The Billionaire's Weekend Bride (5 page)

BOOK: The Billionaire's Weekend Bride
13.52Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

 

Next, if she could find it in her to forgive him, he'd pay her any price she'd like to join him for dinner with the Merrimans so they could pull off the act of being married one more time. This part he was very doubtful of.

In the back of his mind, burning deep within him was the desire to ask her out on a proper date when all of this was over, but he couldn't dare ask. He liked her, not only desired her sexually, but he wanted to get to know her better.

 

In the first place, he'd have to track her down and then he'd see if he had the nerve to ask her to see him on a serious level. But, for now, he just had to find Sonia.

 

Chapter Three

 

Sonia tried her best not to dwell on what was the worst weekend of her life but it wasn't easy. She had hit on some hard times before. When the modeling jobs she'd hot-footed to New York had dried up, which was the reason for going there in first place, something unexpected happened. A wild and curly haired blond, in the form of her now best friend, Bibi, came to her rescue. Needing models for her seductive line of lingerie, Bibi wanted full figured girls for her on-line catalog and had found Sonia sobbing outside the modeling agency in Brooklyn.

 

They had been best friends since then and moved in together and stayed friends even when Sonia decided that modeling was no longer for her. She wanted to pursue her secret dream of becoming an actress. The actress side in her was never encouraged when she was back home with her folks, which was one of the reasons it was so easy for her to up sticks and leave when she received the modeling opportunity.

 

Even though she was still in shock from being fired by the escort agency the day before, she was hoping something unexpected would come up again. She sat in a coffee shop on Monday morning, looking to see who was hiring, when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

 

“I knew it was you,” said a tall slim girl with two long braids of platinum blond. She wore a broad smile. The two of them had worked in a bar together some time ago.

 

“Millie, hi,” Sonia beamed. “I haven't seen you in forever. What are you doing these days?”

 

“Still working in a bar,” Millie sighed. “Don't say it – I know I vowed I'd become a famous screen writer, but I still haven't gotten my lucky break. How about you? Taken the acting world by storm yet?”

 

“Well, have
you
seen me in any blockbusters?” Sonia pulled a face.

 

The girls both laughed and Millie sat opposite Sonia and drank her latte.

 

“You working, Sonia?” Millie noticed the help wanted page in the newspaper was open.

 

“I'm in between jobs right now.” She closed the paper. “I thought I was all set with a new job and everything but then the unexpected happened and I'm out on my ear.”

 

“I'm really sorry to hear that.”

 

“I think it's just me. I mean, I've been taking all these jobs like modeling, waitressing, stuff like that, but only because I think I'll get a job on stage someday. I'm beginning to think I need to give up my dream. I told someone I was a kindergarten teacher the other day and it didn't seem like a bad idea.”

 

“I could see you as a teacher, actually.” Millie sipped her latte.

 

“Maybe that's what I should do – teach,” Sonia said. “Sometimes I think I'm going to give up on these casual jobs, quit any hopes of becoming an actor and go back home with my tail between my legs. I go to auditions every now and again, but no one is really looking for my type.”

 

“You mean black and beautiful?” Millie gave her an encouraging smile. “Don't look so down, Son. Look, you may not like it, but I know there are a couple of slots where I am. And yes, I know it's a bar, but the owner had to get rid of a couple of people he found screwing in the back room when the place was filling up with customers.”

 

“Oh my God, are you serious?”

 

“Completely,” Millie said. “Listen, the bar is in Queens. It's no great shakes, but if you're desperate, I could put in a word for you.”

 

“I really ought to jump at the chance. I've got rent to pay and I can start straight away. It'll get me out of my slump, if nothing else. Give me some thinking time to plan my next move.”

 

“Like I say, it's nothing great but it's a job and you never know, a top director might come in and spot you.”

They both laughed out loud.

 

“Stranger things have happened,” Sonia said, brightening up.

 

“Look,” continued Millie, finishing the last of her latte. “I'm working tonight. Why not just come along. Meet the owner before he has a chance to hire anyone else.”

 

“Okay, Millie. Let's do it.”

 

Sonia finished the rest of her coffee, which had gone cold, and they rushed to jump on a bus to Queens. But as they approached the bar, Sonia's smile slipped. On the corner of the road was a homeless man with an empty, plastic cup beside him. The road the bar was on seemed more like an alleyway and was dark and dingy even though it was summer.

 

“There it is.” Millie pointed at what Sonia thought was a deserted building.

 

“You work here?” Sonia said, trying not to look too disappointed. She felt like she was going back to the days of taking any job she could so she could get closer to her dream to act. But the truth was, it was hard to give up the acting bug. A few months ago she had heard about an amazing acting course with a great teacher and had been saving to take it. She needed the money. She needed a job. So she took a deep breath and turned to Millie with a little smile.

 

“It's not as bad as it looks, Sonia, I swear,” Millie returned the halfhearted grin. “Some of the staff are great to work with. Come on. I'll introduce you to Hal. He's the owner.”

 

It was almost pitch black inside the bar which had no windows looking out to the street. They were painted in and Sonia's eyes had to adjust to her surroundings. It was a few hours to opening and Sonia followed Millie inside, her shoes almost sticking to the floor as she walked.

 

“Hey, Hal!” Millie called to a skinny man at the end of the wooden bar. There was plate of pasta in front of Hal but he was busy hugging a glass of whiskey and letting his food get cold.

 

“You don't get any extra cash for coming in early, Millie,” Hal grunted.

 

“I came to introduce you to Sonia,” Millie said, ignoring his gruff manner. “You need staff and Sonia knows how to serve a drink.”

 

Hal pulled the glass away from his lips and stared at Sonia.

 

“Turn around,” he said to her.

 

“I beg your pardon?” Sonia said, looking at Millie.

