I try to wave her off and sidestep Mrs. Morales. "Well, I can—"
But before I can finish, she shoves the leash into my hands and waddles right past me.
"Thank you, darling; I'll be right back," she says as she walks inside and into the elevator.
I look down at Trixie, feeling... duped. Romina only gives me an hour and a half to shop, and my time is already running out. I take out my phone to see how much time I have left.
Shit.
I return my gaze to the lobby, hoping to see Mrs. Morales, but it is empty.
What is it that is taking her so long? Maybe I'll just tie Trixie to a post and apologize to Mrs. Morales later.
Trixie begins to pull away from me, as if she can read my mind and knows I'm trying to get rid of her. Given her size and strength in comparison to mine, she easily wins the brief tug-of-war and the leash slips from my grasp
Joe is a man after my own heart, if I were ten years older and still woman crazy. More importantly, neither of us knows how to accept no for an answer, which is how I ended up on this boring blind date. I like to think that his no-holds-barred attitude is what makes him such a successful partner at my firm.I'm not trying to ignore my date, but I can't help but glance at my phone for the millionth time. I work hard to hide my boredom by pretending to be at least somewhat interested in my date.My date, like every other woman Joe seems to know, is a model. He insisted that this one was different from the others, and I had to meet her. What I should have done was think about where this information came from. I should have known better, but I also knew that I wouldn't be able to avoid Joe or the date for long, so I reluctantly agreed. Big blunder.I'm willing to put my entire fortune on the line. Joe discovers all of these
I take another bite of lobster and pick up my phone. My mailbox icon flashes, and I focus on the documents Amelia has just sent over. Thank you very much!"I must be pretty boring," Alma says, pouting. She stabs her salad lazily and looks at me."Of course not," I respond. "However, money never sleeps."She smiles, leans back against the table, and runs her fingers through my hair. "I understand, but perhaps it can take a break." I'm confident I can divert your attention away from your work after dinner. Or, if you prefer, I can perform my magic right now."You have a snowball's chance in hell of taking my mind off anything. Not now, and never."Tell me more about what you do," I say, trying to steer the conversation away from the possibility of us getting naked together.Alma returns to her favorite top
"Now, let's talk about this telescope thing. Yes, I have a room full of telescopes, and they may be aimed at you, but I wasn't spying on you."I arch my brow and slant my head to the side. He laughs once more, revealing his white teeth."I'm telling you the truth," he declares. "It's a scout's honor. Besides, I'm pretty sure I'd remember seeing a lovely lady undress."In response to the compliment, my skin flushes. He's becoming less creepy, but I'm still not convinced."You mentioned staying in the area for a short time. "How come?" I inquire.He sighs again as he runs his fingers through his dark hair. "Long story short, I'm conducting research that requires me to be hands on.""Oh," I say, eager to put this conversation to rest. "From now on, make sure your telescopes aren't pointing into my freaking window, or I'll call the cops on you." Please excuse me;
We don't take long to arrive at Aliyah's building and park right in front of it. Normally, I would prefer to accompany my date directly from her home, but because I'm not sure which location is hers, I wait anxiously in the lobby near the elevator. To calm my nerves, I twist and turn the paperclip in my pocket. It's my lucky paperclip, and I don't leave the house without it. After I mentioned that public speaking makes me nervous, an old college professor taught me the trick. It no longer does, but I still keep the paperclip with me.Every time the elevator doors open, I perk up for a split second before slumping back in disappointment. I look at my watch for the hundredth time in the last ten minutes. To keep my mind occupied, I pull my phone from my pocket and check my messages. I have several emails from Amelia, a few text messages from Mr. Tanaka, and a text from Joe inviting me out for drinks instead of going on my date. I'm so preoccupied with my
Two weeks have flown by. It's been two long fucking weeks since my date with Aliyah, and I've been avoiding her ever since. I look at her phone number at least ten times a day before convincing myself not to call her. Her background check's blacked-out names make sense now.I've known Jonas for years, and I know that he would gladly pay an arm and a leg to protect certain aspects of his life. Romina is a whole other can of worms that I'd rather not re-open. I've worked hard to avoid dealing with the delicate intricacies of life involving people I know. I don't need the conflict of interest or the headache that comes with it.I just haven't had the words to explain everything to Aliyah. How can I tell her that I don't want to get involved with her because she's the nanny to one of my jerk friends? Besides, the whole "it's not you, it's me" thing is a little too cliché for me to use as an excuse effectively.Instead, I threw myself headfirst i
