Page 26 of The Plus One Professional
“I hate that you have to put your life on hold for us.” She sighed as she looked down at her food. “One day, you won’t have to put your life on hold for us. I promise.”
I knew Sara was making that promise, fully intending to keep it. But some things were out of her control, like her health. And putting my life on ‘hold’ was a small price to pay for the peace of mind, knowing that Sara and the kids were taken care of. They came first. And they always would.
11
BAILEY
“I knew it!”Trevor shouted over the speakerphone in my Prius as I waited in the pickup line at the middle school.
I’d just given Trevor and Olivia the tea about Cole and his TPOP app. My preference would have been to tell them both in person, but I had a busy morning at the shop and didn’t have time to stop by their offices before I picked up my little sister. A few months ago, I applied for the Big Sister, Little Sister program. Last week, I was matched. This was our first time hanging out. I was picking her up from school and then taking her to an art studio, where Birdie worked part-time. According to the information I’d gotten about her, she loved art.
“So he’s an escort,” Olivia stated plainly.
“No, I mean, yes, technically. But he says that he doesn’t, you know, hookup with his clients.” I spared them from what I’d actually said.Hanky-panky. I knew my Grandma Betty would find that hilarious, since she was the one who used the term.
“Right. Of course not.” Olivia’s tone was flat, indicating she did not believe that was the case.
Olivia might run a matchmaking business now, but she’d spent over a decade in family law, specializing in divorce. She’d even earned the nickname The Maneater. She wasn’t the most trusting of people.
“He might not.” Trevor played devil’s advocate. “If you think about it, it would be bad for business if he slept with his clients. I’m looking up his app.”
I already had. Under services, it stated he was available for any occasion that required a plus one. Although he didn’t have Yelp, there were reviews on the app, and he had a nearly perfect rating. I’d read some of them. They said he’d accompanied people to not just weddings; he’d attended high school reunions, Christmas work parties, family reunions, influencer events, award shows, and even a funeral. I’d read that review twice just to make sure I’d seen it correctly.
Apparently, the woman’s ex-mother-in-law, who she’d been close to, passed. Her ex-husband had just gotten engaged to the woman he’d cheated on her with, and his new fiancée was pregnant after her ex told her he never wanted kids. She’d written that she hadn’t been able to face her ex, or the pitying looks of his family, alone, which is why she’d hired a plus one. She said Cole handled the situation with grace, strength, and levity. He’d been her rock, and he made the day not only bearable, but actually enjoyable. She was able to pay her respects and say goodbye to her former mother-in-law while making her ex-husband jealous at the same time. It was a win-win.
“Okay, this man is im-press-ive,” Trevor emphasized each syllable of the word.
“You just think that because you think he’s hot,” Olivia countered.
Trevor tsked. “Honey, I am an eye candy connoisseur, a collector, if you will, but this man has a lot more going for him besides how he looks.”
Olivia was silent, which meant she was most likely examining his app to come to her own conclusion. “He doesn’t have any photos where his face is showing, and he requires a FaceTime or Zoom before he accepts new clients, and if you are accepted as a client, you have to sign an NDA not to reveal his identity.” She was quiet, and I knew her silence meant she was now team Cole is Impressive.
As much as I was enjoying this conversation, I saw my little sister walking out of the school gates and knew I had to end it. I loved Trevor, but I didn’t trust him to keep it clean around an eleven-year-old’s ears. “Gotta go, guys. I see my little.”
“Your little what?” Trevor followed up.
“I’m doing the Big Sister, Little Sister program.”
“Aww, you were born for that!” Trevor enthused. “Have fun! Don’t do anything I would,” he said in a singsong as the phone disconnected.
I waved as the girl approached, and she looked around like I was embarrassing her. She reminded me of a young Reese Witherspoon. She was petite, with blonde hair and pixie features. I’d only met her briefly over Zoom, and she hadn’t seemed that stoked about spending time with me. I was telling myself it was just teenage, or I guess, pre-teenage angst, and I wasn’t taking it personally.
“Hi, Carly.” I smiled widely as she got in. “How was school?”
“Fine, thank you.” She placed her backpack on the floor and pulled the seatbelt across her lap.
“Are you hungry? I was going to take you to an art exhibit, but we can grab food first.”
“An art exhibit?” she repeated.
“Yeah, my sister is an artist, and she is working on a new collection in a warehouse that is basically a rotating exhibit.”
She shrugged. “Okay.”
“Okay, you’re hungry? Or okay, you want to go to the exhibit.”
She rolled her eyes before saying, “Yeah, whatever.”
