Chapter Two
Stephanie
The hours seemed to tick by at a snail's pace as I tossed and turned back and forth in my bed. I felt as if I were a toddler who had gotten all jacked up on sugar and refused to nap. My mind was wrapped around Rider’s handsome face. It was strange how obsessed I was with this man when I didn’t even know a single thing about him.
I wondered who had taken the photo of him, and where he had been; what else he had done that day. Then my mind would insert a classic token of horror, to that ‘what if’ scenario of the million’s of ways everything about the date could go wrong. Most of the emotional cutting my brain did to me was in the prime of three in the morning. What else would my mind have to do in the middle of the night other than daydream a nightmare situation created from sheer imagination?
I stayed up daydreaming for hours until my alarm clock shrieked to life forcing me to jump out of bed faster than necessary. What was wrong with me? I was a ball of nerves and all because of some man I had yet to meet.
All I had to do was make it through classes this morning and I could make my choice. Shoving from the bed I got up and got ready for the day, a part of me hoping it would go faster than normal, while the other part of me hoped it would drag because as much as I felt like a high-class whore going on dates with men and being paid for it I had to take this leap of faith. I had no other choice because there was not going to be anyone else there to cast out a rescue net to me and take up my tuition if I didn’t act in a quick way. I didn’t want to find myself twirled around the business end of a stripper pole. I shoved the shitty thought to the back of my mind and headed to class praying things would work in my favor if only this one time.
***
I sat outside Youger hall on a park bench facing the baseball field. The sun was bright and I had kicked myself for forgetting my sunglasses on my kitchen counter this morning.
Squinting in the glare of the sun, and without the protection of shade I took my backpack off my shoulders and unzipped the largest compartment to shove my anatomy and physiology book back inside. I was so close to finishing my nursing degree I could taste it. I swear the books alone could bankrupt a person with the insane amount of money that they cost to buy or rent them.
My cell chimed to life in my pocket signaling and incoming text. I plucked the device from my pocket and looked at the name that blinked across the screen.
Zoey: Please tell me you sold your virginity to that guy?
A bubble of laughter escaped my lips as I read her text. She was crazy if she thought I was going to sell my virginity to some random dude I had yet to meet. Then again, it wasn’t all that bad of an idea.
Me: I didn’t sell anything to him. I haven’t even texted him yet.
I hit send without a backward glance, and before I could even place my phone on my lap I had an incoming text message.
Zoey: Time is money sweetheart. Ask him how much he would pay you if you went to second base on the first date?
I couldn’t even be mad about her crude humor not when I knew I would do just about anything possibly even let this stranger go to second base with me.
Me: Don’t be a dick.
I sent my response and got up from the park bench to head back to my apartment. That was one of the better perks of taking half days. You got out at noon and could go home and nap, or veg out the rest of the day.
As I descended the hill my phone started ringing. Zoey’s name flashed across the screen so of course, I answered it.
“Hello?” I tried to sound like I didn’t care that she was calling me completely out of the blue but truthfully after being friend’s as long as we had been, there was no way she couldn’t tell how I was feeling about this whole dating thing.
“Spill the beans. I know something is up with you. You’re a ball of nerves.” She took the words right out of my mouth. I squeezed my eyes shut stopping dead in my tracks on the walking trail. I didn’t want to be a Debbie downer but I was getting cold feet over this. Yeah, I needed the money but not at the risk of possibly falling in love. That was literally the last thing I needed.
“I’m getting cold feet. I want to do this, I really do but I worry about the consequences. Like what if we end up liking each other? Am I ready for a relationship, am I ready to even enter the dating scene?” A million questions were running through my head.
“Shut up Stephanie, and I do mean that in the best friend kind of way. You’re twenty-one and a virgin. You’re ready to enter the dating scene and this guy regardless of the money he is willing to pay to go out on a date with you seems like the perfect guy to start things off with.” I bit my bottom lip weighing my options. Zoey was right, she was always right, and sometimes I fucking hated it.
“Okay, you’re right but what if it leads to more. I already feel this strange connection to him and we haven’t even met, and what if he finds out the reason that I need the money?” Moment’s like these were the ones I was glad I had Zoey for. She could keep me sane, and away from the edge of the cliff.
“Then he finds out. You know what I’m coming over, and were going to contact this guy together. I’m going to be your wing woman. Got it?” There was no saying no to Zoey not when she had that I’m-on-a-mission tone to her voice.
“Uh, I guess?” I started walking again hoping to make it back to the apartment before Zoey did, though truthfully Zoey probably never left her apartment for the day.
