The Girlfriend Treatment

Chapter 1

one

Petra

The phone rings and I jolt, causing the perfect cat eye that I’m applying with electric-blue liquid liner to go crooked.

Exhaling with a huff, I slump into the leather armchair and wrinkle my nose at the hollering landline.

I am not cut out for this receptionist job, but I wasn’t exactly given a choice when it came to my employment, was I?

I am the youngest of five sisters.

The runt.

The brat.

The grunt.

An endless source of amusement to my four older sisters, each of whom owns a stake in Sweet Fleet: An Escort Agency, based just outside of good old Las Vegas.

They escort, while I schedule their dates from the safety of my boring air-conditioned office.

And don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t rather be working in the field.

No way. It is my goal in life to never be pawed by some garlic-breathed businessman in the high roller suite of the MGM.

That life is not for me. Not that I’m judging.

But I’d rather be doing something else.

Petra Kowalski: Makeup Artist to the Stars.

Heck, I’d take a company of showgirls. I just want to work with makeup.

Anything to avoid answering this phone and having to hear the lecherous excitement in the voice of another client. But that’s what I get paid to do…and this call has been ringing a while, so I better answer.

While leaning forward and attempting to fix my smudged cat eye, I hit the button for speakerphone, since I’m alone in the office. “Good evening,” I say in a practiced, sultry tone. Have to create the right vibe, don’t I? “This is Sweet Fleet. What can we do for you?”

There’s a long pause on the other end. Then, finally, “Yeah. Hi.”

My eyes widen involuntarily, caught off guard by the deepest voice I’ve ever heard. Male. Gruff. Resonant. “Hello, sir. Are you calling to schedule a date?”

The sound of pacing commences on his end of the line. “Something like that.”

Uh oh.

This guy must be into something kinky, but he’s not ready to share any particulars. Maybe it’s just his first time pursuing a particular fetish and he’s shy talking about it? It wouldn’t be the first time something like that happened. It wouldn’t even be the first time this week.

I’m a virgin myself. But I’ve gotten quite an education sitting in this chair.

I probably know more about sex than any other virgin on planet earth.

“Sir, I’ve been working the phones for Sweet Fleet for a whole year. There is no kink this gal hasn’t heard about. Believe me. This is a judgment-free zone.”

His laugh is chagrined. Pleasant, too, oddly enough. “It’s not…a kink thing.”

Sure. “Oh.”

“I’ve just never done this before. I never thought I would.”

“I see.” I frown at my reflection in the makeup mirror. I’m used to first timers, as well, but there’s something different about this guy. He’s not eager and out of breath, the way most callers get when they’re arranging to meet an escort. “Why don’t we start with your name.”

“Right. Barry.”

“Barry,” I echo, adding a little coaxing to my tone, my finger winding around the curly phone cord. “What’s your idea of a perfect date?”

He’s quiet for a good five seconds. “Are you old enough to be taking these calls?”

I rear back, affronted. “What? I’m using my most seductive voice!”

He makes a skeptical sound. “I can still tell you’re young.”

“I’m nineteen, thank you very much.”

“Nineteen? Okay, I’m going to hang up now.”

“No! Wait!” I listen for the void of disconnection to hit my ear, but thankfully the quiet sound of him breathing is still there. “I only do the scheduling, Barry. Calm down.”

He laughs without humor. It turns into a sigh. “Look, I don’t know what I’m supposed to ask for. I have a unique situation.”

Relieved he’s talking again and I haven’t blown it with a client, I wake up my computer screen by wiggling the mouse.

The color-coded calendar appears, along with our core offerings.

“Well, we have a few different options. Why don’t I go over them with you?

You can tell me if one of them fits the bill. ”

“I highly doubt that’s going to happen.”

“You’ll be surprised.” I clear my throat. “First up, we have the Instant Gratification Package. That one has an hourly rate.” He’s a first timer, right? I should be extra clear, just so he doesn’t get confused. “You engage in sex—”

“I’ve got the picture.”

“That’s not what you’re looking for,” I surmise.

“Okay. We have the Date Night Package. One of our girls is your companion for the whole evening. Take her to dinner, to a show. Even a work function. They are all excellent conversationalists and can adapt to any scenario. At the end of the night, sex is certainly on the table, but it’s an upcharge. ”

Spoiler alert: they always request the upcharge.

