Cupid's Incorporated {Completed}

Cupid's Incorporated - Chapter Twenty-One

I pulled out my phone as soon as they disappeared down the street and their tail lights had disappeared, and pulled my phone out of my pocket.

I dialed his number, which was Number One on my Speed Dial right now. “Ready?” he asked, without preamble.

I nodded, then remembered he couldn’t see me, and smiled to myself. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

“See you soon?” he asked hopefully, genuinely sounding excited, which made tingles spread up my spine.

“See you soon,” I confirmed, disconnecting and running down the stairs.

Showtime.

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I have gotten changed in many different positions.

I have changed in a packed-in bathroom stall, where there wasn't enough elbow-space to move your arms out more than an inch; I have gotten changed under the covers on a cold wintery morning where getting out of bed seemed like it would surely give me hypothermia, I have even gotten changed in a cave under a waterfall in northern Hawaii.

But I think getting changed in the backseat of a car is probably the most difficult clothing expedition I have ever endeavored.

I groaned as I pulled the navy business jacket over my head, matching it with long pants and pointy-toed heels. I added a gold wedding ring and an expensive-looking watch, before pulling on my blonde wig. Sure, it was meant to be a party wig, but it would do for tonight.

I then added my contacts—that’s how thorough we were—that made my eyes a stormy gray color. I added some foundation to make my skin a little lighter, and put on some bright pink lipstick. Hopefully she wouldn’t notice me.

Mushed up against the door, with bags on either side of me, I was almost buried under all of the crap in my car. Fast food wrappers, soda cans, magazines, hairspray cans, and other things that I had deemed as lost about ten months ago all closed in on me, and I was thankful that I wasn't someone who suffered from claustrophobia, otherwise I'd probably be hyperventilating by this point.

Not that I wasn't hyperventilating for a completely different reason right now...

To take away from nerves I just thought of it this way: This was just another role I had to play. I was playing Tiffani Wellington, a twenty-three year old cosmetic heiress. Ashton was playing the leading male role of George Wellington, her husband and also a scientific inventor. This was just a role, and I was just acting. I could do this.

Tiffani and George probably didn't have to exist; I mean, no one would ask about our careers. But, in all honesty, I was dramatic - and a little paranoid - and I wanted an alias to fall back on if I needed one.

“Are you mumbling to yourself?” a familiar voice asked, and I whirled around to see Ashton casually walking towards me, not displaying the slightest bit of nervousness. He looked like the cool, calm inventor he pretended to be. If I didn’t know what his costume looked like, I wouldn’t have recognized him.

He wore green contacts and thick bottle-neck glasses with black rims, a stick-on moustache and his hair was slicked back and had colored hair-spray that made it a dirty brown color. He wore a black suit and crimson tie, and he looked quite attractive.

His thin hands were tucked into the pockets of his pants, and he walked with the cool swagger of  a rich man with a promising future - how, I imagined, someone like George Wellington would walk.

“Wow, you look completely different,” I acknowledged, stepping away from my car and giving him an appreciative look. I was parked far enough away from the restaurant that my mom would never notice my car if she happened to make an unexpected exit - which was the exact reaction we were desperately hoping for.

He shrugged nonchalantly. “I look OK. You, however, look completely different. No one would recognize you.”

I smiled. “Then job well done, right?”

He nodded affirmatively and proffered his arm for me to take. “Are you ready, Mrs. Wellington?” He made his voice sound American, and I couldn't help the smile that graced my lips as I felt his warm arm encircle mine.

Oh, geez, I was turning into a sap.

I took his hand, and together we walked into the restaurant, where couples were already milling about. I could see my mother and Henry already seated at the table, his arms gesticulating animatedly as he told a story. Her face was alight with different expressions as she listened to him, and occasionally she would nod at something he said, and then let out a tinkling laugh.

“Did you set everything up?” I asked, leaning my mouth closer to his ear so no one overheard. My lips brushed his lobe, making my mouth tingle.

He stiffened slightly and drew in a sharp breath, but nodded in response.

The waiter came over to their table. She was a pretty girl around nineteen or twenty, with dirty-blonde hair held back in a tight ponytail and steady hands, even though we had paid her specifically to be their busgirl.

“What can I get you?” she asked, smiling at the couple. She held her notepad and pen poised perfectly, and seemed completely at ease. What, was everybody here excellent at acting? 

Henry ordered a cocktail, while my mother ordered a margarita, which was exactly what we had hoped for. I knew my mother better than anyone, and knew she found margaritas to be the most appetizing beverage to ever grace the Earth.

The girl told them she’d be back with their order and sauntered off to the kitchen with measured steps. We slipped out of our seats, and made our way towards the door and slipped into the corridor that led to the kitchen and bathrooms.

The girl, Madison Henly, as I had recently learnt, was waiting for us, leaning against the smooth tiled walls.

I stealthily handed her the Tabasco sauce from my purse full of tricks and a crumpled twenty-dollar bill.

She stuffed the money in her pocket and nodded at us, dropping us a sly wink before scurrying off.

We made our way back onto the floor and got a table between my mother and Henry’s table and the kitchen. Perfect vantage point for interceptions and viewing pleasures.

Madison came back with the drinks and handed them to Henry and my mother.

I watched with a small smile as they took the drinks and set them on the table, before ordering.

Once they had ordered, Ashton got up and took the plastic bag full of plastic maggots that I had bought from the magic store. He went off to hand them to Madison, while I watched the scene with amused eyes.

My mother picked up her drink to make a toast, and Henry made some overly-romantic speech that made her blush and giggle and fall in love that much more. I couldn't help my rolling eyes, though.

Ashton slipped back down and smiled. “Glad I made it back in time.”

I nodded and bit my lip, waiting for her to drink it. They tapped glasses and then she brought it to her lips, taking a sip of the drink.

That was when all hell broke loose.

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