My Deadly Escort

6

   I slam my coffee down onto my desk and sit down; I pull the chair closer as I open the laptop. I clear my search history, erasing every trace of the word escort. My stomach sours as the word crosses my mind, angry tears threaten to spill again and I blink them away hastily.
   Sunday morning I'd woken to a cold, empty bed. No trace of Kayden remained and if it wasn't for the throbbing between my thighs I would have thought I'd made the entire thing up.
   But I hadn't, and the rejection stung like hell.
This was why I never got involved with men, because this always happened each time. I bury my head in my hands as I take a few deep breaths, I had to collect myself. It was one night, I'd allowed it to happen and I really only had myself to blame.
   "Rough weekend?" Caity asks, slipping into my office. I groan as I raise my head to her, she raises an eyebrow.
   "You look like hell." She plops down into the free seat across from me and sips her coffee, we still had ten minutes until the day technically began.
   "I feel like it, god remind me again why the fuck I thought it was a good idea to get that escort."
   "WHAT DID I MISS!" She shouts, she leans into the table and stares at me intensely. I lean back and groan, I tell her what happened. How he'd come over for his keys and how one thing led to another and how I'd woken up alone with no explanation.
   "What the fuck. I'm so sorry." She gives me a sympathetic smile as she checks her watch.
   "On smoko you're telling me every juicy detail, it's too bad he turned out to be an ass he was so hot... like, Mahlia couldn't stop gushing about him after you guys left." At the mention of her name I remember the work load I have to complete today, I wave bye to Caity and pull up the required documents and my emails.
   As time ticks by I find myself losing concentration, and once thirty minutes pass with me looking at a blank screen I pull my phone out of my pocket. I get up our messages, refusing to read the earlier ones.

Shay: So...are you going to explain yourself?

I hit send before I can talk myself out of it and place the phone face down, my heart picks up speed and my palms sweat. I just needed to know what was so bad about me that caused him to run as fast as he did. I thought we'd really connected, more than I ever had with anyone else since Blake. My phone vibrates and I almost vomit with the anxiety that flows through me; I pick it up with shaky hands.

Kayden: Hi, Kayden left his pone at home. Who is this? What needs explaining?

Shay: I'm Shay, he escorted me to a formal event Saturday night and a friend of mine wanted me to ask about how he got into it as they're interested. Who is this?

The lie comes to me easily and I begin to fill with guilt, my heart is racing a million miles an hour and I've never felt so on edge in my life. Why didn't I tell the truth?

Kayden: His girlfriend.

This time I do throw up. I grab the office bin and empty my breakfast into it, oh my god he had a girlfriend and I'd fucked him. He'd spent the night with me while she was at home. I grab the phone and reply hastily.

Shay: Ok no worries, thanks anyway!

