AllFreeNovel
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There’s black leather furniture, no photos on the walls, and it’s small. It has no personality.
There’s a cute Filipino girl on the leather couch with her laptop. She waves.
“I’m Meryl. Hi!”
I hadn’t met her yet. She was doing some weird hours the past few days so was off today.
She has long black hair, big brown eyes, and she’s absolutely gorgeous. She’s dressed very conservatively in a white blouse with tiny blue flowers that’s buttoned to her throat and a long navy blue skirt, but she could absolutely be a bombshell if she didn’t dress like she’s Amish. She’s dressed like this on her day off, for heaven’s sake. Her face is make-up free and her complexion is perfection. She’s wearing pink grandma slippers on her feet. Her smile makes me like her immediately. I think she’s in her early 20’s.
I bring the pizza to the coffee table and Ally sits with a giant magnum of wine and two glasses.
Meryl’s drinking apple juice.
Three slices of pizza and four glasses of white wine later and I’ve told them both what the jerk did. I’ve told them the other stuff, too. Not about that girl and the video, because I have the sense to be somewhat cautious, but I do tell them about him eating my food, being a rude ogre, and leaving messes. And about the endless flirting when he’s nearly naked. I beg them to keep quiet about it, which they assure me they’ll do, since he’s a VP.
Meryl’s mouth is open, in shock, the whole time.
Ally’s muttering things like, “Lord Jesus”, “Holy shit”, and “Shut the front door!” throughout my story.
Ally cracks open a new bottle of wine and during my fifth glass, I tell them about my ex, my bitch of an ex bestie, and my junkie ho-bag sister.
“That’s it,” Ally declares after I tell her about Steph. “We’re not just office besties; we’re bestie besties. That bitch is OUT. I’m in.” She jerks her thumb at her chest and then lifts her other hand up high for a high five.
I slap it.
“Sealed!” Ally declares, then glances at Meryl. “No offence, sister. You’re leaving soon, but while you’re here, you’re office bestie number two.”
Meryl laughs good-naturedly. “I have a perfectly good bestie at home. And Carly here needs you.”
“I do.” I agree, eating a piece of pepperoni off one of the remaining pieces of pizza.
Yep. I know; breaking my own rule.
I know I was going to keep people at arms’ length. I know I take a risk by trusting, but I’m breaking the rule right now because I need comradery tonight. I just hope I can trust them.
“Two things. One: I can loan you some money. And two: face it: You’re totally going to wind up in bed with him,” Ally tells me.
“Thank you. But I won’t take loans from people. And no, I will not!”
“Sorry, but it’s gonna happen,” Ally predicts.
“Is not!” I hiss.
It can’t. No bloody way. “He’s hot, but he’s a jerk. I’ve got no room for a jerk in my life.”
“We’ll see,” Ally says. “But, my predictions are rarely wrong.”
“Come eat with us the rest of the time until you get paid. I have lots of food here. More than we can eat before I go back home. Just go up there to sleep. Stay away from him,” Meryl warns. “And if it gets too much, come sleep on the couch. Maybe you can move down here when I go.”
“Thank you. That’s so sweet. I’ll buy a bunch of food when we get paid and drop it off. And take you to dinner on payday. Big fancy one. You’re lovely!” I reach over and squeeze her hand.
She gives me a big smile. “Don’t even worry. Just cook once or twice before I leave. You already brought dinner tonight. They gave me extra gift cards for the grocery store because I don’t earn San Diego wages so our pantry here is fully stocked.”
“I’ll cook tomorrow then. Wait… we should go to the steakhouse. Do you both still have your gift cards?” I ask
“Got mine, still,” Ally replies.
“Used mine,” Meryl says with a pout.
