Romance: Hired

Hired

Penny Ward

Romance: Hired

Penny Ward

Copyright © 2015

Published by Run Free Publishing

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental. 

Also by Penny Ward:

Romance: The Billionaire’s Pleasure

For my readers – thank you for your love and support.

Hired

Penny Ward

Chapter 1

Smash. 

The expensive white plate broke into tiny little pieces on the tile floor.    

From the corner of the restaurant, I heard two little boys burst into laughter as I began to clean up the shattered mess. Their laugh was loud and it echoed around the large restaurant.  My cheeks flushed red with embarrassment… again.   

I cringed as I felt the eyes of my boss bore into the back of my skull.  What made this situation even worse was that this was normal.  My daily life as a waitress consisted of rushing around, tripping over nothing, and dropping plates on the floor.  I may have been clumsy, but I was working way too much for the measly pay. 

And I hadn’t slept a wink in the last three days.  

“I'm taking that out of your paycheck,” Andrew barked as I re-entered the kitchen with the broken pieces. “That's the second time this week.  You’re a pathetic waitress.  Pathetic.  You stupid little girl.” 

I am sure some of the customers in the restaurant could hear his verbal abuse.  I could barely hide my embarrassment as he continued his rant. 

“Jerk,” I muttered under my breath when he had finished.

I wiped back the twist of brunette hair that had fallen into my face and tried to smooth out my apron.  As I did that, I noticed a trickle of blood on my finger.  I must have cut it as I picked up the pieces. 

Boy, I had some bad luck. 

“Excuse me!” Andrew stammered, stomping across the kitchen. 

Oh no, I’m in trouble. 

His large figure stopped directly in front of my petite frame. 

“Did you just say what I think you said?” he stated, looking down on me with fierce eyes.

I should have known better. 

Why couldn’t I just bite my lip and keep my words to myself like my grandmother had always told me?

I was embarrassed, but at the same time exasperated at his overbearing behavior.  I was beyond weary and my bones ached in tiredness.  All I could think of is taking a shower and wiping off the scum that was covering my skin. 

I rolled my eyes in utter defeat. 

As I stared into his, I swear I could see a hint of pleasure as he’s chastised me in front of my colleagues for the third time this week.  This job wasn’t worth the stress and it wasn’t worth the measly pay.  The only thing I made money from was the tips. 

“You know what… I’m done.  You can stick your job.” I interrupted his rant. 

Andrew seemed to make a move to calm himself, but then he steamed back up.

“You’re fired,” he spat in my direction. 

“You don’t have to fire me!  I quit!” 

I ripped the apron from my body, throwing it down on the floor, and then stomped on it like it is on fire.  I don’t remember my feet carrying me out of the front door, but they must have.

Next thing I knew, I was sulking outside the restaurant.

Alone. 

I was standing on a busy curb in the middle of New York, stunned, watching the taxis drive by.  One of them splashed dirty water on my already dirty shoes. 

Damn.

I had never felt more alone.  Despite being surrounded by millions of people in this busy city, I had never felt more isolated. 

Stupid girl. 

How could I be so stupid? 

Why did I just quit the only thing that was keeping me afloat?

I needed that job to pay my bills. 

Stupid girl.

Beating myself up was something I did regularly do for fun.  My behind rested on the nearest chair and my head fell into my hands. 

How am I going to live without a job? 

What a stupid thing to do.  How can I pay my debts if I don’t have an income? 

Maybe I should go back to apologize, or beg for forgiveness?  I could offer him something that would convince him to rehire me.

No.  I wasn’t going to do that.  I was just going to do what I’ve always done - find a way through the mess.  It’s not like I had a choice.

As my head rested in my hands, I began to gently sob.  Life has been so hard lately that I am almost out of tears.

As the gentle cries soaked my hands, a strong male voice came from over my shoulder, “Excuse me.  Are you alright?”

My wet eyes looked up and a beautiful figure was standing next to me. 

Great.  Just what I needed – a beautiful man to watch me cry. 

Why couldn’t I meet this man when I was dressed up for a dinner party? (Not that I have many of those!)

“Do you need some help?” he asked.

I recognized the face.  The perfect cheekbones, the dreamy eyes, the smooth skin.  It was a face I had dreamt about.

“Um… hi.” Those were the only words I could mutter as I felt a loose tear roll down my cheek.

He held out his hand, asking me to stand up, “I saw what happened.  I was in the restaurant, you were serving me, remember?”

“Oh… Of course,” I mentioned as I stood up and quickly wiped my eyes, “Could you see what happened from in the restaurant?”

“We could certainly hear it in the restaurant.  His voice echoed through the room.”

