green eyes. She’s a hit because she’s the only redhead, and apparently, a lot of guys have a thing for that.
“I suppose,” I shrug.
“You okay? You’ve seemed sad lately, but we’re always so busy I never get to talk to you.” She adjusts her bra and runs her fingers through her long hair.
“Yeah. Just life, ya know?”
“Do I ever.”
We walk to the main floor, and I give her shoulder a squeeze before making another round. After an exhausting night, I pick up the bill from the college kids. Cheap little shits only tipped me ten percent. Tears well in my eyes from both anger and the fact that ten percent of a three hundred dollar bill means so damn much to me.
I wave at the girls and walk to my car, still pissed off. I don’t want to do this any longer than I have to, but when I have a good night, I make so much money, and that’s not something I can find anywhere else.
Even though it’s almost three in the morning, Kate is still awake when I get home and inside.
“Hey,” I whisper.
“Hi. He was really good. Stayed up until nine-thirty, sorry.”
“It’s okay, it’s Friday night. Well, Saturday morning, really.”
She yawns then I yawn, and we both laugh. I hand her some cash and walk to the door.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Some guy came here tonight looking for you.”
“Did he say what he wanted?”
“No. Just asked for you. He said Courtney Gallagher.”
My suspicions rise. “He didn’t say where he was from?”
“No, sorry.”
“What did you say?”
“Just that you weren’t home right now. He said he’d come back tomorrow and walked away.”
I cross my arms and lean on the doorframe. “That’s strange.”
“Yeah, I thought so, too.”
“Hmm. Well, drive safe. And thanks.”
“No problem. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Once she drives away, I make sure all the doors are locked then check on Ben before taking a quick shower and going to sleep.
* * *
An incessant knocking wakes me up, and I run downstairs still half asleep, not wanting the noise to wake up Ben. Groggily, I open the door, and a man in a suit raises his eyebrows.
“Courtney Gallagher?”
“Yes?”
He shoves an envelope at me, and I have no choice but to grab it. “You’ve been served.”
“What?” My heart pounds as I shut the door so Ben can’t hear. “Hey! What do you mean? What is this?”
He ignores me and gets in his car, then speeds away.
Served. What the hell?
I sit on the swing that sits between our doors and open the seal. As I’m pulling the letter out, Sam’s voice distracts me.
“Bye, Lisa.”
“Bye, Sam. And thanks again.”
I whip my head up, and the same blond woman I’ve seen before is walking out of his house. I roll my eyes and pretend to ignore his presence at the top of the stairs. What a nice guy, making sure she gets to her car okay. I’m not able to read anything on the paper until blondie’s door slams. I take a deep breath and rationalize to myself. We’re not together, and I shouldn’t care. I don’t care who he sleeps with. None of my business.
I smooth out the paper and begin to read. When I finally focus on the words, I fall to my knees and clutch it to my chest. My entire body shakes, and I can’t breathe. I’m dizzy and gasping for air. I try to stand up, but my knees are too weak.
“Shit, Courtney, what’s wrong?” Sam’s arms scoop me up, and he cradles me against his chest.
“No. No. No,” I cry. “Ben.” I struggle to get out of his grip, and he sets me down. I push past him and fall to the ground again.
“Ben? What about Ben? Is he okay?” he asks frantically, opening my door. He runs inside, and I continue to cry on the porch because my life is ruined.
Sam returns and picks me up again but forces me to stand. He grips my chin and pain flashes across his face when he sees the terror in mine. “What the fuck is wrong? What’s going on? Ben’s in his room asleep.”
With shaky hands, I hand him the paper. He grips me with one
“I suppose,” I shrug.
“You okay? You’ve seemed sad lately, but we’re always so busy I never get to talk to you.” She adjusts her bra and runs her fingers through her long hair.
“Yeah. Just life, ya know?”
“Do I ever.”
We walk to the main floor, and I give her shoulder a squeeze before making another round. After an exhausting night, I pick up the bill from the college kids. Cheap little shits only tipped me ten percent. Tears well in my eyes from both anger and the fact that ten percent of a three hundred dollar bill means so damn much to me.
I wave at the girls and walk to my car, still pissed off. I don’t want to do this any longer than I have to, but when I have a good night, I make so much money, and that’s not something I can find anywhere else.
Even though it’s almost three in the morning, Kate is still awake when I get home and inside.
“Hey,” I whisper.
“Hi. He was really good. Stayed up until nine-thirty, sorry.”
“It’s okay, it’s Friday night. Well, Saturday morning, really.”
She yawns then I yawn, and we both laugh. I hand her some cash and walk to the door.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Some guy came here tonight looking for you.”
“Did he say what he wanted?”
“No. Just asked for you. He said Courtney Gallagher.”
My suspicions rise. “He didn’t say where he was from?”
“No, sorry.”
“What did you say?”
“Just that you weren’t home right now. He said he’d come back tomorrow and walked away.”
I cross my arms and lean on the doorframe. “That’s strange.”
“Yeah, I thought so, too.”
“Hmm. Well, drive safe. And thanks.”
“No problem. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Once she drives away, I make sure all the doors are locked then check on Ben before taking a quick shower and going to sleep.
* * *
An incessant knocking wakes me up, and I run downstairs still half asleep, not wanting the noise to wake up Ben. Groggily, I open the door, and a man in a suit raises his eyebrows.
“Courtney Gallagher?”
“Yes?”
He shoves an envelope at me, and I have no choice but to grab it. “You’ve been served.”
“What?” My heart pounds as I shut the door so Ben can’t hear. “Hey! What do you mean? What is this?”
He ignores me and gets in his car, then speeds away.
Served. What the hell?
I sit on the swing that sits between our doors and open the seal. As I’m pulling the letter out, Sam’s voice distracts me.
“Bye, Lisa.”
“Bye, Sam. And thanks again.”
I whip my head up, and the same blond woman I’ve seen before is walking out of his house. I roll my eyes and pretend to ignore his presence at the top of the stairs. What a nice guy, making sure she gets to her car okay. I’m not able to read anything on the paper until blondie’s door slams. I take a deep breath and rationalize to myself. We’re not together, and I shouldn’t care. I don’t care who he sleeps with. None of my business.
I smooth out the paper and begin to read. When I finally focus on the words, I fall to my knees and clutch it to my chest. My entire body shakes, and I can’t breathe. I’m dizzy and gasping for air. I try to stand up, but my knees are too weak.
“Shit, Courtney, what’s wrong?” Sam’s arms scoop me up, and he cradles me against his chest.
“No. No. No,” I cry. “Ben.” I struggle to get out of his grip, and he sets me down. I push past him and fall to the ground again.
“Ben? What about Ben? Is he okay?” he asks frantically, opening my door. He runs inside, and I continue to cry on the porch because my life is ruined.
Sam returns and picks me up again but forces me to stand. He grips my chin and pain flashes across his face when he sees the terror in mine. “What the fuck is wrong? What’s going on? Ben’s in his room asleep.”
With shaky hands, I hand him the paper. He grips me with one
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