“We’re getting warmer,” Barry says dryly. “Except for that last part.”

This guy is one surprise after another. “You don’t want sex,” I say slowly. I’m not even trying to hide the fact that I don’t believe him. “Really.”

“I don’t want to pay for sex.”

“You want a freebie?”

“No.” He curses under his breath. “Look, this was probably a terrible idea to begin with. Here’s the deal.

I’m attending my brother’s wedding this weekend.

It’s taking place at a ranch outside of Vegas.

It’s a really…” He blows out a breath. “It’s a really classy place, and God knows I don’t know the first thing about proper clothing or how to act.

Can’t dance or make small talk, but that’s exactly what they all expect me to do.

Why? I don’t know. I’ve been living off the grid for…

” Another long pause. “I might have just gone and winged it, but my grandmother is ninety-five. The woman raised me. Worked two jobs to feed me when my mother couldn’t.

Taught me everything I know about life.” I hear his swallow.

“She’s going to be there and…it could be the last time I see her.

She always said her greatest wish is to see me settled down and I thought I’d give her that. Or the illusion of that, rather.”

My heart is beating in my throat. Tears in my eyes.

I didn’t see this coming.

No one has ever called this place with such a pure motive before.

“For h-how long would you need a companion?” I manage.

“Two days, two nights.” He laughs without humor. “Just forget I called. This was a bad idea.”

For some reason I’m standing up. I’m not even sure when that happened.

But there’s a determination inside of me to help this man.

I’ve never been so sure that someone is genuine, and a girl doesn’t come across that every day.

Not in the escort business. Not this close to Sin City.

“No, wait. We have a package for that, believe it or not.”

I can sense his doubt. “You have a package for what I just described.”

“Well, I mean, not exactly to a T. But we can…customize,” I say, trying to sound cheerful, so he doesn’t know my eyes are brimming with moisture.

Improvise. “What you’re looking for is the Girlfriend Treatment, Barry.

Of course! An extended arrangement. Out of town.

Upscale venue.” I hum and punch keys on my keyboard, as if I’m entering data, but I’m just imputing gibberish into the calendar.

“You said this weekend? Friday through Sunday?”

“Yeah,” he says, sounding slightly hopeful. “This is actually possible? Someone is going to pretend to be my girlfriend for two whole days?”

“We can’t let your grandmother down,” I say, my voice wavering a little. “Sorry, she just sounds like a lovely person.”

“She is.”

My heart squeezes. “Just out of curiosity…there are no women in your life who might have gone with you?”

“No. Like I said, I have been off the grid. I don’t see women.” A beat passes. “Or…they don’t want to see me. You should mention to the date you’re sending that I have, uh…some significant scarring on my face. I was wounded in combat.”

There’s a note of loneliness in his voice that tells me he’s been through a lot.

My determination to help Barry triples.

“She’ll be honored to spend the weekend with a hero, Barry,” I say in a hushed tone. “You don’t have to worry.”

His low grunt is barely audible over the speakerphone.

When my color-coded screen betrays me, I slowly lower myself into my chair.

Oh no.

No.

The whole weekend is booked solid. All four of my sisters have already been assigned to jobs this weekend. With whales. Aka very rich men. There is no way I could cancel those appointments without damaging our reputation.

But I can’t let Barry down, either.

No. An intuition tells me I’ll regret it my whole life.

I have no choice but to be Barry’s escort at the wedding, do I?

“Um.” I wet my lips. “Just so I can set your date’s expectations up front. Will you be…requiring physical pleasure of any kind?”

“No.” He answers right away. “God, no. I wouldn’t make a woman do that.”

Make her? As in, it would be a chore?

Focus.

I’ll have to hire a temp. Make up some excuse for missing work.

When is the last time I lied about being sick? Can I get away with it again now?

“I’ll just take some details, Barry, including your credit card information.

And then we’ll pick a meeting spot. You should meet your temporary girlfriend an hour or so prior to the event, don’t you think?

” I swallow the trepidation in my throat.

“She should learn a few things about you first. We wouldn’t want anyone to be the wiser.

And don’t worry. You will be very happy with the girl I’m sending for your Girlfriend Treatment package. ”

I sound so convincing, I almost believe myself.

Almost.