Chapter 2 （B）
TWO (B)
PARK CITY, UTAH
GEORGIA
A few nights later
“Oh come on, Georgia!” My roommate, Jessica, plops across from me. “You can go out to a bar with me for at least one hour.”
“If I had an extra hour, I’d probably use it to pass out.” I sigh. “I have to get this assignment done before tomorrow.”
I’m sitting at the back of a coffee shop, and my fingers are cramping from the pain of pulling back-to-back all-nighters.
“You should ask the employees to install a shower here for you,” she says. “That’s all you use your apartment for these days anyway.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“Are you still planning to host a surprise dinner for Dante’s birthday?”
“Of course.” I open my purse and pull out a small red gift box. “Can you put this on our living room table for him, just in case I have to reschedule that?”
She gives me a stare I know all too well. It’s the same stare I used to give to my older sister whenever she made excuse after excuse for choosing her job over her personal life.
“You owe me, Georgia.” She hugs me. “I’ll call you later.”
“Later.” I watch as she leaves the cafe and stretch my weary fingers.
Out of habit, I open The Office Guest on my phone.
The moment I type in my username, the screen flashes with two ugly words.
BANNED ACCOUNT!
Ugh.
As if something will change, I try another alias.
Same.
I consider the expense of buying a brand-new phone as Mindy rushes into the cafe.
“Georgia?” She spots me and runs to my table. “Why haven’t you responded to any of my text messages tonight?”
Because I blocked your number. “I haven’t gotten anything from you today.”
“Mr. Reiss wants us to meet him at the tree center.”
“For what?”
“Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s highly important.” She motions for me to stand. “We’ll ride together since I don’t trust you to get there alone.”
“I don’t blame you,” I whisper under my breath.
“I’ve got two thermos’ worth of hot coffee for him in my car, but he also wants some bagels.” She looks like this is a life-or-death event. Can you order some fresh ones?”
“He can have these.” I toss her my bag of untouched bread.
“What?” She presses the bag against her cheek and gasps. “You honestly expect me to serve the Dominic Reiss cold bagels?”
“We can use the car vents to warm them on the way there.”
She drops my bag to the floor before rushing over to the counter to order new ones.
Annoyed by another Reiss Enterprise intrusion, I shut my laptop, but an idea hits me.
Scrolling through my contacts, I find the first “office guest” I hired—a guy who eventually quit the app and started his own business.
“Tate McGuire Services,” he answers on the first ring. “How may I help you?”
“Hey um, my name is Georgia, and you gave me your phone number a while ago.”
“Oh, hey! I remember you!” There’s a smile in his voice. “Did your boss ever manage to get that spray paint off his windshield?”
“He bought a new car.” I shake my head. “Anyway, I was wondering if you had anyone on your team who could show up and scream during an outdoor meeting for me tonight. Like, just walk around screaming all types of crazy stuff until we’re forced to end it. If so, how much would that cost?”
“Well, if you want the full hit, it’s five thousand. If you want a minor hit, like roughing him up while leaving him thankful it wasn’t worse, it’s five hundred dollars.”
“No, wait. I just want someone to show up and ruin a meeting.”
“I feel you. We’re talking in code, and ‘ruin’ means beat the hell out of him, right?”
“No, I’m being quite literal.”
“So, where do you want to meet me after we beat up the guy?”
“There is no ‘beating up the guy’ at all. I’m hiring you to create a distraction.”
“How about we assault him anyway, and you pay us in installments for the favor?”
I hang up and resign to my fate.