Chapter 2 – Georgie
2
GEORGIE
I hurry down the hall to Hazel’s office, worry giving me a stomachache. I shouldn’t really worry, but the text she sent me has my head pounding.
I met Hazel when I started working here. It seemed odd to me that we hit it off. I come from a working class background no matter what my IQ is, and she was raised in the lap of luxury. There is just something so warm and happy about her.
In my rush to get to her office, I stumble. Before I can stop my forward progression, I’m tipping forward and fall flat on my face. Again. This is not the first—nor will it be my last—ungraceful fall.
Is there such a thing as a graceful fall? If there is, I have no idea how to do it. My mom always said I was like a new baby horse, my legs trying to run away while the rest of my body tried to catch up.
“Are you just going to lay there?” Hazel asks me.
“Maybe.”
She laughs. “Come on.” She leans down to help me up. Where I am short and kind of a klutz, Hazel is a statuesque beauty. We are definitely opposites. Once I’m on my feet, I take stock of my body. My cheek is smarting from where it connected to the floor, but thankfully, the hallways are carpeted up here. If it had been on the first floor where I work as a receptionist, it would be ceramic tile.
“Come on.”
I follow her into her office and shut the door behind us. As a receptionist, I’m on the lowest rung of the ladder, but that has never been an issue with us. We met one day when the cafeteria was offering cake that none of the women were eating. Our shared love of cake brought us together and we became kindred spirits. As happy as she is, I get a sense of loneliness from Hazel. I can totally understand that.
“What’s up?”
“How much did you say you owe for your mother’s medical expenses?”
I cross my arms beneath my breasts. “No.”
“What?”
“I’m not letting you pay my bills for me.”
She rolls her eyes. “I know better than to suggest that again.”
It’s embarrassing that she knows about my debt. She took me out for my twenty-third birthday, and I spilled all my secrets. Mainly that once my mother died, the creditors came calling, as did the hospital’s finance department.
I narrow my eyes and she chuckles, holding up her hands. “I promise.”
I sigh. I name the figure down to the penny.
She nods. “And what if I had a way for you to earn a little extra money to help.”
“If this is another job, I can’t do it. You know I already have a weekend job.” Prescott pays well, even for my entry level job. Good benefits, but with Mom’s bills and my living expenses in this insane city, I barely scrape by. Hence, I work at a restaurant on the weekends. The pay is crappy, but I do make good tips.
“No. I need a favor and for it, Silas will pay handsomely.”
Every thought I have stutters to a stop when I hear the name. Silas Prescott, the man who runs the company and has never looked at me. He walks past me every day, and not once has he greeted me. I don’t take it personally because he’s like that with everyone. His mind is always on work and his eyes stayed glued to his phone. That is, when I actually see him. Most of the time, he’s here before I show up and after I leave. Classic workaholic.
He’s the most gorgeous man I have ever seen in my life. Seriously. Chocolate eyes, silky black hair, and he’s tall. Like…he towers over me, or I think he would. I’ve never been that close to him, but he’s over six feet and I’m petite and more than once have been referred to as a fairy. And I am sure he smells good. Like I imagine hope and cookies combined into one sexy scent.
“I don’t do those kinds of favors.”
She snorts. “Not that. God, for a virgin, you definitely seem preoccupied with sex.”
I cross my arms beneath my breasts. “Either way.”
“No, it’s not that. My parents’ anniversary is in a couple of weeks and she plans on throwing women at my brother.”
The image of Hazel’s mother picking up socialites and tossing them at Silas makes me smile. That would actually be hilarious.
“Not literally,” she says. I chuckle. My friend knows me well.
“And what does that have to do with me earning money?”
“I need you to pretend to be his girlfriend.”
There is a long beat of silence. I mean, what do I say to that?
When I open my mouth to refuse, she holds up her hands stopping any argument. “Hear me out.”
“No. This sounds like the plot for some romance novel.”
“That’s where I got the idea!” She beams at me like I’m going to applaud.
“My life is not a romance book.”
“No, but this could work.”
