Layla

by E. L. Todd

“Even if you didn’t, he would still be out of his mind to hire you,” Janet teased.

  I shook my head, a smile on my face. “You’re lucky you’re my best friend.”

  “At least I know you’ll beat up anyone who touches me,” Janet said.

  “Good thing you don’t have a gun,” Cassie said.

  I laughed. “Maybe I should be a cop.”

  “Your father would shit a brick,” Janet said.

  “I would get a good kick out of it,” I said. “So, what’s new with you? I feel l like I’m always talking about myself.”

  “Because you are,” Cassie said with a smile. She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I found a new apartment. I’ll be moving soon.”

  “You don’t expect us to help you, right?” Janet teased.

  “You better,” Cassie said. “I helped you move twice.”

  Janet laughed. “We got you.”

  “Try to make it on the weekend,” I said. “I’m trying to find a Monday through Friday job.”

  “Okay,” Cassie said.

  I looked at Janet. “How’s Charles?”

  “I ended it,” she said simply.

  “Why?” Cassie asked, twirling her hair in her fingers.

  “I just wasn’t into him,” Janet said. “There’s no point in dragging it out. I could tell he was eager to have sex so I didn’t want to yank his chain.”

  “How’d he take it?” I asked. “He was really into you.”

  Janet shrugged. “He was quiet. I couldn’t really tell how he felt about it. He accepted it then left.”

  I chuckled, thinking of Kyle. “At least he accepts rejection.”

  “He sounded too…pretentious,” Cassie said.

  “Why?” I asked. “Charles was a really nice guy.”

  “I just don’t like the name,” Cassie said. “It sounds too British.”

  “You’re way too picky with guys,” I said.

  “And when’s the last time you had a boyfriend?” Cassie said, giving me a stern look.

  I smiled. “You caught me.”

  “That’s what I thought,” she said.

  Janet glanced at her phone and read a text message. “You guys want to do the Color Run next weekend?”

  “How far is it?” I asked.

  “It’s a half marathon,” Janet asked.

  “I can do that,” I said. “I’ll need to start running more if I want to have a good endurance.”

  “You wanna do it?” Janet asked Cassie.

  “I’m in,” she said. “I got these really cute Nike running shoes. I’m eager to use them.”

  “You know they’ll get covered in paint,” I reminded her.

  “Oh…you’re right,” Cassie said, sighing.

  “Wear something you don’t mind throwing away,” Janet said.

  “I’ll find something,” Cassie said.

  I finished my wine then drank from my ice tea. I liked having a single glass of alcohol, but never anything more than that. After being a bartender, I was a little sick of it. Janet looked at her phone then typed a message. Cassie cupped her chin then looked across the room. We were quiet for a while but it didn’t feel awkward. Since we spent so much time together, words weren’t always necessary.

  Janet put her phone down and looked at me. “So was this guy hideous?”

  “What guy?” I asked.

  “The one who interviewed you.”

  “No,” I said quickly.

  “Then why didn’t you go out with him?” Cassie asked.

  I shrugged. “He’s not my type.”

  “Not every guy in a bar is a dirty pig,” Janet said. “You work as a bartender and you’re nothing like that. That isn’t a fair stereotype.”

  “I know,” I said with a sigh. “I’m just not interested in dating right now. I need to focus on my career and my responsibilities.”

  “Or it’s because of Jared…” Cassie said.

  “I’m over it,” I said quickly.

  “There will be other good guys out there,” Janet reminded me. “And you are beautiful and smart, Layla. Don’t worry about it. The right guy will come along.”

  “And it doesn’t matter if he does or doesn’t. I don’t need a man to take care of me. I’m happy with the way my life is.”

  Janet shrugged. “I’m independent too, but I would like find someone and settle down eventually.”

  “When the right guy comes along, I’ll know,” I said.

  Cassie stared past my shoulder, looking at the bar near the back wall. She squinted her eyes while she gazed across the room. I turned and looked at the television, seeing the game on the screen. “Who scored?”

  “No,” Cassie said as she shook her head. “Is that…John?”

  “John who?” I asked.

  “Your ex,” she whispered.

  My heart skipped a beat. “No, he lives in San Francisco. It can’t be him.”

  Janet started to stare. “It looks just like him.”

  My heart convulsed painfully in my chest. There was no way it was him, but just the idea gave me a panic attack. My hands started to sweat, my legs shook. I felt myself fall apart. He was the last person in the world I wanted to see. I took a deep breath and looked over my shoulder. When I felt my eyes lock to his green ones, I felt my heart shatter. His face was exactly how I remembered it, fair and beautiful. His thin lips were pink and wide. His chin was stern and prominent. I turned back quickly, feeling sick to my stomach.

  “What do we do?” Janet asked.

  “Let’s haul ass,” I said as I threw my cash on the table. They dropped their money and left the chairs. We walked outside without looking back. I had to get out of there before he approached me. When it came to fight or flight, I always squared my shoulders and prepared for the battle. But with John, it was flight—every single time.

  When we came to the street, I waved down a cab but they kept passing by.

  “Layla.” The familiar sound of his voice made my heart slow down, almost stopping. I didn’t turn around. “You aren’t going to even say hello to me?”

