Chapter 21

DORIS

The HR lady led me to the top of the building and into a fancy corner office with floor-to-ceiling windows. There were impressive views of New York City on both sides.

There was a big executive chair, but the back was to me, and I couldn't see who was in it.

“Arthur?” I asked quietly.

He turned around with a big Cheshire grin on his face.

“Surprise!”

I gasped. “What are you doing here?”

He opened his arms wide to gesture that this was his office.

“You’re the boss of Heritage Properties?”

“And the owner of BelleBelle Luxury Boutique, and the CEO of AmeriCapital.”

My mouth fell open in shock. “Is this some kind of joke?”

His expression softened. “No joke, Doris.”

I couldn’t believe it. Yet he looked like he was telling me the truth.

“Wh-Why didn’t you tell me before?”

"You assumed I was a stripper. It was so absurd, but also kind of flattering in a way. Weird but flattering. You were so sure. I decided to just go with it."

I shook my head. I couldn’t wrap my mind around it.

“I thought you were a stripper because of where you were sitting and because the emcee announced it was theme night and businessmen would be on soon.”

Arthur laughed, a heart-warming laugh that I’d never heard from him before.

“Sit down,” Arthur said, gesturing to the chair across the desk from him. “Let’s start the interview.”

Like a zombie, I walked to the chair and sat down. "You have to give me a minute. My whole world just tilted on its axis. I need a minute to recalibrate."

He chuckled.

“So that was you in the elevator,” I said.

He raised his eyebrows. “If you mean in this building, then yes, probably.”

We were silent for a while as he gave me time to think.

“It’s just so…so…” but I couldn’t finish that sentence. I didn’t know what that was.

“Listen, Doris.” Arthur leaned forward. “I admit, I shouldn’t have let your misconception go on for so long. But there are women out there who only want me for my money, or connections, or to get a mention in the society papers.”

He paused and let that sink in. It must be awful to never know if someone actually liked you or just wanted you for your money and position.

“With you, from the beginning, I never had to worry about that.”

“I just wanted you for your…” I was about to say ‘hot bod’, but I realized I was still in his office, and this was still about to be an interview, so I shut up. He probably thought I was going to say, ‘penis’, because he cracked up.

When he stopped laughing, he said, "We wanted each other for our attraction, and our chemistry, and maybe because fate brought us together."

I nodded vigorously, but then I narrowed my eyes. “Did you arrange for the gift certificate prize at the boutique?”

“I did.”

“Did you arrange for the temp job?”

“I did.”

“This interview?” I squeaked.

“Yes.”

I put my head in my hands.

“Doris, you never asked for any of those things. I wanted to help.”

“I’m so dumb and naïve. Ugh.” I looked up at him, my cheeks red with embarrassment.

Then I got angry. “I can’t believe all this time I thought it was luck. I can’t believe all this time I didn’t realize you were a top executive and I thought you were a stripper!”

“Doris, I’m sorry. I should have told you earlier. Can you forgive me?”

I stared out the window. Honestly, I didn’t know. Not so much because I was mad at Arthur, but because I was mad at myself.

“Doris,” Arthur said, his voice both kind and firm, “It doesn’t matter that you mistook me for a stripper, or I helped you get a dress without you knowing it. What matters is we are both here now.”

I looked at Arthur. Here was the man I loved and the sensible, ruthless businessman all rolled into one.

“Let’s begin the interview, shall we?”

I blinked a few times. “I…guess I have to, don’t I? But…I’m confused. I…”

“Doris,” he said, after it was clear I wasn’t going to finish my sentence. “I have your resume, and it’s great. I know how hard you worked at my mother’s firm. I also know Andrea is blocking you from working anywhere else.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

“Yes, I know. And I could just hire you. I could just make up a job for you.”

“I’m not asking for a handout.”

“I didn’t think you would.”

“I just want a chance.”

“So, let’s have an interview,” Arthur said. “I’m not going to make it easy on you.”

“Lay it on me. I’m prepared.”

Arthur’s lips twitched up on one side when I said ‘lay it on me’ but then he put on his serious face and began to ask me a slew of real estate related business questions.

Thank God I’d always been excellent in the real estate industry. With every question I answered well, I began to feel like I was winning Arthur’s approval.

“That’s great, Doris,” Arthur said, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers in a power position. “Now I’d like to ask you a few questions about a slightly different topic.”

“Okay.”

“Tell me what you think about early childhood education.”

“I think it’s a good thing.”

Arthur laughed. "I mean specifically. What's your philosophy? What are some strategies you would use to encourage positive behavior?”

Those were odd questions, but luckily, I had a lot of good things to say on the topic. Arthur was very satisfied with my fluent answers.

"The reason I'm asking is that I have a seven-year-old daughter, Mia." Arthur explained the entire situation and offered me a job pretending to be his daughter's biological mother every weekend.

Arthur's proposal left me speechless. "You want me to pretend to be Mia's biological mother?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes.”

“Why not find a nanny or…”

“Doris. I want you.” His words reverberated around the room, taking on more than one meaning.

"It would mean a lot to Mia, and it would mean the world to me. I wouldn't trust my daughter to anyone else.”

I shook my head. I was still reeling from the surprise of finding out he was really the genius billionaire executive. “It’s a lot to process.”

“Doris, I know it's a lot to ask, but please.”

"I don't know. I took a part-time gig singing Friday and Saturday nights at The Strip."

Arthur smiled at that.

“Wouldn’t that interfere with this role-playing job?” I asked.

Arthur looked at me with cautious hope in his eyes. "No. You could still do it. Mia's biological mother was also a singer. That you have to leave for a gig will just give you more credibility.”

“Arthur…”

Arthur leaned forward; his voice filled with sincerity. "Doris, I trust you. From the moment we met, I felt your authentic care and kindness. Your heart. I know you'll bring that to Mia's life.”

It was a lot to take in. “Arthur…this is a lot.”

“Listen, I’ll pay you double the real estate job if you’ll just do this “mommy job" on the weekends. I think it will be the thing that really helps Mia's recovery."

I was amazed by the salary.

“Mia loves to sing and is quite talented in music. You could sing with her.”

I stared out the window, thinking. “It’s tempting.

When Arthur said Mia’s biological mother’s name, I was shocked because it was my former alumnus, Cathy, the lead singer of a rival college band.

I didn’t expect that Cathy would really become a successful singer, while I was going to be a humble worker pretending to be Cathy.

“Mia only briefly lived with her biological mother, Cathy, before she was a year old,” Arthur said in a persuasive voice. “Mia’s only seen a photo of Cathy in big sunglasses.”

“I don’t like lying, even to a kid.”

“We won’t lie. Mia will just assume. Just like you did.”

I scowled.

“Your resemblance to Cathy and your singing talents make you the perfect fit," Arthur said, "but more than that, I want Mia to spend time with you. I want to spend time with you."

My heart melted.

“You and Cathy look somewhat similar. You could look totally alike with some make-up. Doris, I know I have no right, but I’m begging you. Please.”

“You can keep the resident singer job at the club. You're hired here at Heritage Properties. Act as Mia's weekend mom, too, please."

I was still silent because I was taking it all in.

“I’ll give you a five-thousand-dollar bonus if you say yes right now, Doris, but I can't stand the wait. I need an answer."