by T. A. Roth
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good night and tell your nana I said hello.”
“Will do. Goodnight.”
I’ve fallen hard and fast, and it’s getting harder not to say those three little words that will change everything before hanging up the phone. I gather the last of the files hoping the mindless task will keep those thoughts at bay.
I finally wrap things up around nine-thirty. I’m exhausted, and the thought of everything I have to do tomorrow is not helping. Security walks me to my car and I make sure to roll down the windows to help keep me awake on the drive home. I pull into my parking space about twenty minutes later. I send Ben a text letting him know I got home okay, slip on a t-shirt, and crawl into bed.
The neighbor’s loud-ass car alarm wakes me up again. I sit up a little disoriented and reach for my phone. The screen says ten o’clock. I jump out of bed and start running around like a chicken with its head cut off. After a few minutes, I realize it’s Saturday. I press a hand to my chest and let out a deep breath. Thank God. I must have slept like the dead last night. There are missed texts from both Ben and Vonne. I open the text from Ben first. It’s a response to last night’s text wishing me a good night. I reply telling him that I can’t wait to see him later and call Vonne.
“Hey, you. Are you alive?” she asks.
“Barely,” I answer mid-yawn. “This party and the trial are kicking my ass. I just want it to be over. I’m ready to strangle the planner. If she asks one more time about the damn guest list or fucking centerpieces I might throat punch her.” She starts to laugh.
“PMSing much? So what time do you need me to come over for your Top Model makeover?”
I can handle basic hair and make-up, but Vonne is a lot better at glamming it up. The girl watches makeover shows like it’s her religion. If law school doesn’t work out, she’d make a kickass stylist. She squealed into the phone when I asked her to come over to help me get ready. She lives for this shit.
“I have to be at the hotel by five. I thought I could grab us some lunch. You want to come over about one? We’ll eat, hang for a bit, and then you can help me get ready. It shouldn’t take that long, right?”
“Sounds good to me. No, it won’t take long at all. Have you seen yourself? You could wear a trash bag and Chapstick and still look hot.”
I roll my eyes, knowing she can’t see me.
“Okay, whatever. I need to look hot but work appropriate. No glitter. Got it?”
I love my best friend, but she loves all things sparkly. That includes make-up.
“She laughs. Sure thing, boss. I’ll see you at one then. I’m feeling like Tony’s Deli today. You think you can pick up some subs? Oooh . . . and don’t forget to get me a pickle.”
Tony’s Deli was one of our favorite places growing up. Our parents would take us there after church on Sundays. They have a huge barrel of pickles. She would always get one, and I would get the big piece of string cheese. My stomach starts to growl at the memory.
“All right, now that you’ve made me even hungrier, I’m gonna jump in the shower. See you later. I won’t forget your darn pickle.”
“Awesome. See you later. I hope the sub and string cheese cheer you up, sour puss.”
“Bye.” I hear her laughing as I end the call.
I get ready in record time. I shower, twist my hair into a top knot, and throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I forgo the make-up since I’ll be glamming it up later. I grab my sunglasses and keys and head out. I call in our order to avoid the crazy wait. I’m grateful the trip only takes about an hour. I’ve just started unpacking the bag when I hear a knock at the door. I look through the peephole, and Vonne is standing anxiously bouncing from foot to foot.
“Hungry?” I ask opening the door and waving a sub at her. She snatches it out of my hand and walks in.
“I’m starving. I was praying you would get back early. My mouth has been salivating since I hung up with you.” I laugh because mine has been doing the same thing. It was hard not to unwrap one on the way home. I grab the bag with the rest of our food and bring it to the coffee table, deciding on a carpet picnic. She has her sandwich unwrapped and is almost through the first half before I’ve had a chance to sit down.
“Thanks for waiting for me,” I say narrowing my eyes at her. She’s humming in pleasure after every bite.
“Oh, my God, I forgot how damn good their sandwiches are.” I take my first bite and join in on the humming. She’s right.
