But despite my annoyance, a soft thrill crept over me. I was going to Scotland. First-class. I was flying overseas. Granted, it was for work and with an asshole, but this was amazing. I wondered how much time I would have to myself. I wondered if I’d be able to explore Edinburgh. I’d go to the coffee shop where JK Rowling had written Harry Potter and then I’d visit Edinburgh Castle. Maybe I’d even have enough time to visit the Isle of Skye; it had been on my list forever.
All of a sudden, I was wide awake. I was going to Scotland! It was going to be amazing. And then my phone rang again.
“Hello,” I said, already annoyed.
“Don’t forget to book your flight for coach.” Dylan sounded like he was grinning. “I didn’t want you to think you were flying first class as well.”
“Okay.” I pressed my lips together. Jerk.
“And you might want to book a hostel for your accommodation.” He was definitely smiling. “I’ll have a suite at the Waldorf Astoria, I prefer the Sir Walter Scott suite, but the Robert L. Stevenson suite will do. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me in the office. Don’t forget my latte and a plain croissant.”
“Yes, sir.”
He hung up again.
I hated him. I really hated him. He was such an asshole. I stared at the card on the table I’d gotten the other night to be a dancer. Before I could lose my nerve, I decided I would call the number. I needed to save up as much money as I could and fast because I could already tell that I wasn’t going to be able to work for Dylan McAllister for much longer without killing him.
“Hello, can I speak to Catalina please?” I was standing outside the office with Dylan’s coffee and croissant and my heart was racing.
“This is Catalina, who is this?”
“Hi, this is Abby. We met the other night outside the club. You gave me your card …?”
“Oh yes, I remember you, the exotic beauty.”
“Well, I don’t know that I would say that.” I stumbled over my words.
“You don’t look like the run-of-the-mill girl.” She grinned. “You’ll be perfect as a cake popper.”
“Well, if you say so.” I chewed on my lower lip.
“When can you start?”
“As soon as possible, though I’m not free this weekend. A work gig, but …”
“I have a party tomorrow,” she cut me off. “We need a girl. It’s a bachelor party. It pays well. Nice guys. You won’t be expected to do more than dance.”
“Tomorrow?” I swallowed hard. This was moving faster than I thought.
“It pays two grand.” She sounded amused at my tone. “Also make sure you’re fully clean.”
“Fully clean?” I was confused.
“No hair. Down there. The bikini is revealing. You don’t want a bush showing.”
“Oh. Okay.” I chewed on my lower lip. “How revealing?”
“It won’t show anything.” She laughed. “But it will come pretty close. So are you in, or no?”
“Uhm … I …” I wasn’t sure what to do. I hadn’t had a bikini wax in months. And I wasn’t sure how I felt prancing around in front of strange men with barely anything on. It felt like it might be slightly degrading.
“Two grand for two hours, Abby. It’s up to you. You called me.”
“Uhm, sure. Okay, I’ll do it.” I’d go and get a bikini wax on my lunch break. “Should I bring anything with me?”
“Just yourself.” She sounded pleased. “I’ll text you the address. Don’t be late.”
“Okay, and thanks, Catalina.”
“No, thank you, Abby. I’m sure you will enjoy it.” And with that, she was gone.
I took a deep breath that turned into a groan when I realized I was going to be five minutes late getting to the office. I squared my shoulders and walked into the building. Time to deal with AB, but I wasn’t going to let him rile me.
If I worked both jobs for the next few months, I could pay off a huge chunk of my debt and build up my savings. I just had to think of the long-term goal. AB might think he had the better of me, but I was going to have the better of him.
I nodded to the girl at the front desk, adjusted my glasses, and headed to the elevator. Another day was about to begin and I was going to need all of my patience to get through it.
Chapter 19
Dylan
* * *
“Ms. Waldron, is there a reason why you’re walking as if you’re in pain?” I stared at my secretary as she hobbled over to me.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr. McAllister.” Abby glared at me and continued to hobble. She hadn’t been walking like that this morning, so I wasn’t really sure what was going on.
“Did you trip or something?”
“What are you talking about, Mr. McAllister?” She stopped next to my desk and I could see a fire in her eyes.
“I’m just saying that you’re walking very weirdly, and if you hurt yourself, maybe you should go to the hospital.”
“Do I have time to go to the hospital? It seems like I have a lot of work to do.”
“I’m not a monster, Abby,” I told her. “If you need to go to the hospital, you can.”
“It’s fine. I don’t need to go to the hospital.”
“Are you sure?” I looked her up and down. “And why are you wearing those glasses?”
“What do you mean why am I wearing these glasses? I wear them to see.”
“Well, when I saw you out at the club, you were wearing contacts.”
“And what? Now I can’t wear glasses to the office?”
“No, I’m just surprised. You present yourself very differently at the office than you did the other night.”
“Is that part of my job description as well?”
“What does that mean, Ms. Waldron?”
“Am I supposed to dress up and look slutty?”
“Oh, interesting. I didn’t know that wearing nice clothes was slutty. But good to know. I shall let all my female friends know that.”
“Whatever, Mr. McAllister.” She rolled her eyes, and I had to withhold a laugh. I loved getting under her skin. It was so easy, and her face was an open book. I could tell whenever I was getting on her nerves. Her eyes would grow harder. Her lips would thin. She would frown. Her eyebrows would contort. It was great. I loved having Abby here in the office and that was a feeling I’d never felt with any of my secretaries before.
“So did you get the flights to Edinburgh yet?”
“I’m not seeing any direct flights that are available, sir.”
“What does that mean?” I frowned.
“I mean, we might have to fly to London first and then go to Edinburgh.”
“So you want me to take two flights, is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s not what I’m saying. I don’t want you to. I’m just saying that our options are particularly limited right now.”
“And why is that?”