Page 43 of Pretending I'm Yours

But her response leaves a fuck ton to be desired.

Twyla:Shit! That’s right. You’re the one who gave Weaver a member reference, aren’t you? Oh my God, I’m so sorry, Anthony, I completely forgot about that.

AnthonyHow could you forget? That’s how he was able to skip the waiting list!

Twyla:Yes, I know! Or, I remember that now, anyway. But you’ve never come into the club with him, Anthony! So, the two of you were never connected in my mind. Honestly, I’ve seen more of Weaver in the past few years than I have of you. We developed our own relationship and I just… I guess I started to think of him as MY friend and forgot that he was your friend first. So, when he asked me to do him a favor and give his girlfriend’s bestie a discount and a hook-up with the safest escort I could find, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.

Anthony:Fuck, Twyla. Just…fuck.

Twyla:I’m sorry! I know this is bad, but we can figure it out. Just give me a second to think.

I curse, passing faster in front of the windows, where the last of the sunset light is fading to a deep purple bruise above the snow-covered city.

This is bad. So fucking bad.

Even worse than I thought.

Twyla:You gave her a fake last name, right? When you two met in the suite? The way I told you to?

Anthony:Yes. She thinks I’m Anthony Clark not Anthony Pissarro.

Twyla:Okay, great! Then, why are you stressing? There’s nothing to worry about, my friend. Weaver is out of town and isn’t getting back until January 2nd. That’s why he asked me to take special care of Maya. He knew he would be away from the city for her entire visit! Your contract with Maya ends the morning of New Year’s Day so you you’ll be fine.

Anthony:And if I don’t want it to end?

Twyla:Oh no. You didn’t…

Anthony:Didn’t what? Start to have feelings for her? This amazing woman you practically thrust into my lap? What did you think was going to happen? I’m not a professional, Twyla. I don’t know how to hold someone like Maya at a distance.

Twyla:It’s only been a day!

Anthony:I know! She’s really fucking amazing, all right?

Twyla:And you’ve been lonely for a long time, haven’t you? I’m sorry, Anthony. I should have seen this coming. I should have realized you’d be vulnerable to the Pretending Trap. I don’t hire emotionally fragile escorts for this exact reason. They get sucked into the pretend and start thinking it’s real, which only leads to hurt on both sides.

Anthony:I’m not emotionally fragile.

Twyla:You walked out on your job in the middle of a board meeting. The job that was basically your entire life. You’re not just fragile; you’re probably in the middle of a mental breakdown. And instead of helping you find a therapist or a life coach, I put you in a situation where you’re going to get your heart broken.

Anthony:I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about Maya. And you should be, too. She’s the innocent party, here. She’s the one we both lied to.

From downstairs, I hear Maya singing along to something playing on her phone. The scent of garlic and herbs wafts up the stairs, homey and inviting. My chest aches with the domesticity of it all.

With how right it feels to have her in my kitchen, in my life.

This isn’t the result of emotional fragility or a midlife crisis. This is real, and I’m pretty sure it’s real on both sides.

The way Maya looks at me…

Well, if that isn’t the look of a woman with feelings, I don’t know what is.

Twyla:I didn’t lie. I told her you were a relatively new hire. And I do fully intend to pay you your cut of the fee if you’ll let me.

Anthony:Try it and see how fast I rip that check to shreds.

Twyla:I would send you a direct transfer through the company payroll not a check, psycho, but okay. I hear you. You don’t want to be paid; you want to play house with this woman. Why not just tell her the truth, then? I obviously don’t know her well, butshe seemed like an empathetic person. And you’re a gorgeous, successful, self-made man who can buy her a condo and a multi-national corporation for her birthday. What’s not to like about a secret like that?

Anthony:She isn’t that kind of person. I honestly don’t think she’d care about the money. She’d care that I lied to her and deceived her and took her virginity under false pretenses.

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