“Oh.” I blushed in further embarrassment.

“Don’t be embarrassed.  That man doesn’t deserve to have someone like you working for him.”

I smiled in return of his comment.

“Shall we go for a walk?” he said in his deep, silky voice.

I do remember that he was in the restaurant now. 

He was sitting in the corner booth and I remember bringing him wine.  But my shift was a whirlwind of customers and my mind was still on my ex-boyfriend, Richard.  

“I'm really sorry about what happened.  That was humiliating…” I tried to refuse his offer for a walk. 

The man opposite me made me uncomfortable – he seemed perfect in every way.  His suit was perfectly fitted, his shoes perfectly cleaned and his body seems perfectly groomed.

As I stood next to him, I felt small in his presence. 

“Don’t be embarrassed.  That was not your fault.  If anything, you should be proud of the way you handled it.  You walked away from that argument with class.”

Class? 

Who is he kidding?  I just got fired.

The man looked back over his shoulder as a slick limousine pulled up to the curb.

“Is that your car?” I said, half-joking.

He smiled nicely. “It is.”

Wow. 

The car was about as big as the shoebox I was living in.

“Do you have another job to go to?” he asked.

I shook my head gently.

“Walk with me,” he stated firmly and began to walk off.

I don’t know why, but I felt compelled to follow him.  His voice was full of authority and I had already had enough arguments for one day.

“What will you do next?” He asked.

“I really don't know. The job market is still tight and I don’t have a lot of skills.  But I still have debts to pay. The landlord will probably evict me from my apartment complex,” I murmured in response. 

I didn’t mention that it was the 3rd and I was already late on paying him. 

“Do you have any family to help you out?”

I laughed at his response, “They don’t care about me.”

Although I laughed at the statement, my smile was only trying to hide the pain of having a family who disapproved of everything I did.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Oh great. 

Now he pitied me.

“Do you have many friends that could help you out?”

I just shook my head.

No amount of laughing could help hide how lonely I was feeling.

“I moved to New York two years ago.” I tried to explain to him. “And I haven’t really gotten to know many people.  Although there are so many people here, it can be quite lonely.  I’ve been talking a lot to a girl in my apartment block but she is in the same financial situation as me.  Although she would want to, she wouldn’t be able to help me out financially.”

He nodded, “I understand what you’re saying.”

How could he understand?  His suit was probably worth more than my annual wage.

“A boyfriend?” He almost seemed embarrassed by the question.

If I didn’t know better, I would have thought that he might have been hitting on me.

“My boyfriend recently left me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he commented gently.

“But he didn’t just leave me.  He also left me with all his debts.  He had gambling problem that pushed my credit card to the max.  I had to take out a loan to try and help him and of course, he didn’t have a job to pay it back.”

Stop sharing so much! 

This man didn’t want to hear about my problems.   

“Sounds like life has gotten pretty tough for you.”

“All I need is one break.  I just need one chance to get back on my feet.”

“And how much would it cost to get you back on your feet.”

“Probably twenty thousand,” I stated quietly, “That would clear all my debts and allow me to get in front.  I could buy a nice suit for some job interviews to try and secure a good job.”

I was embarrassed by the amount but he didn’t even raise an eyebrow.

Twenty thousand dollars probably wasn’t much to this man.  He has probably paid more for a single night at a hotel.

“You said you just need one break?” he questioned.

“That’s all I need.” I shrugged my shoulders. “And I would be willing to do anything for one break.”

A long pause drifted over us as we continued to walk down the street.

When we came to a quiet corner, the unknown man stopped.

“I’m Damon Walters.” he held out his hand to me.

“Abbey,” I introduced myself nervously.

As I shook his hand, it seemed to engulf mine.  His hand was large and strong, but smooth to touch.

I found him uncomfortably close.

He took a deep breath, hesitating before he continued.

“I have a proposal for you, Abbey…”

Chapter 2

I didn’t quite hear what he said the first time. 

“Pardon?” 

I wasn't giving much attention to what he is saying. I was focused on my problems and trying to think of how I was going to come up with the money for that month’s rent. 

But I knew by the way that he was looking at me that he had given me an odd request and was awaiting an answer.

He fidgeted a little and then repeated himself again. 

“I will pay for all your debts if you will spend just two nights with me…” 

I couldn’t believe my ears. 

Was this man really saying what I thought he was saying?

I stuttered, feeling awkward. 

“Um, I’m sorry…. I mean… No!” 

I felt utterly offended by his offer. 

Where does this guy get off trying to get some strange girl to come back to his place?

Wow.

I didn’t expect that. 

