Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 23956 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23956 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“Hey Munch,” I murmur while rubbing my hand over my small belly. “Are you ready to be a big brother?”
After all, I haven’t told my parents that I’m expecting. I keep meaning to, but Mildred and Matthew are so innocent in their own way. They must have had sex a long time ago to conceive me, but sometimes, I wonder. Between the garden club, the bridge club, and Wheel of Fortune every night, my parents are just too insulated to understand that their daughter was cruelly used by a handsome older man, and that he’s left me pregnant along the way.
But that’s the thing. I miss Damon desperately. Even if he is an evil ogre, I lie awake nights, craving his strong arms. I wish I were in his bed, cuddled against that hard, muscular form. I wish he’d kiss me awake between my legs, and then ravish me until I’m pregnant all over again.
That thought brings me back to reality with a jolt. I’m expecting, single, and I don’t have a job. As a result, I looked up an escort service here in Duluth. It’s not what I want to do, but I have to support myself. I can’t live with my parents forever, and even more, this baby needs food, clothing, formula, high chairs, and a million other things.
Only one escort service popped up in the search results, and it’s called Small Town Sassies, which I guess makes sense since Duluth is tiny compared to NYC. To my relief, they didn’t even have me come in for an interview. The woman merely took my contact info, said my pictures were fine, and set me up on a date for tonight. As a result, I’m going out with a client at 8 p.m., and even though my heart feels full of dread, I steel myself. I have to do what’s right for my child.
Slowly, I pull on a tight wrap dress. My belly is only bulging a bit right now, but it looks okay. The wrap dress ties around my waist, and thankfully my breasts are bigger than ever, and my hips wide and sassy. Hopefully my client doesn’t notice the pooch to my stomach. Then, I do my hair and make-up, outlining my lips in a vibrant red. I look beautiful, even if my eyes have no sparkle to them whatsoever.
When I wander downstairs, both my parents look up.
“You look very formal tonight, honey,” Mildred says with confusion in her voice. “Weren’t you going to go bowling with your old high school friend, Elaine?”
“Oh right,” I laugh, looking down at my feet in the high stilettos. “Well, I’m still meeting up with Elaine, but we’re not bowling anymore. We’re going to the movies!”
Mildred looks astonished.
“Dressed up the way you are?”
“Yep!” I lie through my teeth, my cheeks hurting from smiling so hard. “I have all these clothes from New York, so I figured I’d wear them! I don’t want to waste them!”
“Okay, honey,” my mom says dubiously. “Have a nice time then.” My dad merely peers at me from over his paper, and then goes back to reading.
With that, I grab my purse and head out. But I’m not going to the movie theater. Instead, I head to a nearby Sheraton, where I’m meeting “Jack” for a drink.
To my surprise, Jack is no country bumpkin. He’s surprisingly attractive, with black hair and blue eyes, even if he’s short. In my heels, Jack and I are probably the same height.
“Hell-oooo!” he greets, jumping off a bar stool to greet me while pressing a kiss to my cheek. “I had no idea Duluth had such beautiful women!”
“Oh, are you in town for business?” I chirp while taking a seat, arranging myself carefully. Of course, I see how Jack eyes my big breasts and tiny waist. His fingers are practically itching to pay the bill and get me upstairs, but what he doesn’t realize is that I’m not going to put out.
“I am from out of town,” he chortles, sitting back in his own seat. “Chicago, actually. But I’m in pharmaceutical sales, and Minnesota’s part of my catchment area. If you need some Botox, then I’m your man!” he crows. “Seriously, can I get the name of your doctor?” he asks. “The more connections I make in Duluth, the better.”
I smile, even though it comes out a bit frozen.
“No, I don’t have a doctor yet because I just moved here myself,” I say. “But Botox is so popular! How do you like what you do?”
That sets him off on a long spiel. Jack tells me his entire life story, starting from when he was a baby in diapers. He recounts every aspect of his life in agonizing detail, including the time he was put on academic suspension while in college, as well as the year his fraternity hazed a freshman so hard that the poor boy had to go to the hospital. All of this makes me sick, to be honest, but I make myself nod and smile. It’s just part of the job.