Chapter 60 - Emily

**EMILY**

As Emily reached for her purse and prepared to hurry out of the restaurant, she froze. Alexander Fitzpatrick entered the restaurant, accompanied by a tall, dark-haired man. A shiver ran down her spine; this could not be fate!

She glanced around hastily. She couldn’t afford to meet him. Not that she didn’t want to see him, but it could cause gossip if they met here. She on her way out, he on his way in. If only one journalist saw that and took a picture of it, the facade her boss had built up with the DarEnd-Agency would crumble. That couldn’t happen!

She felt the stares of the guests in the restaurant; of course it was unusual to stop in the middle of the aisle. But she couldn’t bring herself to continue. Instead, she frantically searched for an escape route, a place where she could hide until Alexander and his companion were out of sight. That’s when she noticed the discreet sign for the bathroom. The bathroom was the perfect solution. Quickly, but as inconspicuously as possible, she turned to the side and walked through the dark brown curtain to the corridor behind it to the ladies’ room. She quickly entered the room and let the door close behind her.

In the cool, quiet atmosphere of the washroom, she took a deep breath and felt the pressure in her chest begin to ease. It was absurd that she had to adjust her whole life to this unwanted side job. She could have walked out past her boss and calmed her racing heart because she had met the hottest bachelor in L.A. But she wouldn’t have had to worry about him recognizing her and there being negative headlines. After all, she was just an accountant in his company with hundreds of employees.

But now that she was his escort, of course he knew her. And unfortunately, the journalists knew her too. Her days as a modest accountant were probably over forever. Her cheeks burned slightly with anger. She was angry with herself, with the impulsive contract she had signed with the DarEnd-Agency. If this continued, she would certainly end up in a bad way with her superior, Ms. Harper. The woman was about to retire and certainly had no time for women who booked themselves as escorts for men - even if it was for their own boss. Especially not then.

“I’m so stupid,” Emily groaned and looked at herself in the mirror. No, she didn’t see a stupid woman looking back at her. But her behavior couldn’t be called smart either. Right now, she looked like an overwhelmed woman hiding in secret.

She stayed in the room for several minutes, checking her cell phone. There were no new messages. But that was not unusual, after all, she was not active on social media platforms. Basically, that made her the perfect hostess - no one knew her, no one could recognize her. 

Smiling almost contentedly, she opened a small game and tapped eagerly on the screen. When ten minutes had passed, she put the phone back in her pocket and left the restroom. She walked confidently down the aisle and through the curtain. Before she went any further, she made sure that Alexander was nowhere to be seen. She couldn’t see Oliver either. She breathed a sigh of relief. Now she could go outside in peace.

Outside she took a deep breath of the fresh air. Actually, she could go home right now, but she had to think about Oliver’s request. “Where do I get my measurements now?” She nibbled at her bottom lip, undecided. Actually, there was only one person she could think of who would see her in her underwear: Vivien.

“Well then,” she muttered, “now is the time to talk to her.” She still resented her for telling the coach that she desperately needed a fuck. And that the guy actually wanted to fuck her! She was still embarrassed beyond words. Still, she had to agree with Ms. Harper. This was a private disagreement that didn’t belong in the workplace. So she should resolve it as soon as possible so that they could work together harmoniously again.

Emily took a deep breath and pressed Vivien’s saved number. 

“Emily? Why are you calling me?” It sounded very dismissive. Apparently Vivien was as angry with her as she was with Vivien. Not a great place to start a meeting. “Are you having problems at work and you want me to help you? Forget it!” 

“No, no,” Emily said quickly. “I want to talk to you. What happened at the gym was pretty weird. But that doesn’t mean our friendship has to be put on hold.”

“Look who’s talking,” Vivien grumbled.

“Please give me a chance,” Emily pleaded, although she didn’t feel like groveling. After all, in her opinion, Vivien had behaved badly.

“Okay, if you insist. But I’m not going to the gym with you again.”

“That’s fine, no problem.” Emily hesitated a little, then spoke quickly before she lost her nerve. “Hey, Vivien, I need someone to take my measurements. And I thought of you.”

“Your measurements?” Vivien seemed surprised. “Measurements? For what? Not a new fitness program, is it?” She sounded curious.

“No, it’s... It’s for work.” Emily wondered how much she was allowed to say. She definitely needed to check the contract to see what she had to keep secret. But when she thought about being photographed with Alexander Fitzpatrick in all the newspapers, there was surely no confidentiality clause that could prevent her from telling a colleague and friend. Or did she have to pretend to be a real friend of the billionaire? 

“You know what? Before we talk for hours here - come to my place after work,” Vivien suggested.

“Vivien, I’m already off work, it’s Saturday, it’s only open till noon.”

“That’s right!” Emily heard Vivien tap herself on the forehead. “Then I’ll see you later.”

“Okay, see you later.” Emily stared down at her phone in confusion. This had happened very fast. And she had to go home and get some fresh clothes. She couldn’t possibly go to Vivien’s in yesterday’s old clothes. She also wanted to get rid of the pumps. Her feet deserved more comfortable shoes.

Emily boarded the next bus that would take her back to the Pico-Union district. The ride took her through the bustling, constantly pulsating Los Angeles. Through the window, she watched the cars pass each other in thick lines - shiny limousines, rickety wagons, and motorcycles deftly weaving through the gaps. The city seemed to be in constant motion, and yet Emily felt herself slowly coming to rest as the tension began to ease.

She strolled home from the bus stop, relaxed. The afternoon sun lay diagonally across the houses of the neighborhood that was so familiar to her, with its colorful storefronts and the smell of street vendors selling tacos and empanadas. She spotted the street musician at his usual corner, his well-worn guitar gripped tightly as he played an old classic, lost in thought. Emily paused for a moment, pulled a few coins from her purse, and dropped them into his open guitar case. The musician nodded gratefully, and she returned his smile before heading home.

Arriving home, she let the door fall into the lock and immediately kicked off her elegant pumps. In the bathroom, she threw her blue pantsuit into the dirty laundry bin and turned on the shower. She pinned up her hair, took off her underwear and stepped into the small stall. What a difference from the large, spacious rain shower in Alexander’s suite. But the water was hot and the shower lotion was familiar. She had to enjoy the little things in life.

As she slipped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, she thought of Vivien. She really needed to find out exactly what was in her contract before she met with her friend.