Hollywood Harlot

Chapter 7

At 4:59 exactly, Bella stepped out into the great room of the cabin. She’d been charging her phone the entire time she was getting dressed, and it finally buzzed on. She had seventeen missed calls from Jake, four from Sara, and a dozen texts from each. Glancing down the hall and still seeing no sign of Jake, she called Sara back.

“Girl! What on earth is going on up there??It’s about freakin time you called,” Sara answered the phone yelling.

“I’m fine, it’s fine,” Bella said squishing up her face and putting her palm on her forehead. “I got lost in the woods.”

“I know you got lost, your hot sexy man candy called me hysterical, he was shouting so loud like a crazy person, I could barely understand him. He basically forced me to give him your number, but obviously I tried calling you too, and your phone was off, missy ma’am.”

“I know. I know, it died on the trip up here and then I tried to get to the main lodge on my own but a crazy storm came out of nowhere…”

“I know all this! I’m just glad you’re okay. Thankfully, Jake texted me as soon as he found you, or I woulda been worried sick. So thank you very much for letting me know you’re not dead ten hours later!!!”

Bella let out a deep breath. “I’m sorry, my phone just finally got charged. I promise I called you the second it turned on.”

Sara pouted on the other side of the phone. “Fine. So tell me. How is that big hunky man?”

Bella shook her head. “I honestly don’t know. It’s been a crazy 24 hours. But I met his family and everybody is super nice. In just a few more days, I’ll have enough to start looking for my studio.”

Sara tsk-tsked. “It can’t be all work and no play all the time for you, honey. You gotta live a little. Enjoy this for a minute- it’s a luxury vacation you never could have done on your own. So enjoy yourself.”

The door opened down the hall. “Listen, Sara. I have to go. But I’ll call you soon.”

“You better!” Sara said as Bella was already ending the call.

Jake walked into the room and stared at her, unsmiling. Suddenly self conscious, she looked down at the floor length sparkly silver gown and matching strappy heels Jordyn had sent over. She looked back up at him and realized he wasn’t going to say anything, so she decided not to mention anything about the fact that he looked drop dead gorgeous in his formal black tuxedo. Somehow, the slim black slacks made his long legs seem even longer, and the perfectly measured coat accentuated his broad shoulders and tapered waist.

Bella stared at him a solid sixty seconds, and then decided to be the bigger person. Just because he wanted to be a brooding, angry jerk didn’t mean she had to stoop to that level.

She smiled broadly. “You look perfectly handsome tonight,” she purred. “Shall we head to the ball and show them how it’s done, Mr. McGreen?”

She strode over to him and grabbed his hand. He looked down at it and smiled. Her heart fluttered just a little at the magnificent sight of his goofy grin.

“You’re in a chipper mood,” he semi-grunted playfully.

“No reason not to be, and I’m the one who almost died,” she teased him back.

Immediately, his countenance darkened. “Don’t remind me.”

Bella shook his hand. “Seriously, dude, what’s with the grumpy attitude? We are here to have a good time with your family. Let’s relax and have fun.”

Jake grabbed her other hand so he was facing her and holding both her hands. He looked down at her in complete sincerity. “If I’m being honest, it’s because I don’t know how to feel. I’ve hired a lot of escorts in my time…and I mean, a lot, and I barely just met you. But when I realized you were in danger…it terrified me beyond anything I’ve ever felt. I’ve never felt anything for an escort before. But you…you seem different. And that scares me.”

Jake’s eyes were wide and honest, searching her own. His vulnerability had come out of nowhere, and it made her melt inside just a little inside.

“Your number one rule was for me to not fall in love with you. Does that idea scare you, too?”

He squeezed both of her hands and lifted them up in front of her.

“I don’t want to bore you with details, especially because tonight is supposed to be a fun night. But I was with someone, Rachel, for six years. I loved her…so much…”

Jake’s voice trailed away and he broke eye contact with Bella, looking off in the distance. Her heart lurched at the thought of him loving someone else so deeply it made him become this open and vulnerable.

It was her turn to squeeze his hands. “And you got hurt.”

He looked back at her and silently nodded.

She smiled gently at him. “I got hurt too. And I don’t intend to go through that again. But we both like each other, so let’s let that be enough. While I’m here, we will enjoy each other’s company, in any way we mutually choose, but when the week is up, we go our separate ways with no hurt feelings. If we both know there’s a deadline on it, we won’t let it mean more than it is.”

Jake nodded. “You’re willing to do that?”

“I am. It makes things less messy, less complicated. I’m not an escort, so I don’t know how they usually do it, but this is how I can do it and walk away intact. I still don’t know basically anything about you, anyway. Let’s just keep it that way. Less mess, no chance of either one of us getting hurt.”

Jake smiled wistfully at her, nodding again.

“Is this mutually acceptable?” He asked as he lowered their hands, still clasped, down between their thighs and leaned down to kiss her. His kiss was firm and soft at the same time, and she craned her neck up to reach him completely.

“Mmm,” she said silkily. “Definitely mutually acceptable.”

Jake’s eyes glinted as he released one hand and began leading her out of the cabin.

He looked back over his shoulder at her. “By the way, Miss Brown, I’m not sure if I mentioned it yet, but you look damn sexy tonight.”

Bella blushed and felt the fire in her belly begin to burn again. “You did not.”

Jake shook his head. “Then my apologies, because damn. So sexy.”

****

Jake offered Bella his arm and she linked hers around his as they entered the Great Hall.

“Oooh,” Bella breathed. “This is quite the welcome dinner.”

The entire room was shimmery and white. Perfect white linens covered the tables and white chairs with white ribbons encircled each table. There were white fairy lights everywhere, which made the silver chandeliers suspended from the ceiling reflect dancing light all throughout the room.

