The Doctor's Fake Nanny(50)

Her parents obviously supported her long-term plan. Go to New York where  she could make money, send money home for Dee, and eventually bring the  girl to New York as well so they could live together. Now that she was a  parent she realized how much her own cared for her. They supported her  plan, and they had never been judgmental about the mistake she had made  spending time with Tristan. Her mom and dad had accepted her with open  hearts and minds.

Cassidy knew she would be the same way if Dee ever had a hard time or  made a mistake. Love was the bottom line of caring. In her mind she  recalled that first vision of Dee in the moments shortly after she was  born; the look of trust in her grey-green eyes and her complete  dependence on Cassidy.

Cassidy immediately started looking for work. She had a plan because she  knew it took time to find a good job. First, she would swallow her  pride and take any job, within reason, that brought money in. That was  the first step: create a cash flow. The next step would be to find a  reasonably priced and fairly safe place to live, like the apartment  she'd had before. She knew it would take time.

The first step also involved contacting any jobs she saw posted. She  found a nearby coffee shop and settled in with her mobile phone looking  for job listings. The sounds of the café reminded her of Ron's Café and  Patisserie. Behind the counter the baristas were laughing, making jokes  with patrons and filling orders. She briefly thought about going back to  Ron and asking for her old job back but couldn't bring herself to do  it. She knew her coworkers would torment her for having a baby with a  man whose wealth she claimed to be oblivious to.

Suddenly she was filled with memories of Tristan. His hands on her body,  and the way hot waves of passion flooded through hers. Then, just as  suddenly, she felt the pain of his betrayal. All of those intimate  moments and the way she had freely given herself replaced with the shame  of his lies.

No, she couldn't go back to Ron. She'd have to tell her whole story, her  pregnancy, the betrayal, her flight home to Alabama. Her heart was too  sensitive. Working every day in the place where she'd met Tristan would  bring back too many memories.                       
       
           



       

It was time to start a new life, to move forward and overcome the  mistakes she'd made. Now she was a mom with commitments beyond just  herself. Mom. The word made her feel warm inside. That was just what she  needed to start the job hunt.

Good employment was hard to come by, but she resolved to keep plowing  through the job listings until she found something. She looked at the  first listing on her phone and made the call.

After a few more calls, she hit the jackpot when an escort agency  operator said that, yes, there was an opening, and they needed her to  come in immediately. The woman seemed elated to hear that she had past  experience in the business.

Escort service! Of course, that would be the one place that had an  opening. An escort service had been at the root of her betrayal. She  remembered her conversation with Kim, how pleasing was the basis of the  girls feeling good about what they did. How had all of those girls  pleased Tristan? What was it that she hadn't provided? She ended up in  that confused place remembering all of Tristan's kindnesses and the way  he had seemed to treasure her while, week after week, going to find  "services" with other women.

All that was behind her now, she reminded herself. This was a different  service and they had a job opening. If she took the job, it wouldn't be  forever. It would be just long enough to get her new toehold in New York  with money to get an apartment. In time she'd find work that suited her  better.

Cassidy stopped with all of her reflections. Her head felt full. She  reached into her bag and pulled out her notebook and a pen. She had  about fifteen minutes before she needed to leave, and her writing  ambitions were definitely still a part of her plan. She'd written so  much while staying with her mom and dad, and most of the writing was  inspired by her pregnancy. She started jotting down bits of  conversation.

Later, she stood with a crowd of pedestrians by the street corner of  Canal Street and Baxter near the Chinatown area. She checked for the  address that the woman on the phone had dictated to her. She fidgeted  with her black skirt and matching blazer, wishing she had worn her  sneakers and had changed into the stiletto heels when she reached the  office. Her feet were killing her, but she was glad her mom had insisted  they visit the salon the day before she left Alabama. She knew she  looked fine today.

This was it. Time to make use of the new haircut and her formal clothes.  She knew she could handle the work; it wasn't that hard. Mainly she  would have to take care of the inquiries and schedule appointments, same  as before. This job could be the start of her new life. She thought  about Dee, took a deep breath, and headed toward the address.

It was important she made a good impression. Checking the folder she  clutched in her hand, she made certain her resume was inside. If she was  lucky, she would have a job today and wind up working as a secretary or  assistant in this particular agency. She knew her experience with the  previous escort service was a huge advantage.

Satisfied that she was ready for the job interview, she waited for the  pedestrian light to turn green, noting that a working crew was doing  street repairs just up ahead. Cars slowed down as they rounded the  corner. Impatient drivers honked their horns, urging the cars ahead to  move faster. Among the swarm of cars was a silver BMW with its  convertible top lowered down.

Cassidy drew in her breath. For some strange reason, she felt nervous as  she caught sight of the car navigating the corner where she stood among  the crowd. She felt an unexplainable panicked reaction to do an  about-face and move away to the opposite direction, but she was hemmed  in on all sides by pedestrians wanting to cross. Unable to do anything,  her eyes were drawn to the car's progress until it was almost in front  of her. There was no mistaking it: Tristan was behind the wheel. He  didn't notice her standing on the curb as he stepped on the gas to gain  an opening in the road up ahead.

The crowd surged forward and Cassidy was dragged like flotsam in  seawater. When she reached the other side, she felt her heart pounding  wildly inside her chest. He may not have seen her, but she had seen  enough to know that he still looked gorgeous as ever. The aviator  glasses hid his eyes from view, but the square jaw and the cleft chin  were prominent enough to distinguish. He had cut his hair shorter, but  it still blew wildly in the open car. One hand was holding a phone to  his ear while the other expertly handled the wheel. He wore a black  leather jacket.

How could she have been so naive? Of course, it was bound to happen. In  some ways New York was a huge city and in others it was small. How could  she think that, in returning to New York, she would somehow be lost in  the millions and that she would never run into Tristan?                       
       
           



       

Her heart continued to pound. Tristan. The old feelings bubbled up. She  could feel his hands touching her. She saw his playful smile as he  chided her for some seemingly self-effacing thing she said. In spite of  her vows and all reason, her body surged in desire at the sight of his  tousled hair blowing in the wind and gleaming in the sunlight. However,  it was the woman seated beside him whom Cassidy found hard to miss.

She was truly beautiful, with long blonde hair that reached just below  her shoulders. She, too, wore huge sunglasses that covered most of her  face, but Cassidy could tell that she was stylish and chic in a white,  sleeveless dress. She was smiling as she cajoled him about something,  reaching for his arm that was holding the wheel. She was everything  Cassidy wasn't. She seemed sophisticated and full of self-assurance.  Probably just as rich as Tristan. Or, and this thought made her stomach  knot, she was a "date" from an escort service.

Cassidy was glad it had happened so soon. Tristan was just as good  looking as ever, his smile just as charming, but now Cassidy knew that  underneath the outward charm lay lies and deceit.

Her eyes followed the car and its two passengers until they were out of  sight. Even if panic was her first reaction upon seeing him  unexpectedly, she couldn't deny the thrill that bloomed in her heart; a  thrill that was suddenly dashed to pieces when she saw he wasn't alone.  Her heart felt constricted like a tight band was wrapped around her  chest.

Shit …  she thought to herself. What did you expect? A guy like him will  never lack company. He's clearly moved on. Accept that, Cassidy Johnson.  Forget it and focus on the job interview ahead.