I turn to look at Noah, who says, “I may have showed them to her and she might have forwarded a couple of them to herself.”
“Can you please tell her that I was here and ask her to call me? Please, Kaleigh?” I beg as she slams the door in my face and flips the locks with loud clicking sounds.
I hang my head, while Noah pats me on the back. “She’ll call.” He assures me. “Or send someone to kill you. I mean, she did say Donkey Kong.”
I shrug his hand off me and walk back to my car, wishing I could just start this day over or at least go back to the moment when I walked back into the office after my meeting.
Noah gets in his car and goes home, while I head to my condo. I go straight into my bedroom and throw myself onto my bed. I scrub a hand down my face as my mind runs back over my day. Fuck! This is a such mess.
I get up, tossing my jacket onto the chair in the corner and pulling my shirt out and unbuttoning it. I shrug it off and see the red lipstick on the collar. The same damn lipstick that started this whole fucking nightmare. I wad up the shirt and throw it straight into the fucking trash.
The next day, I get to work earlier than normal. I wait anxiously for eight o’clock to roll around, so I can see her the minute she comes in.
When it hits eight-ten, my hands start to get sweaty, and my shirt starts feeling a bit tight around my neck, so I undo the collar. An email ping comes from my computer, and I turn to look at it when I see Carmen sit down at Lauren’s desk.
I get up and go over to ask her, “What are you doing?”
She smiles at me. “I’m your new PA. Isn’t this exciting?”
I don’t say a word to her. Instead, I march right over to Barbara’s office. The door is open, so I just walk in. “What the fuck is Carmen doing?”
“She’s your new PA. Not only did Lauren quit, but Penelope also cancelled her contract with us, leaving me without a reputable temp agency to rely on, so I did the only thing I could do under the circumstances.” She takes off her glasses and leans back in her chair, steepling her hands together in front of her as she taps her pointer fingers on her lips. She looks at me with disappointment radiating off of her. “You fucked up so bad here, Austin. I’m not even sure if you actually realize the depth of what you’ve lost.”
“I know. I know I did. I called her to apologize, but she didn’t take any of my calls. I even went by her house, but her sister wouldn’t let me see her,” I tell her, hoping it will soften the blow I know she’s about to deliver to me.
She sits up straight in her chair, looks me dead in the eyes, and starts to speak to me in that soft but angry, firm, and concise tone she used on me when I seriously messed up as a kid. “You told that beautiful, vivacious young woman that she is undesirable and that’s why her husband left her. And you have the audacity to think that because you say sorry she is going to forgive you? I must have dropped you on your head when you were younger.” She shakes her head.
“Austin, you have to know that she had feelings for you, just as you have them for her. It sure as hell was obvious to all of us who were thoroughly enjoying that dance the two of you were doing. Hell, we were getting ready to start a pool for when you two would finally get it together and get together. What you’re not getting is that it was going to take a lot of bravery and trust and faith on her part to take that step. The last man she had feelings for wounded her, Austin. And the next man she thought she might possibly open up to just wounded her, too. Men wonder why women turn into raging bitches? Think about what SHE has been through at the hands of men she’s cared about, and there’s your answer.” She waits a beat for that to sink in before continuing.
“You needed an assistant, I did the best I could. Carmen was available, and even after that display yesterday, was still willing. You need to understand that Lauren will never come back here, Austin, and it is highly unlikely that she will ever give you the time of day to deliver that apology,” she finishes as if she didn’t just gut me with that speech. Fuck, what have I done?
I’m so mad at myself, I can’t help the glare I aim at her as I ask, “Aren’t you the one who says never say never?”
“I also taught you how to be sensitive and kind-hearted. What happened there?” She raises an eyebrow at me.
I turn and practically storm out of her office, coming face-to-face with John. “Hey there, buddy. You’re looking a bit uptight today,” he remarks as he puts his hands in his pockets.
