Mr. Big Shot (Mr. Big 1)

ALEXA: I had no idea who he is. What do I know about tech billionaires? I don't use Chatter. He’s clearly gorgeous. What do I do now?

She didn’t respond and I cursed myself. I could never go through with it. Despite my high school dream of being an actress, I could never pretend to be an escort and go out with him, despite how gorgeous he was.

CANDYC: Don’t go up to him looking the way you do now or he’ll laugh you out of the food court. His adoptive family is old money. His real family is old money. Besides being gorgeous and super rich, he's as blue blood as you can get. You look like a B Boy and certainly not date material for a swanky family dinner...

I almost laughed out loud at that, but she was right.

ALEXA: I know, I know… I won’t go up to him now. But you’re talking like I’m actually going to go to the dinner with him.

CANDYC: Are you craycray? Of course you’re going to the dinner with him! OMG if you don’t go, I will! I would hit that in a heartbeat. It's the opportunity of a lifetime. OMG Lexa. YOU MUST GO WITH HIM!

I bit my lip and considered. If he had asked me as a woman, as someone he knew socially, I’d be all over him like white on rice. But despite my background in theatre, I couldn’t keep up that performance.

In fact, I felt incredibly guilty that I’d led him on this far. I couldn't lie to him and pretend to be an escort.

ALEXA: I’m not an escort.

CANDYC: Don’t take his money. Do it as an act of charity. He needs a date. You’re doing him a big favor. If you don’t take any money, you’re not technically a hooker. If you volunteer, you’re just a date. If you don’t volunteer, I WILL!

I chewed my lip. I'd be deceiving him if I went through with it. Did he care? He seemed to need someone to attend the family event with him – why I had no idea. He said he needed a date, but how could a soon-to-be billionaire who looked as hot as he did need a date?

ALEXA: Why would he need a date? If he's as rich and famous as you say, I'd think women would be falling all over themselves to go out with him. Explain me that one…

CANDYC: I don't care why he needs a date. He needs a date. Honestly, Lexa. This is the chance of a lifetime. You're nuts if you don't do it. You can work those acting muscles that have gone to waste.

I thought for a moment, wondering if I should, just to be charitable.

ALEXA: I’ll think about it…

Then I chickened out. Instead of meeting him and confessing or sending him a text to tell him the truth, I left. I stood up and walked out of the mall. Before I went through the exit doors, I glanced back and saw he was standing beside his place at the table, his eyes scanning the crowded food court, red umbrella prominently displayed in his hand.

He was looking for some really high-end beautiful escort who charged a cool thousand dollars a night for a straight date, no sex.

He wasn’t looking for me.

* * *

I hopped on a train back to my apartment near Columbia and took out my cell, hoping to see a response from Candace. There was nothing.

There was something from MrBigShot69. I hadn’t heard the text because of the rumble of the train rolling into the station, but there it was.

MRBIGSHOT69: Hey, Lexi, where are you? I’m here waiting with bated breath to see how beautiful you are and how green with envy and jealousy someone will be when I turn up to the fundraiser with you on my arm.

I read his text over, read all his texts over, and felt incredible guilt that I was wasting his time.

LEXI911: Sorry, but I had a last-minute emergency. Have to cancel.

MRBIGSHOT69: Don’t you pull out on me. I need you to attend with me on Saturday. It’s far too late to find someone else. Please… I’ll double your rate. I’ll be a total gentleman.

LEXI911: Can’t you use someone else at the agency?

MRBIGSHOT69: I trust John. He said you’re the best. I’ll triple your rate.

LEXI911: You haven’t even seen me.

MRBIGSHOT69: John said you’re beautiful and smart and that’s as important as looks for this event. Trust me. I need you. Don’t let me down. I’ll quadruple your usual rate.

Four thousand dollars an hour? Man, he was desperate. That just amped up my guilt, so I put my cell away and didn’t look at it again until I got back to the apartment.