Page 29 of Personal Escort

CARA

DATE, time, and place.

The three words rocket around in my mind for a few days. The narrative around Alex was easy at first, logging dates with him that mirrored phone calls with Toby. But now the fantasy is diverging from reality and I can’t crib my notes from real life.

Well, an elopement could happen quickly. Time to rip the bandage off.

I should be done with this current project for my advisor by the end of the week, and then the following week is pretty light.

Perfect time to get hitched.

I’ll need some proof. Would I hire a photographer if I were doing this for real?

I think so.

I send a few inquiries out, to both photographers and officiants. Three officiants turn me down because we won’t have a license, but one says yes, and he’s wide open Tuesday through Friday.

Two photographers also get back to me. One can only do Monday, but the other is available all week in the middle of the day.

Taking a deep breath, I call Toby. He answers right away.

“Can you find me someone for next week? Any day, Tuesday through Friday, between the hours of ten and three. I’d need him for two hours, I think. A quick service and some photographs. And then I’d like him to be available for a trip to New York City…” My voice wobbles and steel my nerves.Pull your shit together, Cara. “For the last weekend in June. Leaving New York on the second of July.”

He repeats some of that. I can hear him writing it down. Then he pauses. “You won’t bring him to the shore for the Fourth?”

“No.” A weird, squirmy shame rushes through me. “I couldn’t do that long. Really just twenty-four hours. Fly in, stay at a hotel, visit Nana, fly back again. So he’ll need a passport.”

“Got it.”

“So the plan is—”

Toby cuts me off. “Cara, maybe wait until he emails you.”

“Of course.”

“It’s just—”

“No, that makes sense.” I look at the clock. “And it’s the middle of your work day. I’ll let you go.”

“I’ll text you later.” But he already sounds distant, and that’s for the best.

I can’t get too attached to him. He has an empire to run and I have my own life to live—the reason I started this entire ruse in the first place.

To that end, I pack up my computer into my messenger bag. But instead of heading for the subway station to cut across the top of downtown to my apartment building, I set out along Bloor Street, then cut north into Yorkdale so I can hit the Whole Foods.

I usually skip around the shopping mall, especially when the weather is nice, but something draws me into Yorkdale Village this afternoon.

Well, not something. I know exactly what I’m looking for as soon as I pull open the door.

I’m looking for a dress.

What am I going to write in the log tonight?

Alex said… “Even though you’re not leaving for a year, I’m already sad about saying goodbye.”

“It doesn’t need to be goodbye. No matter where I go next, we’ll have phone calls and video chat. We can do cyber-brunch whenever we want.”

“I like real brunch.”

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