Chapter 3
1567 Words
I start by telling her all the details of what happened with Steve, and how I was angry and got in the wrong Uber. She listens to every detail about the breakup. We’re going back and forth as we eat and drink in the food court.
“Steve sucks, you might have dodged a bullet if he can’t see how great you are!” She says as we eat. “You’ve got everything any guy could want.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
“I want to hear all about the Uber guy… Who is he? And you said he’s got you in a hotel?” She says ordering drinks. “You need to tell me everything.”
“I’m meeting him today. He’s the one that gave me money to go shopping.”
She gives me a look with a raised eyebrow. I know she has something to say.
"What is it Kay?"
“It's just that... Do you think you can trust him?” She says, trying hard not to burst my bubble. “You guys are moving pretty fast.”
“I just don’t know, to be honest.”
“And tell me you’ve googled him, he could be a creep.” She says. “Tell me you googled him?”
“What? I didn’t… I don’t even know his last name…”
“Come on… Let's find him.”
I give her the first name and she taps the screen a couple of times. Until she's bubbly with excitement.
“I think that’s him… There are few people with that type of name in this area.” She says, happy to have found him…
We see a profile page that could be his.
All we see are pictures of money, watches, yachts and things that show uber wealth.
“Is this guy something like a billionaire?” She says as she scrolls through the profile.
“He’s definitely super rich…” I say not sure how he’s so wealthy.
He has pictures of island landscapes, of helicopter POVs, of expensive food and jewellery…
“That’s him!” you say as you she stops on a picture of Patek on his wrist.
“That’s his tattoo…” I say as I see the spider tattoo up close.
“I’m done scrolling” She says, "After exhausting all the pics. I can’t find one of him showing his face.
“I guess he’s a very private person.” I say.
“That’s a red flag. Am I the crazy one?” She says, "I don't want to see you on a ‘missing’ poster!”
“I just want to give it a chance…” I confide in her. “But there’s only one thing that’s really bothering me about all this…”
“What?” she asks, gripping the table, leaning forward at the edge of her seat.
“He’s younger than me.” I say. “I don’t know if I should take him too seriously.”
"How young are we talking?"
"Like really young…. 24 young."
"Um.. and you’re 31!” She squints her eyes as if she’s doing complex mathematics in her head.
“I think you should be careful. Make sure he knows what he wants and isn't trying to make you his cougar over summer break!"
"The thought of being a cougar wouldn't be so bad... "
A shadow forms over us and I hear Steve’s voice from behind.
“This is what you’re doing?” He says.
"Steve, what are you doing here?" I say, “Where did you come from?”
"I heard everything you were saying." He raises his voice, his blood sizzling hot. "You’re screwing another guy already? How are you going to do this to me?"
"But she saw you grinding up with Liz." Kayle says, she stands up and puts her finger in his face. She's angry and ready to defend me.
In that moment, he's lost for words. He tries to smile and buy time. There's nothing he can say. I caught them on a date and he knows the message I saw in his phone.
"You can't tell me about loyalty now Steve. I will see who I want and I'll let you be happy with Liz."
"Liz was a mistake. You know I love you. Let's talk in private." He says, reaching out to hold my hand. "I am sorry. I was just drunk, it’s never going to happen again."
"Just get out my face Steve." I say.
"You’re making a mistake," he says. "You just need to give me a chance."
I take a crisp hundred dollar bill I got from Mac and leave it on the table.
I reach out, Kayle takes my hand and we get up to leave.
“Excuse us…” she says, walking past him.
With that exit, we leave Steve standing, looking helpless.
We spend the rest of the day going in and out of stores at the mall.
“That guy is crazy if he thinks he still has a chance with you.” Kayle says as I try on a dress.
I'm thinking of leaving the dress on. It looks so hot on my body. I'm turning to ask Kayle when my phone rings.
Hearing Mac’s voice puts a wide smile on my face that Kayle is quick to notice as I answer the phone.
“Are you having a good day?" is his first question to me.
It’s hard to answer, especially after what just happened with Steve… But I’m not going to drown him in my boyfriend drama again.
I say, “Um…yeah. I’m sure it will be better when I see you.”
“I’ll come pick you up at the mall.” He says and I hang up.
I take the bags and Kayle walks me to the entrance.
She leaves just as Mac pulls up in a large black truck playing music.
I get in the front seat and buckle up as he dashes off.
“You’re looking good. I love it.” He says looking at me in the cute dress from the store.
“Thanks to you. I just go it today." I say sprawling by body in the seat so he can see the green dress. This causes him to smile and clutch the steering tighter as he bites his lower lip.
"I just need to stop by the club and pick us something and we'll be on our way." He says.
"Alright... I'm all yours for our date." I smile remembering or deal. He's really going all out on me.
He drives on the road, weaving fast. I’m a little unsettled and I’m holding on to the seatbelt.
“You have to relax,” he says, “do you like music?” He doesn’t wait for a response, he starts playing music that sounds like it has harps and drums.
We arrive at the place where I met him last night. He parks in the same spot where I mistook his car for an Uber.
"What are we doing here?" I say. "Do you work here?"
“I own this club.” He opens the door and steps outside. I'm still remembering the trauma from seeing Steve and Liz in that club. I'm not ready to face it. He sits back down to talk to me. “Come inside and I’ll give you a look around and we'll go.”
I hesitatingly agree. We get inside the club it's still empty.
We walk in the club as they clean and tidy up.
I take a look at the place I saw Steve and Liz, empty an vacant but it represents a battleground.
He takes my hand as we walk upstairs to the main office overlooking the whole dancefloor. He has a private balcony with a fire-escape inside the room.
“This is a great place.” I say sitting on the leather couch adjacent to his chair and table.
There are graphic design magazines on the small table in front of me. I pick one up and flip through.
He sits on the brown leather seat with a high back and looks over some papers and marks them with the ease and composure of mundane work life.
He scribbles something in the file and puts it in a special tray then he gets up to come and sit next to me.
I put down the magazine and he puts his hand over the couch, getting cosier.
I love being next to him because his scent is always divine.
“You look so beautiful in that dress." He says, "I just want to eat you up like candy."
He puts one on my thigh and another on my cheek.
I feel the warmth in his strong hands pulsing with anticipation while he holds me, spiraling deeper into each other's eyes.
High above the dancefloor in his office, the rest of the world fades to dust.
I'm gravitating toward his lips like a planet that's on it's natural elliptical orbit.
The hunger I feel for him is unstoppable and I want to unleash it on his lips…
I'm moving forward about to kiss him but before our lips touch, the door abruptly opens.
Creak…
Oh my gosh, who has opened the door and is this going to make us look bad?
- Writer
