“Well, I’m probably about to make it worse or better. Do you want the good news or that bad first?”
Shit, I know what the bad is going to be. I have avoided this little talk all week. She knows it too. She has let it slide, so I can get this week over, all to ask me about it tonight. But I have no idea what the good news is. I lift my head back up and look at her. “Hit me with the good news because I already know what the bad is. So let me finish this beer and then get another before you start with the bad okay?”
“Fair enough. Well, the good news is that yesterday someone bought almost one hundred grand worth of your pieces. I believe six in total. One ring, two bracelets, and three necklaces. Pretty impressive if you ask me.” She says this as if it’s no big deal when it’s totally a big freaking deal! We’ve never made that big of a sale from one buyer at once. I nearly spit beer in her face. Note to self, when she says she has good news, do not have anything in mouth. I mean, holy shit!
“Wow! Why didn’t you tell me this last night? And who the hell bought that much jewelry?”
“Must’ve slipped my mind I guess and I have no clue. It just said H. Securities. It was bought online around three in the morning, Thursday.” She has got to be kidding.
“How could something like that slip your… wait a minute, hold on. There is no way something that huge for us and the company would’ve simply just slipped your mind, Gem. You held out on purpose you evil little witch, didn’t you?” I sit up to give her a good look. I’ll know if she’s lying. She just shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly while looking at her nails.
“I knew it!”
She sits up to face me as well and now we’re knee to knee.
“Well, you’ve avoided talking to me about that guy all week and I had good news, so I wanted to give it to you before we talked about what went down Sunday and Monday. I figured you’d be more up to talk about it if you were in a good mood. That way I wouldn’t have to pry it out of you piece by piece, like I feel like I always have to do anymore. I’m your best friend, Marlie Edwards. I won’t judge, you know that. Besides, you need to loosen up more. Not all men are going to be like…”
“Stop. Don’t say his name Gemma. Please don’t. I’ll tell you what happened. You just can’t mention him.” My palms are getting sweaty just thinking about it. I stand up and pace the length of the couch. I stop to look at her, then pace again. I’m trying my hardest to not freak out. I stop, take another deep breath and look at her silently asking if she has gotten my point.
She agrees with a nod. I slowly inhale and blow out a long, shaky breath, trying to calm my near panic attack. I just have to think about the good news; the fact that someone just spent a ton of money on my jewelry. Mine. It’s so crazy, I am filled with happiness almost instantly just thinking about it. I sit back down on the couch and prepare to recap this stupid little story that shouldn’t - doesn’t matter.
“Okay, okay,” I say and tell her everything that had happened. Halfway through I may have accidently called him Green eyes and Tats.
“Who?” I watch for the nickname to click in her head and… ta-da! She gets it. “Did you just call him ‘Green eyes and Tats’?”
“Yeah, I did. Don’t laugh or anything. I swear it, Gemma, or I’ll quit the story.” Her lips thin into a tight line and once again she nods.
Good choice my friend. I finish telling her everything that happened the first day and watch as she soaks it all in.
“Okay, I can see why you were a little defensive at lunch when you saw him again.” Good, she’s getting it.
“Yeah, he seemed pretty confident.” She doesn’t know that he was waiting at the apartment door when I left early after lunch. Might as well tell her that too. “That’s not all.”
“Do tell!” Okay, she’s getting a little too excited.
“That’s all that happened that day. Monday you know what happened up until lunch. He must’ve followed me home and dropped off that soap Sunday. You know, you were there.”
“Yeah, I know. But I need you to hurry up to what happened after. I am dying of suspense over here!” She throws herself back on the couch and places her forearm across her forehead. Sheesh, ever the flare for dramatics this woman.
“After lunch I couldn’t really think straight and I decided to come home. Well, when I got here he was sitting by our door.”
Her jaw is now dropped. Literally dropped. I close it for her.
“What the…” she begins but I cut her off before she could say what I assume is, “What the fuck was he doing there?”