 

“I said turn around,” he said, curtly. “I want to see if you'll fit the uniform.”

 

Tentatively, Sonia spun around and turned back, quickly, to face Hal.

 

“You're hired,” he said.

 

“Just like that?” she asked.

 

“Millie here has vouched for you and that's good enough for me. We pay just over minimum rates for a two week trial period then you'll be making more than any barmaid in Queens. You keep your tips. When can you start?”

 

“Tonight?” Sonia said, looking at Millie who had a huge smile on her face.

 

“Six o'clock,” Hal said, picking up his whiskey glass. “Millie will show you the ropes. Go get her a uniform, Millie.”

 

“Thank you for the job, Mr. …”

 

“Meadows. Hal Meadows. You just call me Hal, without any associated expletive, and we'll get on fine.”

 

“And my name is Sonia.” She put out her hand for Hal to shake. He looked at it, grunted and gave her a limp handshake, the type her father had told her never to trust.

 

Millie grabbed Sonia's hand and dragged her to the back room. It reeked of cigarette smoke and fried food, even though the door to the alley was wedged open. A scrawny looking cat hovered by the back door and Millie shooed it away.

 

“That's Hal the Cat,” she said. “The real Hal doesn't know we call it that. Comes mooching for food every day.” She banged the door shut, it locked automatically and immediately Sonia noticed what a stuffy little room it was.

Millie rummaged in a large wicker basket on the floor and pulled out a pair of cut off denim shorts and a minuscule t-shirt.

 

“This looks like it'll fit.”

 

Sonia took hold of the shorts that were bound to show most of her ass, and a t-shirt that would leave nothing to the imagination.

 

“You call this a uniform?” Sonia said with a frown. “What do the guys have to wear?”

 

“They get to wear a t-shirt that doesn't show their navels and full-length pants. But they don't make the kind of tips you'll make when you get this on.”

 

“Millie, I'm not so sure about this. I think I made a mistake.”

 

“Well, you're the one who needs the job, right?”

 

Sonia held the short shorts against her hips. “I guess it'll do for now.”

 

“Well, thanks a lot.” Millie looked put out.

 

“Sorry, Millie. I didn't mean to be rude. Here, let me try this on. How bad could it be? And thank you. I mean it.”

 

Before she knew it, Sonia was working her second night at the bar. It was easy to learn her way around and the staff on the whole, were good fun. None of them saw this as the be-all and end-all to their lives and Sonia knew she'd get out as soon as a possibility showed itself.

 

It was only Tuesday night but the bar was packed. Sonia found herself in a conversation with a woman waiting for her date when Hal's voice broke through the noise and bustle of the bar.

 

“Hey, Sonia! Miss Wright! What did I tell you? No inviting friends to the bar. I'm not made of money and I'm not subsidizing free booze to all and sundry.”

 

Hal Meadows always looked half asleep but he never missed a trick.

 

“What friend?” Sonia looked puzzled. “I didn't ask anyone to come here, Hal.” Of all the people she knew, who would want to seek her out in a dump like this one? “Who is it asking for me?” she said. Hal jabbed a thumb over his shoulder to a familiar face sitting on a stool at the other end of the bar. “Thanks, Hal, but I can't stop people walking in off the street, you know.”

 

“You just make sure you don't spend all night jabbering. I've got a business to run,” he growled and shuffled his way to the back office.

 

“Yes, Hal,” Sonia said. She took a deep breath and walked to the other end of the bar where she saw Bibi, sitting patiently. She seemed completely out of place and was edging away from a guy who'd had too much to drink.

 

“Bibi? What in God's name brings you to a hell hole like this?” She tried her best to sound lighthearted as she leaned over to peck Bibi on the cheek.

 

“Jesus, Sonia. Someone told me about this place and I got worried, so I came to check it out.” Bibi on the other hand, was not making light of the situation. In fact, she looked upset and a little annoyed at the drunk guy who just wouldn't stop leering at her and invading her space.

 

“Okay, back off!” Sonia told him in a voice that even surprised herself. The drunk promptly moved on.

 

“Thanks for that,” Bibi said, brushing imaginary dirt off her shoulder. “I guess it must be the uniform that commands such respect.” Bibi looked up and down at Sonia's cut off t-shirt and almost bikini style shorts. “I mean, Sonia, come on. What are you doing dressed like that and working in a place like this?”

 

“It's a job. Look, I don't want you kicking me out because I can't pay my share of the rent or the bills. Besides, it's only temporary. It's just until something better comes along.”

 

“Well, you just make sure you keep on looking for something better. This place is a real dive. I was coming to see if you were getting off soon. I was just working up the road and …”

 

“Look, Bibi, you better go. I've got my boss breathing down my neck. I've only been here for two nights and I can't blow it. Besides, the tips are great.”

 

“With half your boobs out, I'm not surprised.”

 

“Sonia!” her boss shouted. “People are dying of thirst here.”

 

“Don't worry, Sonia,” Bibi said. “I'll go. I didn't mean to sound like your mom or anything. I'm just worried about you. But it's true, you can't lose another job so soon.” She leaned over for a quick hug.

 

It was only an hour after Bibi left that the trouble began. It started with a scream from somewhere at the back of the bar. A girl shouted, “Get your hands off me!” and that's when Sonia noticed the police had slipped into the bar in a long stream of dark uniforms.

BOOK: The Billionaire's Weekend Bride
13.52Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Stadium: A Short Story by Moon, Scott
Buffet for Unwelcome Guests by Christianna Brand
The Secret Life of Pronouns by James W. Pennebaker
The Back-Up Plan by Mari Carr
The Credit Draper by J. David Simons
This Violent Land by William W. Johnstone
The Stranger Beside Me by Simone Holloway