The plan was set in motion on a Friday night. It was going to be a one shot deal, and to preserve its organic pretense of a chance encounter, they had no idea who I was and how I looked like, a part for the fact that I would be dressed in red, her favorite color. I spotted them right away, sitting at the far end corner of the expensive hotel's bar they were staying at. Casually and yet elegantly dressed, they were sipping their cocktails, chatting as any normal couple, enjoying each other company, on a relaxed night. I had to admit he was being an incredible good actor as not once, in the 20 minutes I observed them from the counter he looked toward the door.I had wanted to arrive early to observe them, to learn as much as I could about her, about him, as I only had the scant information he provided when he contacted me to go from. So from my vantage point I observed: I noticed the way his eyes would lit every time she looked at him; I noticed the way her head would tilt to the side when listening to him talk, how her eyes would follow his lips; I noticed the way their whole body language create an island of intimacy between them and for the first time since accepting this strange gig, I felt that I did the right thing.The bar was finally filling up with the usual Friday night crowd of professionals and high end call girls. It was easy to spot the locals from the travelers as the latter had an aura of euphoria surrounding them that screamed "free for fun!" to even the least trained eye.It was time to start moving. With a boldness I did not really feel yet, I sent a drink over to their table. A cliche move that I hoped would put a smile on their face. The drinks on their way, I sat angled toward them, waiting for their reaction.I made sure to tell the waiter to address the lady first and compliment her on her lovely hair (he had mentioned she was extremely proud of her long red locks). A moment of confusion before they understood what was happening and, as I hoped, she turned toward me first. Looking into her eyes I rose my glass and sipping my drink I held her gaze just for a little, before slowly turning around. I could see with the corner of my eye that they were talking. He too had looked over me but I had not turned to him.I figured I'd let them do the next move, and sure enough the waiter arrived with a little note for me. "How cliche`and yet classy" I thought.Gathering my drink with one hand, and clutching my purse with the other, I walked over to their table. She did not turn toward me this time but he did, and this time I made sure to not cut my eye contact with him. I knew it was going to turn out exactly as in their best rehearsed fantasy. Entering the part, I let myself believe that it was indeed a chance encounter and with the best of my smiles I reached the table and introduced myself. And for a split moment I wished it was not a paid gig.
