AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I set my briefcase down on a conference table and looked up to find five sets of eyes staring at me. Glaring would be the more accurate descriptor. "What?"
"What. Did. You. Do?" Nyla was the first to speak, enunciate each word through gritted teeth. She looked like she was about to tackle me if I gave the wrong answer.
"I… what's going on here guys? Why do I feel like I just walked into the middle of a firing squad?"
"Jasmine quit. Saturday morning. The message was on the office voicemail this morning." Archer was the first one to take pity on me and speak.
My stomach felt like it fell out onto the floor between my feet. The room actually swam before my eyes and I swayed on my feet. "She quit? What do you mean she quit?"
"She quit Rent-A-Daddy. She no longer requires our services. She effectively said, ‘thank you very much, but no thank you.’" Theo answered this time, his expression guarded.
"I… when?" Their words weren't making sense.
"Saturday morning. Archer already said that part." Nyla was speaking to me like I was a child, and a not very smart one at that.
"Saturday morning?" I repeated dumbly. "But… that's impossible. That makes no sense. I… we… you must have misunderstood."
"We didn't." Dragging the conference phone to the center of the table, Bas pushed a few buttons, and Jasmine's voice filled the room. "Hello." Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. "Hello, this is… this is Jasmine Keene. I'm calling… I'm calling to withdraw from my contract with your Rent-A-Daddy services." She made a strangled sound, and I knew from experience she was trying not to cry. "I was very pleased with the outcome of said services, so please feel free to contact me if you need a reference or client testimony for marketing purposes. That being said, again, I am withdrawing from my contract and the services will no longer be required. Thank you. Have a nice day." Another strangled choking sound then she muttered "Oh, god," before the line went dead.
I was dumbfounded. I felt like my feet had been kicked out from under me, and I sank into a nearby chair before I fell. "Saturday morning?"
"Saturday morning. Yes. We've said that like three times. Bain, what is wrong with you?" Nyla was swimming before my eyes, her image blurry. I pulled at my necktie, suddenly claustrophobic. "Bas?" I heard her call out for her fiancé, then Lennon shoved a bottle of water in front of my face.
"Drink man. What the hell? You drink too much last night or something?"
That pissed me off. I scowled at him as I grabbed the water he offered and twisted off the lid. "Of course not. I'm not you."
Lennon rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Whatever, man. I'm here and standing on my own two feet. You're the one gasping for air and sweating like a baboon."
"Oh, buzz off."
Gulping down the cool liquid, I started to feel better. I drained the bottle and smashed it in my fist just because I needed to smash something.
"Bain." Nyla leaned in close, kneeling in front of me and putting a hand on my knee. "What happened?"
I shook my head. "I don't know. I thought everything was great. I didn't hear from her much this weekend, but I figured she was busy. We did our morning text Sunday and she didn't say anything. I didn't know."
"Fuck." Nyla swore loudly. "Well, okay. What happened before Saturday morning?"
"Friday night," I answered, as though that explained everything.
"What happened Friday night?"
"I… we… she didn't have the kids and she wanted to cook me a nice dinner, sort of as a thank you…
and then… things progressed from there."
"You slept with her." It wasn't a question.
"I slept with her." I answered it, anyway.
"That's…what, then, the third time? College, after her husband died, Friday night." She ticked them off on her fingers.
I felt the shift in the room as four sets of eyes swung to stare at me in disbelief.
"College?" Theo questioned.
"After her husband died?" Archer accused.
