The Real Deal Read online

  “I never said that, although I wouldn’t presume to know another person’s life just because of money.”

  “And I wouldn’t presume you understand what it’s like to grow up without any.”

  “Fair point.”

  “That being said, I don’t want to screw you over. I’ll play my part well enough that people won’t question anything. Or at least if they do, it won’t be my authenticity. I can’t speak to what the general public opinion will be, although I doubt it will be positive.”

  "What makes you say that?" he asked curiously. Despite knowing that he couldn't see her face, she felt very much like she was being peered into a little too closely. He might as well have told her to lay down on the couch so he could psychoanalyze her. If there was one thing she wasn't interested in with Zach, it was that.

  “Because it’s the truth,” she said decidedly, determined that it would be the end of that line of conversation.

  “If you say so. It doesn’t matter, anyway. That part is nothing you need to worry about. All you need to concern yourself with is playing your part well.”

  "Good. Done." She nodded to herself, thankful that this conversation was coming to a close. After the day she'd had, she was completely wiped.

  “I’m glad to hear it. There’s just one more thing.”

  “Alright. Can we make it quick, though? I haven’t had the best day. I kind of just want to go to bed and pretend none of it happened.”

  "Of course, I understand," he answered sympathetically. She kept her mouth shut, but it wasn't an easy task. She couldn't say for certain, but her belief was that he in no way understood, no matter what he assumed. She didn't see how he could. When you owned your own empire, you never had the distinct humiliation of being fired by a man who'd tried to feel you up not too long ago. She could have told him all of this and plenty more but really, what was the point? It would only prolong something she was sorely ready to be done with.

  “Cool,” was the response she settled on. “Then tell me what you need to say.”

  “Only that I would like you to agree to keep an open mind.”

  “I’m sorry, come again? I don’t think I understand what you mean by that.”

  "I mean exactly what I say. Try and keep an open mind. About our situation, about us. About all of it. I know that you think you know me. In your head you've already pinned down everything that makes me tick. That's fine. I'm not going to try and argue the point with you. I'm not one for impossible battles, and that's exactly what it would be."

  “Okay,” she said slowly, “if you say so.”

  “I do. And it doesn’t matter to me. I’m not asking for anything like love. All I want is an agreement that you stay open to other things.”

  “What kind of other things might you be talking about?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t feel the need to specify. Why don’t you use your imagination?”

  Betty’s face flushed and again she got that feeling that he could somehow see her through the phone. If he was alluding to what she thought he was alluding to, then it was a very forward suggestion indeed. She could have called him out on it but what if she was wrong? It would be just about the most humiliating thing ever, that’s what. It would be the final cherry on her crap sundae of a day. Even the idea of it was more than she could stomach and she decided to let it lie. Besides, there was a part of her that didn’t exactly want to discourage him. If he meant what she thought he meant, there was a part of her that was more than a little interested in finding out more. She would never say it out loud, didn’t think she could ever say it out loud, but that didn’t make it any less true.

  “You’re kind of leaving me hanging here,” he laughed, almost nervously.

  “I’m thinking.”

  “Good. Are you leaning in one direction or the other? Do you agree?”

  “Yes. Agreed. Can I go now?”

  “You can. Please be prepared to meet one of my cars tomorrow around two, let’s say. I think it’s best we get this started right away, don’t you?”

  “Um, I guess so.”

  “Perfect. My driver will be around tomorrow to get you, along with my personal secretary, Jane, to get things ready. Is that something you can be amenable to?”

  “I think so,” she answered, feeling kind of stunned. She couldn’t recall ever having had somebody ask her if she was amenable to anything before, let alone being picked up by a driver and a personal secretary. She half expected somebody to pop out from one of her closets and tell her she was being punk’d or something.

  “Good. Jane will give you a call when they’re ready for you to come down. And that’s just about everything I have. Looks like you’re free of me for this evening, Betty. I hope you have exactly the kind of night you’re hoping for.”

