Worth the Fall (26 page)

I did a sweep of the tables at the edge of the room before settling in at the bar to wait. I ordered a diet Coke and set my hand on the small tote bag next to me, comforted by all the materials I’d managed to pull together in two days for this meeting.
 

I pulled my little cardigan off and draped it over the bag. Maybe I was just discovering I was a nervous sweater—either that, or this lounge had suddenly gotten really warm.

This was the beginning. He was my first real client. Jenna was my fairy godmother so she didn’t count.
 

It wasn’t long before a business man sauntered up to the bar and looked at me as if I might be who he was looking for.

“Hi. Are you looking for me?” I gave him my best smile, trying to make him like me right away. Starting off friendly would make turning me down or bartering with my prices harder. Or at least, that’s what I hoped it would do.

“I certainly could be.” He smiled back in such a familiar way that I knew we were going to get along just fine.
 

“I’m Kasey. Why don’t you have a seat and we can chat a little.”

“Great.” John pulled out the high stool next to me and waved the bartender over. After ordering a drink he turned back to me, and took in my appearance right down to my shoes. I was really glad I hadn’t shown up in jeans. “So, Kasey, how long have you been doing this?”

“I’ve just recently gone out on my own. It’s definitely riskier, but you know what they say. Big risks, big wins.”

He laughed, hopefully not noticing that the entire little speech was one hundred percent panic-driven bravado.

“Well, I like that. A woman who knows where she’s going.”

I smiled, because I certainly hoped that was true.
 

“I know this seems rude, but being new to this I thought we should discuss it right up front.” With most people, I’d just send them a quote. The idea that I’d have to figure out how to deal with those who wanted to do everything in person was a bit overwhelming. “What are you looking for and how much are you looking to spend?”

“Wow, Kasey. That
is
direct. I like having things up front. There’s no point in us getting to the point of no return and then not being on the same page.”

“Exactly.” Maybe this was going to be easier than I’d expected. “Obviously, the full package is going to be pricier. I mean, just the time involved in doing everything adds to the cost. But covering the basics a la carte can add up as well. I guess what it really comes down to is, what’s your pleasure?”

I smiled, trying to keep this professional but light.

John took a long sip of his drink, watching me over the rim of his glass.
 

I started to feel uncomfortable under the gaze, but assumed he was doing that thing Jenna talked about. That going-into-his-own-head-to-think thing.

“I mean,” I continued, trying to pull him back to our conversation. “This is all about you and your needs.”

“You’re right. Of course. It’s all about my needs.” John set his drink down and leaned in. “I want the total package. Soup to nuts. I’m looking forward to seeing you in action.”

Wow. Jenna must have really talked up my big corporate accounts history.

“Okay. Then, depending on any theme adjustments I need to make as we go, obviously I’ll be making sure that you like everything I do. I won’t get too far down any path without checking in. My goal is to have you completely happy with my work at the end of the day.” I named an amount. I gave him a smile that hopefully was enticing. “Don’t forget, I was trained by the best.”
 

John straightened and ran his gaze over me again as if measuring me to see if I were worth that amount. I let him consider it. I knew what I could do. I’d shot up the corporate ladder because I was very good at what I did, and I knew when a man was trying to make me back down. If he was going to negotiate, that was fine. I’d built in a bit of a buffer, but I wasn’t handing him a discount on a silver platter.

“That seems…excessive.”

“You want the best, you have to pay for it. But, I can guarantee you won’t regret it. I may just be branching out on my own, but I’m very good at what I do.”

That seemed to give him pause.

“Kasey, are you sure you want to do this? It’s hard enough being a working girl, but doing it on your own isn’t always the safest route.”

“That’s very sweet.” I reached out and patted his hand even though I knew it crossed the professional line. Or, maybe he just wanted to make sure I was going to be able to follow through. “But, if you’re worried about my follow-through, there’s no need. I’m ready to give you the best service available.”

He smiled, a little tired, before pulling his wallet out to pay for his drink. Instead, he dropped a thick set of bills on the counter. I wasn’t prepared for someone to give me his down payment in cash.
 

What if he wanted to pay all in cash? What if this business of his isn’t on the up and up? I stared at the money a second before picking it up to hand it back to him.
 

“There’s no need to give me this now. We can deal with that later.”

“I’d rather be clear on what we’re doing.”

I still wasn’t comfortable with this, but the worst thing that happened was I kept the cash in an envelop and gave it back to him if he didn’t like my proposal.

“Okay. But, we’ll have to arrange some type of guarantee for if this doesn’t work out.” I wasn’t sure what a good protocol in this situation would be. “And obviously, you’re going to want an invoice. It would be best all around if we handled this after the work was done. I’d like a deposit up front to ensure payment, but I’d rather not take cash.”
 

John looked at me like this was an odd idea. He must really not be used to working with vendors. Maybe his new company was newer than I thought.

“So,” he started as if not sure where this was going. Then, he pushed the money toward me again. “That’s your payment, and you’re going to give me the total package.”

“Well,” I tried to stall, trying to figure out how to get us back on track. “Let me show you my samples first. I want to make sure we can work together.” I reached for my bag to pull out the shiny pamphlet I’d brought. “There’s no reason to even talk about money before we do that.”

“But, that’s the amount?”

“Unless you add something on or change your mind, it’s the amount I quoted.”
 

“Okay. Kasey, I need you to stand up.”

“Why?” Even for how odd Jenna had said he was, that seemed out there.

