same thing I'd always wanted—Kay. And now our baby. I was embarrassed and humiliated. I needed to win her back. I needed to make a grand gesture so she believed I was genuine. And I needed to do it when it was clear I no longer needed her for cover. That I had no ulterior motives.
Business took me out of town for over a week. And that was fine by me. The penthouse was too quiet. Even Magda had gone silent and sullen. She blamed me for the way things were.
I finally worked up the nerve to open Lazer's present. It was a special limited edition of his game. With a special level where I was the hero who saved the princess Kay. And she showered me with affection. And we lived happily ever after together. So, yeah, that game had been his way of apologizing.
Lazer called while I was in Paris on business.
"I wasn't sure you'd take my call," Lazer said when I picked up.
"To be honest, I should have called you," I said. "I owe you an apology. I jumped to conclusions—"
"Ah, hell, shut up, Justin," Lazer said. "I'm the one calling to apologize. What you walked in on that day was completely innocent, but I'd given you enough reason in the past to take it wrong. I'm a shameless flirt. You know that."
"Really? I hadn't noticed."
Lazer laughed softly. "Look, I'm sorry, Justin—"
"Enough said. Bygones," I said.
"I heard about Ophie," he said.
"Who hasn't?" I sighed. Sunshine Sheri had had a large segment on her show about it.
"Look, I don't want to pile on, but I have to apologize on that front, too. I inadvertently aided Ophie's cause when I lent Kayla my intern Andrea. I meant it as a goodwill gesture to help Kayla out."
Sure he did. He'd been keeping an eye on me and hoping to get closer to Kay. We both knew it. I let it drop.
"Andrea later confessed to me in tears that she felt partly responsible for what had gone on," he said. "She was in awe of Ophie's competence and skill and considered her a mentor. Ophie often asked about me and my schedule. Since Andrea was friends with my OA, and part of my team, she had access to my calendar. She fed it to Ophie, not realizing she was using it to throw Kayla and me together.
"Ophie was obviously trying to set us up. She got lucky that day you walked in on us. That was unfortunate timing. I'd been telling Kayla how happy I was for you two. And she was telling me how much she loved you." He paused. "I don't want to be the reason you two broke up. She loves you. Don't be an idiot about this, Justin. Get her back."
Chapter Nine
K ayla
I had to get a new dress for the big sample sale. All those tight dresses from Italy were getting a little too snug in the waist. The few that might have worked I didn't have the heart to wear. Fresh starts and all. So I bought one from Flash. Which seemed appropriate, given the event.
The big sample sale event was on Saturday, September sixth. Which happened to correspond to what would have been our three- month anniversary, or mensiversary, or whatever you wanted to call it. I was glad I had the event to keep me occupied. It was better than dwelling on my sadness and heartache. Better than sitting home crying over what might have been.
Saturday morning I got my hair done and went to the spa and had a manicure and pedicure. Jus hadn't cut my allowance or cancelled my credit cards, so why not?
The evening of the gala, I planned to dress with care. You never knew who would show up at one of these events. Maybe even Jus.
It was wishful thinking, but just in case he did show up, I'd had a mensiversary cake made and decorated with that custom cake topper I'd had made.
----
J ustin
I stared at my reflection in the mirror above the sink in my bathroom, beard clipper poised. A razor on the counter next to the sink. Grand gesture , I thought.
From the very beginning Kay had hated this beard. Her one marriage stipulation had been that I would get rid of it. Because of her soft heart, she'd settled for a good trim. The last few weeks I'd been
Business took me out of town for over a week. And that was fine by me. The penthouse was too quiet. Even Magda had gone silent and sullen. She blamed me for the way things were.
I finally worked up the nerve to open Lazer's present. It was a special limited edition of his game. With a special level where I was the hero who saved the princess Kay. And she showered me with affection. And we lived happily ever after together. So, yeah, that game had been his way of apologizing.
Lazer called while I was in Paris on business.
"I wasn't sure you'd take my call," Lazer said when I picked up.
"To be honest, I should have called you," I said. "I owe you an apology. I jumped to conclusions—"
"Ah, hell, shut up, Justin," Lazer said. "I'm the one calling to apologize. What you walked in on that day was completely innocent, but I'd given you enough reason in the past to take it wrong. I'm a shameless flirt. You know that."
"Really? I hadn't noticed."
Lazer laughed softly. "Look, I'm sorry, Justin—"
"Enough said. Bygones," I said.
"I heard about Ophie," he said.
"Who hasn't?" I sighed. Sunshine Sheri had had a large segment on her show about it.
"Look, I don't want to pile on, but I have to apologize on that front, too. I inadvertently aided Ophie's cause when I lent Kayla my intern Andrea. I meant it as a goodwill gesture to help Kayla out."
Sure he did. He'd been keeping an eye on me and hoping to get closer to Kay. We both knew it. I let it drop.
"Andrea later confessed to me in tears that she felt partly responsible for what had gone on," he said. "She was in awe of Ophie's competence and skill and considered her a mentor. Ophie often asked about me and my schedule. Since Andrea was friends with my OA, and part of my team, she had access to my calendar. She fed it to Ophie, not realizing she was using it to throw Kayla and me together.
"Ophie was obviously trying to set us up. She got lucky that day you walked in on us. That was unfortunate timing. I'd been telling Kayla how happy I was for you two. And she was telling me how much she loved you." He paused. "I don't want to be the reason you two broke up. She loves you. Don't be an idiot about this, Justin. Get her back."
Chapter Nine
K ayla
I had to get a new dress for the big sample sale. All those tight dresses from Italy were getting a little too snug in the waist. The few that might have worked I didn't have the heart to wear. Fresh starts and all. So I bought one from Flash. Which seemed appropriate, given the event.
The big sample sale event was on Saturday, September sixth. Which happened to correspond to what would have been our three- month anniversary, or mensiversary, or whatever you wanted to call it. I was glad I had the event to keep me occupied. It was better than dwelling on my sadness and heartache. Better than sitting home crying over what might have been.
Saturday morning I got my hair done and went to the spa and had a manicure and pedicure. Jus hadn't cut my allowance or cancelled my credit cards, so why not?
The evening of the gala, I planned to dress with care. You never knew who would show up at one of these events. Maybe even Jus.
It was wishful thinking, but just in case he did show up, I'd had a mensiversary cake made and decorated with that custom cake topper I'd had made.
----
J ustin
I stared at my reflection in the mirror above the sink in my bathroom, beard clipper poised. A razor on the counter next to the sink. Grand gesture , I thought.
From the very beginning Kay had hated this beard. Her one marriage stipulation had been that I would get rid of it. Because of her soft heart, she'd settled for a good trim. The last few weeks I'd been
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