  Zach hung up before she was able to give him a reply. It was only after sitting dazed for a moment or two that she thought of the question she probably should have asked him. How in the world did he know the address to send his fancy car?

  Chapter Seven

  Zach Jameson

  "TELL ME, JANE, ARE you ready for us to head that way? I won't lie to you; I'm kind of going out of my head right now."

  “Please, Mr. Jameson, there’s nothing to worry about. I promise I will take care of absolutely everything.”

  “I know that. Believe me, I know. I just want to make sure. I want to make sure that everything goes well. It’s sort of an imperative that it does.”

  “I completely understand. Trust me. She’s having a ball. And at the risk of far overstepping, I have to say that I’m impressed. She’s such a lovely girl! She’s so much better than... well, honestly, she’s much better than any of the other girls I’ve seen you with.”

  Zach was a little taken aback by that one. He hadn't bothered telling Jane about his new arrangement with Betty. It might be a mistake, keeping his personal assistant in the dark that way but it was a risk he wasn't willing to take. Growing up in the kind of family he had grown up in had taught him a lot of unpleasant lessons about the way people liked to talk. More than once some of the Jameson family's dirty laundry had been aired out for the public by people they had wholeheartedly believed they could trust. If he closed his eyes, he could still remember the screaming matches his parents had gotten into over unwise decisions on who to trust. His father waving a half-full glass around completely heedless of its spilling contents while his mother switched back and forth between screaming and crying into her cupped hands. It was the kind of thing that sent people to therapists, and it had bred in him a deep level of mistrust that your average person couldn't come close to guessing at. He had already told Betty more about himself than he had ever intended to, more than he was want to tell anyone. And that was just a couple of things leading up to his current precarious situation with his family. There wasn't a lot of sensationalism in that, at least not compared to what there could be. Definitely not compared to the kind of shit storm it would ignite if somebody were to leak this crazy plan he'd set in motion. If there were even a chance that Jane would be tempted by the money the tabloids would pay for information on what he was doing with Betty, Zach was going to keep his mouth shut. Seeing as, in his experience, there was always a chance of something shitty like that going down he intended to keep silent. It was something he was good at. He could let people see him as the asshole playboy. Maybe he even deserved it. He probably deserved it. It didn't matter, just so long as he got to keep living his life the way he wanted to without the imposition of his father or the blood-sucking curiosity of the general public.

  That being said, he enjoyed hearing Jane's take on Betty. He enjoyed hearing somebody he liked vocalize the same things he had already seen in Betty. There was something undeniably sexy about having her good qualities paraded in front of him. It only heightened the anticipation of the evening he was about to have with her. It was the only thing he had been thinking about all day. He hadn't been able to get any work done at all, and when he'd lef
t for an early lunch, he hadn't bothered going back into the office. He kept thinking about what must be going through Betty's head. He knew that the way he'd left things on the phone must have driven her crazy. He knew that she had to be asking herself how in the hell he’d gotten her address, and that was what he wanted. He'd planned an entire day for her, a day where she could feel pampered. Jane and the driver picked her up at two and drove her to the top salon in the city. He might’ve been wrong in assuming that she hadn't ever had an experience like that, but he didn't think so. The way she carried herself made him think she didn't realize just how beautiful she was, how unbelievably sexy. In his humble opinion, it was a crime for her to stay in the dark and he intended to do everything in his power to make her realize what he saw. It would be something good he could do while he was trying to cover his own ass and remove himself from his father's line of fire. After the salon was a fancy boutique where she was to be fitted with the perfect dress to fit the occasion. If she was going to play the part, he wanted her to look the part as well. He was only waiting for the call that the wardrobing was complete, and he wasn't waiting very gracefully, either. He was so antsy, in fact, that he'd had Matt driving him around the city aimlessly for thirty minutes while he drummed his fingers manically on his knee. When his phone rang again, he picked it up after only one ring.

