Finished with her unscheduled rant she looked up from the sheet had been fidgeting with to see how Eric felt about what she had said.
Eric was momentarily speechless, he knew yesterday something was on her mind but he didn’t think it was this. He picked up one of her hands and placed a tender kiss on her palm.
“Baby, is this what you were upset about yesterday?”
A silent nod was her only answer.
“Sara listen to me, there is nothing between me and Tracy on either side, back then she may of thought herself in love with me but that was years ago. We’ve both grown up and moved on. And I’m not hiding you.”
He paused stood up and fished around in his pocket. He pulled out his hand and held it up to her. In his palm was a red house key with little pink hearts.
“I forgot to give this to you yesterday, I thought you might like a cute key better than just a plain one. They had so many to choose from its like having a designer key is the new thing. Well any way I have nothing to hide from you. Use it when you want.”
Sara plucked the key from his palm and smiled. She was so dumb for doubting. She walked on her knees to the edge of the bed where Eric stood. She wrapped her arms and planted a big noisy kiss on his lips. Mmmuuuaaahhh “I’m sorry I panicked.”
“Baby I love you only you, you are mine.”
“And you are mine.”
“Yes, now I hate to leave you but Gio is going to rag on me.”
With one more kiss he left. As he got into his truck his phone started going off. He looked at the caller I.D. he shook his head. “Of course”
“Yo Gio I’m on my way.”
“Damn man can’t you leave her only for one morning, you’ve skipped out on me like six times in last two weeks.”
“I know bro I’m sorry but this morning could not be helped.”
“What you couldn’t keep it in your pants till tonight?” Gio was being loud and very sarcastic if he had been in front Eric, Eric might have decked him.
“No, Sara had a mini freak over Tracy staying at my place. I had to reassure her that there’s nothing between Tracy and me.”
Gio let out a loud cackle of a laugh. “Saw that coming, what chick would want her man’s ex staying at his place.”
“Gio there’s no feelings there; we hooked up a few times over ten years ago.” Eric was starting to get irritated and it was too early in the morning to be pissed.
“Did you tell her that?”
“Yes I’ve told Sara a couple of times.”
“No not Sara Tracy.”
Eric was now confused and pissed not a good combination.
“Why would I talk to Tracy?”
“Dude are you deaf dumb and blind, Tracy still wants you. When I’ve been at your place I’ve seen the looks she’s giving you; haven’t you noticed how she finds any way she can to touch you or brush up against you?”
Eric was blown away he tried to think if he noticed anything but nothing popped. “No, I would have noticed.”
“God you’re such an idiot, she’s totally sprung on you, you really think you’re the only one she has to help her get on her feet. She has family outside the neighborhood put it together.”
“Look I’m pulling into the parking lot now, see you in a min.” With that he hung up and went inside.
***
When Eric left Sara felt better, she had told him what she was worried about and he assured her and gave her the key. He honestly had nothing to hide. She had to remember that not every man is like Michael. Having been woken up early by Eric when she was done getting ready and had breakfast she had twenty minutes to kill. Having nothing to really do at home she went to work early.
Settling into her desk she just dug into her work. At 9 o’clock as predictable as the tide Jo Ann came in. And as it has been their routine Jo Ann stood next to Sara’s desk as see looked over her incoming mail.
“Morning Sara, wow have you done all that paperwork already?
“Morning, yeah woke up early so I just came in early.”
“Uh huh so does that mean you’re gonna want to leave early?”
Sara lightly chuckled. “No, but if you want to send me home early that’s a different story.”
“Well it is Friday, if you can get the tickets and badges for the trade shows were going to next week and get through that paperwork I wouldn’t care if you took off a bit early.”
“Thanks, hey did you decide whether or not you wanted to come with us tonight?”
Jo Ann started slapping her mail across her palm as she was thinking on her answer. “This is a group thing right? You’re not trying to set me up with Eric’s cousin as revenge for giving your info to Eric.”