“Fuck you.” I walk away from him, hoping he doesn’t follow me, but hearing his breathing beside me, I know that I’m not that lucky.
“Did you really call her out in front of everyone?” I look over at him when he finishes asking the question.
“I didn’t do it in front of anybody. They were just there,” I say as I walk back into my office. “Close the door.”
“Oh, now you want privacy?” he asks, chuckling. “All kidding aside, I heard that it was brutal. You’re lucky no one caught that on video. That shit can go viral, and the next thing you know, you’re all over the Internet as the World’s Worst Boss.”
I tolerate him until he walks out and then start my day. My emails come in all fucked up. Nothing is entered in my calendar. My meetings aren’t even entered. I have no idea where I’m going. I pick up my phone and call Carmen.
“Hiyeah,” she greets. And, really, is that even a word?
“Have you sent me the emails that came in today? Did put all the meetings that I have next week in my calendar?” I look at my computer screen.
“No, I assumed you would do it,” she replies.
“No, I don’t do it. You do it,” I bark and then hang up. It just gets worse from there. The notes she enters make no sense. She is confusing projects and entering things in the wrong places. She can’t even get my coffee order right.
For the next two days, I text Lauren, begging her to call me. I’ve even driven by her house a couple of times to try and catch her or the kids outside, but so far nothing.
Finally, it’s Friday night. I shut down my computer and text Barbara.
Go see Lauren. Double her salary. I promise, I won’t even talk to her. We can do everything by email. Do whatever it takes, but just get her back.
Her reply comes right away. It’s a picture of Lauren sitting on her couch, laughing. There’s not a stitch of makeup on her face. She’s wearing a pair of black yoga pants and a tight tank top, and she’s holding a glass of wine. Her hair is piled on top of her head. I’ve only ever seen her dressed professionally, and she always looked hot, but she looks comfortable and effortlessly pretty now. That isn’t what really gets my attention, though. No, it’s Barbara, who is sitting right there next to Lauren, a glass of wine in her hand, and they are both laughing.
I reply with one word.
Traitor.
I send Noah a text.
Tomorrow night. You, me, drinks, women, good times.
He answers right away.
It’s on like Donkey Kong.
Fuck me. She’s left her mark all over my life and on everyone in it.
Chapter Seventeen
LAUREN
It’s been four days since I’ve spoken to Austin. Four very long, very boring days. I called Penelope and begged her to find me something, anything. So far, she has nothing.
I’ve rearranged furniture and reorganized closets and cabinets. I’ve done a big deep cleaning of all the bathrooms. I’ve gone through the kids’ toys, closets, and drawers. I’ve stripped the beds and washed all the bedding. I forced myself to stop when I found myself eyeing the windows.
Tonight, the kids left to go to Jake’s until Monday night. Leaving Kaleigh and me to entertain ourselves. I had great plans to Netflix and chill, but she came in with Barbara, of all people, following right behind her after the kids left. Barbara came bearing gifts, and by gifts I mean wine, so I wasn’t about to tell her to leave. That would be rude, plus, I like Barbara and I missed her.
We laughed over wine about everything an
d nothing at all. Neither of us bringing up Austin, which made me happy and sad all at the same time.
It was when she was getting up to leave that Kaleigh left us alone to talk.
“You have to know that we all miss you,” she says, emphasizing the ‘all’ as she reaches for the empty pizza box in the center of the table.
I shake my head a bit sadly, hoping I don’t start tearing up again.
“We do. He does especially.” The way she refers to him makes my heart beat just a tad faster. Makes it hurt, too.
“He humiliated me,” I tell her, taking the box out of her hands so she can see me. “And he didn’t even know it. My husband had an affair with our son’s teacher.” I drop the box back on the table.
“He would never—” she starts, but I hold up my hand.
“I know he wouldn’t, and I understand that he didn’t know, but what he said hit close to home. Very, very close to home.”
“He’s miserable. I replaced you with Carmen.” She laughs a bit evilly. “She barely knows how to email at all, so forget it if there’s an attachment. And let’s just say that she and Excel are a big, fat no-go.”