I delete his number immediately and slam the phone into one of the draws in my desk, fresh tears threaten to break my walls down as I try desperately to compose myself.
Of course he'd have a girlfriend, look at him, how could he not? Did he sleep with every girl he escorted? And why sleep with me and spend the night and not mention such a vital detail? A headache begins to blossom behind my eyes with the thoughts running a million miles an hour. 
   I shake myself, wiping at my cheeks. 
He's an escort, he has a girlfriend. He should have been the one to stop what had happened, I wasn't the one who made a commitment to someone. I didn't even know about her and if I did I would never had offered for him to stay the night, I would have given him his keys and shut the door behind him. 
   I dive into my work, plowing through the column Mahlia had wanted me to adjust. I lose myself in the work, missing my first smoke break and forgetting about lunch. I had to catch up for my tardiness on Saturday night, I should have known better.
   A knock draws me from my thoughts, I look up to see Caity open the door and peer in. She smiles when she see's me.
   "What's up?" I ask, my hands hover over the keyboard. I was currently finishing the design Mahlia had taken me off of, no doubt she'd change her mind the day before it was due and would come  back and give it to me. I could be prepared. 
   "We have the new model here for next months cover," Caity opens the door all the way and stands to the side to where Mahlia is talking to a stunning blonde. She's as tall as Mahlia, her slim waist is decorated with a gold chain that hangs over the curve of her hips and trails down the white skintight dress she wears. Gold jewelry adorns her wrists and neck, she glances our way and radiates a large and warm smile.
   Her features are fox-like, the smokey eye shadow brings out her bright blue eyes. Her large breasts are on display through the sheer material that covers her chest. She's stunning, next months cover is going to blow up with her face on it. 
     "Damn," I mutter as I stand, I tug at the edges of my skirt as I walk around my desk and follow Caity out into the main area. Mahlia smiles as we approach.
     "Caity, Shay, this is Maddi Henderson. She's going to be the gorgeous face of next months cover. I was hoping you could both escort her up to the photo room and make her comfortable while the cameraman gets set up." Mahlia smiles brightly at Maddi, she offers a pedicured hand to me. I take it, shaking briefly. 
   "Hey, it's lovely to meet you. I've heard wonderful things about this company." her voice is high pitched, making me wince slightly. 
   "It's nice to meet you as well, I'm sure the front cover is going to look amazing."
Her phone pings in her white bag, she ruffles through whatever she has in there and pulls it out; holding it to her ear she silently dismisses herself and stands off to the side. Mahlia narrows her eyes at both of us.
   "I have a lot riding on these photo shoots, if either of you make a mistake your jobs here cease to exist. Is that clear?" she whispers.
   "Yes Mahlia." Caity and I say in unison. She looks between us once more before straightening and plastering a smile back on her face when Maddi approaches us again. She waves a hand in the air, her perfume showering me. Sweet like honey. 
   "Sorry that was my partner, are we ready?" she asks, looking to me for confirmation. I clear my throat and clasp my hands.
   "Of course, this way." I turn and head towards the elevator, Caity walks behind me and chats to Maddi. I drone out the conversation, every model seemed to have the same answers. Caity jots down everything she says, the question she asks. She'd be writing up the column about Maddi, attaching all her social medias. The elevator stops as we enter the large open room, a white photo sheet is folded in half and takes up the middle of the room. Black flash lights are set up on the sides while Danny, our cameraman, adjusts the angles of his camera. 
   "I was thinking my partner could come next week and be in some of the photos for me?" she asks, setting her purse down on the white desk that's set up for her beside her black high chair. 
   "Yeah of course, I'm sure Mahlia would be thrilled by that." Caity assures her, nodding her head. 
   "People love to see models that share their live, it really makes them feel like they're apart of it." I say, I walk over to Danny and leave Caity to talk with Maddi. He looks up from beneath his orange curls and smiles. Dimples come to life on either cheek, his face is splattered with an array of freckles. 
   "Hey, how's it going?" he asks. 
   "Same old shit. She's a stunning model." we both look behind us. Caity helps fix her hair and tidies the small creases in her dress, she walks over with confidence I could only ever dream of having.
   "Alright, I'm ready now." she beams, I watch in awe as she walks straight out and stands;  hand on her hip and the other touching her cheeks and lips. Danny winks to me before turning and looking through the camera lens. 
   I stand back with Caity and watch as she poses. My mind begins to drift off and I begin to repeat the events of Saturday night. What a disaster. Maybe this was my sign that I shouldn't date, that I should just stay clear of men in general.
   I'd be more than happy to own ten cats and live in my apartment alone. 
Wow. Depressing. 
   "Hey, you can go back down if you want. I think I've got it." Caity whispers, drawing me from my thoughts. 
   "Yes thank you, I still have more sketch ups to do." I look over to Maddi, I wave and catch her eye. She waves back and smiles before looking back to the camera. I leave them behind feeling heavy, a few more hours and I'd be in the confines of my safe place.
   With Kayden's ghost still there, maybe I'd be better off at work.