uneventful, except for a text I receive from Jules.
F rom: Jules
T o: Ellie
Hey really need to see you
tonight. Need to get plastered.
Received:
Thu Jan 24, 2014 10:42 AM
From: Ellie
To: Jules
Hey. Really need to see
you too. Sounds perfect.
Sent:
Thu Jan 24, 2014 10:43 AM
From: Jules
To: Ellie
Should I invite Sloan and
maybe you could invite Chase?
Received:
Thu Jan 24, 2014 10:43 AM
From: Ellie
To: Jules
Sure, the more the merrier. Meet us
at the bar near my place at five thirty.
Sent:
Thu Jan 24, 2014 10:44 AM
From: Jules
To: Ellie
It’s a date. C U 2NITE.
Received:
Thu Jan 24, 2014 10:45 AM
From: Ellie
To: Jules
C U 2NITE. TTFN
Sent:
Thu Jan 24, 2014 10:45 AM
I’m unsure Chase will come. I know it would cheer her up to see him there, but it’s going to be a battle. Maybe I won’t tell him. I know it’s mean and a bit selfish, but I seriously need to see my friends and forget the past few weeks. I’ll ask him at lunch. I hope that a full stomach makes him less likely to kill me. I’m startled out of my thoughts by Olivia’s aggravated voice.
“I don’t pay you to play on the phone all day,” she barks with a snide tone.
I swivel around in my chair to find her hovering right behind me with her hands on her hips. It takes everything not to knock her flat on her ass. Nevertheless, I manage to keep my composure.
It’s not just this. The past three days have been the worst in my work history. What really pisses me off is she’s able to spend time with Hunt, my Hunt. The pictures from the other day are still vivid in my mind. “I know. I was trying to…”
“I don’t want excuses. Don’t do it,” she snaps, turns, and stomps away.
I take a deep breath, trying to gather myself before returning to work. Damian is now in the forefront of my mind. I’ve been a wreck the past two days, my attempts of avoiding photos of him have failed miserably.
I decide to go onto a website called Dirty Dog News and come across a new posting. When I open it, my heart shatters.
There are new pictures of him with Olivia at lunch. That explains the long one she took yesterday. There is another from last night. He has a young woman on his arm. She is tall and slender, with platinum blonde, shoulder length hair and green eyes, truly stunning. They are linking arms as they walk into...Prey.
He didn’t seem to have any trouble forgetting me, as if I meant nothing to him. I realize my problem, I let him mean too much. I mean, shit, couple lousy encounters and an A-fuckin-mazing, body-trembling kiss does not a relationship make. I need to get over him, post-haste.
W hen lunch rolls around, I’m in a crap mood and urgent need for time to unwind. I head to Chase’s office where lunch is already waiting for me.
“What did you get for us?”
“I was in the mood for Mexican food. Is that ok?”
“Yeah, perfect. What did you get me?”
“Beef burrito,” he says, giving me a mischievous grin and cocked brow.
“Oh jeez, you’re a pervert.”
“You love me for it, Miss Pervert.”
“Yeah, I do. Thanks for the grub.”
I sit on the other side of his desk and dig in. “It sounds like the new office is ready as of next week. You’d better enjoy your final days of being within walking distance of work. If you want, I’ll drive you.”
“Yeah, that would be stellar, ” I reply with little interest.
I know I don’t sound enthusiastic, but it’s hard to wake up and harder still to pretend I’m not dying inside. On top of it, I need to formulate ways of avoiding Damian at the new building.
“What’s on your mind?” he asks with a tilted head and a curious face.
“Personal life not so hot, we’re meeting Jules for drinks, and work sucks,” I mumble the middle part of my sentence.
“What was that?”
“Work sucks?” I look at him with my I’m-sorry face.
“Don’t play with me.” His
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