Chapter 9

　　Theo's pov

　　For a while now, I have been doing nothing but sitting around and sending the money I should be saving. It was fun at first but now life is getting real.

　　I lay in my bed holding the business card in my hand, it was beautiful and modern but not too shabby.

　　I bit my bottom lip and turned the card over to find a telephone number.

　　I dialed the number and waited patiently to pick it up.

　　It rings and I hear Henry's voice on the other line.

　　"Hello," he said.

　　I panicked and hung up immediately. What was I thinking?

　　I couldn't do this, I had bills piling up and I still couldn't do it. How the hell was I going to pay my bills? I had to pay for my house, car and other bills I haven't paid. I was in what most people call a rut.

　　I thought I could do it but I just couldn't at all. Gage has tried so many times to convince me but I was as stubborn as a mule. I refuse to go there. I would be going out with strangers for money?

　　That doesn't sound like me at all. I thought about the money. It was a very generous amount but was it worth my dignity?

　　These past few months have been hell, I didn't like being unemployed. It turns out that you can't pay for so many things when you don't have money rolling in like before.

　　My fridge was empty and I was beginning to venture into what poor people call "broke". I didn't want to be broke or poor either. I have tried to go for so many job interviews but none have been successful so far.

　　I was losing hope and apparently, life was moving way too fast. It felt like just yesterday I lost my job but it’s been months already and I haven't even gotten a call from all the job offers I responded to. It’s like when they see my reference, they get scared and don't want to hire me anymore. I didn't want to believe that my former company ruined any chance that I may have to get a job.

　　What am I doing blaming people for my lack of passion? I am supposed to be heading my company right now but here I am blaming people because I can't get a decent job in a good company. Maybe my expectations were too high. Personal assistants get jobs faster than their degrees.

　　If I applied to one as an assistant, it would be easier to get the job than to sit here and do nothing.

　　I applied for the job of executive assistance in the biggest tech company in the country and I haven't gotten a response from them. I suppose being the biggest, they have So many applicants but I was crossing my fingers and hope that I get picked.

　　I heard the owner of the company demands perfection and he is overly anal over so many things in there. It was like he demanded the best from his people and that was the kind of leadership I needed to see so I could learn and know how to act when I start up my own company. The pay was very generous and they had benefits.

　　It was one thing to be under a good leader but it was another to benefit a lot of things from them. It was the kind of emulation I wanted to follow so I could be a wonderful boss to my employees.

　　While I have been at home, I have been planning and adjusting some ideas on my dashboard or vision board. I have had it since I was in college. At first, I was too lazy to start up because I didn't know the steps to take and I didn't have enough money for a startup. When I started working and making money, I felt comfortable and I just didn't bother with it again.

　　Now that I was back to being unemployed, it just showed me the importance of being your own boss and doing what makes you happy. I was unhappy working for someone but at least it paid the bills and I was happy with that.

　　I really was screwed, I had no job and no money now and I was knees deep in debt. How did I let it get to this?!

　　I should have really listened to Gage when he asked me to work for Henry, the offer was becoming tempting as time went by and time was flying by. I had no choice now and besides it’s not like I knew anyone there. We were both going to be strangers and we will tolerate each other's presence till it’s time to go.

　　I shuddered, I couldn't imagine cozying up to some stranger just because I needed the money. What would they think of me? Great! Like they are any better. They were the ones that hired an escort.

　　I wanted to be honest with myself but if I was going to do that then it would mean telling myself that I can be an escort if I wanted to. The only thing stopping me is my ability to overthink things. Henry has tried so many times to email me but I keep blowing him off.

　　He keeps asking me to help him out but each time he calls, I direct him to gage and at the end of the day. Gage ends up abusing me for even suggesting that he leaves his company to go be an escort.

　　It was really difficult for me and I didn't know why. I couldn't stomach the fact that I would be going out with women who were twice my age. They would be all wrinkly and disgusting and I have to put up with it because I needed money?

　　That's nonsense.

　　I was beating myself up about it when Henry called me back. I hesitated before picking the call because I knew he was going to try to convince me to take the job.

　　"Hello," I answered.

　　"You called me?" He asked.

　　"It was a mistake, I apologize"

　　"You know you need the money, I don't know why you’re being stubborn," he insisted.

　　"No shit! I can't do this man." I told him.

　　"It’s no big deal, keep them company and get your money at the end of the day" he said.

　　"I don't have to sleep with them?" I asked just to be sure.

　　"No, sleeping with them is on your own terms, it is not included in your contract" he told me.

　　"Interesting, so it means that son of a bitch, gage was right"

　　"Come on! My guy just quit on me and he is needed for a one week job" he said.

　　"Why?" Something must have made him quit.

　　"No big deal, he fell in love with his client. Who is gay by the way so I can't possibly tell my client that. She might take her business elsewhere and she pays really well" he said.

　　"Say how much are we talking about?" I asked him. It couldn't be that much if he was scared of losing this one client.

　　"It’s a week, your flight will be handled and your accommodation too. And at the end of the week, you get your pay of five hundred dollars, if you are really good then she gives you more. The gay guy she really liked became her friend though" he said.

　　I was dumbfounded, that was a year's salary for me and I was making it in a week?

