Dating Games(15)

“I won’t, Viv.” I raise myself to my feet. “Thank you again for even considering me.” I head toward the door.

“Oh, and Evie?”

I glance over my shoulder, meeting her eyes.

“Just a reminder. We deal with real facts, not sensationalized falsehoods.” She gives me a knowing look. “Make sure you only write the true story. I won’t accept anything less.”





Chapter Six





My feet can’t carry me as quickly as I need them to as I hurry from Viv’s office. All I do is pray I didn’t just set myself up for failure by pitching Viv an impossible story. How is it everyone seems to know the name August Laurent, yet I’ve been blissfully unaware my entire life? Now I’m even more intrigued.

Out of breath, I round the corner into Chloe’s cubicle, her peachy perfume wafting in the air. Her space is much more cluttered than mine. A celebrity news columnist, she always has various tips she’s received scattered across her desk, hoping to be the first to report on whatever this month’s big story will be, usually a pregnancy or new birth. Our audience loves reading about the children of the rich and famous. I can’t blame them. I like reading about it, too. It normalizes them, apart from them having enough money to hire a nanny to help with midnight feedings, dirty diapers, and meltdowns.

“Evie, are you okay?” Her brow wrinkles in concern when she sees me.

I sit in her spare chair, my eyes zeroed in on her. I grab a notepad sitting on her desk and flip to a blank page, pulling out the pen I perpetually keep in the bun in my hair, readying myself to scratch down every word Chloe says. So many of my colleagues have forgone notepads for the ease of digital recorders. There’s something about putting pen to paper that energizes me, makes me feel like I’m a participant in the story instead of a casual observer.

“I need you to tell me everything you know about August Laurent. Don’t leave out a single thing.” My firm voice relays the seriousness of the situation.

“Reconsidering Nora’s idea from last night?” She winks.

“What? No,” I answer quickly. “I don’t need to pay someone to date me.”

“Then why are you interested in August Laurent?”

I roll my chair closer to hers so no one can overhear, needing her to understand the depth of the hole I just dug for myself. “Because Viv is considering me for the assistant editor position when Grace leaves.”

She releases a shriek of excitement, and I hush her, unsure if I’m supposed to discuss it.

“I’m as surprised as you. I honestly never gave it much thought.”

“But Viv’s giving it to you?”

“Not exactly. She wants to make sure I can handle a wider range of assignments first.”

Chloe arches a brow. “Meaning?”

“Meaning she kind of put me on the spot and asked me to pitch her a story that would sell hundreds of thousands of copies.” I fight a yawn. I don’t know how I’ll make it to five o’clock. All I want is to crawl into bed and sleep all weekend. Then the reminder I don’t really have a bed anymore hits me, depressing me even more. If this is a sign for what awaits me in my thirties, I’d like to return them for a refund. Or maybe just skip straight to forty. “She’s also considering Judy and Margo. Whoever produces the best story gets the job.”

“So you pitched August Laurent?” Chloe’s voice is a mixture of surprise and superiority, almost like she knew I’d eventually want to know more about this guy. The concept is appealing, particularly from a sex and dating standpoint. What pushes a woman to such extremes that she doesn’t think she has any other option but to hire someone to date her, or give her a “boyfriend experience”, as they referred to it last night? I don’t care how bad things get. I’d never stoop to that level.

“It was the first thing that popped into my head. To be honest, my brain isn’t exactly firing on all cylinders today. I’m lucky I was able to come up with anything at all.”

“You honestly think you’ll get him to agree to this story?”

“Why not?” I shrug, trying not to feel dejected by the constant uncertainty facing me. “Why wouldn’t he want to set the record straight on why he does what he does? I know I would. Unless he really is just a sleaze.”

“He’s remained anonymous for years,” Chloe repeats the same warning Viv offered. “He’s like the Keyser S?ze of the escort world. A name you say that forces a certain reaction.”

“See!” I exclaim, slamming my hands on the notepad, causing Chloe to startle. “I told Viv the same thing! But she never saw The Usual Suspects, so the analogy was lost on her.”

“Instead of being some scary spook story you tell your kids so they eat their vegetables, it’s more a threat to your spouse. ‘Take me on vacation or I’ll hire August Laurent to do it.’”

“‘If you don’t go down on me, August Laurent will!’” I offer, getting in on the game.

“‘Let me use a strap-on with you, or I’m calling August Laurent!’”

I laugh, then stop, her words registering with me. “Wait. A strap-on?” My forehead creases.

“Too far?”

“Yeah, a little. Weirdo,” I joke before fixing my expression. “So, tell me what you know.”