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I do not belong here. I am beer and peanuts. Small town. Everyone inside is champagne and caviar.
I open my borrowed handbag and find a piece of watermelon bubblegum. I pop it into my mouth and chomp down to bring out the artificial flavors. I slip off my light pink heels and dip my toe in the water. My nails are a matching color, courtesy of Claire. I feel feminine and pretty.
Looking back, I should have suspected something was up with Claire when she was gone nearly every night over the past couple of months. Stupid Russell took up too much real estate in my brain. He strung me along and fed me just enough of the right words to keep me with him. What a mistake.
The instrumental music switches over to another classical piece that I don’t recognize. I grab a loose cushion from the outdoor table and chair set and place it at the edge of the pool. I hike up my flowing skirt just enough to avoid dampening the hem. My right shoulder burns with a sharp pain as I lower myself to the ground to take a seat. The physical discomfort is a reminder of the burden I bear. My life was spared. And James is gone.
While I no longer wish to die, I do wish with everything I am that I could bring him back to me. Walking through life without my twin is like walking through a desert without any water. He was my lifeline. The physical wounds are still healing, but the emotional scars will remain with me forever.
My calves rest against the interior wall of the pool. I lean back on my hands and relish the coolness of the water. I close my eyes and blow bubbles with my gum. The repetitive motion relaxes me.
How did I get here? At twenty-three years old, I don’t have a mother, a brother, a boyfriend, or a job. My college experience has lasted a little longer than it should. And even that is in jeopardy. I have zero savings. Four years has not changed much. Even now, I don’t have much to live for.
The smell of woods and citrus infiltrate my nostrils with the breeze. I am no longer alone. I breathe in the masculine scent as I turn to find its source. My eyes do a double take as they connect with a pair of steel-blue ones. They are cool and calculating, as they hold my gaze. I am not used to eyes being this vibrant, alive. If I don’t look away, I fear I will be swallowed whole into their depths.
The sight of him disrupts the autonomy of my breathing. My bubble pops over my lips, and I quickly suck the gum into my mouth and swallow it. The man pushes his thick brown hair off his forehead with his hand, while the other rests in the pocket of his pants.
My heart has never met a man like him before. And it would know.
Even in just the light of the moon, I can tell that he is beautiful.
3
“Nice evening for a swim,” Mystery Man says, pushing off the wall he was leaning on. He moves closer to me, and my pulse increases.
“Yeah,” I mutter. I don’t recognize my own voice.
I watch in awe as he leans down next to me and dips his hand into the water. He stays there for a second before standing back up. The smell of his cologne intoxicates my senses. I want to lean into him and breathe in his masculinity. He has organized scruff on his face. I find it sexy. Getting a closer look, his eyes look tired. Maybe he hasn’t been sleeping well.
“Who are you?” I ask softly.
His eyes meet mine, and a frown mars his face. “Someone you should stay away from.”
What does that even mean? I was here first. Why would he answer that way? He is the one who joined me. I need to get back inside to Claire. I try to gracefully get up from the edge of the pool.
“Here, let me.” His voice is deep, yet smooth.
Warm hands grasp my elbow and waist and lift me from the cement with a carefree ease. His fingertips linger on me for a few extra seconds, sending tingles up my spine. I do not mind. I can feel the strength behind his hands. I bet he works out daily. Probably three or more times daily. He is that fit.
I offer a smile and a soft “thanks.”
“Are you cold?”
I look down at my bare arms and see the goosebumps forming. His finger trails along my flesh, stopping at my elbow. I shiver but shake my head no. I do not feel cold. I feel electrified. He is grinning at me. My cheeks flame with heat. He knows his effect on me. I bite my lip to keep it from quivering.
I wonder if he is part of the event. He is not wearing a tuxedo like all of the other male clients. Instead, he has on a dark black suit with a charcoal dress shirt and black tie. Regardless, he looks one hundred percent like he belongs here and not as the hired help. He looks expensive. Too expensive for me.
I stifle a giggle at the thought that I couldn’t afford him. As if he were the one for sale instead of me—if I accept the job. If I am even offered the job after the interview process.
“We should play some poker,” he drawls. He fixes his hair and slips his hand into his pocket.
“And why is that?”
“Your face gives everything away.”
I place my hands on my hips, annoyed by his blatant judgment. “Maybe I’m bluffing.” What I am bluffing over, I am no longer sure. My brain feels like it got put into a blender.
He chuckles. “You’re bad at that too then.”
