throat. Upon graduating from NYU, I moved straightaway into the converted church flat with my then-boyfriend, and for a time it seemed where I belonged. Something about the unique feel of the modern decor mixed in with the old world charm of wood and iron had always called to me, made me at ease. The desire to live elsewhere didn’t arise until that nutter reporter stormed in with a gun and kidnapped Evelyn in an attempt to get Charlie’s attention.
After setting my luggage by the island, I sort through the mail to find the usual bills. As I pour myself a glass of water, I see an envelope without a return address that must’ve slipped from the pile. It’s lodged between the foot of a stool, near the same spot where I was knocked unconscious.
A great shudder runs down my back with the memory of the reporter holding a gun to my head. Evelyn refuses to talk about that night, saying it’s too painful to remember how she had to shoot the woman, and I don’t dare mention the fact that I no longer wish to live here as she’ll undoubtedly feel as if it’s her fault. Accordingly, I’ve been doing overtime with the therapist I’ve been seeing since Richard first cheated on me.
As a little girl, I was once the unfortunate recipient of a robbery gone bad in Oakland. The bloke was desperate not to go back to prison and grabbed me, holding a pistol to my head as the policemen arrived. Many sleepless nights were to follow until a child psychologist was able to convince me that I was safe, and the man was not coming back for me.
With a sigh, I retrieve the envelope from the floor. It would seem someone wrote my name and address in a hurry as it’s barely legible. Ripping the envelope open, I find a small piece of paper with an odd sentence scrawled in black ink.
Not everyone gets everything they want.
“That’s rude,” I say to the empty room. Throwing the note to the counter, I don’t give it any more thought. The city is filled with nutters, though I can’t imagine why one would take the time to seek out my name and address specifically. Perhaps I should be more concerned after all.
Then it’s as if the clouds have parted after a brutal storm when I remember James is somewhere nearby. I haven’t the faintest idea what to expect once we’re reunited, but a girl can dream—especially with the aid of a 3” vibrating mate.
After showering and running a blowdryer through my hair, it seems nothing in my closet is sufficient for a visit to James. Eventually I’m able to whip together a little something using a blouse I created for our upcoming line that Katie sewed with a pair of lace-covered shorts. It’s feminine and flirty, matching the mood I’m in. By the time I’m standing on Evelyn and Charlie’s stoop, I’m more nervous than a stoner who’s been handed a drug-test and nearly dash off before the door creaks open.
“Hope?” I nearly choke on her name when seeing her with a towel wrapped around her naked body, blond hair hanging wet around her shoulders. “What on earth are you doing here?”
“Ev asked me to check on James, so I came by last night,” she answers, leaning up against the doorframe and cocking one leg. “He left for the gym early this morning.” A small, wicked grin stretches her lips. “That man is one tall drink of water.”
“If big and brooding is your type, then I suppose he is,” I agree, hoping the words don’t come out as surly as they feel. A surge of envy swells inside my chest, making it difficult to properly breathe. Apparently our short-lived affair didn’t mean anything to James, though I suppose that’s really all it was ever meant to be. “I wanted to pop in to grab some designs off Evelyn’s laptop. Won’t take but a minute.”
When she opens the door, the lie sinks into my gut. I’m not about to let on to someone I consider a mate that I’m an unflattering shade of green with envy all because she shagged someone I thought I had unrequited feelings for.
After setting my luggage by the island, I sort through the mail to find the usual bills. As I pour myself a glass of water, I see an envelope without a return address that must’ve slipped from the pile. It’s lodged between the foot of a stool, near the same spot where I was knocked unconscious.
A great shudder runs down my back with the memory of the reporter holding a gun to my head. Evelyn refuses to talk about that night, saying it’s too painful to remember how she had to shoot the woman, and I don’t dare mention the fact that I no longer wish to live here as she’ll undoubtedly feel as if it’s her fault. Accordingly, I’ve been doing overtime with the therapist I’ve been seeing since Richard first cheated on me.
As a little girl, I was once the unfortunate recipient of a robbery gone bad in Oakland. The bloke was desperate not to go back to prison and grabbed me, holding a pistol to my head as the policemen arrived. Many sleepless nights were to follow until a child psychologist was able to convince me that I was safe, and the man was not coming back for me.
With a sigh, I retrieve the envelope from the floor. It would seem someone wrote my name and address in a hurry as it’s barely legible. Ripping the envelope open, I find a small piece of paper with an odd sentence scrawled in black ink.
Not everyone gets everything they want.
“That’s rude,” I say to the empty room. Throwing the note to the counter, I don’t give it any more thought. The city is filled with nutters, though I can’t imagine why one would take the time to seek out my name and address specifically. Perhaps I should be more concerned after all.
Then it’s as if the clouds have parted after a brutal storm when I remember James is somewhere nearby. I haven’t the faintest idea what to expect once we’re reunited, but a girl can dream—especially with the aid of a 3” vibrating mate.
After showering and running a blowdryer through my hair, it seems nothing in my closet is sufficient for a visit to James. Eventually I’m able to whip together a little something using a blouse I created for our upcoming line that Katie sewed with a pair of lace-covered shorts. It’s feminine and flirty, matching the mood I’m in. By the time I’m standing on Evelyn and Charlie’s stoop, I’m more nervous than a stoner who’s been handed a drug-test and nearly dash off before the door creaks open.
“Hope?” I nearly choke on her name when seeing her with a towel wrapped around her naked body, blond hair hanging wet around her shoulders. “What on earth are you doing here?”
“Ev asked me to check on James, so I came by last night,” she answers, leaning up against the doorframe and cocking one leg. “He left for the gym early this morning.” A small, wicked grin stretches her lips. “That man is one tall drink of water.”
“If big and brooding is your type, then I suppose he is,” I agree, hoping the words don’t come out as surly as they feel. A surge of envy swells inside my chest, making it difficult to properly breathe. Apparently our short-lived affair didn’t mean anything to James, though I suppose that’s really all it was ever meant to be. “I wanted to pop in to grab some designs off Evelyn’s laptop. Won’t take but a minute.”
When she opens the door, the lie sinks into my gut. I’m not about to let on to someone I consider a mate that I’m an unflattering shade of green with envy all because she shagged someone I thought I had unrequited feelings for.
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