Right Girl for the Job

Chapter 19

Javi's heart was flipping over in it's chest... over and over.

Here she was. In a cab. In Nice... on her way to a hotel.

"Such a pretty woman to be travelling all alone?" The taxi driver said in broken English. Javi smiled, thinking it was strange to have a compliment paid but then again, the French and the Italians were known for their passion.

"I'm meeting my husband." Javi said, holding up the ring she'd been given to wear, an odd little bauble that weighed her down and shone brightly. She cleared her throat as she spoke, hoping the accent she was affecting was believable. Jack had stressed how important it was that she use it the moment she stepped out of customs.

Javi had tried to act normal as she walked into a bathroom in the airport, like any other woman meeting some man after a long flight, to change her clothes, her hair and... her identity. She carefully inserted her passports into the hidden slits in her suitcase, shifted her belongings into a new purse, peeled the colored film off her suit case and by the time she was done it was like an entirely different woman was walking out.

She hadn't really given it much thought when Jack explained to her what to buy- she did exactly as she was told but she couldn't even recognize herself. She'd spent hours each night perfecting the make up, the hair... the way she walked in heels. She'd even taking to running in them a few times... not too far, not to fast but just enough to maneuver out of any tough situation.

As her eyes were already naturally slanted a bit, she hadn't expected the eyeliner to make so much of a difference, but the mascara gave her a very catty look that she felt was much too theatrical. Still, whatever worked she went with and tried not to question it too much.

The cab driver suddenly stopped, prompting Javi to shake her head and reach for the door but the click startled her.

"Amor." She said in a surprised tone as a smiling Jack reached out for her hand to take her out of the cab. The term of endearment sounded strange to her lips but she managed to say it without hesitation.

"Por fin llegaste. Thank you, sir." Jack said, helping her out of the car as he held out a few bills to the driver.

"I have one suitcase." Javi said sweetly, moving towards the back but Jack rushed up to the trunk as the driver opened it.

"It's okay- I've got it." He said with a smile.

Javi was taken a back for a second. His sweetness and attentive demeanor was too much... of course, he was playing the part of a husband.

"May we help you sir?" A bell boy said in broken english.

"Yes, this goes with mine." He said, putting down the large suit case and matching hand bag. Javi smiled, knowing they both seemed rather bulky but Jack had insisted she act as much like a normal female as possible.

"Yes sir." The bell boy said, placing the bags on a cart and giving him a ticket. "If you go right this way you can check in, I will bring the bags up to your room shortly."

Jack smiled and turned to Javi, whose hair hung in waves around her shoulders- she looked just like what she was supposed to be... a pretty little wife.

"Vamos?" He asked, making sure to alternate some Spanish so that they would not seem suspicious. He reached out and placed an arm around Javi's waist, forcing her to lean against him a bit as they walked into the hotel lobby.

"Tengo sed." Javi said, trying to put some distance between them as they walked inside, her sunglasses were pulled up on her head as she looked around for a staff member.