by H. Q. Frost
going to do whether I eat it with her or not.
I toss a hundred dollar bill onto the table and look at her. "Send your husband my regards."
"Justin," she huffs before I can walk away and I wish I would have moved faster. This isn't going to end well. "B," she says getting out of the booth and grabbing my arm. "I'm sorry," she whispers. Still holding my arm she moves close enough that my hand's pressed right where I want my face. "B. I'm sorry," she whispers again. "Don't leave. I'm having a bad day."
"I can tell." I pull my arm away from her and sit before Peachey comes from the bathroom.
With a brief look toward the bathroom she then puts a knee on the booth I'm sitting in and pulls me to her chest while she kisses my head.
"I'm sorry," she repeats
"Sit down." I slide my hand down her thigh as she moves away.
After she sits she looks over her shoulder and grabs my hand that's on the table, then kisses my fingers. "I'm sorry," she says it again and I can't take it.
"Stop," I say while standing and grabbing her face. We're leaning over the table to get to one another. "Stop," I say again kissing her over and over. I glance up just as Peachey comes out of the bathroom so I sit down and
lean back.
"Ian!" Peachey's excited tone carries and we both look toward the direction her enthusiasm is carried.
Fuck. Like I said, this isn't going to end well.
"Lunch with mom." Ian grinned, grabbing her face and kissing her cheek.
"I had no idea you guys worked here!" Peachey's gaze
lingered to Ed who was at Ian's back.
"Yes we do." Ian smiled.
Peachey couldn't stop grinning at the older version of Ian and as usual, Ed put on a charming front for Lilith's mother.
"Sit down." Peachey finally said and pushed Ian into the booth next to
Lilith.
"Hey, baby." He put his arm around her, kissing her.
"Hi." The forced smile was noticed by Justin and Ian only.
"Borg." Ian nodded at him.
"Jacks." Justin tried not to let his aggravation show.
"How are you feeling, Justin?" Ed slid into the booth next to him.
"He's fine, look at him, he's got my wife out to lunch with her mother. The man's fine." Ian stared at Justin with a cocky grin.
"I actually ran into them in the lobby. The doors were sealed. They weren't letting anyone out," Peachey explained. "I'm here with a friend who's upstairs seeing a lawyer—"
"Justin's a lawyer," Ian interrupted.
"Well I'm not a star and he's a lawyer to the stars." Peachey giggled.
"He doesn't only take Hollywood cases. He's workin' on a case right now for me." Ian grinned at him.
"You're a star to me, Jacks." Justin winked at him. "But, Peachey, I'd be more than happy to have a listen to your
friend's case, if she's interested." Justin smiled at her.
Lilith could feel Ed's daunting gaze on her so she didn't look up from her glass.
"That's so nice, Justin. I'll mention it to her, maybe give her your card?"
"I didn't bring any today. Not in work clothes."
"You are lookin' like a vagrant today." Ian grinned at him.
"A vagrant." Justin quietly chuckled. "This
guy wears the tightest suits I've seen."
"I think both you boys look nice." Peachey chuckled.
Lunch was excruciating for Lilith. Ed stared at her
through most of it. Peachey babbled on and continuously laughed while Ian made it a point to let everyone know he was with Lilith. Justin kept his eyes on his food except when he'd occasionally look at Peachey or Ed.
The waiter brought the bill and both Ian and Justin tried to grab it.
"I'll pick it up, Borg, it's my mother-in-law, wife, and dad."
"I insist. Besides I'm not cutting you a cheaper rate just 'cause you picked up lunch." Justin smirked at him.
"Don't worry about it. I can cover that and lunch."
Lilith reached out and snatched the bill from their hands. Peachey noticed her aggression and concern flashed across her face. Putting two fifties with the seventy-five dollar bill, Lilith stood.
"Mom." She looked over at Peachey. "Get out please."
Peachey quickly stood and moved out of the booth. Ian knew Lilith was angry and he knew he shouldn't have imposed on their lunch, but he'd be damned if Justin was going to move in on his territory with his mother-in-law.
