Page 5 of Texting Mr. Stranger

“That’s good of him. See, there are still decent people in this world.”

“But it has to be a scam. Or a trick. Or something.”

“Why?”

“Because he agreed to pay five hundred bucks an hour!”

“What?”

I laugh shakily. “Yeah, those are my thoughts exactly. Now he’s asking if I’ve got any time slots tomorrow.”

“Do you?”

“Yeah, a couple, but this can’t be real, can it?” An idea suddenly occurs to me. “What if it’s Dad? He wasn’t a good person, let’s face it. He ran out on Mom?—”

“And you,” Emily cuts in.

“He was an alcoholic asshole before that. Maybe this is his way of twisting the knife.”

“I thought he was in Vegas?” Emily says doubtfully. “I don’t see what he’d have to gain from this.”

“Who thehellwould pay me five hundred bucks?”

“Maybe he’s seen your videos.”

“He has. Well, his sister has.”

“There you go.”

I sit on the toilet seat, curling my fist around my phone. When it vibrates, I almost leap up again. I need to diffuse this tension, but it’s impossible.

Are you there?

“Ask for a deposit,” Emily says, stepping from the shower. “If he’s seriously willing to pay that, then he’ll have no problem with a ten percent deposit, right?”

I swallow. “I don’t know …”

Emily glares down at me. “Bella, you deserve to be paid for your work. When I was spending every weekend partying my ass off in high school, what were you doing? Practicing until your fingers bled. You wereobsessed. Just ask him.”

I quickly write the text. If I give myself any time to think about it, it will become too difficult.I’ve recently started a new policy of taking a 10% deposit in case of cancellations. Is that okay?

Sure, send me your bank details. What times do you have available?

I show Emily the screen.

“Send them, then!”

Going into my bedroom, I grab my bank information and quickly send the information. By the time I walk into the living room, I already have a notification from my banking app saying the funds have been transferred.

I can do anytime tomorrow from 11 a.m. to late evening,I quickly send and then look at the notification again—fifty bucks from DeLuca Investments Limited.

We’ll see you at 11 a.m. Sofia is very excited.

Thank you! See you then!

I sit back on the couch. My head is cloudy, and my heart refuses to slow down. It’s like I’ve had several shots of caffeine. I even go into my banking app to ensure the funds are there. It’s not a glitch.

“This is crazy,” I say when Emily emerges from her bedroom.