At first, I wondered if he did this all the time.  I guess he was a playboy like most men were.  He obviously had money and thought he could buy anything. 

He probably thought everyone bowed to the seduction of money.

And he was probably a womanizer like my ex-boyfriend Richard. 

I was something that he wanted that he just couldn’t have, so he thought he could buy me.  But the offer deeply embarrassed me. 

Was that the vibe I was giving? 

That I could be bought?

He accepted my answer, but then gave me another option. “Here is my number.” 

He thrust a business card into my hand, and before I knew it, he was gone back to his expensive limousine, where the driver opened the door for him.

I stared at the car as it drove, still in shock about the offer.

Did he think he could buy me?

Just because I had a lot of debts didn’t mean I was willing to sell my body.

Even thinking about it made me feel dirty.

Eventually, my shock turned to anger.  How dare he offer me that? 

Who did he think he was?

Men.

They only gave me trouble.

But if I thought that it was a bad start to my night, I was about to find out it was going to get even worse.  

I went back to the parking lot at work to see that my car had been broken into.  Glass was lying across the seat and the GPS I bought as a Christmas present for myself was missing. 

I sighed in defeat as I brushed the glass off the backseat.

Why did I leave the GPS in the car? 

I should have taken it out. 

I was so stupid.

I knew this was a bad parking lot and I knew that things got stolen out of cars here.  I shouldn’t have left the GPS in the car. 

Stupid me.

I called the police department but they weren’t interested in fingerprinting the car.  They asked me to come in to file a report next week but said it was very unlikely that they would find the GPS. 

And of course, my car wasn’t insured.  I couldn’t afford insurance.

I gently sobbed in the car before driving home in complete discomfort, the shards poking my stocking legs.

When I arrived at my apartment, I tried to flip on the kitchen light but it didn’t come on. 

In fact, nothing came on. 

Not the lights.  Not the television.  Nothing.

Not even the digital time readout on the face of the microwave, which was always on and blinking ‘12:00’ to light my nightly trip to the bathroom. 

I rolled my eyes and walked across the hallway of the apartment complex to the neighbor’s door.

I hate this place. 

I hate the fact that Richard broke our lease at the same time he broke our relationship, and he left me in this rat hole scrambling to pay the rent all alone. 

I was almost tempted to call him back to grovel, just so he would move back in and help me financially.  He had gotten a job since we broke up but refused to pay back anything I loaned him.  I was so close to calling him.

But I decided against it.

He was no good for me. 

And after all, he had been cheating on me with a hot blonde from across the road.  They were living together now, and if I looked out my apartment window, I could see hers.

That hurt.

Even the thought of those two living directly across the road made me upset. 

Why couldn’t she have been in another suburb? 

Why did they have to live across the road?

I knew I should call my parents and ask them for financial help. 

But that wasn’t a great idea either. 

I would rather struggle at my crummy job than listen to my dad say ‘I told you so’.  He didn’t really care anyway.  He always grumbles about how much of a pain I was. 

The last time I asked Dad to loan some money, he gave me an hour-long lecture about how bad I was at being an adult and how disappointed he was in me.

My parents disliked Richard from the moment they met him. 

They saw that he was a womanizer but I didn’t want to believe them.  His sexy body and his boyish smile distracted me from the real truth. 

I quickly found out for myself that Richard was a slime ball.  He cheated on me numerous times, verbally abused me and sucked me dry of any confidence I had ever had.

I never had much luck with men. 

I figured that I would be better off as a crazy cat lady.

“Was there a power outage, Caroline?”  I knock on my neighbor’s door. 

“No, I'm afraid it's just your place, Abbey.”

Great. 

I missed paying the electricity bill again. 

I was utterly disgusted. 

Is this my miserable plight in life?

“Coffee?” Caroline popped her head into the hallway.

“Considering I can’t boil water without electricity, I think that is a mighty fine idea.”

Caroline opened the door to her apartment to let me into the warmth. 

We have become good friends over the past few months, living across the hallway from one another.

“You look like you’ve had a rough day,” Caroline stated.

“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”

“What you need,” she continued, “Is to win big in the lotto.  Or better still, you need a billionaire to come in and sweep you off your feet.  That way you could have money and the perfect man.  Sounds like a perfect deal.”

I stared at her. 

It’s as if she read my mind.

“What?” she questioned my stare.

“Like I said, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me.”

“A man offered me money for sex today.”

“Really?” Caroline became intrigued, “Just any man or one you know?”

“I served him in the restaurant but he’s obviously got a lot of money.”

“How much did he offer?”

“Does it matter?” I questioned.

Caroline shakes her head, “Perhaps.  Was he sleazy?”

