Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 23978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
I wipe the tears from my eyes and take a deep breath.
Who is this new Alice I’ve become? The old Alice would never have let herself become so emotional–not even during a session with Michelle.
“So you’ve made your decision?” she asks.
I nod. “I have. I know what I need to do.”
9
DAMIEN
I haven’t heard from Alice all day, but she’s been wreaking havoc on my mind without even being here.
I had a long day of deliveries and came back to the apartment to shower and clean up, and even thought about just heading up to her apartment for a surprise visit, but I was starving, so I had to order some Thai food first. I gave her a call about a half-hour ago, but it went straight to voicemail.
Now I’m sitting on the couch and eating with Charlie and Fran, one of the barista girls from the coffee shop down the street, watching I Married a Witch with Veronica Lake. It’s our weekly movie night, and Fran’s great taste goes beyond just good coffee.
“Look at Veronica,” she says. “What a babe.”
“Old movies were just so much better, man,” Charlie says with a sigh. “Give me classic Hollywood glamour any day over this junk they put out now.”
I chuckle and reach for my drink when there’s a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” Charlie says, getting up. “That’s probably Tim. He said he might stop by.”
Charlie steps over the coffee table and walks over to the door, but when he opens it, Alice steps right past him and into the apartment. She moves as though she just bought the building.
She looks like a million bucks. She’s wearing a mauve skirt with matching heels and a white blouse. I see Charlie checking her out and throw him a look that says, “Back off.”
He does.
“Damien, I–” Alice freezes when she sees Fran sitting beside me on the couch. Fran’s a good-looking girl herself, and I’m sure she can tell–just as I can–exactly how Alice is feeling right at this moment. It’s written all over her face.
Jealousy. Alice is furiously jealous.
This little game we’ve been playing has been working. She isn’t just physically into me; she’s fallen for me. And seeing me seated beside another woman has ignited her territorialism.
If I were Fran, I’d be scared.
“Hey, Alice.” I smirk, toying with her slightly as I throw my arm up over the back of the couch, not quite around Fran, but almost. Alice’s eyes go wide, and her lips part in something like mild shock. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I can tell,” she replies.
“This is Charlie,” I say, pointing. “My roommate. And this is Fran. She works at the coffee shop up the block–”
“Can I talk to you for a moment?” Alice snaps, storming away into my room. For a second there, I thought there was going to be an incident.
“Excuse me, guys,” I say as I get up from the couch.
“Everything cool?” Charlie asks. I shoot him a nod before following her into my bedroom.
I barely have a chance to step inside before Alice slams the door and glares at me, her eyes steaming with anger.
“Who is that?” she asks, pointing out toward the living room.
“Who?” I ask innocently.
“Oh, don’t play stupid with me. That girl out there you were cuddling up with!”
I laugh. “I wasn’t cuddling up with anybody. I told you that’s Fran. She’s a barista who comes over for our weekly movie night where we watch old movies. She has good taste.”
“And why wasn’t I invited to this weekly movie night?”
“I haven’t heard from you all day, Alice,” I reply. “I called you, but it went straight to voicemail.”
“Yes, I was–I was occupied.”
She’s stuttering over her words. Something is really bothering her, and it goes way beyond me teasing her with Fran back on the couch.
“Do you have something on your mind, Alice?” I ask. “You seem…”
“Upset?” she asks, her voice sounding slightly unhinged. “Yes, I am upset, Damien. And do you want to know why?”
She turns away from me and runs a hand through her hair. I’ve never seen Alice like this before–so completely distraught. Not even after she was attacked by Charlie back at her office. This is a woman who is always in control, always in charge. She’s one of the most successful female businesswomen in the country, and right now she looks like she’s on the verge of breaking down.
“Alice–”
“How did you do it, Damien?” she asks, turning back at me. “That night at La Bernadin. Not only did you get us a table there, but you paid for the entire dinner yourself. On the salary you make as a messenger?”
I smile, which clearly only gets her going even more.
“And they knew you there. So it’s not like this was a one-time thing you saved up for. You go there a lot. La Bernadin is one of the city’s top restaurants!”