Sara shook her head smiling that would have been a good idea if she had thought of it. She’ll have to remember this idea for when she did want to get revenge. “No Jo Ann it’s not a setup, Gio, Matt, Brianna, Eric and I are going.”
“What time are we meeting who’s driving?”
“Well Matt has an older Tahoe and it seats eight so we’re driving together. Brianna offered to be the DD and we’re meeting at my place. Not sure of the time yet, Eric’s supposed to text me.”
“I haven’t been to a club in forever, alright count me in text me when you know what time we’re meeting.”
Chapter 26
At the gym Eric told Gio to drop the subject of Tracy. He had insisted Tracy was just a friend and Gio kept telling him he was dumb and not reading the signs. So the subject was dropped. But it left Eric feeling uneasy.
“Hey man Matt and Brianna said it’d be easier for them to meet up at your place. Bri will be coming straight from her job and it’s easier for her to go you your place and get ready there. Instead of driving home, then getting ready then driving to Matt’s place. She’d be doing a lot of back tracking.”
“Yeah that’s fine I’ll just text Sara and tell her the change in plans.”
“So, what time are we leaving? Bri gets off at 8p.m.”
“We’ll leave at 9p.m. then that gives her an hour to get ready.”
“Cool, we gonna met up at the gym again Monday?”
“Yeah, Monday works, alright I’m out I need to shower and head to the La Jolla store. There’s some problem with the security system I’m having installed.”
They headed to the shower room talking about the La Jolla store that would soon be open.
***
Sara and Jo Ann were in the middle of lunch, they had chosen to go to a new sub shop that opened a couple of blocks away. It was better than Subway because half of the shop was a bakery. So you could come here for a breakfast bagel or donut and pick up a sub for later if you wanted to eat lunch in the office. Her phone went off with a text right in the middle of her taking a bite of her Italian sub. Putting her sub down she wiped her hands on a napkin and dug her phone out of her purse.
From: Eric Morales
Change in plans baby Gio said it’s easier for everyone to meet at my place. We’re leaving at 9p.m. So drive over before then.
Sara looked up from her phone to look at Jo Ann to tell her about the change in plans. Jo Ann was enjoying her meatball sub and some of the marinara sauce was dribbling down her chin. Sara handed her a napkin ignoring the evil thought of taking a pic of her and posting it online. Her voice muffled from the food she was still chewing Jo Ann asked
“Was that Eric? What time are we meeting?”
“Yeah we’re meeting at his place; we’re leaving at nine so we got to be there before that.”
“I don’t know how to get to his place.”
“Just come to my place and we’ll drive together.”
“No I want to drive down to the Gas Lamp in my car; if I drive with you and I want to leave early I’ll be stuck.”
“Ok then just come my house and we can drive to Eric’s in your car.”
“Yeah that’ll work, what are you wearing?”
Sara took a drink of her root beer, washing down a bite of su
b. “Hmmmm not sure I don’t want to dress up too much but I want to look hot.” Sara licked her finger made like she was touching something and then made a sizzling sound, just as Jo Ann had did when they first saw Eric. Jo Ann couldn’t help but laugh almost chocking on her Dr. Pepper as she did.
“You’ll look good in anything; I’m gonna wear my sparkle jeans, black sequenced tube top and my Baby Phat black heels.”
“Hold on hold on hold on sparkle jeans what is that?”
“It’s my dark blue jeans with the two back pockets covered in rhinestones.”
“Oh ok I thought you meant like the jeans were cover all over in sparkles.”
Jo Ann shook her head and rolled her eyes.
“Of course they’re not covered all over that would look stupid.”
“Agreed” Laughed Sara.
Sara shot Eric a quick text to let him know of Jo Ann’s plans.
To: Eric Morales
Jo Anna wants to drive her own car down to the Gas Lamp in case she wants to leave early. I don’t want her driving alone so we’ll meet you at your place and follow you down.
