Late Call (Volume 1) Read Free Page B

and take a deep breath. “Yes, but my aunt Leigh was there for me. I got through it eventually.”
    Aaron squeezes me gently. “Mom, Dad, I think Mr. Warner is trying to get your attention.”
    Carly turns. “Of course. Brandon.”
    He steps up, she links her hand through his elbow, and they head in the direction of the guy who was waving at us.
    I sigh deeply and sip my wine, using all the restraint I have. I doubt chugging would be acceptable.
    “Thank you,” I say softly to Aaron.
    “You’re welcome.” He stands in front of me, gazing down at me with his piercing eyes. “I didn’t know your parents passed.”
    I smile wryly. “Yeah, well. It’s not exactly a conversation starter, is it?”
    “I suppose not. How did they die?”
    “Plane crash,” I say flatly. “They were flying back from New York. The plane had some technical difficulties and went down. No one survived.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Why? You aren’t the reason they crashed.” My fingers flex around the stem of my glass.
    Aaron wraps his other hand around my neck and brings his lips to my forehead. Warmth and tingles travel through me at the contact. It’s been so long since I had a touch like this—tender, gentle, almost loving—that I almost forget one of the rules of my life.
    No personal feelings for clients or any of their actions.
    “What are you doing?”
    “After politely dismissing herself from Mr. Warner, my mother traveled across the room to Mrs. Royce. Once there, she will have proceeded to tell her the story of how we found each other again after seven long years of being apart, and isn’t it great how we’re reconnecting? And don’t we look so good together? And Mrs. Royce will have agreed and voiced how beautiful our babies would be,” he replies in a hushed tone with a hint of amusement. “And this will happen with every one of my mother’s friends throughout the night. I’m merely keeping her happy, Dayton.”
    “Aaron?” An older lady approaches us, and Aaron winks at me before dropping his hands.
    “Mrs. Warner. May I say how lovely you look this evening?”
    “You may, but it won’t get you anywhere. Well, maybe a little.” She looks at me and winks. I smile politely.
    “Mrs. Warner, this is Dayton Black, my date for this evening. Dayton, this is Mrs. Warner, my mother’s closest friend. Her husband is an investor in our company.”
    “It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” I shake her hand.
    “And you, my dear. Carly has told me how the two of you met. How wonderful you found each other again after all this time!”
    Here we go.

    “Is that everyone yet?” I whisper in Aaron’s ear. “I’m not sure how many more times I can listen to “How delightful you ran into each other!” and any and all variations of that sentence.”
    Aaron laughs quietly into my hair. “Most, but not all.”
    I groan. “How about an escape outside for five minutes?”
    “I think we can manage that.” He wraps an arm around my waist and, keeping his head down, pulls me through the room to the doors. We slip out, surprisingly unnoticed, and run into the waiting elevator. Neither of us says a word until we reach the sidewalk.
    I step from his hold and cross the street. The wall overlooking Elliot Bay is cold and rough when I rest my arms on it and lean forward. The cool night breeze teases through my hair, and I close my eyes into it, taking deep breaths. On nights like tonight, when so many things are expected of me, it’s hard to stay composed.
    I’ll take the fucking over the escorting part of this job every time. It’s simple and I know exactly what is expected of me. It’s planned and it’s controlled. It’s in my comfort zone, but this…
    Escorting is improvisation. Every word, every look, every movement. It’s all spur-of-the-moment actions and decisions. None of which I can dictate.
    “Why do you do this?”
    “I thought I put that in the personal box.”
    “You did.” Aaron smirks in that