After scarfing down the first half of our sandwiches, we take a moment to catch up. She’s weeks away from graduating. Like Ben, she’s going crazy with papers and tests. She tells me about a firm in San Diego who offered her an internship. I ask about Eli, but she tells me that they’ve only been talking through text. He’s also graduating and probably equally as busy. I’m about to ask more questions when she quickly changes the subject. I decide not to push. I clean up our mess and realize it’s close to two o’clock. I grab my make-up bag and curling iron, and we set up shop at my dining table.
An hour and forty minutes later, I’m dressed and staring at my reflection in the mirror. I’m smoothing my hands down the front of my dress when I hear a low whistle behind me.
“Holy shit, Ari. Ben is gonna flip when he sees you in that dress.”
I spin around eyes wide. “Why? You don’t think he’ll like it?”
“Like it. Are you crazy? He’s gonna want to rip it off you with his teeth. Shit, I wanna do you, and I don’t even swing that way.”
I shake my head and laugh. Have I mentioned she’s nuts?
I bought the dress a few months back and fell in love with it. It’s a simple black sheath that hits just below my knee and hugs my curves nicely. The neckline is a boatneck with a three-quarter sleeve. What made me fall in love with it was the lace back. It’s sexy yet professional. I paired it with black patent leather heels, and Vonne did an awesome job with my hair and make-up. It’s a Dita Von Teese inspired look. My hair is set into deep waves, lips are stained a dark red, and we winged out my black eyeliner. She added some false lashes to give my eyes an extra pop. I turn around and look at myself in the mirror again. I could easily pass for a character in Mad Men.
“You look hot, girl. Now get your sweet ass in gear. You’re gonna be late.”
I turn to hug her. “Thanks, friend. For once I think I agree with you.”
She smiles and swats my butt.
“Damn straight and your man believes it, too. I wish I could see his face when he lays eyes on you. I’m telling you, he’s gonna flip,” she says while wiggling her eyebrows.
I shake my head and smile. I grab my clutch purse off the bed and head toward the front room. My dining room table is a disaster and I hurry around it picking up.
“I got it. Get out of here. I’ll lock up for you after I’m done. I have a key remember.”
“Awesome. Thanks.”
I grab my keys and run out the front door.
“Have fun,” she calls out as I close the door behind me.
BEN
Last night was rough. I woke up around three am to the sound of my nana groaning into the monitor. I jumped out of bed to check on her. I have never been so scared in my life. Her pain medication had worn off, and I accidently slept through her last dose. I felt like a complete asshole. She kept trying to reassure me that she was okay, but I felt guilty. I was exhausted and didn’t hear the alarm reminder. I gave her the missed dose and couldn’t go back to sleep until the morning nurse arrived at six am.
The loud ding of an incoming text wakes me up. I made sure to increase the volume on my phone before going back to sleep. I slide my hand over to my nightstand and pick it up. I smile when I read the text from Ari telling me that she can’t wait to see me. The feeling is mutual. It’s eleven and I could probably sleep till it’s time to leave, but I decide to get up and go for a run. As I walk toward the kitchen, I hear laughter. I round the corner and see my nana and Ruth sitting at the kitch
en table.
“Good morning ladies,” I say as I walk in.
“Good morning,” they sing-song in unison and start to giggle. It’s good to see her smile. I’m glad Ruth is here to cheer her up. This last week has been rough on her.
“So, what are you two up to today?” I ask.
“Ruth came over to bring me some of her empanadas.” She points to a plate wrapped in foil on the counter. As if on cue, my stomach starts to rumble. Ruth looks up from her coffee and smiles. “Have some, mijo. I brought enough for both of you.” I reach across the counter and grab a banana instead.
“Thanks, but I’m gonna go for a quick run. I promise to have some when I get back.” They both nod.
“Okay, we’ll be here. Have a good run,” my nana calls out.
I walk over and kiss her cheek. “I won’t be too long.”