“Good. He deserves it. Asshat,” I grumble as I sit down. “I know you have your loyalties, I understand that.” I grab a Kleenex from the side table and dab at my eyes. “I will never, ever put you in the middle. I like you, and I’d like to continue our friendship.”
“Please come back,” she pleads. “I’m begging. I’ll give you whatever you want, just name it.”
“I don’t know,” I say, but I’m thinking about it. Who am I kidding, I’m so, so, so, close to saying yes.
“Just think about it. Go out tomorrow night with your sister. Get dressed up. Drink, flirt with hot guys, have fun. Then call me on Sunday, and we’ll talk,” she says as I walk her to the door. “Flirt a little for me, too.” She winks at me, gives me a quick squeeze, and walks out the door.
“So, are you going to go back?” Kaleigh asks from the stairs where she is sitting.
“I don’t know.”
“I think you should. Don’t let him chase you away from a job you genuinely liked.” She gets up and makes her way down the rest of the stairs. “Now, let’s discuss outfits. Are we doing slutty maids or slutty school girls?”
I look at her like the crazy person she is and ask, “Why do we have to do slutty anything?”
“Because sluts have more fun.” She shrugs. “Or so I’ve been told.”
I stare at her and wonder, not for the first time, how the hell I’m related to this woman.
The next day, we spend the afternoon lounging in the backyard. At three, I go up to my room to take a nap, because let’s be honest here, I’m a single mom of two who thinks that eleven p.m. is a late night.
My nap lasts a solid two hours, and when I wake up, I’m almost tempted to cancel this debacle that Kaleigh is planning. I’m about to tell her that we should just stay home when the door flies open and she comes through it, telling me, “Don’t even fucking think about it. Get your dusty vagina in that shower. You will exfoliate and shave—everywhere.”
“Jesus, Kal, it’s not dusty.” I storm into my bathroom and slam the door. I lean back against it, thinking to myself that she might be right. It’s probably a little bit dusty.
I walk over to the sink and look at myself in the mirror. I’m hot, I’m young, and I’m single. Tonight, I’m going to go out, drink some cocktails, flirt with men, and maybe, just maybe, have sex. Hot, no-name sex. Okay, well, maybe not sex, sex. Maybe just some kissing and I’ll give him my number. And if he’s really hot, maybe my real number. Definitely not my real name, because you know, he could be a stalker. Oh, for Christ’s sakes, I’ll most likely just have some drinks and come home drunk.
I wash and dry my hair, setting it in big curlers so it will be wavy. I do my makeup darker than usual, with a smoky eye in dark brown and gold tones.
I walk out of the bathroom and stare at the outfit I picked out this morning. A tight peach high-waisted dress that goes to mid-thigh. In case that isn’t short enough, there is a V-notch in the center that shows off my inner thighs spectacularly, especially when I walk. I’ve paired it with a black strapless bustier. It’s tight, too, holding the girls in place and making them appear firmer than they really are. I put on a chunky black necklace. The whole outfit is put together with black strappy heels. My feet will be screaming in about an hour, but the shoes are sexy as fuck. Well, at least that is what Kaleigh says.
I grab my Michael Kors black wristlet and put the essentials in it. “Are you ready?” I yell down the hall.
Kaleigh walks out of her room, and I’m left speechless. Her outfit consists of a pair of white lace looser-fitting short shorts with a small, shiny black belt. Her top is a black tube top. I know for a fact that she isn’t wearing a bra, mainly because her breasts don’t need it. She finishes this look with a seriously sexy pair of black open-toe, lace-up stiletto boots. “Let’s go get us some dick!” She raises her hands in the air, and I can’t help but laugh.
Before I can answer her, I hear a honk outside. “CAB’S HERE!” she yells in her best Jersey shore accent.
I shake my head and say a prayer to whomever is listening at this point that I come home tonight, safe and sound, and with both shoes.
