Page 97 of Perfect Satisfaction

I take notes in earnest. Carys and Angie look on in shock as I fill pages of one of the legal pads on Carys’s kitchen table with handwritten notes. With my third cinnamon roll in hand, I say, “This is good shit.”

Angie remarks, “The advice or the food?”

“Why can’t it be both?”

Both women laugh. But Carys gets serious. “Sula, your heart is your most damaged organ. When your heart is splintered, the shards embed everywhere. Be careful you don’t lose any pieces you want to put back in place.”

“You’re afraid I’m going to become involved with Arek again.”

“I’m not afraid of it. I’m certain of it.”

“Carys!” Angie is shocked.

Frankly, so am I. I hold up the pages of notes I took and say, “But...”

“The chemistry between you two burns too hot.”

“Then buy me a damn fire extinguisher. Use it to brain me with. Put me out of my damn misery.”

Even though she smiles, her next question is the last thing I hear for the remainder of the afternoon as it reverberates over and over in my mind. “Did you seek forgiveness for yourself or for him so you can fall in love again?”

With that preying on my mind, I make it up to the penthouse. I type in the key code to let myself in.

After dropping my coat in the hall, I head toward my room—and panic. At a run, I sprint down the hall just as Arek backs out of my room.

Without thinking, I leap on his back. Shaking him, I shout in his ear, “What the hell were you doing? You promised!”

All of Angie and Cary’s words go out a window as he backs me into the wall. “Listen, Sula...”

I whisper, defeated, “You promised. But when has a promise meant anything to you or any man?”

CHAPTERFORTY-EIGHT

The next person I want to hire is someone who worked at the Genius Bar. Haven’t you ever wondered what they really know after fixing your computer?

Your search history alone must be fascinating enough to make its way into print.

—StellaNova

I spin her around until her backis resting against the wall. I ease my weight back until she’s immobilized. “Will you listen?” I demand.

“If you speak fast! I’m contemplating how to rip out every hair from your head and your explanation might—might!—negate that.”

I hope she can’t feel the way my facial muscles twitch upward. God, that comment was pure Sula, not the closed-off woman I’ve been dealing with. Taking care not to drop her, I twist around so our fronts are pressed against each other. I want her to read the truth on my face when I explain, “A delivery came for you. Apparently, someone from the Apple store was instructed—‍”

Her head clunks against the wall, exposing the creamy skin of her neck. “I forgot.”

“They just left. I told them to go in, move what they needed to on your desk to make room for that monitor—is that the new Studio display?” I ask with not a little bit of envy.

“Sure is.”

I sigh in longing at the idea of playing around with a system like that. “Anyway, they set things up to be sure the equipment worked. I figured if you were buying a machine with that much power, you’d know how to log in—or how to call them back. They just left and that’s why I was closing the door to your space. I figured it would be worse for them to set it up out here.”

“You made the right decision. I apologize.” Her voice is distant, but her apology is sincere.

“If you’d let me, I’d like to apologize for the things I’ve said. I don’t like them hanging in the air between us.”

Her long dark lashes fan out on her cheeks as her lids lower to shield her eyes against mine. “There’s no need. You meant what you said, Arek.”