by Nana Malone
***
No more living in a fantasy world. It was time to deal with the remains of her life. As Jaya let herself into her condo, her eyes immediately went to the box of things Tamara had brought over from Trudeaux. Most of it could go. She’d rescue her figurines and her software files, but the rest of it she didn’t need. She was starting over fresh. No need to bring the past with her.
She tossed her purse on the coffee table and hummed a little tune as her text message alert went off. Probably Alec, finally awake and realizing she was gone. He wouldn’t like that. Letting out a chuckle, she snatched her phone up. Ever since that first night, he hadn’t been able to let go of the fact that she’d snuck out of bed. It had probably never happened to him before. He was the person who did the leaving. Just like he would this time.
Stubbornly, she shoved the thought out of her head. Just a fling. Checking the text message, she smiled.
You abandoned me again.
She texted back. It’s not abandoning if I give you a blowjob before I leave.
A chime filled the air. You didn’t give me a chance to return the favor. I’m very good you know.
Jaya's fingers flew over the touch pad as she smiled to herself, enjoying the opportunity to flirt. Oh I remember. Besides, you passed out and I needed to start my day. Can we meet up later?
Yes. If you promise I can make it up to you. Late lunch, maybe?
Jaya told herself she should be keeping herself at an arms distance. But she couldn’t stop the giddy feeling. She knew falling for him wasn’t a smart move. The way he lived his life wouldn't last him forever and it would give her fits if they were together. Someday he'd have to grow up with a real job and a planned future. If only he'd let her help him. Moron.
As she hauled the box off the counter, her main line rang and she put it on speaker. “Hi, Micha.”
“How did you know it was me?” her friend asked, sounding annoyed.
“You’re the only one I know who’s up at the crack of dawn like I am. And if by some miracle, Ricca were awake at this time, she’d be mortified to call me before eight-thirty.”
Micha chuckled. “Ah, Ricca and her manners. That’s how she misses out on good juicy sex stories.”
“Who says I’m telling you anything?”
“The way I figure it, you owe me. I called you back yesterday to apologize for my shitty mood from the day before, but you weren’t home all day. And your cell kept going to voicemail. So I figured Alec Danthers struck again and was holding you captive underneath him.”
Jaya could feel her skin get hot even as she stammered, “Th-that is none of your business.”
“Oh, come on,” Micha wheedled. “Some of us have had a dry spell.”
Jaya barked out a laugh. “I can’t help you if that dry spell is self-imposed. You’re perfectly capable of getting someone hot to shower you with affection. What happened with Alec’s friend from the bar?”
“Yeah, well, turns out Caleb--that’s his name by the way--Caleb. Now lives next door.”
Jaya choked on her coffee. “Oh, shit.”
“Right back at’cha sister. And to make matters worse, I can see straight into his bedroom window.”
Jaya's put the coffee down lest she burn herself. “Double oh, shit.”
“Tell me about it. Two nights ago, I—” She paused to clear her throat. “He was Um—I watched him self-gratify.” She said carefully.
“Whoohoohoo hoo!” Jaya catcalled. “No way. You did not.”
“To make matters worse, it’s all I can see every time I pass him in the hallway.”
Jaya picked her jaw up off the floor. “Well, what are we talking here? You going to need the cheap drugstore brand of condoms, or will you need to upgrade to magnums?”
“Magnums, for sure.” Micha chortled. “Good thing I’m stocked.”
“Was he alone?”
“Yeah. It was after the other night at Synthesis.”
“When are you going to put you both out of your misery and sleep with him already?”
“Just as soon as he stops insisting on making a whole relationship thing out of it. The other night I tried to take him home and you know what he said? That he wanted to take me to dinner first.”
“The nerve.” Jaya chuckled. “Do you think he was thinking about you?”
Micha scoffed, a soft growl coming through the phone. “God, I hope so, ‘cause that shit was hot.”
Micha had been allergic to relationships since Jaya had known her. “Only you, Micha. So guess who has a new job?”
“What?” Micha squealed into the phone. “You got a new job and you bury the lead like that?”
“Well, you distracted me with all that talk of hot sex.”
“Who’s it with? Please tell me it’s Trudeaux’s biggest competitor. That’ll really show them.”
“No I wish. It’s for Adele Westhorpe. She gave me the job.”
“Holy, shit, Jaya, that’s awesome.”
Yeah, it was pretty awesome. And lucky. She had a mortgage payment to make in two weeks. She really didn’t want to dip into her savings until it was absolutely necessary. “Now I just have to do a good job.”
“Oh, you will. Stop worrying. You were made to do this. I’ve never met anyone more organized. Even your figurines are organized.”
Jaya chuckled. “Most people just call it OCD.”
“Well, maybe a little.”
“I can plan the gala, no problem. I'm excited to do it. I can really show off my skills. And hopefully Dad hasn’t scared off any connections.”
“Did you ever get to talk to him? Was he sabotaging you?”
“He says no, but I don’t believe him. Wouldn’t be the first time he’s torpedoed me to teach me a lesson.”
Micha was silent for a moment. “Well, he certainly has his own unique parenting style.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?”
“Wait, is this the annual Westhorpe year-end gala?”
“Yeah, it’s the fiftieth anniversary or something, so a pretty big deal.”
“Hell yeah, it’s a big deal. I’m going to cover it for the magazine.”
No pressure or anything. “Well then, I’ll have to do a bang up job so you can see me strut my stuff.”
Micha rambled on about her new nemesis at work. Jaya went through the box Tamara left her, carefully setting her figurines on the coffee table. Frowning, she searched the bottom of the box, eventually giving up and dumping the whole thing out.
“What is all that noise over there?”
“No. Sorry. Just going through my get-out-of-Dodge box finally and my damn software isn’t here.”
“Wait, the program you hired that developer to build? The one that took you months to design with the contractor? Ricca and I didn’t see you for ages because of that thing.”
“Yeah, the same one.”
“Oh honey, no.” Micha said. “It's not Trudeaux proprietary software. You hired the developer yourself. Shoot, you built it practically. It doesn’t belong to them.”
Jaya told herself to calm down. It was probably a mistake. All she had to do was call and ask for it back. “I know. I was such a mess, I left all the stuff in my office. When Tamara dropped off my stuff, I assumed it was in there. But I've looked everywhere.”
“That bitch.”
“No arguments here.”
“What are you going to do, besides beat your sister’s scrawny ass?”
Jaya had to smirk. Micha was one friend you wanted when you had a body to move. “Don’t know. I can contact the developer. I know he probably kept a copy of the work. Or he can at least help me retrieve it.”
Micha was quiet, which usually signaled trouble. “You have to go back and get it.”
“I was fired, remember? I can call them for it, but I doubt they'll just give it back to me.”
“Give it back? Hell, you’ve got to start thinking like the woman in control you are.”
Ja
ya’s eyes squeezed shut. This was trouble waiting to happen. “Are you talking sneaking in and stealing it back?”
Jaya could hear the smile in Micha’s voice. “Why would I suggest such a thing? It's not stealing if it's yours.”
Her friend had a point. “You know, I might have just the guy to help.”