“Because I’m going to arrest you for solicitation and I don’t want you to cause a scene if at all possible. We’re just going to stand up and walk right out of here to where my partner is waiting.”

“Solicitation? I wasn’t soliciting. We had a pre-arranged meeting.” As if I’d be going door-to-door at a high end hotel.

“Prostitution is illegal no matter how you find the John. Now, are we going to do this the nice way or are you going to risk embarrassing yourself, the patrons, and the establishment?” John stood, pushing his stool out of the way. “Let’s just take this out the front door politely. I always add it into my report when the lady cooperates.”

“But, I’m not a prostitute.”

“Honey, you just agreed to give me the total package for an equally obscene amount of money.”

“Total
marketing
package. I was meeting someone here to show him my web designs.” I spun around to pull out my brochure, glad to finally get to show it to someone.

“Keep your hands were I can see them.” John’s voice went frigid. Gone was the charm and the smiles. It dawned on me he wasn’t joking around.

This was not how I wanted to add to my recent cop run-ins. This was worse than any law-type thing I could think of. Including that little spring break run-in that shall not to be discussed.

“John, I’m serious. I was here for a business meeting.”

“It’s Officer Grant, and you can explain it to the booking agent downtown.”

Downtown? Did people actually say that? Do we even have a downtown? I ran through all the neighborhoods I could think of but I don’t think I’d ever heard anyone actually refer to a
downtown.

He wrapped his oversized hand around my wrist, pulled me off the stool, and all thoughts of where we were going fled.

“Can I grab my sweater and bag?” After that
hands where I can see them
thing, I wasn’t taking any chances.

“Grab it. You’ll hand the bag to my partner outside. You can put the sweater on if you want.” He looked at me, a little sadly like I’d disappointed him. “You shouldn’t have gone off on your own. It’s better to learn this lesson now.”

Great. I was getting arrested for not being a prostitute, and he was lecturing me that I should have at least stayed with my pimp. I guess if I had a pimp at least I’d have someone to come bail me out.

TWENTY-EIGHT

I stared around the small, barred room trying to figure out where to go. You’d think with only a ten-by-ten area it wouldn’t be too difficult of a decision. But, the far wall had two women leaning against it deep in a conversation I definitely didn’t want to know about. Along each side of the holding cell were bunks. A girl stretched out on one, her pink thong clearly flashing the room of cops with her feet up like that. On the other, a woman in a bustier and a hot pink skirt sat examining her nails. I considered sitting at the other end, but there was a stain that…well, let’s just say there was a stain and leave it at that.

I squeezed myself between the bed frame and the bars in the empty corner and hoped for the best.

The officer had told me he’d come back once my paperwork was processed and let me make my phone call. He’d kept asking me if I wanted a lawyer. I think
he
wanted me to have a lawyer. Where the heck was I going to get a lawyer, let alone how would I pay him?

 
But, who
would
I call?

I leaned my head against the bars, trying not to panic and wondering who to call. The only people I had in my phone were Jenna, Hailey, and people far, far away.

If I called Jenna or Hailey, they’d call Max. Of course, they would. If I were them, I’d call Max too.

But, then he’d be here, on the other side of this metal ringed room looking at me with that look, the one that said disappointed, annoyed, and exasperated with me.

But more, I pictured him giving up on me. All that chaos he said I created, the words he’d spoken to Jenna back before I’d known he wasn’t someone to fear. Now he’d see them as true. He’d see me as that high maintenance, chaos creating, liability who would hold someone like him back. To a man who wanted to save, if not the world at least his corner of it, I’d be the train wreck running his life’s work off the rails.

For the first time that night, I felt like crying. I felt stupid and short sighted and hopeless. How in the world could I compare a man who
demanded
to make dinner for me when I was hurt with that manipulative quasi-sociopath jackass I’d been tied to for years?

It figured that I’d wake up to what was right in front of me the moment I might lose it. I couldn’t imagine how Max would feel about me being arrested. If I couldn’t clear myself, I’d never find out. I’d never even put him on the spot. I’d never take the risk for my heart, and I’d never make him tell me that, no, he wouldn’t date a girl like me.

I was now a girl like me.

If I could clear myself, I’d be lucky if he’d still speak to me.
 

Hopefully, there was a small chance I could get out of here without him knowing. Officer Grant had driven past the precinct closest to The Village. I could only hope that my mug shot wasn’t being blasted to all the stations in town.

“Ooooh, sugar. It’s shift change. All those cute young’uns will be coming in wearing those tight little blue pants.”
 

The women behind me wandered over to the bars, setting themselves up in a line to watch the parade that was shift change. It was nice to know even ladies of the night couldn’t resist a man in uniform.

If only I hadn’t tried to for so long.

I tried to squeeze out of my corner, but no one was moving to let me by for fear of losing her space at the bars.

It was an odd, surreal power and role reversal that began the moment the first cop stepped through the door.
 

The ladies were right. This batch was young—all in their twenties. And their pants were definitely blue, some were even tight. But, each one reacted to the cat calls and whistles differently. Some ignored them, some blushed and turned away, some played it up. But none—not even the one I doubted had ever been able to run an eight minute mile—were left out. These women didn’t prejudice based on race, looks, height, build…on anything.

“Oh, here comes one of my favorites. I’m telling you, I even got me that there Twitter to hear about him. Even just scraping past five-ten that boy’s got some shoulders on him.”

As soon as I heard the word
Twitter
I tried to leap over the crossbar of the bunk blocking me into the corner. There was no way with the week I was having there could be another local cop people followed on Twitter. It could only be—