Page 92 of The Plus One Professional

“Thanks again.I know it was last minute.” Charli smiled as we rode in the back of the SUV she’d hired.

“Of course.”

Charlotte James, or Charli, was a repeat customer. The once-supermodel-turned-doctor owned a physical therapy practice that was world-renowned. She was a highly sought-after PT for elite athletes, actors, and musicians. There were men lining up to take her out, but she hired me for the same reason successful, attractive men paid for escorts. They weren’t paying for the sex; they were paying for them to leave after.

Except, in Charli’s case, she was paying menotto try to have sex with her or harass her after our ‘dates.’ She said it was freeing to spend the night with an attractive man with whom she could relentlessly flirt, with no consequences.

Since this wasn’t the first event I’d been to with Charli—I’d gone to a Christmas party and a black-tie charity dinner—we didn’t have to get our story straight. We met at spin class a year ago and were casually dating.

When she’d texted two hours ago, I was actually happy for the distraction. It meant, for a few hours at least, I could stop obsessing over Bailey. Or at least obsess over her in a different environment than my apartment.

“My date bailed last minute and it’s a small wedding. Everyone is basically coupled up, and I am done being the third wheel.”

“This is a wedding?” I’d gone to two weddings in the past month, and Bailey hadn’t been at either of them. I missed her so much; it was driving me crazy. No matter what I did, or what I told myself, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

“Yes.” A huge smile spread on her face. “My bestie’s dad is marrying his first love. They met forty years ago when he was a Chippendales dancer, and she was a waitress at the Playboy Club.” She wagged her brows.

“Wait, that sounds familiar.” I wracked my brain, trying to remember where I’d heard that, and then it hit me. “Do you know if they were guests on The Duel podcast?”

“Yeah, they were.” Her head tilted to the side. “You listen to The Duel?”

The Duel podcast was basically a he-said-she-said format where the hosts, Nick Locke and Serena Grace, took calls and then argued with each other over the responses. Although I found it entertaining, I would never put it on by choice.

“No, my niece listens to it.”

“Oh, you have a niece?”

“Yeah.” I nodded.

Shit.That was the third time I’d let personal information slip out during a job. For two years, I’d been like Fort Knox. I never came close to disclosing anything personal. But the past few weekends, on jobs, I kept opening my mouth and saying things I shouldn’t say.

Two weeks ago, at a ten-year high school reunion, my ‘date’ Monique said that her ex, and the reason I was hired, was a pro wrestler and would be there. I told her my nephew loved wrestling. And last week, at a fiftieth wedding anniversary, I was hired by Claudia, a woman with seven sisters who were all married. She just didn’t want the event to be filled with relatives, and her parents, putting pressure on her to meet someone. I was speaking to one of Claudia’s aunts, who told me she had RA and was on a clinical trial for a new steroid. I immediately said that my sister had RA and asked for information on the trial.

I needed to face facts. I hadn’t been myself at all the past four weeks, and I knew the reason. Something had happened at that vineyard with Bailey. She’d cracked something open in me that I was having a difficult time closing back up. She hadn’t just brought color into my life again; she’d brought feelings, connection, and intimacy back into my life.

“How old is she?” Charli asked as she pulled out a lip gloss and reapplied it.

“Who?” I asked, thinking that she somehow knew I’d been thinking about Bailey and was asking her age, even though I knew that was impossible.

“You’re niece. How old is she?”

“Eleven.”

“Eleven.” She smiled, andI could see she was reminiscing. “I had my first Vogue cover when I was eleven. It was Vogue Italy, but still.”

“Do you ever miss it? Modeling?”

“Noooo,” she emphasized. “Never. I love my job. I love helping people. What about you? Do you love your job?”

“I’m working on it.” Last week, I passed both my law and business exam, and my trade exam. Now, I just had to save up the rest of the fifteen grand to get my contractor’s license bond. I’d ended up giving Carly the money for cheer. I was still a few months away from having my savings built back up.

The car pulled to a stop, and I got out and went around to get Charli’s door. The driver she’d hired had almost beat me to it, but I managed to get there first.

“Thanks.” She smiled and took my hand, and I helped her out.

Fairy lights lined a path around the side of a massive home, leading us to the backyard where I assumed the wedding was taking place. When we rounded the corner, I saw someone familiar. Sadie from the bakery was there. She had a baby boy on her hip and was talking to a girl who looked to be around the twins’ age.

“Do you know if she owns a bakery?” I asked.

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