Chapter 1

Stephanie walked briskly along the sidewalk, weaving in and out amongst the other pedestrians. She tilted her face upwards enjoying the rays of sunshine that shone from the pale blue sky. Her long chestnut hair blew in the light spring breeze. It was the first time she had been outdoors since leaving for class this morning. She had spent the majority of the day in the library trying to study for her finals. They were less than a week away and she was starting to panic. She couldn't motivate herself and she was way behind schedule. Her so-called part-time job seemed to be taking up most of her free time. She had barely time to breathe lately never mind open her books but she couldn't complain. The rate of pay was extremely good and had more than supported her during her last eighteen months at Boston University. Combined with her income and her allowance from her parents, Stephanie was able to afford her own apartment not far from the school. She stayed alone and she enjoyed the privacy. She'd had more than her fair share of awkward, fussy roommates her first two years at school when she had stayed in the university dorms. They had finally helped her make her mind up to get her own place. She had moved into her apartment nine months ago and had lived in peaceful bliss ever since.

Stephanie crossed the street and smiled at the newspaper vendor on the corner. She purchased her copy of Cosmopolitan and continued her journey home. People sat at the outside tables of the restaurants and cafés on either side of the street. They enjoyed the warm May sunshine as it continued to beat down upon them. A steady stream of traffic roared by and it wasn't until she had turned into the next block that she heard the muffled ringing coming from her bag.

She reached into her bag as she walked along the tree-lined street. A smile crossed her face as she flipped her phone open and saw the name scrolled across the screen. Placing her bag back on her shoulder, she answered the call. "Hello?"

"I think I'm going to fail."

Stephanie smiled at his slightly panicked tone. She was used to it by now. He got like this every time a test loomed on the horizon. "You're not going to fail, Ethan. You're going to do great just like you always do."

"I'm not so sure."

"Well I am. You've studied hard. You're going to ace your finals."

"I wish I could share your optimism."

"I'll send some your way." Stephanie looked left and then right before crossing the street to her apartment block.

"How do you fancy delivering it to me personally? I've swapped shifts with Steve. I'm free tonight. We could watch movies and gorge on ice cream."

Stephanie sighed as she entered her building and began to climb the stairs. "I can't. I'm working tonight."

"Again?"

There was no mistaking the disappointment in his voice. Stephanie couldn't blame him. This was the third time in a row she had let him down. It had been at least five days since their last date. She cradled her phone against her shoulder as she reached into her bag for her keys.

"I promise to make it up to you."

"When?"

"Tomorrow? I could meet you for lunch." She turned the key in the lock and pushed open the heavy wooden door to her apartment. She placed down her bag and switched the phone to her other ear.

"Well, I do happen to be free all day tomorrow."

Stephanie smiled as she flopped down on her cream sofa. "What a coincidence. So am I."

"Then tomorrow it is. Pick you up about 12?"

"I'll be waiting."

"Cool. I'll see you then. I love you."

Her smile spread into a wide grin. "I love you too."

She hung up and threw her phone down on the sofa. Her smile lingered as she thought about her boyfriend of nearly two years. Although they attended the same school, that wasn't how they had met. Stephanie was a third year business student while Ethan was in his final year studying law. They had met at Blue Jays, the coffee house Ethan still worked in. Stephanie had tried a brief stint as a waitress there. But after several complaints and one near lawsuit later involving scalding coffee and bare skin, she decided it wasn't for her and quickly gave it up. She had left after only two weeks but it had been long enough for Ethan to show an interest in her. He asked her out on a date and they had been inseparable ever since.

Just then her phone rang again, snapping her from her daydream. She reached across and picked it up, frowning slightly when she saw Keira's name. Keira was her boss and the successful owner of the escort agency Stephanie worked for. It was a highly reputable business. The majority of its clientele consisted of business men or women looking for a partner to accompany them to business functions or events. It was all strictly professional and above board. Her best friend, Jen, had recommended them. She had worked for them herself and had loved it. Not once in the two years she had worked with them had a client stepped out of line. They had treated her with respect and she had earned a healthy amount of money in the process. She had been forced to leave when she had fallen pregnant eighteen months ago. She had put forward Stephanie's name for the job to Keira. Keira had been more than happy to take Stephanie on especially when she came recommended by Jen. But despite her job being legitimate, Stephanie still hadn't told anyone she was an escort. She knew that revelation would cause more trouble than it was worth especially with her parents and Ethan. Instead she pretended she worked in an exclusive nightclub on the waterfront. So far, she had gotten away with it with no questions asked. She pushed herself to her feet and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey Steph. I'm sorry to call you at such short notice but there's been a change of plan. Mia is sick and can't work tonight. I need you to handle a new client. I'd ask Susan but quite frankly, I need the best person for the job."

Stephanie walked towards the window, a hint of amusement on her face. "He sounds like he's important."

"All of our clients are important, Steph. Just some more so than others."

Stephanie chuckled. "Very true. So, what's the story with this one?"

"Well, he didn't give much away on the phone. But when I did my usual background check on him, I discovered that not only is he an extremely successful man but he is very wealthy too. We might get a lot of business our way if we make the right impression."

"So no pressure, huh?" she replied, chewing on her bottom lip.

Keira laughed at her worried tone. "You'll be fine. I'm sure you'll have no problem charming the pants off him." She paused. "Not literally though. We don't want him getting the wrong idea."

Stephanie laughed. "Message received loud and clear." She headed towards the kitchen. "So what time do I have to meet our wealthy businessman and more importantly, does he have a name?"

"Seven thirty at the Marriott Hotel and his name is Paul. Paul Levesque. He'll be waiting for you in the hotel lobby."

Stephanie glanced over at the clock on her wall. The silver hands indicated she had just over an hour to get ready. "In that case, I'd better go and grab a shower."

"Call me tomorrow. Let me know how you get on."

Stephanie agreed and after exchanging goodbyes, she hung up and quickly headed to the bathroom. She didn't want to be late. This client could prove to be very important for Keira and she wasn't going to let her down.