The Replacement Girlfriend

Chapter 27

“Besides,” Pete added dramatically, “for someone to pay someone as good-looking as me to stand in front of the camera; isn’t that a form of prostitution?”   

“That’s not true,” Seth hollered, cracking up at his remark. “Chase is a freakin’ whore. Nobody ever pays him!”

Jace chuckled quietly at their playful banter which was getting louder and louder with every passing second, but stayed completely out of their vulgarity altogether. Tilting his head to the side, he directed his gaze to Krislynn and smiled. “Is the cake really that good?” He asked.

Krislynn’s heart stopped beating. Jace’s voice was like the sun breaking through a wall of dark clouds on a cold winter’s day. Its rays were infectious and embraced everything it touched with such warm gentleness that it could bring a wilting flower back to life.

Embarrassed, Krislynn’s shifted her eyes to the side. She had no idea that his voice alone could send her body into an ecstasy of frantic tingles. Or at least, she hoped it was his voice that made her heart stop beating and not the amount of cholesterol she had just inhaled in the past hour.  

Moving her gaze to the side, she found LaCienega staring at her curiously. Her face was expressionless as if she was deeply analyzing her every move like a lioness studying its prey, waiting for just the right moment of weakness to appear before she attacks.

“Didn’t you get a slice earlier?” Krislynn asked casually, careful not to start another scene like earlier that day at the beach. She wasn’t scared of LaCienega, though after everything that happened at the volleyball game, she probably should be. It was just that she had painfully realized her involvement with Jace, even on a very light and friendly level, may complicate things, and that was the last thing she wanted.

She had taken the time to think through her situation carefully during the last few hours and realized she had been too relaxed in welcoming this new lifestyle Chase had brought along with him. Although he was her benefactor, Krislynn was solely depending on him, and she knew that wasn’t smart. Her history with men had taught her better. A lot better.

First thing Monday, she decided, she would go out and look for a job. She couldn’t forget why she was here in L.A in the first place. She needed to find her best friend Ella and she needed to pay Chase back the money she owed him. Getting a job on top of cleaning up around the house for Chase would prove to be beneficial. She could save up some money on one hand, and on the other, she could pay Chase back which will no doubt lessen her debt and time.

She knew she had to get out of L.A before she started growing attached to everything that was here. She wasn’t like Chase or Michelle or the rest of them. She didn’t belong here. Her stay wasn’t permanent.

“I was full earlier,” Jace replied, “but watching you eat that is really tempting.” He turned to smile at LaCienega who smiled back weakly in response.

“Try it. It’s really good.” Michelle held up a knife from the other end of the table and smiled perhaps a little too fondly with the gleaming object in her hand. “I got the cake from that new bakery that opened up downtown. Their cheesecake is the best thing ever, but Seth has a massive obsession with this kiwi cake for some odd reasons.”