Two hours later, I’m finally sitting down after dancing my ass off. When we got to the club, Kaleigh, of course, knew the bouncer, so we walked right in and were given a booth. The booths sit in a section that is a bit higher than the dance floor. You can get to this area by using the set of six stairs leading up here around the dance floor.
Bottle service is a whole different ball game. The club that we’re at is called Light Night, which is weird, because it’s almost pitch black with soft light moving around the room.
I’m finally drinking my vodka and cranberry when the Drake song “One Dance” comes on.
I stand up, throwing my hair back, putting my hands in the air as I yell how much I love this song. I grab Kaleigh, and we run back out onto the packed dance floor.
I sway my hips to the beat of the song, singing out loud with Drake.
I feel a pair of hands land on my hips, and I slowly turn around to smile at the guy who put his hands on me. He’s cute. Tall with shaggy hair. He smiles at me and pulls me to him. I go with it and live in the moment. Singing the song and moving my hips, I’m having fun taking in the scene all around me.
As I scan the room, my eyes land on a familiar pair of green eyes that I haven’t seen in almost a week. I don’t have time to think, let alone escape, before I see him making a beeline right to me. My hands fall from my dance partner when I feel his heat against my back.
“Get lost,” he demands, using a tone of voice that unmistakably conveys the message not to test him on this.
I whirl around to face him, pissed off that he thinks he can come here, interrupt my dance, and try to ruin my night. I’m about to tell him to go fuck off when he grabs my hand and drags me across the dance floor and out the side door into the cool night.
I try to yank my hand out of his once we get outside, but I’m suddenly pushed up against the wall. I’m about to say something when I see the look he is giving me and snap my mouth shut.
“Don’t push me, Lauren, not now,” he warns me, and I look at him.
He is dressed in low-slung, tight blue jeans that mold to him. A baby blue button-down, tight-fit, tailored shirt has two buttons open at his neck. His sleeves are rolled halfway up to his elbows, and his silver Rolex is on his wrist.
“Don’t push you?” I question, pushing off the wall and squaring my shoulders. “Don’t push you? You have some nerve, Austin.” The alcohol is giving me a little bit more courage. “You called me uptight, and I was in there enjoying my night when you charged over there like…like…I don’t even know what the hell that was all about, except for the fact that I wasn’t the uptight one in that scenario. Hmm, who needs to loosen up now, Austin?” I taunt.
“You drive me nuts! I can’t sleep! I can’t think! I can’t even fucking get anything done at work without thinking about you!” He roughly runs his hand through his hair, his shirt tightening across his chest with the movement.
“So, I come out tonight. I’m going to kick back, have a few drinks, and not think about you. But of all the places, you’re here, looking like this.” He gestures to my outfit, his eyes running up my body from my shoes to my face.
“What’s wrong with how I look? I look good!” I cross my arms under my breasts and cock my hip to the side.
“No, Lauren. No, you don’t look good. You look fucking amazing. As usual. I tried to ignore you. I turned my back. I wasn’t going to pay you any attention at all. But when I turn around, there you are on the dance floor, swinging your ass with that douche all over you,” he grates out angrily.
“So? I’m here to have fun, too, Austin. And I was! Until you marched over there like some crazy man and dragged me out here. What the hell was that, huh?” My voice rises as my anger ratchets up a few notches.
He steps further into my space, and I’m now sandwiched between the wall and Austin. He tips his face down so we are nose-to-nose. I can’t see the rest of his expression, but his eyes are blazing.
“I didn’t like it, Lauren,” he rumbles in a quietly angry voice.
“Why, Austin? Why did it bother you?” I whisper, completely mesmerized by that look in his eyes. I should have paid attention, though, because instead of answering me, his lips come crashing down on mine.
Chapter Eighteen
AUSTIN
I spend the whole day Saturday running a 5K through the park and rearranging my emails in alphabetical order. Fucking Carmen.
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