“Thank you.”
He hangs up, and I press my back to the wall, just staring.
What. The. Hell.
I don’t know what to do.
I don’t know what to say.
Delilah entered me in a competition? I won?
Is this real.
I pull out my phone and dial Delilah’s number.
“Maggie, is everything okay?”
It’s Star’s week with Hugh, so I understand she’s probably wondering why I’m calling.
“Star is great, everything is fine. Maggie, I just got a call saying I’d won a competition that you entered me into. I ... I don’t know what to believe. Is it true?”
She goes quiet for a minute, then lets out a shriek. “You won that?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, Maggie, oh my gosh. I entered you in it after the incident with the dress a while back. I felt really bad, and I was trying to make myself feel better, which sounds horrible now I say it out loud. But I thought I was doing a good thing, but now I realize I did. You won? You actually won? That is incredible. Oh my gosh.”
“So ... it’s real?”
“It’s real, Maggie. It was a legit competition. You get to go and work for like ... one of the richest families in Canada. They’re so incredible, it will open so many doors for you. A house, a car, oh and money. Oh my gosh. You must be losing it with excitement.”
I’m losing it. But I don’t know with what at this point.
“I just ... if I take that job, I’ll be leaving Hugh, Star ... I ...”
Delilah goes quiet. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think this is where we would be at the time. But Maggie ... this is a one in a million chance, it would change your life. You have to take it.”
Hugh will never leave the club.
Star will be without me.
But she’s right, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
If I don’t take it, will I regret it forever?
I need to think, my mind is swimming.
“I need to really think about it, read through the information he sends. For now, please don’t tell Hugh, I’d like any choice I make to come from me.”
“Of course, I won’t say anything. Congratulations, Maggie. Really. You deserve it.”
I thank her and hang up, staring down at the phone.
What the hell do I do now?
“I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO do,” I say to Gabby, leaning on the hood of the car she’s working on.
Hugh is at the club, and I needed someone to talk to so I made the excuse to come with him so I could tell my friend exactly what is going on. She, of course, thought it was incredible and leapt for joy until she saw how down I was about it. It’s not that I’m not happy, gosh, when I read through the information sent and it told me exactly what I get, my knees shook.
It’s the most incredible chance.
It’s money.
It’s freedom.
A new life, a new job, a new choice.
But it means leaving everything here behind.
A few months ago, I would have jumped at the chance.
Now ... I feel sick just thinking about it.
I’m falling for Hugh. I’ve finally found someone who is good to me.
I love Star.
I don’t want to live without them, but if I don’t take this job, I know I’ll regret it.
“You need to talk to Hugh,” Gabby tells me. “I know you’re scared, but if you’re not honest it’ll blow up. You never know, he might just decide to go with you.”
I wish that were the case, gosh do I wish it were the case.
But I know it’s not.
Hugh isn’t going to come with me because he loves the club, it’s his life, not to mention Star is here and if he leaves, he won’t be able to see her. My chest tightens at the decision I’m going to have to make. If I go, that’s it for Hugh and me, but if I stay, I’m giving up the absolute chance of a lifetime. That money alone will change my life.
“Hugh won’t come with me, Gab,” I whisper. “I know that, so do you. He’s not going to leave his daughter, his club ...”
Gabby gives me a sympathetic smile. “I know this is hard on you, honey. But you have to talk to him. The sooner the better.”
I know she’s right, but I also know that the conversation is going to break my heart. One way or another, I’m going to be giving up something that means so much to me.
“Ready to go?”
I turn to see Hugh coming out through the garage door. He’s with Hank and Riggs, all of them looking like they’ve just had a really tough conversation. I wonder what it’s about? I’d love to know what goes on behind closed doors in the club—I imagine it would be mind-blowing, that’s for certain.
“Is everything okay?” Gabby asks, narrowing her eyes. “Where’s Remy?”
“He’s still in there discussin’ some things,” Riggs answers. “Maggie, you got a second for us to have a word?”
Well, that sounds great.
I nod and follow them into the office. Riggs closes the door, and they turn to me. “We’ve got some information on the two men you overheard. Some big shit is goin’ down in that country club, shit that we’ve suspected for some time. They’re sellin’ girls, young girls, some as young as fourteen. Not all local, from around the state so it’s less suspicious. They’re makin’ a killing out of it and they need to be stopped. They’re bringin’ bad shit into the town and it’s becomin’ dangerous for people to live here, families, women, all of them.”
I swallow.
I suspected as much, the rumors are certainly there, but I guess nobody has had the chance to bring them down as of yet. I wonder if the police know. Or are they the reason it hasn’t been stopped, are they in on it? Are they getting paid to keep quiet? Men like Delilah’s father have enough money to sway people to do whatever they want and that’s the problem here.
“I’m guessing you have a plan otherwise you wouldn’t have called me in here,” I say, feeling a little anxious.
“You’re the only person who can get into that club unnoticed. We’ve got zero chance of gettin’ in there, but there is someone in there we need to get information from, someone who is close to it all and wants out. We need you to help us get that information to him.”
Great.
This sounds safe.
But, if it means it stops the crime they’re bringing into this town and the lives they’re taking and destroying, I’ll do whatever it takes to help.
“Okay,” I say. “And if I can get this information, what is the plan?”
“If what he knows is correct, in the right hands it’ll be enough to destroy Delilah’s family. They go down, the people working for them go down too, including the cops coverin’ this shit up. Once they have nothing to offer, then this shit can stop.”
This club holds some smart people.
I have no doubt they can put an end to this.
“And you’re sure this person is going to help?”
“If our sources are tellin’ the truth, then yeah. But we can’t be seen anywhere near him, can’t be seen talkin’ to him, can’t be seen having anything to do with him. One person suspects him, this is over,” Riggs explains.