Claiming Callie: Part one Read Online Free

room and board at school, or you’d be screwed.”
    “This purse has memories,” Callie shoots back, although she knows this doesn’t address, in any way, the things her best friend just said. But she can’t think about that right now.
    She glances down at her black Nine West pumps and points. “Those I got from Ray. Remember?” she asks, referring to her high school boyfriend. “He bought them for me to wear to high school graduation.” She steps around the pile of purses and grapples with a pair of Calvin Klein wedges. “And these I got from that creepy podiatrist. You remember the one. We went out a few months until I found out he lied about his age, said he was twenty-eight, but he was really thirty-five, and had a foot fetish. I earned these just for having to endure several months with that freak.”
    “I’ll play.” Dean moves into the closet with the girls and lifts up a silver purse. “This one?”
    Callie smiles, and her whole face lights up. “Oh! That’s the Kate Spade I got from that boy I dated freshman year. His mom was a manager at Nordstrom and he got a discount. That was one of the best birthdays ever! He even took me to this cozy restaurant on the river downtown. Super classy and super expensive…”
    Dean smiles and glances around him to a shelf of sunglasses and plucks out a pair. “And these?” He wiggles them in his fingers.
    “Hmmm…” Callie steps forward and considers the glasses. “Oh, how could I forget? Those are the Ray-Bans Mark got me as an apology for cheating on me last year. Nice shot at making up, but no go.” She snatches them from Dean’s grip and puts them on. “At least I got something out of that jerk.”
    Dean chuckles, but when Callie glances at Jinny, she does not look amused.
    Jinny stands, hands on hips, and her lips press into a firm line. “I never realized it, but you do get a lot of stuff from men, don’t you? And how do you do that, by the way? Do you only date guys with money? I mean, seriously!”
    Callie’s mouth opens in offense. “Of course not. Randy got that purse at a discount. He probably paid $200, which isn’t unheard-of for an anniversary present. And those sunglasses were maybe $150. We’re not talking about obscene amounts. The super expensive stuff I bought throughout the years, and some of it was purchased at discount stores. But I can’t help it if the guys I date tend to buy me things…” Callie’s voice trails off. She stares into her closet, but sees nothing as an idea sparks in her head.
    “That’s it,” she says quietly.
    “What’s it?” Jinny and Dean ask in unison.
    “Okay, what’s my biggest hurdle to saving the cash I make and putting it on my credit cards? Besides the fact that I don’t make all that much.”
    But Callie doesn’t wait for an answer, she moves out of her closet, her thoughts on overdrive as she paces her bedroom. “Shopping. I love to shop. I love new clothes and shoes and I love going out to eat. I don’t cook…”
    “Okay, so…we’ve already established all this,” Jinny says, the impatience in her voice obvious.
    Callie spins around, her grin widening despite Jinny’s tone. “So, I’ll date. A lot. I’ll get an online dating profile. I’ll get most of my meals paid for—dinners, lunches…” She stops pacing and bites her lip. “No, that won’t work. It’s not enough. Saving on meals is a start, but I need more…I need to get paid to date.”
    She squeals, startling Jinny, who jumps, then clutches at her chest. “That’s it!” Callie screams. “I’ll be an escort.”
    Jinny stares at her like she’s gone completely insane, and the only thing that even budges on Dean are his eyes, which have widened to the size of her fists.
    “I truly hope you’re joking,” Jinny says.
    “What? It’s the perfect solution. Everybody wins. I get free meals and get paid to date. I will put most of the money aside, but will also make enough to buy myself a little something here