False Pretenses

Part 9

Chapter 8

No one actually arrived on time.  That was what they told me.  Why no one did, I didn’t have a clue, but while I was trapped in this life style, I would make sure that I never arrived on time for anything.  It would be odd, seeing as with the job, if I someone was late for a meeting it usually meant they were dead.  H

Shrugging, I sat back in the limo seat, waiting for Hodge to give me the go-ahead.  When I tried leaving earlier, he had chastised me.  One for trying to get out of his car without him opening the door, and two because it wasn’t proper party etiquette to arrive on time, especially if you were Dorothy Herring.  If me showing up on time was against an unwritten code of rules, maybe a physical battle wasn’t one I should have prepared for.  Maybe, I should have told Hodge and Caroline to run me through what not to do at a party.  I knew the basics.  Which fork to eat with, not to put your elbows on the table, make polite small talk with your neighbor, I knew what to do at a dinner.

I had dinners with diplomats around the world, but I had never been forced to mingle.  I would go in, get the target and then leave.  There was no talking to people I was meant to know.  I didn’t have to pretend to be an actual person.  It was what made this difficult.  I couldn’t lie my way out of any situations to come, because these people knew Dorothy better than I did.

The limo door opened, making my thoughts fling to the back of my mind.  Hodge’s hand came into view.  I didn’t waste any time in letting him help me out.  Not only was I an hour and a half late, but I was anxious.  I was ready to start this night so it could end.

“Thank you, Hodge.”

“None of that,” he whispered in my ear as I rose to my feet.  “Dorothy does not thank the help.”

Nodding, I slipped my hand from his.  The smile on my face stayed until another man came to take my arm.  Why couldn’t Hodge escort me up the stairs?  When I glanced down at the arm that took mine, I wanted to pull away.  I didn’t though.  Instead, I let my eyes roam up his body, stopping on his neck that had the smallest Band-Aid on it.

“Two jobs?” I asked, a sweet smile on my face.

He smiled back at me with a shrug.  “Dorothy’s parents lend some of their staff for big parties.  Lucky me, I was on the list, because if I wasn’t, I never would have been able to see you in that dress.”

“Flatterer,” I mumbled in a flat tone.  “What’s your name, doorman?”

He leaned towards me, but instead of stopping in front of my face, he pressed his cheek to mine, his lips brushing my ear.  “You can call me Gabe,” he whispered.

I opened my mouth, but before I could say a word, he slipped away.  The blush spreading on to my face was inappropriate to say the least.  I wasn’t new to flattery, but there was something about that doorman that caused heat to fly to my cheeks.

“Excuse me, Miss.” Looking at the older man, he inclined his head.  “If you will please proceed forward, your parents are waiting for you.”

Nodding, I didn’t thank the man as I usually would.  It was time to let my personality fall away to be replaced by Dorothy’s.  Just as the man said, Lisa and Roger were standing there in wait.  They were not the only two standing there though.  Kyle smiled over at me, while Cole kept his face adverted as if I wasn’t good enough to look at.

I didn’t blame the man.  If I knew Dorothy, I would probably treat her the same way.  I took a step towards them and little arms wrapped around my waist.  “You look beautiful,” Kyle said, the smile still on his face.