“Not at all.  He was the most handsome man I have ever laid eyes on.  He was stunningly gorgeous and when he talked to me, he took my breath away.  He was truly stunning.”

“So what’s the problem?” Caroline asked.

Caroline was five years older, and a lifetime more experienced, than I was.  She was open to what the world had to offer and was always seeking out new opportunities to excite her.

I always wished I were as adventurous as her. 

But she is also very non-judgmental.  That’s why I like her so much.

When I was going through the break-up with Richard, she was my shoulder to lean on.  She never once judged my reactions to the break-up – but she listened intently.

“The problem is that a man I don’t know offered me money for sex,” I responded as she handed across a warm of coffee.

“If he asked you out on a date, would you say yes?”

I smiled, “I suppose.”

“And would you sleep with him after a few dates?”

“Maybe,” I shrugged my shoulders, a little embarrassed by the question.

“Then what’s the problem?  If he’s good looking and not dangerous, then I don’t see the problem.  I would jump at the chance.”

“It’s not morally right to take money for sex.”

“Screw morals.  You’ve been stuffed over enough to forget about morals.  This is what you need.  How much did he offer?”

“He offered to pay all my debts.”

“All of them?”

I nod.

“And how many times did he want to have sex?”

“He wanted two nights with me.”

“Oh wow.  That’s good.  Take it,” Caroline stated to me, “You shouldn’t worry about morals.  You’ve had enough go wrong in your life to worry about.  This is your chance, your turn.  When opportunities like this present themselves, you have to take them.  If you spend one weekend with this man, then you get to start your life again.  You have to take this chance.  After one weekend, you can start again.  Don’t run away from a chance to start your life again.”

“But I don’t know if I could go through with it.”

“Don’t think about the money.  Think about the lust.  It is just sex.”

“It might be just sex to you, but sex means a lot more to me.”

“Don’t be so immature,” Caroline laughed, “Sex is sex.  It can be the most wonderful experience of your life, if you let it.  I know you still hold onto your country life values, but here in New York, you can be whoever you want to be.  If you want to have a one-night stand, do it.  Nobody will ever find out, if you don’t tell them.  Only you will know.”

“Is it really that easy?” I questioned.

“Of course it is.  You should go to his place and check the place out.  And if it gets too much, you can always leave.  But you should at least go and check it out.”

“I’ve never done anything like that before.”

“All the more reason to do it,” she laughed again, “Be free.  Let your life be free of any hang-ups.  One day you’ll look back on your life and wish you took the opportunities.  This is an opportunity you don’t want to regret missing.  Did he leave you his phone number?”

“He left a business card.”

“Call it.  Do something wild… but also set yourself up for the future.”

“What if my parents find out that I slept with someone for money?”

“Stuff them,” Caroline laughed again, “This is your life, not theirs.  You are free to make your own decisions without thinking about them.  And they would never find out if you didn’t tell them.  This isn’t a small country town like the one you grew up in.  This is New York, baby!”

“I don’t know,” I shrugged my shoulders.

As convincing as Caroline could be, I really didn’t know if I could go through with Damon’s offer.

“Look, if I was to give my younger self any advice, it would be – Don’t let opportunities pass you by.  No matter how crazy they sound.”

I smiled to Caroline’s advice and changed the subject.  I looked up to Caroline like an older sister and I really respected her opinions, but I didn’t know if I could personally go through with it. 

It just wasn’t something I ever did.

After the warm coffee and warm chat, I returned to my blacked out apartment but my luck just continued to spiral downwards.

I tripped over the cat as I made my way through my dark apartment to the bathroom.

I checked the kitchen to see if I had any flashlights but the batteries were dead in all of them. 

I opened the refrigerator and felt that the little bit of food that is left in it was slowly spoiling.

Damn.

My sigh only became louder when I realized I couldn’t take the hot shower I wanted.

Life couldn’t fall apart any further.

Alone in the dark, I sobbed quietly into my hands.

This was the pits.

I was alone, cold and dirty.

I was vulnerable.

In my moment of deep despair, I pondered Damon’s offer.  I couldn't accept his offer, but I couldn't refuse it, either. 

Maybe we could do something in between…

With no choices left, I dialed the number on my mobile phone.  The phone trembled in my hand as I listened to it ring.

To my astonishment, Damon answered on the first ring in a business-like voice.  He must have thought I was a client. 

“Hi… it’s… um… Abbey.  The girl you met today.”

“Hello Abbey.  It’s a pleasure to hear from you.  How can I help you?”

“Um… your offer today?”

“Yes.”

“May I ask what exactly can I do for you?”

“I think if you come with me to my place for two nights, that should suffice.”