  I took a deep breath then turned around. “Hello. Now goodbye.”

  “Is that how you treat someone you love?”

  “Loved—past tense,” I said.

  His eyes narrowed as he looked at me. His hands were in his pockets but his wide shoulders and large chest were threatening. Without trying, he was intimidating, frightening.

  “Get away from her, you creep,” Janet said.

  He glared at her, not speaking. Then he turned back to me, ignoring my friends. “I heard you lived in the city.”

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  “I live here.”

  “Since when?” I asked with a weak voice.

  “A few months. I got a job working at a firm. I admit I was hoping I would run into you.”

  “Well, you did. Now let’s go our separate ways.” I turned toward the sidewalk but he grabbed my arm, holding me tightly. I felt my knees go weak and my breathing hitch. His hand gripped me like he would never let me go. I hate feeling him touch me. It was frightening, scary. I wanted to push him away but I couldn’t.

  “You aren’t going anywhere,” he said into my face. “We need to talk.”

  Cassie glared at him. “Let her go.” She pushed his shoulder.

  He took the hit but didn’t look at her, his eyes only for me. His green eyes seemed more vibrant. I felt the angry side of him emerge, frustrated with Cassie. John glared at me, only holding me tighter. “Would you excuse us, ladies?” he said politely.

  “Fuck no,” Janet said, giving him a look of loathing. “Let her go, or we’ll scream for help.”

  I held my breath, waiting for him to release me.

  John continued to stare into my face, silently threating me.

  When he didn’t let go, Janet grabbed her phone and dialed 9-1-1.

  John saw her then released me.

  I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the blood return to my veins. Im
mediately, I stepped away from him.

  John continued to stand in front of me. “I guess we’ll talk later.”

  “Go fuck yourself!” Cassie said, pushing him.

  He stepped back but his heavy weight wasn’t affected by the miniscule force of her shove. John walked back into the restaurant and disappeared.

  I started to breathe heavily, feeling my heart work in overdrive. I had never been so scared in my life. The blood pounded in my ears, blocking out the sound of the passing cars and pedestrians.

  “Are you okay?” Janet immediately asked, her hand on my waist.

  I nodded. “Thank you so much.”

  “We always have your back,” Cassie said, rubbing my arm.

  I placed my hand over my chest and felt my sporadic heart. “I—I’ll see you guys later.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Janet asked.

  I turned down the street and walked away. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Call me!” Cassie shouted.

  “Okay,” I said back.

  I hurried back to my apartment then locked the deadbolt on the doorframe. After I was in my safe haven, I marched to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. When I looked at my face the mirror, I started to cry. I was weak, pathetic. I told myself I would never let someone treat me like that. Now I was in control, not needing anyone or anything. If someone disrespected me, I would put them in their place. I never backed down from a fight, taking care of myself. But that all went to shit when I saw John again. With him, I couldn’t be strong. With him, I was weak, controllable, and pathetic. I hated myself more than ever. I should have decked him in the face, kicked him in the balls, slapped him hard across the face, but no, I didn’t do any of that. I ran all the way to the other side of the country to get away from him, start over, but my past just followed me, never letting me go. Now I was scared all over again. I was the woman I didn’t want to be. If I saw him again, I didn’t know what I would do. I prayed it wouldn’t happen. Because if it did, I knew I would repeat the same mistakes—over and over.

  5

  The next afternoon, my phone rang.

  “Hello?” I asked, lying in bed.

  “It looks like I got your number after all.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Hello, Kyle.”

  He chuckled. “How are you?”

  Horrible, but I didn’t tell him that. “Good. You?”

  “Wonderful. Are you interested in a second interview?”

  “Is this a joke?” I asked.

  “No. Why?”

  “I don’t see why you would seriously consider me.”

  “Are you saying I’m making a mistake?”

  “No. I’m just surprised you would be interested in working with a woman who doesn’t have a problem tazing people.”

  He laughed. “So, you want that interview or what?”

  “Duh.”

  “Can you meet me at Le Rochelle’s at noon?”

  “We’re going to a restaurant?” I asked.

  “Yes. Interviews don’t always have to be in the office.”

  “Okay. I’ll be there.”

  “Good. I look forward to seeing you, Ms. Gallagher.”

  “Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  I walked into my room and searched for a nice outfit. I had one of Janet’s dresses so I decided to wear that. It was black and a respectable length. I combined it with a cardigan so it wouldn’t look too fancy.

  When I reached the restaurant, Kyle was already sitting by the window. He nodded to me when I walked inside, and I approached his table.

  Kyle stood up, wearing a suit that looked just as expensive as the one he wore the other day. His tie was yellow, lightning up his outfit. His eyes had the brightest color I’d ever seen. He had a small smile on his face. The light hair on his chin was hard to see, but nonetheless present. I had to admit he was a very gorgeous man. I couldn’t see his body under his clothes, but I could tell it was nothing less than perfect. His back was strong and straight. His hips were narrow and his legs were lean and long. I imagined what his naked chest looked like but I forced it to the back of my mind. When I came closer, he extended his hand and I shook it. I immediately noticed the scent of his cologne, manly and sweet.

