Sapphire Beautiful Read Online Free Page B

gaining the freshman fifteen.”
    “I blame it on good genes.”
    When I feel my cellphone buzz in my purse I think it might be my sister phoning to confirm the Saturday night babysitting arrangements.
    Grabbing my cell I’m surprised to see it’s from an unknown caller. “I’d better take this.”
    I hurry out of the cafeteria and answer the call as soon as I’m outside. “This is Mary.”
    “You passed your physical examination. All clean. You’ll be receiving a call from Mr. McNally to give you further instructions about your arrangement.”
    That’s all Claudia says before she hangs up on me.
    “Is everything okay?” Lucy asks when I reenter the cafeteria.
    “Yea, sure. Why do you ask?”
    She places a hand on her hip and gives me a look that clearly says she doesn’t believe me. “You’re normally pale, but right now you look as white as a sheet. What’s going on?”
    I know I can’t lie to Lucy. She’ll see right through that. But I don’t know enough about the arrangement myself yet to be able to give her any details, so I decide to give her some half-truths. 
    “Doug stopped paying the bills, including our mortgage, after the sex scandal was exposed. He also wiped out our bank accounts. So I decided to get a part-time job as a way to get out of the financial hole I’ve found myself in.”
    “Doing what?”
    “Sales,” I tell her, because it’s sort of true. In a way I’m selling my body.
    Looking around the still empty cafeteria she says quietly, “Just make sure you don’t get caught. You know it’s against faculty policy to engage in employment outside of the university without permission from the Dean. And he never gives anyone permission.”
    “I’ll be very discreet,” I assure her. “Now let’s get our feed on. I hear the lettuce and tomatoes calling our names.
    ***
    B y the time I get home I’m wiped out. The first week of the term is always hard. It’s especially hard after a long summer break.
    My cellphone has been silent all day, which surprises me. I thought Mr. McNally would have phoned by now. Claudia told me he was anxious to make an arrangement.
    Maybe he’s one of those businessmen who have to work all hours of the day. Perhaps that’s why he needed to make an arrangement. He doesn’t have time to have a real relationship. 
    I’m startled by a knock on the front door. I rarely have visitors, or even solicitors for that matter. When I open the door I’m surprised to see a delivery person.
    “Mary Pine?”
    I nod.
    “Sign here.”
    He hands me an electronic pad and pen that I use to scribble my signature. He shoves a small package at me before he hurries away.
    My hands are shaking as I open the padded envelope. Inside is a cellphone. That’s it. I turn the parcel upside down and shake it just to be sure, but nothing else comes out.
    When I turn the phone on there’s already a text message. There’s no name associated with the text, just a number: Are you available tomorrow night?
    I text back: Of course .
    The reply comes almost immediately: Good. See you then .
    ***
    H e didn’t tell me what time he would be coming over and in my mind “night” could mean almost anything. I make sure to hurry home before five o’clock just in case. Plus that gives me time to get ready, although I’m not sure exactly what I should be wearing.
    I vacillate between dressing in something sexy and being a bit more subtle in my approach. One thing I know for sure though is that I want to wear something that makes me look as young as possible.
    I opt for some skinny jeans that show off my figure and a white sweater that I almost got rid of because I thought it was a bit too tight.
    Then I wait. And pace. And wait some more.
    I stare at the phone he sent hoping I’d hear something, but the same three texts from the day before stare back at me. I feel like they’re taunting me.
    I consider doing some additional digging into the McNally family online, but without a first