"Lilith." Ed put his hand to her elbow and kissed the corner of her
mouth. She pulled away quickly.
"I'm gonna walk my dad out back," Ian told her. "Peachey, I'm glad I got to see you." He smiled at her and she hugged him.
"Me too, honey. I wish you kids would visit more."
"We're gonna have to move you closer. Lily hates driving ten minutes in the car."
"Oh, I know." Peachey grinned and hugged
Lilith. "I don't blame her, it's a far drive. I love you." She said to Lilith, sensing something was wrong.
"Love you too, mom."
There was a loud commotion in the lobby and Peachey looked to the doors of the restaurant. "Oh! That must be the famous person. I just want to take a peek to see if I can get a glimpse. Nice seeing you again, Ed." She touched his arm.
"You too, Peachey." He turned to Justin. "Rest, kid, you're gonna need it."
"Borg." Ian nodded to him and Justin nodded back. He
grabbed Lilith's arm and pulled her to kiss him. "I love you."
"I'll see you in a few minutes," she responded with annoyance.
Scooting around them, she hurried to the doors to find Peachey. Justin and Ian looked at each other and gave each other the same 'good luck' look.
Approaching from behind, Justin put his hand to the small of Lilith's back and she quickly looked to see whom it was. Peachey stood a foot in front of them trying to see over and around the crowd spectating the celebrity. Lilith leaned into Justin a little, wishing she were leaving with him. He softly grabbed her chin and lifted her face upward so he could kiss her. The twitch between her legs made her pull away just in time for Peachey to turn around.
"Can you guys see?" she questioned, clueless to their affection.
"No. Nothing." Justin smiled.
"Let's get closer." Peachey grabbed Lilith, pulling her along.
He laughed to himself and followed, knowing it was probably pissing Lilith off more. Peachey found a gap and made it toward the front where a security guard held people off. Justin focused on Lilith's ass and moved as close as possible before Peachey noticed.
"I see someone," Peachey said looking toward
the elevator. "Oh! Oh! Justin, it's Rayne!" she exclaimed. Justin put his head down and thought about walking away but Peachey excitedly clutched his arm.
"Justin?" Rayne laughed, waving to him. She leaned into her security guard and pointed out Justin.
"I'll see you later, B." Lilith chastely kissed his cheek then turned to
Peachey. "I have to get to work, mom," she quickly said before Rayne
approached.
"Oh. Um, okay. Uh. Okay, honey." Peachey was confused by her sudden departure.
"El," Justin said softly, knowing she only wanted to get out of there because of Rayne.
Lilith smiled and wiggled her fingers at him but quickly made her way to the elevator.
"What are you doing here?" Rayne pulled Justin into an embrace and Peachey stared star-struck.
Lilith crammed into the tight elevator where people were bitching about Rayne and the hold up she caused.
"It really irks me that I was fearing for my safety and all it was was some overpaid celebrity who isn't that great of an actress," a man in the elevator loudly complained to his friend; Lilith smirked.
As she got settled, Ian stopped into her office. "My dad wants us to have dinner with him Friday."
"I have plans." She looked down at her desk.
"Lily, we're having dinne
r with my dad Friday."
"I said I was busy." The pen in her hand slammed to her desk and she gave him a challenging glare.
"It's only a few hours, then you can go to Borg's." It took all he had to keep a pleasant tone.
"I don't want to have dinner with your dad. Lunch was uncomfortable enough! I can't believe you did that, Ian!" she snapped a little too loudly for in the office.
Ian glanced down the hall then leaned back into her office. "Borg having lunch with my mother-in-law and my wife is stepping over a line, wouldn't you say, Lily?"
"Leave my office." She dismissed him by turning
to her computer.
Leaving Justin with Rayne and Ian's lunch stunt further depleted Lilith's mood so Tash kept her distance.
Tash finally looked over at Lilith a few hours later. "Lily, you know I'm leaving tomorrow, right?"
