Page 92 of Peasants and Kings
I set my coffee on the balcony table and took a seat in a comfortable chair. I found Tiffany’s number in my favorites list and called her.
“I wasjustabout to text you,” she greeted.
“Really?”
“Yup. You’re a wench. Did you know that?”
Despite my low mood, I laughed. “Why am I a wench?”
“Because you didn’t call and tell me everything that happened the night you had dinner with your mysterious benefactor. All I got was a lousy text message saying that you were getting on a plane to Shetland.”
“It wasn’t just a plane. It was his private jet,” I said drolly. “And mysterious benefactor? Can you not call him that? It makesmefeel like a—”
“Kept woman? Mistress? Courtesan? Youarethose things. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, I guess I am.” I sighed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Not nothing. You should be squealing like a girl who won the lottery, because you kind of did. So come on, tell me every detail.”
“I can’t tell you every detail,” I reminded her.
“No, I guess you can’t. But you can tell me some things. I’m going mad here. I’m dying to know who this guy is and how this even happened. You were only atoneevent and you gave away your key to—oh. Is it him? The guy from that night?”
“Yeah,” I said slowly. “It’s him.”
“Wow. You must’ve rocked his world.”
“Oh my God, will you stop?” I laughed.
“How was the flight over?”
“The flight was amazing. First, we flew on his private jet to Lerwick, and then we took a yacht to his island.”
She whistled. “That sounds kind of awesome…so, why do you sound so despondent?”
I fell silent while I pondered what I wanted to say next. “He makes me forget,” I said finally.
“Forget what?”
I let out a slow exhale. “Forget why I’m really here.”
Tiffany paused for a moment and then asked, “How much did he offer you?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Bullshit. I think it matters very much. Your time isliterallymoney.”
It was cold and callous and…true.
“A million for a six-month exclusive contract.”
“You’re shitting me.”
“I’m not,” I said. “I don’t even care about the money. I would’ve taken the contract for half that. A quarter that.”