Finished with their subs they walked back to the office; talking the whole way there about what Sara should wear and how they would style their hair. Once back at the office they both jumped into their work, wanting to finish up early so they could leave a little early. Sara needed all the extra time she could get she was leaning toward curling hair which would take forever.
It was almost 4 o’clock Sara really wanted to leave but she was having problems getting ahold of the registrar office on the phone for the show they were supposed to go to this Wednesday. She needed to get their badges and parking passes. Every time she called it was busy. She reread the show’s packet to see if there was another way of getting ahold of them. At the very bottom she found an Email address. She was in business now, she sent an email requesting confirmation on their badges and parking pass. There she was done.
She pushed back from her desk and went to knock on Jo Ann’s office door.
“Come in.”
“Hey Jo Ann I’m all finished, just waiting on an email confirmation for the LA show but it’s Friday so I probably won’t get it till Monday.”
“Ok then go ahead and go and I’ll meet you at your place ‘round 8p.m.”
“Great see ya later.”
Sara went back to her desk shut down her computer gathered all her stuff and headed home.
When Sara got home she went straight to her closet. The Gas Lamp wouldn’t get that cold at night so she could get away with wearing a skirt but she had the coolest skinny jeans ever; black with faded stone washed grey spots in the shape of stars. She wished she knew what Brianna was wearing she didn’t want to be the only one in a skirt then again a skirt would give Eric easy access. With a devilish smile she thought of all the possibilities. “Skirt it is.” She paired her skirt with purple long sleeve scoop neck top with the shoulders cut out. Outfit picked she needed to start on her hair.
At five to 8 Jo Ann knocked on Sara's door. Sara who was still not ready ran to the front door, opened it and let Jo Ann in. Hi I'm not finished with my make-up yet so give me a couple of minutes. Jo Ann followed Sarah back into her bathroom. As Sara was putting on the finishing touches to her make up Jo Ann got a good look and saw Sara’s outfit.
“Wow you look great that skirt looks perfect on you. Oh Sara your hair, its looks so beautiful how long did it take you to curl it like that?”
Sarah chuckled “It took me almost 2 hours to get the curls in.”
“Oh wow your make up looks stunning where'd you learn to put it on like that.”
“YouTube.”
“Are you serious YouTube?”
“Yeah I actually learned how to do a lot of things off YouTube, cool braids for my hair and other stuff. Okay I'm ready let's go.”
The girls walked out to the parking lot side by side and got into JoAnn's Kia Rondo. Sarah inputted Eric's address into Jo Ann’s GPS and they were on their way.
Chapter 27
Brianna got out of her car and walked up the pathway to Eric's house, then she rang the bell. The front door opened but it wasn’t Eric it was Tracy.
“Oh Tracy hi where's Eric?”
“He's in his bathroom taking a shower.”
“Okay then I’ll just use the guest bathroom.”
Tracy looked down and saw that Brianna was holding a change of clothes and high heels. “Are you and Eric going out?”
Brianna didn't like Tracy she never had not even when they're younger. She knew everything that she had done for her cousin but that didn’t change the way she felt about her. Putting on the best fake smile she could she answered Tracy.
“Yeah it's a group thing we're going down to the Gas Lamp tonight.”
“Oh that sounds like fun.”
Brianna knew Tracy was fishing around for an invitation but she wasn't gonna give her one. “Yeah I hope so I got to get ready we're gonna be leaving soon.”
With that Brianna left and made her way to the guest bathroom to get ready. Eric done with his shower and dressed went into the kitchen to have a pre club beer before everyone arrived and they left. Tracy was in the kitchen putting a microwave dinner in to cook.
“You look nice where you guys going tonight?”
“Uhm well we're just going to go down to the Gas Lamp maybe hit a couple clubs.”
“Wow that sounds like so much fun wish I had plans like that, my night consists of a microwave dinner and sitting in front of the TV.”
