wanted to be like him.
Molly wove through the crowd and ended up a few feet from Gavin. She waved and he nodded back to her. With her mind spinning and her courage heightened, she didn’t hesitate to approach him, even if he was mid-conversation.
“Are you stalking me?” she asked, and noticed that her tongue didn’t function exactly as it should. Her words sounded a little fuzzy.
He looked up and gave her a confused expression. “Do I know you?”
She laughed once. The man he’d been talking to patted his shoulder and walked away.
“Well, I know we only met a few times, but you followed me to the coffee shop and now you’re here.”
“Molly?” He sounded genuinely surprised and gave her a closer inspection. “What did you do to yourself?”
“What do you mean?” She crossed her arms and hoped she wasn’t swaying as much as she felt like she was.
“You look very different. Makeover?”
“Something like that. You likey?” She flipped her hair and winked.
“And you’re drunk.”
“No,” she laughed and dropped her arms. “Just having a good time. You do that sometimes, don’t you?”
“Often. Do you have a ride home?”
“Whoa.” She held up her hands. “We haven’t known each other that long. You want to go home with me already?” She snickered, but Gavin didn’t look amused.
“How much did you have to drink?”
“Just two.”
“Bottles?”
She burst out into laughter and fell against him. “You’re so funny.”
“Okay.” He stood her back up on her feet. “I think it’s time you got home.”
“I’m just getting started! Come dance with me.”
“No, no. You go on.”