“No guesses. We’re getting you a date, then money, then laid. It’s time that Stephanie becomes a full-fledged woman.” I wished like hell that I could have half the confidence that Zoey did, instead of being the meek, shy girl in the corner of the library, peering over her book at you. Zoey helped me open up, now I just needed to follow through on whatever instructions she gave me.
“Okay, I’ll be there in five,” I mumbled into the phone, before hanging up. There was no going back now. I was going to be going on a date with Rider one way or another. When I finally arrived at my house, Zoey had already made herself at home having poured a glass of Riesling for both of us. I downed the glass faster than I should have. I felt warm, and fuzzy with a buzz that I hoped would give me the liquid courage I needed to talk to Rider. My only fear was that he wouldn’t show interest back and then what? What if he decided to ignore me or shoot me down? I shoved the negative thoughts to the back of my mind, at least for now while my eyes drifted over to Zoey. She was wearing flower print leggings and a gray t-shirt. She looked sexy and trendy all the time and I wish I had that same flawless ability to look hot in something so simple and thrown together on a whim. She jumped onto the couch and tucked her legs behind her then patted at the empty spot next to her motioning for me to take a seat beside her.
She pulled out her laptop. “Come on babe, it’s now or never!”
I exhaled as I took a step in her direction, but not before grabbing the bottle of wine that Zoey had opened off the counter. AlphasOnTop.com was loading on the page when I finally took my seat. “So, have you thought about what you are going to say when you reach out to Mr. Right?” She eyed me curiously with a smirk poised on her red lips.
“Well, get this. How ironic that his last name is actually Wright. But with a W, not an R.” Zoey and I busted into hysterical laughter as the wine ran through our veins warming and relaxing us both into comfortable states.
“Hello, I’m Stephanie and your boyish grin has me curious to get to know you better. I would love to meet up for dinner sometime. If you’re interested please respond back to this message and we can set something up.” I said the words aloud as I typed them into the screen, then I squealed and hit send. I blew out another breath, feeling the stress lift from my shoulders. Now the bigger question was: would he respond? If he didn’t, I would just move on to the next guy, or at least until someone did. That sounded so pathetic, but I was determined to stay in school after all I’d been through and how far I’d come. I was still angry at my father for cutting me off, but I knew that he had no other choice and had his own minefield of problems to dodge at the moment.
Seconds later a small little number one popped up beside the inbox button signaling a response. My hands were shaking as I moved the cursor over the inbox button. I clicked it once, my eyes refusing to leave the screen as the next page loaded.
I let Zoey read his response to me out loud as I tried to calm my beating heart. “Hey Stephanie, you are beautiful. I love your long blonde hair, as shown in your profile picture. I would love to have dinner with you this weekend if you are up for it? Just let me know. Thanks, Rider.”
I jumped off the couch and started pacing the floor. This was it, the solution to at the very least half my problems. All I had to do was agree to this date, go on it and then collect my payment. “Steph, do you even realize what has just happened here? Can you really believe how easy that was? You are going to get to stay in school just by going on dates with guys. I mean seriously Stephanie. You are going to be paid five thousand dollars to go to dinner with some rich trust fund asshole. It doesn’t get much better than this”
Zoey might have been even more excited than I was. I was happy to have the opportunity to make fast cash, but I was also extremely terrified. What if this guy was a sexual predator and raped and killed me? I had to make sure Zoey had all the information and details about where I would be so that if she didn’t hear from me after an allotted amount of time she would know where to start looking. I tried to push those thoughts away though and just allow myself to be happy in the moment, because in the end I did just solve some of my own problems and all because of one website, and one date.
All I would have to do is act bubbly, and friendly while flashing a little boob, and maybe even a smile here and there. I would have to act pretty and flirty, thought the truth was I didn’t know how to act pretty because I didn’t feel pretty. I was used to hanging out at the library where you literally wouldn’t even find a jock or half-way cute guy. Plus I didn’t have the trendy clothes or fashion sense that Zoey had. I started to panic inside thinking about what I was going to wear and I hadn’t even finalized plans with Rider yet.
I typed: I would love to get together and have dinner with you. Just tell me when and where, and I’ll be there.” My gazed collided with Zoey’s to determine whether she approved? A sour look crossed her features and I knew what I typed out was no good.
“Stephanie, that’s lame and desperate. How about we say this instead; Hey Rider, I would love to have dinner with you. Just let me know the details and we can plan from there. She took the laptop out of my hands and typed it in. I shrugged my shoulder and went along with whatever she said, because when it came to the dating game she knew what she was doing, and honestly I was riding on this date so I could pay for the rest of this year's classes.
Just like the first time, moments later we had a response, except this time I took the laptop back from Zoey and read his response for myself.
