A Good Time

Chapter 2-3

Indy dragged her feet toward her apartment. The bar had been slammed with business. The stack of singles shoved in her pocket made the sore feet and aching back worthwhile. Even though she wanted the money to go straight into her vacation fund, she had a feeling it would be poured into her car instead. The beast had begun making strange noises. Again.

She stopped in front of her neighbor’s house, surprised to see Richard leaning against her porch. “Hi. What are you doing here?”

At the sound of her voice, he looked up and his back stiffened. “You said you had to work. I thought you were showing houses, not shaking your t**s at a bunch of drunks.”

She so did not need this right now. She’d had enough of Richard’s jealousy. “I’m tired. It’s been a long day.”

“We need to talk.”

She hated that sentence. Nothing good ever came from it. Already sore muscles clenched.

“About what?” she asked, trying to keep the irritation from her voice. She walked up the steps and unlocked the door.

Without turning around, she knew Richard scanned the street to check on his car. At least he didn’t make his routine comments about the location of her apartment. She shook her head and went in alone.

Kicking off her shoes, she sank onto the couch. The cool leather stuck to her skin. She closed her eyes and relished in the quiet.

The familiar sound of crinkling cellophane had her gaze shooting up to Richard’s arms. He carried a huge bouquet of roses. He brought roses only when they’d been fighting. Usually because he tried to change her.

The thought came in a flash, but stuck.

Why was she still with him? Her best friend, Kate, and Quinn had both been asking her for months. She’d brushed the question aside, but now, as Richard approached her with a serious expression, the question reverberated in her brain. Their relationship was no longer fun.

He sat beside her and laid the flowers on her lap. “You know I don’t like you working at that place. I’ve offered to help.”

“I don’t want your money. I can pay my own way.”

He slid a small, black velvet box onto the table. He flipped the lid and a huge, sparkly diamond winked at her. She wanted to reach out and touch it, but shifted the flowers from her lap to the table beside the ring. Her heart raced and her stomach roiled.

Marriage had never entered even the remote recesses of her mind. Especially with Richard. He was a guy with money looking for a break, and she knew how to show him a good time. Good times tended to end when commitment came into the picture.

Someone always had to change.

“Marry me. You can quit that crappy job and leave this place.” He handed her a key.

“What’s this?”

“The divorce is done. I got the house.”

He took the house from his ex-wife and kids? “What about your kids?”

“What about them? They’ve moved to a new house. We can start our own family together.”

The snort burst from her before she thought. “I told you a long time ago. I’m not looking for marriage. I’m not marriage material.”

“Everyone is marriage material when it’s the right person. You could stop working and stay home to take care of the baby.” He leaned back and crossed his legs as if this was a done deal.

“Baby?” She laughed, and he jerked back. Startling him hadn’t been her intention, but the man was clueless. “What’s next? Dinner on the table every night at six?”

“That would be nice. It’s one thing I do miss from my marriage to Marion.”

Yeah, that’s what every woman wanted during a proposal—to be compared to the ex-wife. “I can’t do this, Richard.”

“Do what?” He scooted forward on the couch.

“Marry you. I don’t want to be with someone who doesn’t get me.”

“I get you, Indy. I love you.” He grabbed her hand and held it to his chest.

She tugged free and tried not to laugh. “You love the idea of me, but not me. Not really. I’m the girl who leaves tawdry messages for you in the middle of the day. The girl who loves the ceramic cows in her kitchen. The girl who strips her pantyhose off in the middle of the street.”

“Why would you do that?”

The question said it all. He would never understand her. He didn’t know how.

“Because I can. I’m not the right woman for you because you can’t imagine doing something ridiculous or silly.”

“Don’t do this.”

“You need to move on, Richard. I was a nice distraction during your divorce, but now that it’s over, you need to look for whatever will make you happy.” She handed him the key and the ring. That part was hard. The price on the ring would pay her rent for months. She moved away from the couch.

“You make me happy.”

“But I won’t for long.” She crossed her arms. “I can’t give you what you’re looking for.”

Backing away from her, his hands balled into fists. “There’s someone else, isn’t there?”

“No.” Priceless. So much for being nice and letting him down easy. Her phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket. Griffin. “I need to take this.”

She turned away from Richard, hoping he’d take the hint and leave. “Hello.”

“Hey. Sorry to call so late. I planned to leave a message.”

His rough voice massaged her irritated nerves.

“It’s fine. I just got home. What did you need?”

“I want to refine my search for a house. Are you free for lunch tomorrow? I have some things I want to talk about.”

She paused, immediately thinking he was trying to make another date, but something in his voice convinced her otherwise.

“Sure. Text me the time and place.” She paused again. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, long day. See you tomorrow.”

She hung up and turned back to Richard.

“There is someone else. Don’t try to lie.”

“That was a client.”

The disgusted humph made her want to slap him.

“What kind of client calls after business hours?”

“The kind who happens to be a friend. Someone who wants to make plans. Someone who knows I don’t mind late-night calls.” She recrossed her arms. Time to end it. For good.

He stared at her with eyes burning. “I’ve felt it for months now. You’ve been pulling away, and I’ve been trying to hold on. I guess I’m too late.”

His eyes darkened and new wrinkles spread around them. Indy’s stomach fluttered and she clutched her phone in her hand. He’d never given her any reason to fear him. He was controlling and manipulative, but never violent.

“No one else can give you what I can. Be careful who you choose to be with.” He snatched the bouquet of roses from the table. “And remember. I always take what’s mine.”

He stormed out the door, and she stood silently. What the hell was that? She inhaled deeply and locked the door. Good riddance.

I always take what’s mine. What was he talking about? Would he want the gifts he’d given her? He could have the ugly-a*s furniture he’d insisted on getting for the living room. She stripped her clothes off in the middle of the room and tossed her T-shirt on the white leather couch.

The move would’ve driven Richard crazy. Everything has its place. She laughed and threw her panties on the coffee table.

She hadn’t felt so free in a really long time.