Fallen Woman(21)

“Because he won’t answer anyone else’s calls when he talks to you, and he’s not a phone person. Don’t know what you’ve done to him, but he’s come out of his shell more in the last couple weeks since you two went to lunch than he has in years.”

“He’s a good guy. He’s funny in a quiet and broody sort of way.”

“Yeah, he is. He was my saving grace in high school. It was nice to have someone to come home to at the end of a shitty day who understood just how awkward I was and didn’t care because he rivaled me for the first place nerd position.” He laughed at the memory, and it was hauntingly familiar to me as well.

I got my daily dose of Jase, away from the office that is, and said goodnight to my best friend with my kids sleeping soundly in the next room. I looked around at the bare walls and the dark brown carpet. I hated this place, had since the day I moved in, but somehow, it didn’t seem quite as bad when I didn’t feel so alone. With Pearl, Jase, and Holland, I felt like I had family that extended beyond my children.

~~~

Holland’s SUV fit right in in my neighborhood. He looked more like a dealer driving around than he did a powerful businessman, and regardless of his age, he was youthful. No one would guess he was in his mid-thirties. Late twenties at best. The black Mercedes had tinted windows, well above the legal limit, and rims every guy in the complex had eyeballed when he locked the car. I was standing outside talking to Miss Pearl, who again was babysitting for me, when he came strolling up. Standing in the projects, I looked completely out of place in the dress he’d chosen, but I didn’t care. I felt like a million dollars and couldn’t wait to go out with him. I didn’t care what we were doing. I got to play dress-up and hang out on the arm of a man women all over the city would be lucky to have. I wished I knew more women—good women I could match up with these guys. Selfishly, I thought about how my role in their lives would change. I was really only friends with Jase and Holland; Drake maintained a distance I didn’t quite understand but respected.

I had met up with the group of them for lunch a few times with Jase, but Drake kept me at arm’s length while Holland and Jase acted like I’d been in the fold since birth. Max and Willum even warmed up to me quickly and started acting as though there had never been a day I hadn’t been around, but not Drake. He was always pleasant, but something was just beneath the surface, and if I dug, I’d probably find it. Whatever he was hiding, he hid from Jase as well. I didn’t dwell on it, though. He was the one lingering on the outside of the fray, not me.

Holland strolled up to me in his tailored black suit. It accentuated his broad shoulders and slim waist, and I giggled at how large his feet looked in his monkey suit.

“Hush,” he said playfully as he kissed me on the cheek with a warm hello. The twins were hanging at my side, and he squatted down to introduce himself. Megan giggled, but Trace wasn’t happy. He refused to even acknowledge him verbally and just glared at my friend.

“Trace, don’t be rude. Say hello.”

He ignored me and stomped off into Miss Pearl’s apartment and slammed the door behind him. I started to go after him, but she turned me back around and directed me to the parking lot with my date. I hated that term. It wasn’t a date—Holland was not considering me for a role in his life. I was an escort, but I despised that term even more than I detested date. I was a glorified prostitute who didn’t put out.

“You sure?” I asked my surrogate grandmother.

“Honey, go. You don’t wanna be late. He’ll be fine. He’s just not used to sharing your time. It’s part of life, and he has to accept it. Now go. I’ll make him some cookies.” She smiled in a way only she could and soothed my worry away.

I kissed Megan and Emmy goodbye, but Emmy launched herself at Holland. “Have fun with my mommy. She sure looks pretty.”

He was a good sport about it and hugged her back. “Yes, she does. I promise to make sure she has a good time.”

With that, my girls were happy and skipped off as we went to his car. Emmy seemed to be regaining some of her energy, but I was hesitant to get my hopes up. There’d been so many highs and lows over the years; therefore, I never got excited about much.

“So I need to warn you that you might get some inappropriate questions tonight.”

“Why?”

“These are all people I’ve worked with for years. I haven’t brought a date to an event in so long I don’t remember when the last time was. So, some of the women might be a little…intrusive.”

“So how do you want me to handle that?” I didn’t think he wanted me telling people he hired me to hang out on his arm, but if he did, then we needed to turn the mother ship around now and head back to The Village.

“With grace. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

I settled back in the seat and smiled smugly. He was confident I wouldn’t let him down. I was truly doing a job, one that benefited him, and it made me feel good. Even if there was a hefty reward at the end, I loved knowing I was helping my friend avoid rabid women.



Holland was wrong. They weren’t a little intrusive—they were downright, blatantly nosy as all get out. And talk about asking inappropriate questions. The award-winning inquiry came from a member of upper management, who happened to be a woman. She questioned if I’d taken classes. “I’m sorry, I’m not following.”