panties, but he didn’t look down and meet my eyes. He barely acknowledged that I was there.
I knew he was working, but not even a hello?
“Max!” As her voice cracked over his name, I felt a jab of sympathy. Trembling thumbs pressed to her temples. She reminded me of a cornered animal, striking out in fear.
I took one step over the threshold, unsure if I should venture farther than the front mat.
“Charlotte,” Alec said again, placing his hand gently on the small of her back. I stiffened; the move suggested they were more than just acquaintances.
“Mr. Stein is unavailable.” Ms. Rowe strode into the room, heels clicking across the marble floor. She was wearing a charcoal blouse and high-waisted black slacks, and held a cell phone in one hand.
“Jesus,” said the redhead. “Who’s he fucking now?”
“Not me,” I muttered.
Ms. Rowe’s gaze shot in my direction. Her mouth pinched at the corners. “Ms. Rossi. I’d forgotten you would be here this afternoon.”
You just called me yesterday,
I wanted to say. It surprised me that someone who seemed as organized as she did had made a scheduling error. I focused on the $300 I’d be making from this visit, not the crazy scene unfolding before my eyes or the man who’d tormented me with his tongue, now standing five feet away and ignoring me.
“Mr. Stein had to make a last-minute trip to New York. To see his
wife
.” With that, Ms. Rowe faced Charlotte, hands placed on her hips and stance wide, as though she could stop a train just with her cold stare. I had to hand it to her; she could be quite the bulldog.
“We had business,” said Charlotte between her teeth, and I winced, remembering just what
that
entailed. “Business I’m sure he doesn’t want getting out.”
It took a concentrated effort not to let the surprise show on my face. This wasn’t my client’s house, this was the set of a soap opera. Someone was going to yell, “Cut!” any minute, right? I should have grabbed some popcorn.
It occurred to me that Maxim Stein had flown to New York for damage control. He must have sensed that his mistress was about to expose their affair.
“Be careful making statements like that,” Ms. Rowe warned her.
Alec leaned close and whispered something in Charlotte’s ear. Her eyes lowered. My hands clenched.
“We’ll have to reschedule, Ms. Rossi,” Ms. Rowe snapped. “As you can see, we’re a bit preoccupied here.”
It was clear I was being dismissed. Deflated, I took a step back, but not before I heard Alec say softly to the redhead, “Come on, Charlotte. Let me take you home.”
“I can’t go home,” she said flatly.
“Then let me buy you a drink.”
Apparently our date was off. I thought of his text from when he hadn’t shown at the restaurant:
Something came up.
Something with red hair? Jealousy wasn’t a feeling I had much experience with, but it was rearing its ugly head now. Even if he was acting this way because of his job, I didn’t appreciate the cold shoulder.
His gaze met mine, just for a second, and the chill in his eyes confirmed my suspicion. Something was going on between him and this woman, and he didn’t want me to see.
I didn’t know what it was. I told myself I didn’t need to know, because it didn’t matter. I should have trusted my instincts that he was trouble—I’d had enough of
that
to last a lifetime. Things were good right now. Uncomplicated. They needed to stay that way.
It was a shame, though. We could have had fun.
“See you around,” I offered on my way out the door. He didn’t say a word, and even though part of me wanted him to follow, I was relieved when he didn’t. I closed the door behind me, despite the urge to watch the soap opera escalate into an episode of the
Jerry Springer Show
.
As if I hadn’t had enough drama, creepy gate guard was kneeling in front of my bags when I came out on the porch. When he realized he’d been caught, he stood, and though he was only taller
I knew he was working, but not even a hello?
“Max!” As her voice cracked over his name, I felt a jab of sympathy. Trembling thumbs pressed to her temples. She reminded me of a cornered animal, striking out in fear.
I took one step over the threshold, unsure if I should venture farther than the front mat.
“Charlotte,” Alec said again, placing his hand gently on the small of her back. I stiffened; the move suggested they were more than just acquaintances.
“Mr. Stein is unavailable.” Ms. Rowe strode into the room, heels clicking across the marble floor. She was wearing a charcoal blouse and high-waisted black slacks, and held a cell phone in one hand.
“Jesus,” said the redhead. “Who’s he fucking now?”
“Not me,” I muttered.
Ms. Rowe’s gaze shot in my direction. Her mouth pinched at the corners. “Ms. Rossi. I’d forgotten you would be here this afternoon.”
You just called me yesterday,
I wanted to say. It surprised me that someone who seemed as organized as she did had made a scheduling error. I focused on the $300 I’d be making from this visit, not the crazy scene unfolding before my eyes or the man who’d tormented me with his tongue, now standing five feet away and ignoring me.
“Mr. Stein had to make a last-minute trip to New York. To see his
wife
.” With that, Ms. Rowe faced Charlotte, hands placed on her hips and stance wide, as though she could stop a train just with her cold stare. I had to hand it to her; she could be quite the bulldog.
“We had business,” said Charlotte between her teeth, and I winced, remembering just what
that
entailed. “Business I’m sure he doesn’t want getting out.”
It took a concentrated effort not to let the surprise show on my face. This wasn’t my client’s house, this was the set of a soap opera. Someone was going to yell, “Cut!” any minute, right? I should have grabbed some popcorn.
It occurred to me that Maxim Stein had flown to New York for damage control. He must have sensed that his mistress was about to expose their affair.
“Be careful making statements like that,” Ms. Rowe warned her.
Alec leaned close and whispered something in Charlotte’s ear. Her eyes lowered. My hands clenched.
“We’ll have to reschedule, Ms. Rossi,” Ms. Rowe snapped. “As you can see, we’re a bit preoccupied here.”
It was clear I was being dismissed. Deflated, I took a step back, but not before I heard Alec say softly to the redhead, “Come on, Charlotte. Let me take you home.”
“I can’t go home,” she said flatly.
“Then let me buy you a drink.”
Apparently our date was off. I thought of his text from when he hadn’t shown at the restaurant:
Something came up.
Something with red hair? Jealousy wasn’t a feeling I had much experience with, but it was rearing its ugly head now. Even if he was acting this way because of his job, I didn’t appreciate the cold shoulder.
His gaze met mine, just for a second, and the chill in his eyes confirmed my suspicion. Something was going on between him and this woman, and he didn’t want me to see.
I didn’t know what it was. I told myself I didn’t need to know, because it didn’t matter. I should have trusted my instincts that he was trouble—I’d had enough of
that
to last a lifetime. Things were good right now. Uncomplicated. They needed to stay that way.
It was a shame, though. We could have had fun.
“See you around,” I offered on my way out the door. He didn’t say a word, and even though part of me wanted him to follow, I was relieved when he didn’t. I closed the door behind me, despite the urge to watch the soap opera escalate into an episode of the
Jerry Springer Show
.
As if I hadn’t had enough drama, creepy gate guard was kneeling in front of my bags when I came out on the porch. When he realized he’d been caught, he stood, and though he was only taller
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