I put my earbuds in, hit play on my iPod, and take off down the hill. The warmth of the sun on my back allows the stress of the past week to fade away like white noise into the background. I concentrate on the beat of the Jay-Z song currently playing and let my feet carry me across the pavement. I run until I feel my lungs burn and the last song on my playlist ends. I check my watch and I’ve been running for over an hour. I put my hands on my knees and catch my breath. I got a little Forrest Gump with it and just kept going.
I walk into the house, and it’s eerily quiet. There’s no one in the kitchen or the living room. I quickly make my way down the hall to my nana’s bedroom and see that she is lying in her bed. My chest tightens in panic.
“Are you okay? Where is Ruth?”
“I’m fine. I just wanted to lie down for a while. Her kids were coming to visit so she went home.” I nod and the nurse gives me a sad smile. My shirt is soaked with sweat and sticking to me like a second skin.
“I’m going to take a quick shower. Are you sure you’re okay? Do you need anything?”
“No. I’m fine. Beverly’s here. Go take your shower.”
Fine . . . fine . . . Nothing is fine. Everything is fucked. I want to yell. I hate this. I feel helpless. The calm I was feeling from my run seems to disappear and the tightness in my chest is back. I step into the shower and let the warm water run over my sore muscles in an attempt to relax. It will be hours before I can see Ari. Not being able to bury my face in her neck and wrap her in my arms the last few days, has added to my edginess. I have a paper to finish writing, and my brain hasn’t shut off long enough this week to let me concentrate. I close my eyes and face the spray of water. I stand under it until it begins to cool.
After I get dressed, I head into the kitchen and grab a few of Ruth’s empanadas. They hit the spot, and I dive into my paper. The sun begins to set outside my window making me realize the time. It’s almost seven. I quickly type up the last paragraph, run a spell-check, and print it out. One less thing I have to worry about this weekend.
My mother has always believed that every man should own a good suit. In my case, she thinks I need to own several. I’m currently standing in my closet trying to make a choice between five. I finally decide on the gray Ralph Lauren.
I adjust my tie in the mirror and go over my mental checklist. My hair is combed, deodorant applied, teeth brushed, and a quick spray of cologne. Check, check, and check. I grab my keys off the nightstand and walk down to Nana’s room to say goodnight.
“Wow. You look so handsome. Doesn’t my boy look handsome?” she says to Beverly. She looks at me and nods.
I smile. ”Thank you.”
“So Ari’s work party is tonight?” Nana asks.
“Yes. I’m heading out now. I’ll only be gone a few hours. I’m leaving Beverly my number if you need anything ju-”
She puts her hand up to stop my talking. “You go and enjoy your night. Beverly will be here with me. Now go and tell that beautiful girl of yours that I said hello.” I lean in to kiss her cheek, and she squeezes my hand.
“I love you,” I whisper and her eyes mist over.
“I love you, too. Have fun.” I gesture to Beverly to follow me out of the room.
I make sure to give her my cell number and make her promise to call me if anything changes. She assures me that they’ll be fine. I give her a weak smile and head out.
ARI
I’M IN THE MIDDLE OF speaking to the event planner when I see Ben come through the front entrance. He stops and scans the room. He’s wearing a charcoal gray suit, crisp white shirt, and a black tie. I have to pick my jaw up off the floor. Holy hotness, he looks good!
Laura is still talking to me, and I swear she starts to sound like the teacher from the Peanut cartoons. Her mouth is moving, but I can’t make out a word she’s saying. He spots me and that sexy grin spreads across his face. That grin alone can melt the panties right off me. He struts his way through the crowd giving David Gandy a run for his money. I can’t help but notice the blatant stares he gets from the other women in the room. Stares from women old enough to be his mother. He stops in front of me and shamelessly rakes his eyes over me. The look in his eyes makes me shiver.
“Well hello, gorgeous.” Good Lord, not the dimples. How in the hell am I going to make it through this party?
“Well hello to you, too.” My eyes can’t help but drink him in. You know that saying “like a tall drink of water.” This man is a frickin’ gallon jug. It’s just too much; I almost have to wipe the drool off my chin. He wraps his hand around my waist and brings me to his side, kissing my cheek.
