Breaking Up

Ethan

Something about Riley's tension on Thursday night over the Amber thing continued to bug me for the next few days. By Saturday morning... I was rather pissy, which was a good thing. I had lunch plans with Deza. She could either make me feel much better, or I'd unload a boatload of shitastic joy in her lap.

"Why are you smiling?" The tight expression on her face was almost comical.

I took the seat across from her at one of our favorite restaurants on Rodeo Drive. Famous people filled the streets on Saturday mornings, which was the only time I'd come down that way. It meant there were more of us and less of them. Good odds that I'd only get ambushed and fondled once or twice instead of the usual twenty.

"I like smiling, and if I recall," I leaned toward her and put my forearms on the table, "my agent likes it when I smile. Remember?"

"Yeah, but that's not a normal smile."

"No?" I leaned back. "No clue what you're yakking about, but let it go. I'm not in the mood."

"Oh great. You're