  “It’s nice to see you again,” he said as he pulled out my chair.

  I looked at him in surprise, not expecting him to do that. “It’s nice to see you as well.” After I sat down, he helped me push the chair in before he sat across from me. The table was small and intimate. I was very close to him, almost too close. I felt his foot touch mine under the table briefly before he moved away. Kyle leaned back in the chair, his shoulders wider than the chair he sat in.

  “You look lovely,” he said.

  “Thank you. Your tie is nice.” I wasn’t sure why I said that. He gave me a compliment so I felt like I should reciprocate.

  He smiled. “Thank you. It’s my favorite color.”

  “Yellow is your favorite color?” I asked, surprised.

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  “Nothing,” I said. “It’s just a feminine color.”

  “So? I like the color. It looks good with my suits, stands out.”

  “Are you a fashion expert?”

  “I do work for a magazine,” he said as he stared at me. “I need to look presentable.”

  I looked down at the menu, feeling his gaze on my face. It was an Italian bistro with a wide variety of selections. I decided to get a salad because I wasn’t hungry at all. I was too nervous to feel an appetite. Normally, I would eat like a pig but I didn’t think that would be wise on an interview.

  “What are you ordering?” he asked.

  “A Greek salad.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said you weren’t like the girls in the office.”

  “I’m not,” I said quickly. “I’m just not hungry.”

  “Then you shouldn’t have eaten before you came.”

  I glared at him. “You called me half an hour ago.”

  “What time did you have breakfast? At ten?” he asked.

  I shook my head and ignored the question.

  “So, what’d you do last night?” He placed his elbows on the table and leaned toward me, his smell wafting into my nostrils. Kyle adjusted his tie then looked out the window. I took the opportunity to stare at him, seeing the sunlight highlight his features through the window. His eyes shined under the illumination. They were blue, but unique in a special way. They were darker, more vibrant than they should be. It was like he was wearing contacts. I’d never seen such beautiful irises in my life.

  I dropped my gaze, realizing I was gawking. “I went out to dinner with my friends.”

  “That sounds like fun. Are you close?”

  “They are my two best friends.”

  He nodded. “Friends are the family we choose to have.”

  I smiled, remembering the way they protected me from John. He was a scary man, someone that didn’t have a problem hitting women, and they stood beside me and refused to abandon me. They were the greatest girls I knew. “That’s very true.”

  “Tell me about them,” he said, turning his gaze back to me.

  “Well, Janet works as a human resources director for a law firm. She loves it even though it can be dull sometimes. She and I are running buddies. If we don’t go together, we don’t go at all. She makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches. Cassie is a natural beauty. She’s vibrant and lively, easy to talk to. She always knows everything about politics, even though she never talks about it because she gets too aggressive, and she doesn’t take shit from anyone. I love them both.”

  He nodded. “They sound pretty great.”

  “I like them—most of the time.”

  Kyle chuckled. “What about your family?”

  “What about them?”

  “Tell me whatever comes to mind.”

  I sighed. “I never knew my mother. She left a long time ago. My dad and I aren’t close. He li
ves in California. We talk on the holidays and my birthday. There’s not much of a story there.”

  “Are you an only child?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Are you a spoiled brat?” he said with a smile.

  “Do I act like a spoiled brat?”

  “You’re pretty stubborn and heard-headed, but not spoiled.”

  “Damn right. My dad has never been rich. He taught me the value of a dollar.”

  Kyle leaned back in the chair and stared at me, his fingers drumming the table. His head was titled to the side slightly, like he was thinking. When he was in thought, he pressed his lips together slightly. They looked soft and wet. “What do you for fun?”

  “I read and write when I’m alone. I like to run in marathons, hang out with my friends, sing karaoke when I’m drunk, that’s about it.”

  “You like to run marathons?”

  “Half marathons,” I said quickly. “I would probably faint if I had to do the whole thing.”

  He nodded. “And what do you like to sing for karaoke?”

  “The last song I sand was “Baby Got Back”.

  Kyle laughed loudly, a smile on his face. “That’s awesome.”

  “My friends were thoroughly embarrassed.”

  “Because you stole the show, that’s why.”

  “No, I was pretty embarrassing. I don’t drink very often, but when I do, I get a little crazy.”

  “So you’re a fun drunk?”

  “I’m more…spontaneous.”

  “Spontaneity is always good.”

  The waitress came to our table and we ordered our lunch. Kyle ordered a sandwich and a salad and a glass of water. He was polite and smiled at the waitress warmly, making her blush. When she walked away, she giggled quietly, but I heard it. When I glanced around the restaurant, I saw a few women gawk at him. I knew he was attractive but now I realized he was a magnet for attention.

  Kyle drank from his water, staring at me the whole time, and then returned it to the table. “So were you born in California?”

  “Yes, I was.”

  “In San Francisco?”

  “No. I lived in a small town but I moved for college. I loved living there. The people were always interesting, the food was amazing, and the nightlife was awesome. I definitely had my greatest memories living in San Francisco. I even won season tickets to the Giants and went to every game. The box seats were awesome.”