"Oh." Lilith quietly gasped. "I forgot." She frowned. "And you won't be at the New Year's party."
"I know. But I'll be in Cancun." She chuckled.
"Much better than Chicago in December." Lilith let out a sigh. "Send pictures so I can be envious."
"That's just mean. But I will."
"God," Lilith huffed as her cellphone rang and it was Peachey. "Hi,
mom."
"Lilith, you have no idea what I just spent the last four hours doing!" She squealed like a young girl.
"No, I don't." Lilith put her head in her hand and closed her eyes. The squealing and over excitement wasn't like Peachey.
"Me and your friend Justin just spent four hours with Rayne Bronson."
Lilith dropped her hand from her forehead. "You did?"
"Justin is the sweetest guy."
"He is," Lilith huffed. "What'd you guys do with Rayne? Justin said they were seeing other people. Did they act like a couple?"
"We went to the Cultural Center. Have you been? Lily, it's beautiful, you should go if you haven't."
"I've been, mom. You spent four hours with Rayne Bronson at the Cultural Center? Her and Justin make up?"
"I don't know what you mean? Make up?"
"Acting like a couple? Is he dating her again?"
"Lily, he told us at lunch he only went on a couple dates with her." Peachey chuckled, still not answering the question. "He was on his phone a lot. Work stuff he said but when he did join us they were cordial, I guess."
"Cordial? What do you mean? Were they like boyfriend girlfriend cordial or like friends?"
"My word, Lily." Peachey fell silent.
"Mom, we just like to be up with Justin's life
because he has a tendency to date women who aren't good for him." Lilith shook her head at her poor excuse and put her hand to her face. "Ian likes to talk sense into him."
Tash looked over her shoulder with a smirk and raised eyebrows. Lilith sternly pointed at her; with a giggle Tash turned back to her computer.
"So how was it hanging out with a celebrity?" Lilith quickly changed the subject.
"She is the sweetest thing, Lily. Do you know her? I'd imagine you've met her."
"Yes. I have." Lilith rolled her eyes.
"She'd be a good woman for your friend Justin to see. They looked cute together."
"Cute?" Lilith chortled like Peachey was being ridiculous.
"You know how you see two people together and it looks right? Like you and Ian. They just look right for each other."
"I don't know about that. She has a tendency to look right with every man. She's famous."
"Justin's attractive enough for her," Peachey said defensively.
"I'm not saying that, mom. I know he is. He's probably too attractive for
her, but I just mean she's famous, it doesn't matter who she dates."
"That's right, Lily, it doesn't so stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. Worry about you and your husband."
"I have nothing to worry about. Justin's just a friend okay? Stop insinuating there's something more."
"When you stop acting like there is something more, I will," Peachey said stubbornly.
"I thought I could have conversations with you
about my friends without you assuming I'm having an affair."
Ian stopped in the doorway on his way past.
"It's not the conversations, it's the way you look at him, Lilith. You ask Ian what he thinks and I bet he'd have a thing or two to say about it."
"I will, mom. Ian's standing right here, he's been listening to our conversation. My mom thinks I'm having an affair with Justin."
"Lilith!" Peachey snapped. "Oh you brat! Nice to make your mother look like a nosy crazy woman. You have some things to sort out with yourself. You've been foul all afternoon. I'd like to hang up now."
"I'm sorry," Lilith huffed. Guilt filled her for embarrassing Peachey like that. "Mom?"
"Good bye, honey. It was nice seeing you today."
"You too," Lilith mumbled and Ian saw the grief on her face.
"I think you should take off for the day," he said.
"I'm fine." She pushed her cellphone into her desk. "They went to the Cultural Center for four hours." She looked up at him. "With Rayne Bronson, so Justin took along my
mom, with Rayne Bronson."
He understood what she was saying and he wished he didn't care, but he saw the sadness it brought her. It annoyed him that Justin spent the afternoon with her mother, but he was more annoyed by Justin hurting Lilith by fucking around.
"I was going down for a coffee, want to come?" he asked.