“I fit right in,” Bella said, looking down at her shimmery silver dress and laughing.

“Oh, believe me, that was intentional,” Jake replied, grabbing two glasses of wine as a waiter walked by with a tray. “Wine okay tonight?”

“Sure, but just a glass. I’m still recovering from last night,” Bella said.

“Bella! Jake!” Jordyn called from across the room, and they walked over to where she was wildly waving her arms.

Jess sat at a table in a floor length white velvet gown. Jordyn wore a fairy dress with a sequin covered halter top and big, fluffy white skirt.

“You both look great,” Bella said.

“You too,” Jordyn gushed. “And you, Jake.”

“I understand I have you to thank for that. I appreciate you letting me borrow a dress. Your welcome dinner is beautiful.”

Jordyn clapped. “I know, right? I can’t believe I’m getting married so soon! It’s finally here!”

With that, Jordyn flitted off to go mingle with other guests.

“Jake, will you please go get me a martini?” Jess asked. “Bella will sit here and keep me company.”

He raised an eyebrow to check and see if that was okay for her, and she nodded, so he kissed her quickly on the lips and headed to the bar as Bella sat next to Jess.

“I’m glad to see you looking so much better,” Bella said, turning toward her.

“Yes. I’m glad I could be here for Jordyn. But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”

Bella nodded. “Okay.” She glanced around for Jake, suddenly worried where the conversation was headed.

“I know you say you’ve only just met, but I can see he’s absolutely smitten with you. The way he looks at you, and the way he was worried about you…I’ve only seen him act like that one other time.”

“Rachel, you mean.”

Jess shifted in her seat to move closer to Bella. “See, even the fact he’s told you about her, that speaks volumes. He never talks about her.”

“I care about Jake, if that’s what you’re asking.” Bella responded.

“I’m sure you do. I just want to know why.”

Bella was taken aback. “I don’t know if I have an answer to that. We had a rocky start, but now he’s kind, and considerate. He cares about people, and I feel drawn to him.”

“And he’s hot?” Jess asked.

“Well, of course, but appearance is not on my priority list, really.”

“And what exactly is on your priority list, then?” Jess prodded.

“The things I mentioned already. Kindness. Compassion. Honesty. Loyalty.”

“Money?” Jess asked.

“What?” Bella stood up from the table. “Why would you even say such a thing?”

Jess shrugged. “I’m sorry, but I have to look out for my brother. What happened with Rachel nearly killed him, and I can’t let anyone else hurt him. So I looked you up. I know you’re not a professional escort and I know you clean rooms at a small roadside motel, so I know you can’t have much money of your own. What I haven’t figured out, yet, was why you ran from NYU with just eight weeks to go until graduation. But I can only assume someone in your…position now…would certainly stand to benefit from rubbing elbows with Paul Sawyer. Or better yet, making him fall in love with you and give his money away.”

“Paul Sawyer? Who is Paul Sawyer?!” Bella asked, taking a step away from Jess. Her eyes darted around the room and she saw Jake returning with his sister’s drink in his hand. Bella hastily backed up, knocking into one of the beautiful chairs, and turned to flee to the balcony as fast as she could. She stepped out into the cold air, not even feeling the chill on her bare skin, fuming at the suggestions Jess had made. According to her, Jake must have money, but she couldn’t care less about that. But who was Paul? And what did he have to do with anything? Bella’s mind was reeling and she didn’t know what to think.

“Fancy meeting you here,” a voice sounded from the shadows.

Alex stepped away from the balcony railing and walked over to her. “I’m sure you’re already aware, but you look fantastic.”

Bella glanced him up and down in his tux. “So do you, but I thought you’d be in chef attire tonight.”

“The work is done. And now it’s just time to serve it. And Carolyn insisted I attend,” he laughed lightheartedly. “But enough of that. Is everything okay?”

Bella realized she was breathing hard. Her mind was still reeling with a thousand questions. The day could not possibly have gone any further off course than she’d expected. She had so many thoughts rushing through her head, she didn’t even notice when she started shivering.

“You’re cold,” Alex said simply, pulling his jacket off and draping it over her shoulders like a shawl.

She pulled it around herself tightly. “Thank you, that was very kind of you,” she said.

“So you want to talk about why you really came out here to escape?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Not really. But you’re right, I needed to escape for a minute.”

Alex looked at her thoughtfully and grabbed her hand. “Come with me then,” he said, and she followed.

They walked to the end of the expansive balcony, to find a small wooden staircase at the very end. They walked down the stairs together, and Alex led her to a small wooden patio behind the back door. The resort was built on a hill, so even from that lower level, she could still look down into the valley, at the base of the ski slopes. The patio he led her to was tucked into an alcove of the building, and had several Adirondack chairs set up around a fire pit, which was burning brightly.

“Sit here, you’ll warm up fast,” Alex said, motioning to a chair.

Bella obliged and rubbed her hands by the fire. They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before Alex said, “Pardon me if I’m overstepping, but I feel there’s something I must say. I know the look someone gets in their eyes when they’re running from something. And I see it in you. I just want to make sure you are okay, from whatever it is you’re fleeing.”

Bella’s eyes opened wide. Could he really see all that? She smiled sadly and thought for a moment before responding. “I’m safe, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Alex nodded and leaned back in his chair. That answer seemed to satisfy him, and they sat by the fire comfortably as the minutes passed.

Suddenly, footsteps bounded down the same small stairs they’d traveled down.

“And what in the hell is this?!” Jake thundered as he stared down at the two of them. Bella gulped but then stood up to meet him face to face.