“Stop giving me that look or I’ll take you into the bathroom and peel this pretty dress off you.” Yes, please. He chuckles when he hears my breath hitch.
I try to shake the dirty thoughts he just evoked from my mind. I hear someone clear their throat and completely forget that Laura is still standing a few feet away.
“Uh . . . Ari, did you hear what I said?” I want to pretend that I did, but if I screw anything up tonight, it will be my ass. I decide to go with a diversion.
“I’m sorry, Laura. This is my boyfriend, Ben. Ben, this is Laura, the event planner I’ve been working with.” Ben flashes those dimples, and Laura is putty in his hands.
“Nice to meet you, Laura. Ari has been talking about you for weeks. It’s nice to finally put a face to the name.” He shakes her hand, and she blushes.
“All good things, I hope?” she asks with a coy smile. If she only knew, I’ve been ready to strangle her.
“Of course. Everything looks beautiful, by the way. You’ve done an amazing job.”
“Thank you so much.” She turns to look at me.
“You know what, Ari, don’t worry about it. I’ll just have the staff add an extra table. The florists left behind some extra flowers. I’ll just put something together.” I have no idea what she’s talking about but decide to just smile and nod.
“Well, I better get to work. Ben, it was lovely meeting you.” She puts out her hand again and Ben takes it this time and brings it to his lips.
“Likewise,” he says kissing the top of her hand. Easy there, Casanova. I have to hold back a snort. She blushes and releases a nervous giggle.
“If you need anything else, Laura, I’ll be around.” She seems to have forgotten that I’m standing there. She finally pulls her eyes away from Ben, nods and quickly walks away.
“You’re welcome,” Ben whispers.
I turn to look at him, and he has a smug grin on his face. “For what?”
“You had no idea what the hell she was saying to you from the moment I walked in,” he says chuckling.
“Oh, is that right?”
“It’s okay. I don’t remember walking over here if it makes you feel any better. I had tunnel vision the minute I spotted you.”
He presses a kiss behind my ear. “You look fucking hot in this dress, and I can’t wait to get you out of it.” His sexy voice in my ear is making me want to ditch this party like yesterday. It’s been way too long and our bodies are humming with desire. I press a hand to his chest giving us some distance. That sexy
grin spreads across his face again.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting away from you before I rip that damn suit off and get arrested for performing lewd acts in public.”
He grins and takes a step forward. ”Well, there are more than enough lawyers in this room to get us off.”
“The only person I want getting me off is the almost lawyer standing in front of me,” I whisper. He releases a soft moan. I pull away and give him a smug grin. I notice my bosses making their way over.
“Ari, you are looking lovely this evening,” Mr. Benton says stepping in front of us.
“Thank you, Mr. Benton. I’d like to introduce you to my boyfriend, Ben. Ben, this is Mr. Benton and Mr. Warner.” Ben smiles and they exchange handshakes.
“Nice to meet you both.”
“Likewise, son. Ari tells us that you will be graduating from my alma mater in a few weeks. Congratulations,” Mr. Warner says with a big smile.
“Thank you, sir.” They continue to make small talk for several minutes. Ben tells them about attending law school in the fall, and it’s all over after that. I don’t exist. You can’t help but be taken by Ben. He just has a way about him.
I look around the room, trying desperately not to zone out in case they decide to ask me a question. When the subject shifts to football, I know I’m in the clear. I’m shifting restlessly in my heels when a handsome man approaches the group.
“Excuse me for interrupting,” he says. Mr. Benton and Mr. Warner turn to look at him and large smiles spread across their face.
“Eduardo,” they say happily.
“How are you?” They exchange handshakes and turn to face Ben and me.
“Ari, this is Eduardo Santos from Santos and Associates, the private investigation firm we use.” I recognize the name immediately. I’ve contacted his office for several cases and have spoken to him directly. I put my hand out.
“Hi, nice to meet you, Mr. Santos. This is my boyfriend, Ben.”
“Here you go, Daddy.” Mr. Santos is in the middle of shaking Ben’s hand when all of our heads pop up. What the fuck?