I close Andrew's door and make my way down the hall to my room. As I check the baby monitor in my hand to make sure he's still sleeping peacefully, he squirms a little but eventually settles back down. My shirt is wet and drenched in sour milk, a small gift from Andrew before he fell asleep. The shirt clings to my skin and is simply too much to wipe away, so I take a shower instead.When I walk into my room, I go straight to the bathroom, turning on the water and stripping out of my soiled clothes before dumping them in a heap on the floor. My mind finally has a chance to wander during my first quiet moment of the day, and my thoughts naturally turn to Jordan.He's been a man of his word since our conversation in the park, but I'm still wary of him. Sure, we agreed to start over, but I haven't forgotten about his behavior, and I'm still curious about what caused him to react in the first place. We've gone on a few quick dates, but nothing compares to our first date. They w
Tonight I'll see Aliyah again. Despite the fact that I've been out with her several times, I'm not sure how she'll react. Our relationship has changed since she confronted me in the park. No woman has ever had the audacity to confront me with such candor as she has. Something about her bravery and lack of fear around me fascinates me.I wait impatiently in the lobby for Aliyah, and when the elevator finally arrives at the bottom, I'm surprised to see her. She's dressed in a form-fitting crimson gown with sparkly high heels, revealing curves I hadn't noticed before. Her hair cascades over her shoulders in a waterfall of curls, and her eyes are rimmed with black liner, bringing out her deep blues."I'm sorry for being late. Andrew has a slight fever, and I wanted to make sure he was comfortable before I left for the evening.""No need to apologize," I say with a frown, remembering the small boy's illness as I take away his caregiver.She grins and tucks a stray curl behind
What was supposed to be our final embrace of the night turns into a half-hour of deep kissing and heavy petting. I'm back in high school, making out on my mother's couch. Only this time, she isn't there to catch us."I'd swear you're trying to trick me into staying over if I didn't know any better," I say.Jordan slides his tongue down the side of my neck. "Damn right," he says, his deep voice sounding seductive. "Does it work? ”I'd like to respond, but I'm out of breath. We're both exhaling heavily, as if we've just finished a marathon. That's what passion does to you. My breath catches in my throat every time Jordan kisses me or runs his tongue over a new spot, and I find myself gasping for air.The lights are turned down low, and soft music is playing in the background. It's like something out of a movie, and I'm starting to second-guess my decision to stay at home tonight. My hormones are interfering with my ability to function, scattering my thoughts
"Hey sweetheart," Dad said as he stepped outside to join me on the porch.I'd been estranged from both of my mom and dad for about a week. Zach hadn't been to the market in a week, either, or I hadn't started to notice him. I still felt so stupid for treating him that way and then fleeing. It terrified me that he'd gone to such lengths just to prove to me that he was deserving of me. All I wanted was for him to get sober. That was it."I noticed you've been a little down lately," Dad said as he sat and rocked a few times. "Boy problems?" ”"How come you didn't tell me?" " I couldn't help but inquire. "That his mother died?" That he'd gotten sober? That he purchased the plaza? ”"You went through so much when he overdosed. I didn't want to reopen old wounds.""I assumed he died.""He actually died for a few minutes.""That's not the same thing.""He was in a coma for a while.We assumed he would perish. Then he
"I can't believe you're going out with that lad again," Mom said as I arranged my artwork in a way that would allow me to transport it easily."I'm not going out with him," I said flatly. "He said I could sell my art at the tattoo shop where he works, so I'm going to do that.""He's just simply attempting to get a hold of you.""Well, if he sells all of this art, I think it's a pretty good ploy.""Honey, he works in a tattoo parlor.He's not much of a catch."I rolled my eyes and decided not to respond to her any longer. Dad sat on the couch, staring at us as we argued."Why don't you start leaving her alone, Maureen?" "Dad explained. "She's an adult now, and she's free to do whatever she wants."Mom turned to make an argument with him, and I took advantage of the distraction to sneak out of the house unnoticed. Dad nodded as he began to argue more vehemently to keep Mom interested in nag
I stood at the deli cash register, staring out the window into the empty store. I'd been scheduled to train to bake bread at a ridiculously early hour. So far, it's not going well; my coworker, Gwen, is too busy rushing around trying to get everything done to teach me anything. Fortunately, I've done this before as a teenager, so I believe I'll be able to do it again."We're getting ready to open. Are there enough sandwiches? " Gwen inquired, terrified.“Yep. "We're full up there," I replied. "I even had time to brew some coffee."“Oh. So, did you pay attention to my training? ”“Yep.”“Oh. Okay. Then I'm going to take a break. "Could you please keep an eye on the last round of bread?"“Yep.”"Excellent, thank you."I didn't turn to watch her walk away. I think I have another five or ten minutes before I have to return to the sandwich grind. People usually don't start coming in un