“Yeah and I confronted him again. He said he had a ‘feeling’ and couldn’t stop thinking about me. Wanted to ask me on a date. Of course I turned him down. Told him the same thing I tell any guy. I don’t date.” I shrug my shoulders. “Then he left.” It actually feels good that I told her. Not that it’s a big deal or anything. Because it isn’t.
“Wow. I mean wow, like wow, wow. I don’t know what to say. Sounds like he was ‘feeling’ you,” she says and laughs at her own little joke, then she becomes serious, “I know why you don’t date men, but sometimes I wish you would, just as a casual thing,” she states giving me a sympathetic look.
“I know, but I just… can’t. I need more time.”
She sighs while tilting her head to the side and says, “Marlie, sweetie, two years is plenty of time.” I try to stop her before this conversation goes where I absolutely do not want it to go, but as I open my mouth to object, she holds her hand up. “Uh-uh”. I snap my mouth shut. Fuck it. I’ll just listen and then forget she said anything. Easier said than done, though.
She grabs one of my hands and stares at me for a minute before she speaks. She always does that when she wants the words to come out perfectly.
“Look, you’re my best friend. More than that, you’re like a sister to me. You are my sister. I want you to be happy. You act like you’re happy, but you’re not. I see it every day. You put on this big front for everyone, that life is peachy keen for you. But I know you. I know you’re not. The minute you have alone time to think, you get lost in your head and focus on your issues and past. After that you seem to shut down and withdraw. I want you to be one hundred percent happy. Not this fake happy that you put on for everyone.
“What Car…” my eyes widen and the fear is real with the name she just about mentioned. But she stops herself before she says it completely. “What he did to you was horrible. Down-right psychopathic. Not every man, or human being, is like that. You have to know that. I understand that it takes time to heal from something like that; but not forever Marlie. You can’t swear off every man who looks in your direction. I am not saying that you need to go out and find ‘the one’, but you should at least give a man a chance at a friendship with you. I also think that the therapy you refused before would help you move on.” She looks away and I know that she is trying to fight back tears.
“I love you Marlie and I care about you so much. But I can’t watch you put on another fake smile or cringe at a simple touch. It’s not healthy.”
Well shit, all of my defenses just went out the window. How can I keep pretending everything is alright with me if it’s tearing her up? I can’t. Maybe I could work on my interactions with the male species. But seeing a counselor is out of the question. I can figure this out on my own. How can I talk my problems out with a total stranger when I can’t even talk to Gemma about them? Or even myself? She was wrong about one thing, I do have male friends. Henry is my friend and there are plenty of others. But they all know my boundaries. The minute any of them tries to push for something more, then they are out of my life. They know not to ask about the why. No one but Gemma knows the details of why I am the way I am.
“You’re right, Gem. I am sorry that this is affecting you. I didn’t realize. I promise I’ll try to work on things. It’s time for me to get over it and move on.”
She looks up at me with wide eyes, “Are you serious? Like, did I just make a breakthrough with you? Is
Marlie Edwards, the most stubborn woman in the world, taking my advice?” she holds up her hand to her heart. Once again, ever for the dramatics.
“Yes. Now shut it. Point taken. I get it. I do. I really, really do. But you do know that there are certain things you can’t get me to change right? I mean, I know that after years of being friends with you, you always put up with my crazy shit and when it gets bad, you will say something to me. There are just some things I can’t change right now.”
I get up to grab another beer. “Ready?”
“Yes. I will drop it, for now. But I really do want to see you try.”
“I will.”
And god, will I as long as it gets me out of another heart to heart with anyone.
We spend the rest of the evening talking about anything else but my past. I’m glad she didn’t mention the actual shit that went down two years ago, or his name. I probably would’ve ended up crying or leaving and I hate crying. It makes people weak in my opinion. I can’t afford to be weak. Not now, not ever.
FIVE
THE WEEKEND COMES AND GOES AND the week as well. The following Saturday we decide to go out again. One last get together before Gem and I drive to Indiana to spend time with my dad, my brother Michael and some old friends.