　　This is huge!!! Wait, gay?

　　"What do out mean gay guy she likes?" I asked him

　　He laughed nervously, "you see, she only requests for gay guys because it eliminates the chances of you two sleeping together" he said.

　　That could only mean good, if she was this strict then it means she wasn't a cougar. How the hell does henry went me to act gay?

　　"Does this mean I have to act gay around her?" I asked him

　　"Not at all, I will tell her about the mix-up before you go meeting her."

　　"Okay that's better!!!" I told him.

　　"So you in?" He asked me.

　　"Yes" I said with no hesitation on my part. If this was the amount they paid, it’s no wonder Henry was rich and escorts made a lot of money. If I do this for a month then I could definitely turn my life around and start my own company. It wouldn’t be so bad. She sounds like a piece of work but it is nothing I cannot handle.

　　"Alright man, I will text you with the details later so you can get packing" he said right before hanging up.

　　All I have to do is make her like me enough to give me more money than I would be out of her life, but then again, it would be really good if she makes me one of her regulars for any events. I can imagine that she doesn't get out much and clearly doesn't have time to get her own date. It is a wonder Henry started this. Being rich is so exhausting that sometimes you just pay to have company over.

　　I waited a little bit before calling gage.

　　"Hey man" I greeted.

　　"Why the fuck are you calling me?" He asked harshly.

　　Yeah, we may have had a little fall out. I may have accused him of meddling in my life and he may have walked out the door with the promise of never doing that again.

　　I didn't think he was serious but the aggressive way he answered right now was a dead giveaway that he wasn’t happy with Mr.

　　"Come on. Are you still mad?" I asked.

　　"Being mad would imply that I care and I don't" he said stubbornly.

　　"You were right, I took the jib from Henry," I told him.

　　"Congratulations” he said flatly.

　　"Okay, that hurts. I was expecting more enthusiasm than that" I teased.

　　"I don't have time for this," he said.

　　"Wait, I am sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it and I am deeply sorry. You are my best friend and you have a right to want the best for me." I told him.

　　He signed over the phone.

　　"That's okay, I may have pushed you too hard making you snap but in my defense, you would have done the same for me" he agreed.

　　"Are we cool?" I asked.

　　"We cool, meanwhile what old cougar did you get?" He asked.

　　"I believe she likes gay men" I told him.

　　"Oh I know her, she is so sexy and I can't imagine why she would need an escort" he exclaimed.

　　The image of the lady in the club flashed through my mind. She can’t possibly be sexier than my mystery lady.

　　"Well good for her bit I am not sleeping with her" I told him.

　　"Oh grow up! You love the ladies so much that you cannot be near a straight woman without making the moves on her" he told me.

　　I laughed, that was true. I have always had my way with the ladies and it wasn't something I was proud of all the time. But seeing that this is business I would try to control myself around her and try my best to not spoil the contract.

　　I didn't want to make Henry regret giving me the job and I really didn't want to lose the money, I needed it if I was going to make big moves in the future. I think the universe sent this woman my way and I certainly was going to be the best man at the wedding. She wouldn't want to go anywhere without me when she realizes how charming I can be.

　　I was going to make the most of this opportunity.

　　...

　　It was later in the evening, Henry sent the contract for me to Togo through it and see if there is anything I would like changed.

　　The rules in the contract were really confusing, we were not allowed to know each other's names till we met and I think it was really good. I didn't want the whole world knowing I was working as an escort.

　　The second rule was that my client must be satisfied with my services at all times. Well. If this doesn't sound sexual then I don't know what is.

　　The third rule was that I have a right to refuse any weird request from my client if I wasn't comfortable with it. That sounded good. Thank you henry.

　　Some people are really into weird stuff nowadays.

　　The fourth rule was that my pay was different from other things I may receive from my clients. If she gets me a car and everything, I would still get paid.

　　Fifth rule says, 50% percent of my pay goes back into the agency. The client still pays the agency for using their services.

　　All these rules were made to benefit both parties and it was nice.

　　Below was space for a signature and a non-disclosure agreement to sign. It means nobody would know who my client is. She can be a high profile senator and I still wouldn't say a word about it.

　　This was all great. The wedding was in an undisclosed location probably for her privacy. I would get my flight details when I sign the contract and send them back to henry. The details of the flight would be emailed to me.

　　All these were made at my convenience, a driver would come pick me up and deliver me to the airport and I would be on my way. This felt like a secret service operation. Only the rich would organize something like this and get it done privately.

　　I couldn't wait to be among them, flying in and out of the country in my private jet. I wouldn't hire an escort because I would be with the woman of my dreams.

　　The image of my mystery woman flashed in my head again. I really needed to find her. She has been stuck in my head ever since that night. I have masturbated to the thought of her every time it comes.

　　I wanted to meet her and show her all the things I wanted to do to her but if it is meant to be then it would be. I couldn't force the universe to send a woman my way boy while I am going to meet another woman for money.

　　I was kind of excited to meet this mystery woman who has planned everything to ensure nobody knew she was hiring an escort. It was kind of sexy when you think about it, all the sneaking around and hiding makes foreplay sound so last season. I feel so alive.