Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“Come join us for a drink after work,” Melissa said.
My stomach muscles tightened. I wanted to say no, thank you, but I thought of my empty apartment with just my terrible thoughts for company. I needed to get out. To stop obsessing about Rex and Kayden.
“Sure, I’d love that,” I said quickly before I could change my mind.
“Great. I’ll tell everyone that you’ll join us.”
I headed to the kitchenette to make myself a cup of coffee. As I waited for the coffee to brew, I stared out the window at the rain that was falling steadily. My mind wandered to Rex.
“Hey, you ready?” Melisa asked a few minutes to five.
“Yeah,” I said, trying to sound like I met friends for drinks every day. Shit, I’d forgotten how to do this.
I gathered my bag and together with two other women, we put on our coats and left the building. The bar was just down the block.
We found a nice table in the corner and sat down to order our drinks.
“I’m glad you agreed to go out with us,” Melissa said as we waited for our drinks. “We’ve been speculating that you must have a demanding lover who doesn’t want to share you with anyone.”
Really, they were wondering about me. “What?”
Melissa chuckled. “There has to be a reason why you turn down everyone’s invitation for a drink.”
I laughed but did not directly answer her question. The waiter brought our drinks, which distracted Melissa from continuing with that line of questioning. The three were clearly good friends. I listened as they caught up with each other’s love lives.
They were all dating regularly but none of them were in a relationship. It made me think of Rex.
“Thank you for coming out with us, Willow. You’re not as stuffy as we thought you were,” Lara said a couple of hours later with a giggle.
I laughed too, already feeling the effects of the cocktails I’d already drunk. “I’m glad I came too.” My phone vibrated from the table, and I quickly grabbed it hoping it was Rex.
It was. I smiled foolishly as I read the message.
Hey beautiful. How was your day?
Nothing life changing but it warmed my insides.
“That has to be a man,” Melissa said. “No female would make you smile like that.”
I laughed, alcohol making me more unreserved than I normally would. “It’s nothing serious. Just someone I’m messing with.” I typed back a reply.
Out with friends. Thinking about you just now.
His response was immediate.
Oh yeah? What exactly were you thinking?
Ah. Not telling. *Wicked emoji*
Our phones were quiet after that, and I thought that my communication with Rex was over. The drinks kept coming and our voices grew louder. The girls talked about their plans for the holidays. Jenna said she was staying in New York as she didn’t get along with her family.
I admired how casually she said it, without caring that she might look like a loser to everyone.
“You all don’t know how lucky you are to have family,” Jenna said, her voice slurring. She turned to me. “Especially you, Willow. You have family and a man. Your life is perfect.”
My life was not perfect at all. I excused myself to go to the bathroom. I was drunker than I realized. My legs felt unstable, and I held on to the wall as I walked down the hallway. Shit. A splash of water on my face would do the trick.
I finished my business in the toilet and headed to the sink. After a few splashes of water, I felt marginally better. I dried my face and just as I was about to leave the bathroom, another wave of dizziness hit me. I backtracked and entered a toilet stall.
I put down the toilet cover, sat down and rested my head in my hands. Why the hell had I drunk so much? I wasn’t much of a drinker, and I should have known better. The wave of dizziness started to recede, but in its place, a headache was taking root.
My phone chose that moment to screech from my purse. The temptation to ignore it was high, but the ringing tone was making my headache worse. I answered without checking the identity of the caller.
“Hello.” My voice sounded like a truck had driven up my throat.
“Willow, is that you? Are you okay?”
I smiled despite the way I was feeling. “Rex! Yeah, it’s me.”
“Why do you sound so far away? Like you’re in a hole?” he said.
A giggle broke out of me. “That’s because I’ve locked myself up in the toilet. I might have drunk too much,” I admitted.
“I’m coming to take you home. Where exactly are you?” he said.
I gave him the name of the bar, but as I started insisting that it was not necessary to come, he disconnected the call. Only after the phone went silent on me did I realize that maybe it wasn’t such a hot idea to have him come after all. I looked like shit. Frantically, I tried to call him back.