Our friends are all coming out to join us; Henry, Alex, Kelli, her boyfriend Tom and Gemma’s new guy, John. I’m excited to be going out with all of them to enjoy a well-deserved night out.
I am also extremely nervous about the promise I made to Gemma about not flipping out on every guy I meet and tonight is the perfect night to make good on my promise. I will try, but I feel sick to my stomach just thinking about it. Good thing I have nice bottle of wine to cure that while I am getting ready.
It’s not like I get hit on or approached all the time. Quite the opposite really. Maybe because I have perfected the bitch vibe to the max. Or maybe a man can just tell how damaged I am with just one glance. This is why I found it so odd that that guy Wes had been so persistent. Besides being extremely attracted to him physically, I find myself wondering, at odd times, what kind of person he is. He is the first man in two years that has made me feel something. Even if it’s just confusion and attraction. But alas, I told him to leave me be and it seems he has. Which is good… right?
Standing in my room, I’m looking for something to wear. I have so many clothes, but not one of them seem to do my mood right for the night ahead. Should I wear a dress? Skirt? Pants? Shorts? Being a woman sometimes sucks.
If only sweats were sexy…
Closing my eyes, I step farther into my closet to blindly pick something. Yeah, that’s how I’m doing this shit right now. After doing three twirls like I’m playing “pin the tail”, I grab the first thing I touch. I open my eyes and see I picked my black, high wasted leather mini skirt. Not a bad choice. Now to find something to pair it with. I choose a ruffled, white crop top, with small black polka dots. My shoes were easy as well. Since I am wearing mostly black and white, I need a pop of color so I don’t look boring. Not that a leather mini skirt and a crop top could ever be perceived as boring. But still, I need something with color. I go with a pair of electric blue open-toed ankle booties. I already know that I am going to leave my hair down. I leave my hair up most days while I work, so leaving my dark, long curls down is a nice change and I don’t even have to do anything to it.
Putting my outfit on, I step toward my body mirror that hangs on the back of my bedroom door and look at myself. It’ll do.
Finishing up my makeup and accessories, I hear a knock on my bedroom door. “Come in! I’m in the bathroom!” I chime, while listening to some upbeat music to get into the clubbing mood.
“Hey girl!”
Ah an instant smile plasters onto my face, my friend Kelli stands behind with a kind and vibrant smile. Kelli and Tom, her boyfriend, must have decided to meet us here instead of Club Evo.
“Hey you sexy bitch! How was vacation with Tom?” I turn around to get a good look at my friend who I haven’t seen in well over a month.
“Holy shit! Looks who’s talking? You look amazing, Marlie! All the men are going to be crawling to you tonight!”
Well now… I went from flattered, to completely freaked. Bless Kelli’s heart, she doesn’t know about my past. Hell, no one besides a handful know. I just brush off her statement and smile at her and tell her thank you.
Kelli has been a good friend to both Gem and me for about four years now. We met while we were working together at one of the many hotels we worked at. She’s a lot like Gemma as far as background. She has well off parents, but had chosen to work to make her own money while going to college to earn her place in her family’s business. And like Gemma, she is gorgeous, but opposite in looks with short, raven colored hair, fair skin and extremely tall. She’s runway model gorgeous.
I grab the last of my things and shove them in my gold purse. I link arms with Kelli and we walk out of my room to join Gemma and Tom.
“You ready for a fun crazy night?” I ask, while unlinking her arm to grab another glass of wine. I am already feeling myself loosen up. Yeah, this is going to be a good night with all of my close friends here with me and being carefree. Now, if only every night was like this.
“Hell yeah, I am! It’s been forever since I’ve been out with my girls!” Kelli tells us. She looks over at Tom “And you too sweetie, but ya know how it is.” Her boyfriend grabs her by the waist and pulls her into to him, nuzzling into her shoulder.
Tom is boy next door good looking. He has sandy blonde hair, tall, and easy on the eyes. He seems to enjoy wearing cable knit sweaters though, and golfing. The opposite of what I would ever be attracted to, but he’s perfect for Kelli.