“Oh well uhm if you have nothing else to do you can drive down with us there's room in Matt’s Tahoe.”
“Really oh thanks Eric I'm gonna changed.”
Brianna finished changing and was coming out of the bathroom just as Tracy was walking down the hall to her bedroom. The smile on Tracy's face gave Brianna a bad feeling. So she went in search of Eric. She found him in the kitchen popping the top off a bottle of Dos XX. Brianna looked at Eric, her lips were thin and pressed together tight eyes glaring at him she was pissed.
“Please tell me you did not invite Tracy to come with us.”
Eric shrugged his shoulders. “This was one of the reasons why I wanted to me at Sara's it was awkward; she was talking about how she was just staying home in front of the TV and how she wished she had plans and here we are making plans to go out.”
“I don't care you should've just said I hope you can find a good movie not come down with us to The Gas Lamp”
Brianna was about open her mouth again when someone started knocking on Eric's front door.
“I'll get it.” she said and turned around to answer the front door. As soon as she opened the door she saw the smiling face of her brother Matt with Gio standing right behind him. She nudged her head toward the direction of the kitchen “Eric’s back there having a beer before we leave Sara and Jo Ann aren't here yet and guess what a great surprise we have?” Her voice took on a very sarcastic tone. “Eric invited Tracy Yea!!”She was mockingly clapping her hands as if she was happy. The guys stepped in the house shut the door behind them and they all walked into the kitchen. Gio raised his hands up in a questioning gesture and then addressed Eric.
“Did you seriously invite Tracy? Are you asking for trouble tonight?
“Again, this is why I wanted to meet at Sara's. And I don't know what you guys have against her she's a good person she saved my life took the heat and did time for me I owe her a lot.”
The sound of a knock at the door ended their conversation. “I'll get it again.” Brianna said raising her hand as a volunteer. It was Sara and Jo Ann they followed Brianna into the kitchen where the guys were standing and enjoying their pre club beer. Sara went straight to Eric and encircled her arms around his torso. She placed a kiss in the middle of this chest and then looked up at him.
“I missed you today.”
“I missed you too baby.”
Joann looked around the room. “So are we ready to go?”
B
rianna took the lead on answering that question. “No we have one more person were waiting on.”
Sarah looked around the room and saw everyone who Eric said was coming. “Who?”
With a sickeningly sweet sarcastic smile on her face Brianna answered “Tracy.”
And as the saying goes speak of the devil at that moment Tracy walked into the kitchen. “Okay guys I'm ready.”
Tracy was dressed in a tight black spandex miniskirt with a red mid drift halter top. Sarah took in the sight of her, she was very pretty her hair was a bit longer than shoulder length and she had red and blonde highlights a very stylish dimensional look. She was taller than Sara and her make-up was dark a black smoky kinda look. Tracy's eyes immediately zoomed in on Sara and her arms that she had wrapped around Eric. Tracy stretched out her arm to shake Sara's hand.
“Hi I’m Tracy.”
Sarah released Eric so that she could return the greeting and shake Tracy's hand.
“Hi I'm Sara and this is my friend Jo Ann.”
Jo Ann raised her hand with a small wave looking at Tracy Jo Ann only had one thought going through her mind. This woman is trouble. Gio clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention.
“So who's driving with who?”
Sara spoke up “Well Jo Ann wants to take her own car in case she wants to leave early I don't want her driving alone so I'm going to ride with her.”
Brianna saw a side of Tracy's mouth go up when Sara said she would not be riding with them. “Bitch” was all that came to mind when Brianna looked at Tracy. She raised her hand and broke into the conversation.
“I have an idea why don't the girls ride in Jo Ann’s car and the boys can go in Matt’s.”
Gio nodding his head in agreement “Ok that sounds like a plan. But you’re still gonna be DD tonight right Bri?”
Sara's Unyielding Lover (The Lovers Series) Page 13