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Asking for a Friend No Show
MARISSALayton was supposed to arrive at our house at eleven in the morning. By ten forty-five, Annie was practically bouncing off the walls from excitement. She’d changed her outfit three times, had two different backpacks packed—one for in case we went fishing and another in case she would need toys and puzzles for where ever we ended up going.I was ready to go, too. I’d paired jeans with comfortable knee high riding boots, my red coat and a camel jersey. Feeling relatively confident that I looked good, I left my hair loose to tumble down my shoulders and kept my makeup to a minimum.My purse was on the table in the entrance hall and I had stocked the fridge, just in case we decided it was too miserable to go out and stayed here instead. My eyes dropped to my watch for the fifth time in as many minutes, only to note that Layton was now yet another minute later than he had been a minute ago.That made him twenty-two minutes late in total. In all the time I’d known Layton, I’d known
Asking for a Friend Deadbeat
LAYTON“Welcome to New York, sir. We hope you’ll be traveling with us again soon.” A perky flight attendant said with a winning smile. Her name tag told me her name was Cindy.I hadn’t seen her during the flight, but that hardly meant anything. I spent the entire time rehearsing what I would say to Brice when I finally saw him, alternating between all-consuming rage and total confusion. “Thank you, Cindy,” I told her absently, disembarking the plane in a city I hadn’t been to for a long time. I couldn’t believe I was returning here for Brice, of all people.After my father’s video, shock kept me immobile for a couple of hours. I paced up and down, may have turned over a few tables, and finally, decided to take Dad’s advice. For once.If Marissa had a dark and battered past because of Brice, I needed to talk to him. To do the right thing, so to speak. I should have spoken to Marissa, but by the time I realized I’d long since missed our date, I didn’t know what to say to her.I was wor
Asking for a Friend Let the Games Begin
LAYTONA willowy brunette with a severe bun greeted me when I got to Brice’s floor. “Welcome to Collins, Lee and Mulder. How can I help you today?”She was the furthest thing from a welcoming face I could imagine, but I wasn’t easily intimidated. “I’m here to see Brice Peterson.”“Of course, sir,” she replied briskly. “Do you have an appointment?”“No,” I said bluntly. My answer clearly didn’t sit well with the receptionist.She bristled and picked up the phone. “Mr. Peterson is a busy man. I’m not sure he’s going to be able to fit in a walk-in client, but let me get his assistant on the line. Who may I say is calling?”“An old friend,” I told her. “I’d like to surprise him.”In more ways than one, but she didn’t need to know that. I watched as she put in the call, spoke in low tones to Brice’s assistant and eventually pointed me in the direction of the waiting room.“He’ll be with you as soon as he can,” she promised insincerely. I nodded anyway and made my way to a collection of unc
Asking for a Friend Blowing Him Off
LAYTONBrice Peterson’s jaw hardened and his shoulders tensed. Nothing in his fancy office with his multi-million dollar view over lower Manhattan could save him from his past. I was here to make sure he knew that.In his tailored three piece suit with his blond hair slicked back, he looked every inch the high priced lawyer he had become after our paths diverged after high school. Plenty of jokes about how lawyers were scummy people in one way or another crept into my mind.The difference was that Brice really was a scummy person, as I’d found out less than twenty-four hours ago. His name wasn’t one I ever expected to hear again, much less in the context of him having fathered a little girl I had grown fond of, with a woman I was falling for.“What did you say?” Anger and suspicion flashed in his green eyes, but he smoothed it away so fast I would have missed it if I hadn’t been waiting for it.Looking right into his eyes, I repeated, “I wanted to talk to you about Marissa Hughes.”Ma
Asking for a Friend Blood Bath
LAYTONI totally stood her up. Stood Annie up. There was no doubt in my mind there would be hell to pay for that. Before I went home, I was going to have to come up with a solid plan and a fucking good apology.The hotel the receptionist told me about was a plain looking brick building with a faded red awning over the entrance and an actual red carpet outside. A doorman with a black hat on stood outside, opening the door with a sweep of his arm, a smile and a gruff, “Welcome to the Ideal, sir.”As I walked into the lobby, I didn’t know if the place was—as the name suggested—ideal. But it was very nice. It was an old world charm kind of hotel, complete with golden curtain rails and a sweeping staircase covered by a plush emerald carpet.There were modern elements incorporated as well. I knew without having to ask that the nightly price tag was going to be steep. Such a place in this part of town was sure to cost a pretty penny. But I didn’t mind. I just wanted to get to my room so I co
Asking for a Friend Sleeping on the Couch
MARISSAAnnie’s bed was empty when I woke up on Monday morning. It was still made and her clothes from the day before were lying in a pile on her bed where she always put them after getting in her pajamas and before taking it to the hamper when she went to bed.My heart sputtered to a stop before picking up again and kicking into overdrive. Panicked, I raced through the house calling her name. “Annie? Baby? Where are you?”I reached the living room and saw a pile of blankets on the couch with a small shape stirring beneath them. Relief flooded me from my fingers to my toes. Annie sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Mommy? Were you calling me?”“What are you doing on the couch, honey? You nearly gave me a heart attack.” I went to sit next to her, pulling her into my arms until my racing heart quietened down.“I came to sleep on the couch in case Layton came by late.” Late? Try thirty-six hours late. My blood simmered at the same time that my heart broke over the dashed hope in Annie’s blue eyes
Asking for a Friend Resignation
MARISSADenise let out a low, sad sigh. The corners of her full mouth turned down. “I know what you went through, hon. And I’m not trying to make excuses on Layton’s behalf, what he did was wrong. But Marissa, he’s not your ex. He might have a perfectly valid reason for not showing up.”“Aside from bleeding out somewhere in a gutter, there is no reason why he couldn’t just have sent me one damn text to tell me he wasn’t going to make it. He didn’t even need to give me a reason, he could’ve just given me heads up so I could have prepared Annie. If he’d done that, I would’ve waited to hear why he didn’t show. If we’re not worth one text, he’s not worth our time.”She placed her elbows on the table and crossed her arms, her head slightly tilted. “You’ve been hurt before, babe. Trust me, I get it. But I think maybe just this once, you should consider letting your guard down. Just hear him out before you make a decision.”This time, I was the one who wanted to object, but she gave me a loo
Asking for a Friend The Jerk
LAYTONMy day out with Brice in the big city was about to kick off any minute, and I, for one, couldn’t wait anymore. I spent the rest of the day yesterday and all morning today alternating between working, seething and wondering how he turned into someone who abandoned his own child.The Brice I knew was self-centered, sure. But abandoning your child? That was next level shit.He arrived right on time at eight on the dot. Dressed more casually today in slacks and a cashmere hoodie covered with a thick coat, he looked more like the guy I knew than the high powered attorney I saw yesterday, I reminded myself that his clothes were just window dressing.Even if he vaguely resembled someone I once called a friend, he wasn’t that guy. Not even close. He grinned when I opened the door, brushing his hair out of his eyes. “You ready for an awesome day?”“Let’s go.” I didn’t mind playing his game for as long as it took to get him to talk about Marissa. I knew what I signed up for yesterday, bu
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