  “Yes? Jane?” he barked into the phone a little more tersely than he meant to.

  "We're all done. Are you close? She's very nervous if I'm reading her right. And I have to tell you, she looks stunning. Really, Mr. Jameson, I don't think I've ever seen a woman look prettier. How she hasn't been scouted out by some talent agency or another is beyond me. Where did you meet this girl, anyway?"

  "At a diner," he answered after only a moment's hesitation. "She was a waitress if you can believe it."

  “Oh my gosh! Are you serious? That’s unbelievable! This is just like Pretty Woman, don’t you think?”

  "Well, no, Jane, not exactly. For one thing, the guy in that movie was kind of an asshole. If that's what you think of me, that's fine, but I'd rather you find a way to tell me that doesn't involve comparing me to Richard Gere."

  “What? No! Oh, no, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Secondly, Julia Roberts was a hooker in the movie.”

  “Oh, dear,” Jane said breathlessly, “I didn’t even think about that. I’m so sorry, Mr. Jameson, I didn’t mean–”

  “I know you didn’t. It’s alright. Only, I would rather you not say anything like that to Betty. I know you mean well but seeing as she’s already nervous I don’t think it would do her any good.”

  "Of course, sir. Of course, you're right. I'll just let her sip on her glass of champagne while we wait. How close are you to arriving?"

  “I’d say about five minutes. Give or take a few.”

  “So close? Wonderful! We’ll be looking for you.”

  Zach hung up the phone and wished he had a glass of champagne for himself. He was the reason all of this was happening, so why was he so goddamned nervous? There was no chance of being stood up, no chance of her walking out on him if he made the wrong move on the date. He had seen to that, hadn't he? He was paying her to stay with him and to make it look good. Christ, now that he thought about it maybe their situation wasn't so far off from the whole billionaire and hooker with a heart of gold scenario after all. Unfortunately, it was a little late for him to be pondering those particular implications.

  “Pulling up now, Zach,” Matt called from the front seat, “try not to shit your pants or anything.”

  “Very funny. You really are a prince, aren’t you?”

  “Just trying to keep you humble. Also, for what it’s worth, I think I can see why you’re going to all of this trouble with this girl.”

  "Oh yeah?" Zach asked as they pulled up alongside the curb. His heart was practically beating out of his chest, and while he wanted to appear cool or aloof or whatever it was that chicks dug, he couldn't stop watching the boutique's front door. He felt like he was arriving at to pick up his date for high school prom. "Why do you say that?"

  "Got to talk to her a little more driving her around today. The three of us stopped off for lunch, actually, me, Betty, and Jane. Just something light to keep her fueled for the day. She's funny, man. She's sharp, too. I don't know, man.”

  “She is, isn’t she?”

  “So what I’m trying to say, brother, is try not to screw it up too badly. Here she comes.”

  Zach suppressed the urge to give Matt the finger and turned his full attention back to the boutique door. What was coming his direction was the kind of thing that deserved a man's full attention. He'd thought his heart was beating fast before, but he'd been wrong. It didn't come close to what he was experiencing now. Looking at her walking towards him now, the words Jane had used to describe her weren't close to enough. She was without a doubt the hottest woman he'd ever seen. He'd gotten a hint at her figure underneath her waitress' uniform, but now he realized that it was just that: a hint. The dress she had on now was one of those meant to accentuate everything it meant to be female. Every one of her curves was on display so that he couldn't have taken his eyes off of her if he'd wanted to, which of course he didn't. The pair of sky-high black heels made her legs look unreal, and even though he could tell she was nervous he was still entranced. Any lie he'd been holding onto about how he was mostly doing this to help him get out from underneath the Lucille mess went out the window. He wanted her. He couldn't deny it. He wanted her more than he'd ever wanted anything in his life.

  “Matt? Do me a favor and get the door for her. Act like a real driver tonight. Make a good impression.”

