Page 36 of Personal Escort

But when I wake up in the morning, there’s a new contact in my messaging app. Again, just Alex.

Alex: Nice to meet you, too. I do have a couple of questions.

Cara: Hi! Shoot.

Alex: How will I know who you are?

Cara: I’ve lived here for a year; I’ve never seen a bride on the subway in that time.

Alex: LOL Good point. How will you know who I am?

I think about that for a second. Oh, I can give him the flowers assignment. I haven’t gotten around to that yet.

Cara: How about you get the flowers? You’ll be wearing an orchid on your suit jacket, and you’ll have a small bouquet for me, too. That’s how I’ll know you’re my fiancé. I’ll look for the flowers.

Alex: Sure, I can do that.

Cara: You can add that to the acting bill.

Alex: Don’t worry about that. Next question: Is there any backstory I need to know for why we don’t have a license?

Cara: I stuck to the truth as close as I could. We don’t philosophically believe in marriage, but our families want us to get hitched. The photos are mostly for them.

Alex: And a little bit for you?

Oh, perceptive. I find myself laughing and smiling as we text.

Cara: Well I do like my dress.

Alex: This sounds like a fun adventure.

Cara: It’s turning into that, yes. Thank you again for your assistance.

Alex: That’s my job.

Of course it is. Right. I keep my last reply short and to the point.

Cara: Okay, I’ll see you next Friday! Eleven in the morning on the platform of St. George Station. I’ll be the bride in blue.

“I’ve been thinking about something you said last week,” Toby says, his voice low and quiet in my ear.

I’m curled up on my bed. I called him almost an hour ago, and we’ve been talking about nothing and everything, except for what’s going to happen tomorrow.

“What did I say?”

“You don’t think you’ll ever get married.”

“Yeah.” I pick at the blanket. That’s getting dangerously close to the topic we’ve been avoiding.

“This plan of yours…it all hinges on Alex breaking up with you.”

“Or me breaking up with him. It doesn’t really matter.”

“But the relationship will end when you leave Toronto.”

“Yes.”

“What if Alex didn’t refuse to leave Toronto? What if he’d follow you?”

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