For a split second, my heart stops beating and time slows to a crawl. Everything around me is moving at a snail's pace, and my eyes well up with tears. I turnedaround to see if I'm dreaming or if everyone else is seeing what I'm seeing. My father has his arm around my mother's waist as she clutches Andrew in her arms, and Rachel gives me a positive reaction as she points her camera in my direction.The room has fallen silent, and all eyes have turned to me. Jordan coughs a few times as I turn my head to face him."This journey with you has been thrilling since the very first time we met. We've got to share so many wonderful moments together, and I want to continue sharing them with you as my wife. You've been everything I could have wished for: a supportive and loving partner, a wonderful mother to our son, and an ambitious and stunning woman in your own right. I don't deserve you, Aliyah; I've never deserved you. But I've always adored and loved you, and I don't
a year laterIf you had asked me a year ago where I thought I'd be now, I'd have said curled up on the floor with Andrew having to play with a pile of toys. I might have even mentioned cleaning and cooking and doing other job that fell under my responsibilities as a baby sitter. Never in a million years did I imagine myself sitting on a stage with six other graduates, listening to my culinary mentor speak about how far we've come.More than that, I never imagined I'd have both. And understanding what awaits me after this celebration is almost as exciting as what I'm accomplishing today.Fortunately, I'm surrounded by friends who not only believedin my food, but also in me. Tanner and Ray have both been helpful in my development, and I would not be where I am today without them.As I look out at the crowd thathad gathered in our honor, I fidgetednervously. Rachel smiles and waves at me, and I reciprocate with a small wave. M
Do I cling to the past, or do I let go and move forward with the man who has my heart? My mind is in an emotional fog, and I'm at odds with myself. Jordan's kiss is tender, but I can tell he's reading my body language. He's waiting for me to take the initiative. The last first move as I realize our relationship has progressed to a new level.I recline on the bed and pull Jordan to me in an attempt to begin the healing process. No man has ever made me feel the way he makes me feel, and I believe him when he says he and Romina had nothing in common.The realization that he is Andrew's father is both shocking and relieving. It broke my heart to think I'd never see the boy I'd grown to adore again. Knowing I'll be able to keep my relationship with Andrew is only a bonus to Jordan's reasoning, whether he realizes it or not.My body is craving a primal but necessary release right now. I reach for Jordan's shirt and unbutton it slowly. I run my hands down the front of
My plan is in shambles, and I can't stand listening to Aliyah sob into the phone like this. She requires my assistance immediately. I'm not sure what made me think I'd be able to straighten things over the phone, but I was completely wrong, and I need to think up a new strategy because I need her as well.I walk over to the elevator and press the button for Aliyah's floor, with no specific plan other than to get to her.“Aliyah? Hello? Can you hear what I'm saying? ”She's no longer screaming and shouting at me, but I can hear her crying in the background, so I know she's still there. This isn't what I had in mind. Hearingher cry and listening the pain in her voice twists my heart like a knife. I can only imagine what she's going through if I'm in this much pain.Romina clearly lied to her about the specifics, but I hope Aliyah will allow me to clear the air and set a record straight.I charge out of the elevator and down the hall
The sound of his voice on the other end of the phone ends up taking my breath away, and the cloud nine I'm riding on falls to the ground. My emotions come into conflict, and I'm not sure which one is correct. Part of me is happy to hear a familiar voice on the phone, while another part recalls everything Romina revealed.I'm on the phone with both the first and last people I want to talk to, and I'm not sure what to say. If he hadn't been the source of my grief, he would've been the first person I'd called for comfort, but he is the source. He is the sole cause of this disaster, and he had the ability to stop it at any time, but he did not. Jordan made his bed, and now he must face the consequences of his actions. He does not merit my time or attention."How did you come up with this number?" And why are you bothering to call me? " I yell angrily.It's suddenly difficult to breathe, and every breath I take feels like a labored exercise as I force myself to confr
For the millionth time, I checked my phone, but Nathan had not responded. Despite the fact that my world was collapsing around me, I dragged myself to work every day, sitting through one boring meeting after another. Contracts and business transactions used to consume all of my waking hours, but now all I want to do is go out and find Aliyah. I can't even pretend to be interested in the proposals being put forward.Nate assured me that he would find her and that I should simply trust him and his abilities. He's never let me down before. I stare off into space, completely unaware that my name is being called and that everyone in my office is staring at me.""Wait, what?""We're still waiting from you to agree to terms and sign off on everything so we can keep moving forward," Joe says, waving a thick stack of papers at me. "Have you had a chance to review the documents? We were hoping to resolve this today.""As I sift through the massive stack of papers i