  “Whatever you say, boss. Like I said, don’t fuck it up.” He turned to look at Zach, grinned, and did as he was told. He went around to the empty back passenger side and opened the door, making sure to throw in a compliment about how great she looked for good measure. It seemed to Zach like it was all happening at lightning speed and all of the sudden she was right there beside him. Her scent, her very presence, filled the car completely and it was all he could do to keep himself looking calm. It was going to take a lot of thinking about baseball for him to not make a fool out of himself like any standard teenage boy.

  “What?” Betty asked uncomfortably, doing her best to cross her legs inside of the car, “Say something, okay? You’re making me feel weird.”

  “Sorry! Sorry, that was definitely not my intention. You just took me a little by surprise.”

  “Is something the matter? Is it the dress? I tried to tell them it was too tight but they wouldn’t listen. I can go back in and get something else to wear. I’m sure they would let me. I’m sure I have some time.”

  “No! No, please don’t do that. The dress is amazing. You. You look amazing, Betty. You look so amazing I’m not sure what exactly I should do.”

  “Geez,” she laughed nervously as the car pulled out into traffic, “that’s kind of overkill, don’t you think? You don’t have to act like that right now, Zach. There’s nobody here but us.”

  “I’m not acting like anything. I’m telling you the truth. Just paying you a compliment. I think the polite thing to do is say ‘thank you.’” He smiled to let her know he was only joking and was relieved when she seemed to loosen up a little. He didn’t want the whole evening involving references back to their arrangement. While they were together, he wanted to pretend it was because she desired to be with him and not because he was compensating her. He wanted to take her out to a fancy restaurant and wow her.

  “What? What’s that smile?” she asked, looking at him with her head tilted to one side. He hadn’t been aware that he was smiling but having her call him out that way only made the smile widen.

  “Nothing, Betty. Nothing at all. I was just thinking, the two of us are going to have some fun.”

  “ARE YOU KIDDING ME with this place? I’ve never eaten anywhere like this before. I’ve never even applied for a job at any place lik
e this before. This is too much, Zach. You shouldn’t have done this.”

  Zach couldn't stop watching Betty while she looked around the restaurant with wide-eyed wonderment. He had been to many, many restaurants, several of which were nicer than The Renegade, which was the new hot spot for affluent, trendy eaters. He dined in Michelin Star restaurants, and he had done it without thinking much of it, but he had never enjoyed a place as much as he was enjoying this one.

  “I don’t think it’s too much at all,” he told her laughingly, “I think it’s just the right thing.”

  “But honestly, Zach, have you looked at the prices on this menu? They’re insane!”

  "No, actually, I haven't, and I would prefer it if you didn't, either. It spoils the whole experience." He smiled again and then nodded his thanks to their server, who had just appeared as silent as a ghost with a very expensive bottle of French wine. He could feel her watching him while he went through the whole ritual of opening and tasting, and his mind burned with the question of what she might be thinking. It took a great effort to keep from glancing at her, but he did it. He didn't want her to know that he cared. Instead, he tasted the wine and nodded for the server to pour them both a glass, then offered his glass in a toast.

  “To our first date, Betty. The first of many more to come, I trust.”

  "This is how you really live your life, isn't it?" she asked in an oddly dull voice. It wasn't exactly the response he was expecting, but there wasn't a lot about her that was panning out to be that way.

  “I don’t really know how to answer that question. It isn’t how I live my life. It is my life. Just like anyone else’s.”

  "You don't really think that, do you? That it's just like everyone else's life? Because I'm here to tell you that you're dead wrong. You could easily spend someone's month's rent here. Most people don't ever look at a place like this, let alone sit down at a table." Zach watched her face closely and didn't know what to make of it. She didn't look angry, and she didn't sound angry, either, but the words she was saying didn't exactly sound impressed, either. He cleared his throat, took a sip of wine, and tried again. He was going to have to be more careful with what he said to this woman, and that wasn't something he was used to doing.