"No, but will you bring me one please? Caramel." She looked at him again and he frowned, wanting to spend a few minutes with her, soothe her if he could.
"Tash?" Ian asked.
"Yes! Please. Vanilla chi."
Ian looked at Lilith again but she was staring at her computer.
When she was sure he was gone, Tash spun in her chair. "What'd she say? When you asked if they acted like a couple?" she whispered.
"She wasn't answering, she kept avoiding the question but then said they were cordial and she thinks they look cute together." She rolled her eyes. "I have no way of knowing what happened. I can't ask my mom because she thinks
I'm fucking him."
"You are." Tash giggled and Lilith broke a smile but then dropped her forehead to her desk. "Have Ian ask her."
Lilith popped her head up and looked at Tash. "He'd kill me." She smirked.
They silently got back to work until Lilith's phone rang. "You spent the afternoon with Rayne?" she answered Justin's call.
"I figured you'd be pissed." He rubbed his face. "I did it for your mom, El. She was so excited and I just wanted to make her happy. Me and Rayne barely exchanged words. I was working most of the afternoon."
"Humiliating, Justin. It's going to be all over that you're with Rayne."
"Well, El, I didn't really think about that, but what difference does it make?"
"What do you mean what difference does it make? I'm your girlfriend!"
"And if your mom finds that out?"
She sighed and covered her face with her hands.
LILITH breaks their hearts
"ZP?"
"What?" This comes out harsher than I intended but now I'm worried.
"You put any thought into your plans for tomorrow night?"
"I'm so sorry!" I completely forgot to tell him. "Tomorrow night is Luxe's New Year's party so I figured we could go to that together?"
"I thought you might suggest that." He huffs at me. "I usually do attend but I didn't think I would be this year. My father keeps trying to get me to go and I keep giving him excuses. I don't want to go to that, El. Reason is, Jacks will be there, it'll just be strange."
I don't know what to say to that. They're so hot and cold.
"I need to be with you both tomorrow night," I say in desperation. That's exactly what I told Ian and that's exactly what I want.
"I wanted to be with you too but I'm not going to that party. You work the first?"
"O
f course." I huff. I can't believe he's doing this to me.
"We'll get together that evening, okay?"
"Justin, I want you at the party."
"And I don't want to be at that party. The less I have to be around him, the better. You can see we don't get along, we never will. He'll forever be your husband and I'll forever be your boyfriend. Not gonna mix. I'm doing this for you, Princess, because I want this more than I've ever wanted anything, and I want a lot, but me and Ian aren't going to be friends."
"You're not going to the party to be friends with him, you're going to be with me."
"And Ian. You'll be there because he's there which means our time with
you will have to be split."
I snicker; I really can't believe him! "I own Luxe, it's Luxe's party! Don't you think it'd be odd if I weren't there?"
"Well, ZP." He pauses and I think he's thinking over what he's about to say. "You didn't seem to know about this party a couple days ago when we were talking about New Year's so I'm not sure why you have to be there."
He has a point. I didn't know a thing about it! That's so aggravating.
"It slipped my mind," I mumble.
"Well let the idea of me going slip your mind too. I just don't want to do it."
"Okay." I'm defeated, nothing else for me to do other than accept it. "I'll see you in a bit," I quietly say.
"See ya." He hangs up.
God! This whole week can just die. I know it's not going to get better.
Tash keeps her back to me and it's for the best because I could snap right now. He's mad at me for attending my business's party! Ian's trying to break us up! My mom's pissed at me because I've been nothing but a bitch today. I wouldn't mind disappearing right now.
I've sent Veronica home and Tash left an hour ago
Everything is locked up and I grab the package I need to take to Joanna for her date tonight.
"Plans?" I ask Ian as we stand in the lobby of Luxe.
"Gym."
"That's rather uneventful."
"What would you have me do, Lily?" He scowls at me.
Even wearing a scowl he's beautiful and I want to sit right on that beautiful scowl.
She forced a smile while a small gush attempted to escape because of her wayward thoughts. "Make sure you eat before and after the gym."