Page 22 of The Plus One Professional

“Thank you, but I’m not on Google,” Cole responded.

Google?What the actual hell was going on?

“Right, discretion is key,” the woman said, sounding happy. Happy. Not sorry.

“I’m just happy it all worked out,” Cole said.

Happy?Now he was happy?

“I knew Enoch was never going to do anything if he didn’t have a fire lit under him. And it had to come from him; he had to be the one to make the first move. I’m just glad he finally did, even if it did cost me three grand. He’s worth it. Every penny.”

“He’s a lucky man, Layla.”

“Thanks, Cole. I guess I won’t be needing your services anymore. But, seriously, thank you; I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“It was my pleasure.”

Three grand?

Services?

Trevor was right. He was an escort. I knew that shouldn’t matter to me, and I suppose it didn’t. It just…I couldn’t imagine him having sex with women for money.

I listened as Layla’s heels clicked on the tile floor, and then heard the door open and close. When my phone vibrated in my pocket, I held my breath, listening for Cole’s steps and waiting for the coast to be clear. I pulled it out and saw that it was Simon calling.

Shit.He seriously did have the worst timing. My fingers felt swollen and clumsy as I attempted to put the phone on silent.

“Do you need to take that?”

I lifted my head and saw Cole standing in front of me.

“Um, no. I can… I’ll call him back.”

His eyes searched mine, and the scrutiny did not go unnoticed by my lady parts. Everything below my waist was tingling under his attention.

“How long were you standing there?”

“Um…” I licked my lips nervously. “I just, I was just, I hadn’t eaten anything all day, so I went to the kitchen, and then I was coming back, and I came around the corner. I saw…you know they were kissing, so I—” I motioned to the corner of the wall I’d come back around. “—and I was going to leave, but then I heard you, and…then…I didn’t leave.”

“So, you heard me and Layla talking.”

“Yes. But it’s none of my business. I just, yeah…and it makes sense why I’ve seen you at so many weddings, because it’s your job, right?”

“Yes,” he confirmed.

For some reason, hearing him say it was his job was different than eavesdropping. My heart sank a little. I couldn’t pinpoint why it bothered me more than if he was actually dating all those women. I guess the money exchange for sex was the difference. Not that I had a moral objection to it. Anyone could do anything that made them happy, as long as they weren’t hurting anyone. It was just…I don’t know. I wasn’t sure where to put that.

“You’re an escort,” I said more to myself than him.

“It’s not… I’m not an escort, the way you think. I have an app.”

He pulled out his phone, touched the screen, then turned it around to face me. The letters TPOP were on it.

“Tee pop?” I sounded it out.

“Yes, T-P-O-P. The Plus One professional. I am a plus one for hire. But that’s it. There’s no… I don’t… I just accompany people to events… I don’t… It’s not like… There’s never any…”

“Hanky-panky?” I offered when I saw him struggling.

---