“Yes, my love, I do. I’m just glad Henry is coming out to save me from all you women.”
“Hey!” Gemma says with an offended look on her face.
“Boo!” I yell throwing the cork from the wine at him.
Kelli playfully slaps at his thigh. “Oh please, we are a ton of fun and you’re too damn chicken to admit it!”
He just smiles and nods. He holds his beer out towards us. “Cheers to a good night and to hopes that I don’t have to carry all of you women home!”
We all laugh and clink our drinks with him.
WE ARRIVE AT THE club already pumped up to dance, sing, laugh and drink a hell of a lot more then we probably should. I had somehow convinced the cab driver to blare his taxi van speakers and we all sang in unison to the song, Don’t stop believing, by Journey and then he flipped it to a mix station where the Red Hot Chili Peppers belted out my favorite song of theirs, Otherside. Even the cab driver joined in on that one.
If the fun in the van is even close to the fun we’re going to have at the club, then I am pretty stoked. And we haven’t even joined up with Henry and Alex yet. Henry is usually pretty quiet at work, but get a few drinks in him and it is like he’s flipped a switch. Alex, she’s a riot at any time and when you get her and her girlfriend, Ember, both in the same room with us, I end up laughing so hard my stomach hurts the next day. Ember can’t make it tonight, though. She ended up having to pick up an extra shift at her work. John, Gemma’s new guy is supposed to meet us here in a bit.
“I have to pee,” Kelli announces as soon as we make it through the doors to the inside.
“Okay, I’ll find us a table and put an order in for drinks,” Tom replies.
Gemma and Kelli go to the restroom while I stick with Tom to find a table. Club Evo has two floors. The upstairs is for the V.I.P’s, like football players or the important people who like their privacy. Tonight though, we are the very important people. It appears our GemMar name is getting really good reviews around here. When I called to see what it would cost to get seating on the second floor, I told them my name and whoever I talked to raved about how much they love my jewelry and said I would have the best booth upstairs Saturday.
I look upstairs and immediately see Henry and Alex already at a booth on the left sid
e of the club. I tap on Toms arm to point up to where Alex is waving at us. He nods acknowledging and follows me upstairs. I grab my phone and shoot Gemma a text to tell her where we are seated.
“I’m going to go put in the drink order at the bar instead of waiting for one of the staff,” Tom tells me as we make it to the top of the stairs. I nod and we part ways. I walk towards my friends with the biggest smile on my face.
“Hey Boss,” Henry says with a smirk.
I wave my finger at him, “Oh no! You do not get to call me that when you’re off the clock, bud. If I have to tell you this again… well, I don’t know what I’ll do, but I’ll think of a way to punish you.” I fight a smile, because I am clearly teasing him.
“Oh, a punishment? Do tell me more and besides, I like calling you, Boss.”
I try to make myself look offended as I slide into the booth next to Alex. “What the hell is wrong with Marlie? Does my name not suit your name calling needs?”
“Shut it Marlie,” Gemma says as she and Kelli walk up to the booth from the ladies room, “You know you like it.”
Though I am sure she has no clue what we were even talking about, she is, as usual, right. I just look over at Henry and smile.
Henry is an attractive man in geeky kind of way. His usual work attire is baggy jeans and DC Comic t-shirts, with thick framed glasses, pale skin, and blonde hair that sweeps off to the side. It is a very adorable look. That is it though, adorable. There has never been any sexual attraction between us. At least on my end.
When Gemma first told me she had interviewed a male IT guy, I freaked. She assured me that he was right for the job and I needed to not worry. I brushed it off until I had met him. When I finally did meet him, it was like he was already family. He gives off these great vibes to anyone he ever meets, but can be quiet and focused when he’s working.
Changing the subject, I turn my attention towards Alex, “Sorry Ember couldn’t make it. We’ll have to schedule a time for drinks to accommodate her. I really enjoy hanging out with your ball-of-fire, other half. She’s a riot!” I give Alex’s arm a small nudge.
Underground Secrets (The Underground #1) Page 6