Chapter Twelve
Hailey
I felt completely stupid at first coming into the club and approaching Caleb at his booth. The blonde with him had given me a looked that should have stopped my heart. Had I not been on the job, I probably would have just walked away, but since I knew I could claim him as mine, I stood my ground and won my prize. It was a great feeling knowing that you could just go up and get the best-looking man in the room. Of course, it was all just fake, but I would enjoy it while I could.
I felt foolish, fairly confident I would never have approached a guy in my life. I preferred someone come to me; rejection was something I hated. I always believed that a man should approach a woman if he was interested in her.
But since I knew I was there for Caleb, being the one to make a move was an empowering feeling. I already knew that he wanted me to approach him, so it made all the normal insecurities in those situations completely disappear. Caleb was easy to play with because he obviously knew I was there for him.
I danced close to him on the dance floor, and if I didn’t know better, I would think that he had a thing for me. There was a point that I thought he was going to grab my ass, but he kept his hands to himself. He seemed very attracted to me, and even a little turned on, but that could have all been an act, for all I knew.
I was not particularly happy with the fact that my role was to play someone’s girlfriend, but the money was too much to pass up. Besides, I didn’t exactly have any new gigs cropping up. While I was at the hotel, I had started to think that maybe there would be more to the gig that I could take advantage of besides getting paid.
Caleb was an influential man and was always in the media. There was a chance that he could help me with my career; he may know some important people. He was wealthy and famous, after all; there was a good chance that I could end up with my big break just by being involved in this gig. The more I thought about it, the better I felt about the whole situation. I could take every opportunity that came my way and see if there were other doors that could be opened.
I would take advantage of whatever I could, and this girlfriend gig could turn into something so much bigger. It was a gig that would be a lot of fun if I just got into character more. Many girls would kill to be in my position, being wined and dined by a handsome man. Just the thought of it put a huge smile on my face.
“What are you smiling at, gorgeous?”
I turned to Caleb, whom I was sitting beside in the booth. We had tired of dancing and had gone back for a drink. I was sipping a vodka tonic and didn’t realize that I had got lost in my own thoughts. We had been having a good talk while socializing and I had to admit I wasn’t having a terrible time. The club was one of the most exclusive ones in the area, and I couldn’t help but feel important just being there with him. I had never been in a club like this before; if I would have tried, I probably would have spent the night outside in a line.
“I was just thinking about what a good time I was having. It’s been fun.”
“I agree, and I’m glad you are having a good time. So, Hailey, tell me a little more about yourself? Tell me about your acting career, how has that been going.”
Oh, God, that was the last thing that I wanted to talk about with him. He was a successful, important person. I didn’t want to have to tell him that I couldn’t even get a job on a reality TV show. I wouldn’t want him to regret hiring me. But what could I say? I couldn’t lie to him. It’s not like I had been in anything big that I could brag about. If I sat there and told him what my acting career was really like he probably wouldn’t be able to stop laughing. I didn’t want to look like a complete loser in front of him.
“Oh gosh, you don’t want to hear about that. It’s boring, and I’ve just kind of started, you know. Getting my feet wet.”
“Well, I’d love to hear about some of the gigs you’ve done. It sounds like a lot of fun.”
“Wow, do you find it hot in here? Do you mind if I excuse myself to go to the bathroom?”
He looked alarmed, “No, of course not. Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I smiled, “I’ll be right back.” I winked at him as I left the booth. It was nice to be out of the booth where I could breathe. I made my way through the crowd and found the ladies room. I was impressed by the fact that even the bathroom was upscale and luxurious. There was a couch in the room, and I went to sit down on the supple leather. I didn’t need to go to the bathroom; I just needed a bit of a break from my role.
I was getting tired and thought about heading home shortly. It was getting late, and I didn’t need to be there all night. After all, I was playing the part of a girl; that meant that I could be as mysterious as I wanted to be.
I pulled out my phone and texted my sister. I hadn’t talked to her since I got to Miami and I wanted to let her know that everything was okay.
Hailey- How are you?
Mandy got back to me in the fraction of a second, which made me smile. She always had her phone with her, so it was rare that she didn’t get back to me right away.
Mandy- What took u so long? I’ve been dying to hear all about it.
Hailey- Sorry, it’s been crazy. I got the job. It’s decent so far, but a little weird, if u know what I mean.
Mandy- That’s awesome.
Hailey- Yeah, I just can’t believe I’m moving here – it’s such a big step. Am I crazy?
Mandy- No, of course not. It’s a great opportunity. It’s only for 3 months then u move back if u want.
Hailey- True. Caleb is so hot! It’s distracting lol Ugh!
Mandy- I bet lol That’s hilarious, but doesn’t sound like a bad gig. Lots of $$$ and a hot guy? Sounds like an easy decision to me.
Hailey- Ok, ok. Lol, I will stop complaining. I wish u were here.
Mandy- So do i. I miss u already.
Hailey- It’s too bad that u weren’t here. But I will be back there tomorrow.
Mandy- Yes I can’t wait. How long before you have to be back?
Hailey- I have 3 days to get my life settled there and move.
Mandy- Oh wow! Lol, The bistro should be really impressed.
Hailey- Well, unless they are willing to pay me 50k, they can’t really blame me for going.
Mandy- U deserve this, so don’t feel guilty
Hailey- What am I going to do without u here? I’ll lose my mind.
Mandy- I can be there, just bring me with u. I can’t stay here alone; I will be so lonely. Plus, I can help you in any way that u need.
I hadn’t thought about having Mandy with me, but why not? She could work from anywhere because she was a writer, and it would be a relief to have someone I knew around. We could have a blast. I wasn’t sure where she would stay, but since I had planned on getting an apartment originally, we could still split one, and that would give me the chance to escape the property at times if I needed some freedom.
I would let Caleb know, of course, that she would be coming as a support system for me. I couldn’t imagine that he would care. It would be easy; all it would take is for Mandy to pick up her laptop and come with me. It would make the gig easier because I would have some support on my side. We could go to the beach together, and she wouldn’t have to worry about money because she would still be able to work whenever she wanted to. She might even network some new clients while she was in the area.
When I left the bathroom, I felt a lot better about the situation. I headed back to the booth and sat beside Caleb. I was done with the night, however, and wanted to head back to my hotel. I had played the part, and I had no intention of being the kind of girl that went home with a guy on the first night, so there was no reason for people to see us leaving together.
I leaned in to him and kissed him on the cheek, which brought a huge smile to his face. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Are you leaving?” he said with surprise.
“Yes, I’m tired. Maybe I’ll see you again soon.” He knew I was just playing with him, but it was fun to be coy.
“I would like that.”
I got up to leave, casting a look over my shoulder, and was surprised to see a disappointed look on his face. It was obvious that he thought I was at least going to spend the night with him at the club. He probably even wondered if I would go home with him and sleep with him. Well, this was a job for me, and I wasn’t about to do anything to risk it. We both understood that. I felt like I had all the power in the situation, and, why shouldn’t I? This was my first real gig.