The Stand In

Chapter 7

Another con was it being skin deep. Everyone knows that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but these apps are designed for exactly that. Don't like what you see? Exit stage left please.

I had to argue with the photos that Mia and Sophie had decided, we finally settled on fun but professional. I didn't want to look like I was hanging onto my parents bank account by posting various photos of me at parties or in group photos.

I'm about to message some potential new suitors, when my phone rings. Seeing Mia's name flash along the screen, I answer it and immediately tell her what I'm doing.

"Go you, any hunks?" She asks, but before I can tell her a few hotties and notties, a deep voice speaks.
"Mia. Focus."

The wine glass heading towards my lips pauses, and I sit up a little in the bath. "Is that..?"

"Henry, yes." She says making me gasp. "I'm at work." She then adds making the excitement die down a little.

"Why are you there at this hour? Are you doing more overtime?" I reply in a teasing tone. Her and Henry certainly hit it off and from the lingering looks they share across the office, they were both hot for each other. It was cute, and made me insanely jealous.

"I am but not in that nature. Have you checked the news in the last 2 hours?"

"Nope. I've been hooking hotties." I reply. "Why? What's happened?"

"Our biggest competitor has just been exposed for sexual harassment and assault, the company has gone bust and everyone associated with them are jumping ships." She says.

"Okay..." I draw out slightly confused.

"We got clients, lots of clients hitting our system. High profile, membership exclusive clients. El, there's millions of dollars to be made right now." She says making my brain click.

"What do you need?" I ask because that's the reason she has rang, she needs something, whilst she combats the influx of people.

"Can you take extra clients?"

"Of course, you know I'm happy too, how many roughly?" I ask, setting my wine down.

"About 10? Maybe 15?" She guesses.

"No problem."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. Has Henry thought about buying to company?" I ask.

"We both spoke about it, but considering the reputation it now has, it's best to leave that hot potato to shrivel up. He is going to look at hiring as many as the staff as possible, as well as taking the clients. Some will have a good rapport with the clients and have built trust up with them. But as for the company itself, it's best to to leave that name in the gutter." She tells me, making me agree.

"I get it, but yeah, send over as many clients as you need to. I'll get started when I climb out this tub. Get cracking with setting up profiles, sending out greeting emails etc. You guys gonna be there all night?" I ask.

"Looks that way."

"I'll order you both dinner. Pizza okay?" I ask.

"Would you?"

"Of course. No pineapple?"

"None. If Henry likes pineapple, I think it will crush our little bubble, I can't deal with pineapple on a pizza right now." She says making me giggle.

"I'll order it now. If you need me at all, just ring."

"Okay. Oh and Henry said he will throw a bonus your way. He has tried ringing people and they refused the extra work." She tells me before sighing.

"Well you know I'll do it as well as Soph."

"I know, I love you both for it too. I gotta go, the phone is ringing off the hook."

We hang up and I instantly drop the dating app in favour of ordering Mia and Henry some pizza along with mozzarella sticks, dough balls, salad and a few drinks to keep them going throughout the night.

Reaching down to the floor, I pick up the glass of wine and knock it back, before getting myself washed and out the bath. Less than 10 minutes later, I am sat to the desk in my bedroom, laptop ready, glass refilled, pjs on and cracking through the clientele list that I've received.

Normally, our clients go through the sorting programme, Mia had set up, answering a few questions and what they would use us for. Then the programme would sort them to the appropriate assistant where we would then take over, introduce ourselves and begin building a rapport with them.
However, urgency was the key right now, especially with such a scandal being exposed.

No high profile client wants to be in connection with such a person, fearing it could impact on their self image that they've built up over time. You wouldn't want a recovering drug addict to be in connection with a company whose main production is in Cannabis farms. You get my drift?

The first 5 clients I receive are all high profile, that can be told from the star beside their names, it's like a verification marker. Any requests by them need to be done ASAP. For these clients, there is a separate notification tone, inbox and alert system.

My main job tonight is to send out a personalised email to each client, introducing myself as well as attaching my photo and review sheet for them to see my previous work, like a reference to how good I am at my job. After that, I leave them to send me through their tasks and I get to work. Simple as that.

Those 10 to 15 clients soon turn into 25, with Sophie FaceTiming me to make sure I was okay to take on the work load. After I convinced her I was fine and that the seizure hasn't affected my ability to say no or to work, we both talk about Mia and Henry's blossoming romance as well as talking out how I am going in the dating app world.

"So how many dates do you have this week?" She asks.

"I haven't... I just been swiping at the moment." I tell her.

She tuts and pauses polishing her toes to look at me "Arrange a date, take life by the short and curlies."

"And what about you?" I ask her. "Did you arrange the meet up with your Louboutin client?"

She smiles "We are meeting tomorrow. Is red nail polish too tacky?"

"In black peep toes? Never. Go with the red sole too." I tell her.

She tilts her head in thought before nodding. "Red it is. Yeah we are meeting tomorrow. I have the perfect professional but hot dress picked out, its fitting and when I team them with the shoes, shades and a bag. I'm gonna be a boss ass bitch."

"Go you." I grin.

"It just leaves you now. So get on that mail box and start organising dates. If you don't, I will organise them for you. Mia told me the password." She warns before smirking.

"I'll do it. You'll send me on a date with Mr Never, than Mr Right."

"Or Mr Right Now." She adds.

"Exactly. Leave it with me."

"I want a screenshot as proof." Sophie points the nail polish bottle at me through the camera. "I know you..."

With a laugh, I agree to do just that before we hang up and get back onto the clients that keep appearing.

I had a feeling that it wasn't just Mia and Henry in for a long night!