UNTIL LOVE SETS US APART ( JENLISA)

Chapter 5

Lisa POV

As I watched Jennie reading on the couch, I wondered how much more wrong I could have been about her. When Rosé had told me that she was bringing a woman who had worked as an escort, to my home, I had imagined... well, I had pictured all those classic images of women who sold their bodies for money - overdressed, talons for nails, make up that looked a couple of inches deep. And a hard-edged personality, one that they had cultivated in order to keep themselves safe and removed from their work. But Jennie didn't fit into any of that, and I was beginning to wonder just how many other notions I'd had about her would turn out to be wrong, too.

I had been spending a lot of time with her lately, especially after Rosé had begged me to take some time away from work to look after her.

"I'm not saying it's going to be for long," she had said over the phone, and I could hear the blare of traffic down her end of the line. I was in the office, just returned from a meeting with a potential new director we wanted to get on board, and even the thought of being caught in the rush hour made me wince.

"But you need me to do it anyway," I finished up for her with a long sigh.

"It's just that all the girls down at the shelter have people with them twenty-four-seven," she explained. "And I don't want Jennie to miss out on that. These first few weeks, they're the most important when it comes to getting her back into society, and if we mess that up..."

She trailed off, and she didn't need to finish up what she was saying. I understood. I looked around my office even though I had been working in this office for almost three months now, I had never bothered decorating the place with trinkets or posters or pictures. It was still just as blank and bland as the first day I had moved in. Maybe spending some time with a real human being, instead of sitting around in this carefully-cultivated dead space, would do me some good.

"I get it," I agreed, and I began to pace up and down the office. "But how long do you think it's going to be for? How long should I tell them I'll be gone for?"

"Just tell them you're taking some time off," I could practically see the furrow in her brow as she spoke. "You're the boss, Lisa. You can do whatever you want."

"Our parents will find out about it," I warned her, and she fell silent for a moment. It was clear that the thought of our parents hadn't necessarily crossed her mind.

"Yeah, well, let them," she replied firmly. "I'll deal with them when and if they turn up. I just need you to do this for now, alright?"

"I will, Rosé," I promised her. "As soon as I get finished up today, I'll organize some people to cover for me while I'm away and I'll take care of her."

"Thank you," Rosé let out a long breath, the static rushing down the line. "I really appreciate this. And I know it might not seem like she does at the moment, but I promise she will, Lisa. She's still coming back down to earth, after all."

"Right," I agreed, not knowing what else to say to that.

Jennie had been living with me for almost two weeks, and I had to admit, while I would rather have been at the family business handling everything that came in, it was good to take a breather and step back from that place for a while. Even if it was only a matter of time before one of my parents caught on to the fact that I wasn't at work and came storming down here to figure out what the hell was going on. They let Rosé do what she wanted, let her engage with these projects of hers, but I had a feeling that if they found out I was involved, they would be less than impressed. I knew they saw Rosé's work as less and mine as legitimate, and knowing that she had coaxed me into joining her on her (un)worthy moral crusade might annoy them. Honestly, if was being truthful with myself, I was glad to have a chance to spend more time with this woman, because she utterly fascinated me.