“How? How on earth is this supposed to work? I mean, your mother is going to think your brother has lost his mind.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
I roll my eyes. “Be serious.”
“I am.”
“I am not of your world.”
She smirks at me. “Are you an alien?’
“Hazel!”
“Fine, but that actually works in our favor. Someone my mother would know would be a disaster, but she doesn’t know you. I mean, not really. You’ve been working what…three times when she’s been by.”
I nod.
“So, you go for the weekend, play the girlfriend, my brother gets a little break from my mother’s meddling, and you get some cash out of it. Win/Win.”
I’m shaking my head and open my mouth to respond, but her smile fades as she says, “Rachel Burton will be there.”
Oh, not fair. Rachel was Hazel’s Regina King in school, and she still hasn’t gotten over some of the worst of it.
“And she’s who my mother is thinking of throwing at my brother. If he can’t fight off my mother’s expectations…”
Her voice trails off and I get the implication. From what I know about Silas, he would rather smooth over family issues as long as he can get back to work.
“I have to talk to your brother first.”
As if on cue, there’s a knock at her door and it swings open. Silas Prescott strides in, tall and sexy and frowning. Why I find him sexy when he’s frowning, I will never know. But my blood immediately heats up, spinning through my entire system, causing me to feel a little lightheaded. It could also be because I only had a few crackers and a soda for breakfast. What can I say? It’s the end of the month and I have to watch my pennies to be able to pay rent.
“Hazel, I want to know what insanity you’re planning.”
He stops in his tracks and stares at me as if…I don’t know, but it’s weird. It’s like he just discovered other people exist.
“I told you, and I think we might just have a fake girlfriend for you.”
He tears his gaze away from me to look at his sister. “Who?”
What am I? Invisible?
“Georgie.”
“I told you, Momzilla won’t be happy with that.”
She rolls her eyes and gives me a look. “Georgie as in Georgiana.” She motions to me.
His gaze drops down to me again. “You’re Georgie?”
I nod, unable to speak. His gaze is so direct, intense. Then, he breaks it off and looks at his sister.
“Absolutely not.”
Well, that was rude.
“You want to see the three texts Momzilla sent me? They are all about Rachel.”
I watch so many emotions dance over his expression. Anger, irritation, and finally, resignation.
“You’ll have to dress her for the part.”
“Done,” Hazel says.
“Now, wait a minute,” I say standing up. “I am not going to let you buy me clothes.”
“She’s not.” I look at Silas. “I am and it’s part of the position.”
I frown at the way he says the word position. It’s like it has some other meaning.
“Fine.”
“Fine. Hazel will arrange everything. I think we should ride there together so we can exchange notes.”
“Good thinking,” Hazel murmurs.
Before I can even respond, he’s walking out of the office leaving me staring at the empty space where he once stood.
“What just happened?”
“I got you a dream weekend vacation at a Darling Resort, paid for by my brother, and I get to dress you.”
I roll my eyes and plop down. “I’m not so sure about this, Hazel. I’m not one of you.”
Her brow furrows as she stares at me. “Explain.”
“You know I don’t have a chip on my shoulder, but I’m not like you and Silas.”
“Please don’t tell me you think we’re stuck up.”
I chuckle. “You are definitely not stuck up. Not so sure about Silas.”
“He’s not. You know, our family didn’t always have money.”
I nod. Everyone knows about the Prescotts and their rise among the ranks of the movers and shakers in the city. But Silas, there’s always something so reserved about him.
“If you say so.”
“No, really it’s his personality. He doesn’t like to waste time and he sees socializing as a waste of time.”
“I agree.”
She gasps dramatically. “Bite your tongue.”
I chuckle. “Okay.”
“Shopping after work.”
I groan. “Fine. But not heels like yours.”
She smiles. “Promise.”
I’m not sure I believe her, but I have spent enough time back here as it is. As I walk back to the front desk I wonder if Hazel knows her brother that well, or if maybe I was wrong about him.
Either way, she’s right. This is a paid for vacation, one I sorely need. And maybe, I will be able to keep the wolves at bay once I get paid.