Rider: Perfect! I can’t wait to meet you, how about Luigi’s on Market Street, at seven this Friday? I blinked as I stared at the screen in awe, Zoey pulled the laptop out of my hands once again and read what Rider had said.
“Holy fuck, that place is fancy, I remember hearing somewhere that each entrée costs like fifty dollars. He’s totally going to try and wine and dine you right out of your good girl panties.” I had heard of Luigi’s a time or two since my father always met his business partners there, and I knew it was a super ritzy Italian restaurant downtown since they advertised it on TV all the time. I clasped my hands together, all while my anxiety seemed to climb. This was all so surreal now.
“This is it. I’m really going to do it, Zoey. I’m really going to go out on a date with some rich asshole just so I can finish paying for school.” I couldn’t believe it. I brought the wine bottle to my lips and took a long pull from it, letting the smooth wine slip down my throat with ease, praying it would wash away all my fears.
“Slow it down Princess, wine hangovers are a real thing. Remember that one time?” Zoey reminded me as she grabbed the bottle of wine, taking it away from me.
I nodded my head, yes, swallowing the wine in my mouth before speaking. “I’m so worried that I won’t be good enough for him Zoe. I spend my time studying and planning a future. This isn’t me. I don’t go on dates, or dress up.” I pouted.
“Shhh… You’ll do just fine. If you need anything you know you can come to me and I’ll help you out. I’ve got your back girl, that’s what friends are for,” Zoe assured me, letting my lean my head on her shoulder. I guess things could be worse, he could be ugly? Right?
Okay, maybe that was mean but either way, I needed to find a positive look on things because I was on the verge of an anxiety attack.
***
The week moved faster than I ever expected it to and once Friday had come I was sure I had no fingernails. I rifled through my closet tossing dress, after dress over my shoulder. Nothing seemed to stand out like it should. I wanted to knock this guy off his feet, not make him run for the door.
I exhaled a breath and gathered my wits, exiting my apartment and heading a floor down to Zoey’s. My fist landed on the door harder than necessary. Zoey whipped the door open as if I were Cinderella. Then like a buzz kill, her smile turned to a frown in ten seconds flat.
“Really Steph, you are as white as a ghost, and I don’t mean that in a good way. Get in here and let me help you get ready.” Immediately, Zoey shoved a glass of white wine at me and I took a few sips of it but put it back down on the counter. I felt nauseated. I was sure at this point a full out family of butterflies was jumping on a trampoline inside of my stomach.
I wrung my hands together once more, staring my best friend. “I don’t know if I can do this. I feel like I’m going to puke.” I looked down at the floor feeling as if I had made a terrible mistake. Maybe it would be a better idea to get a job bartending or even waitressing.
Zoey, being the amazing friend she was, took me by the hand and stared me directly in the eyes. She was always brutally honest, and I knew I could trust any advice she had to offer me. “Listen to me, Stephanie. You’re beautiful and sexy, and so damn smart. You have so much potential that you don’t even see in yourself. Let’s pick out something for you to wear that’s going to make this guy drool all over you the first minute he lays eyes on you.” I gave her a half smile, loving that she could pull me from my self-induced stupor. If I didn’t go on a date now, then I never would.
Zoey practically dragged me into her bedroom, opening the doors to her walk-in closet, a closet that was chalk full of clothes.
“Seriously Zoey?” I raised an eyebrow at her obscene amount of clothing and shoes. She shrugged and went to work on finding me something that would make Rider drop dead. Ten minutes later and we picked out a red strapless dress.
I wanted to wear the black one but Zoey told me we had to make a bold statement right from the get-go. Not to mention, she said since we were going to be eating Italian food it was an added bonus to wearing red in case I spilled red wine or spaghetti on myself. She was only kidding but her little joke helped lighten my spirit a little. I watched the time on my cell phone as I let her work her magic on me. She curled my hair perfectly, making my straight blonde locks come to life. Then she transitioned to my make-up, giving me the little touches that I needed. Once I was all made up, she pulled me over to her floor length mirror and made me stare back at my own reflection. She stood behind me and chanted to me over and over how pretty I was, and that I needed to start recognizing it for myself.
As I looked at the blonde girl in the mirror, I was shocked to believe it was really me? I was slender but with curves in the right places. My hair looked phenomenal. What guy wouldn't crave a blonde bombshell?
“Alright babe, it’s time to go make some money.” Zoey winked at me with a twinkle in her eye. I thanked her for being such a great friend and gathered my clutch and cell phone before saying goodbye and walking out the front door. I exhaled a breath, shoving all the negative thoughts from my mind. Even if I didn’t want to admit it I was doing this for so much more than just the money. Not having a boyfriend when you were a junior in college just seemed wrong, and I needed to make it a right.