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“No shit. He treats his girlfriend like complete garbage.”
“We already knew that,” Clovis murmured.
“Yeah, well, it’s probably worse than what we’re seeing,” I said.
“That bad?”
“I don’t know, man,” I replied, thinking about the way Hailey had looked in the kitchen last night. “It’s pretty bad.”
As Clovis walked away, I stretched out my shoulders and tried to get back to work. It was hard to focus, though, when so many thoughts were racing through my head. It sucked that Sean was with Sarai’s best friend, because I didn’t want him anywhere near her.
* * *
“Hey, Ma,” I said, smiling when she answered the phone a few days later.
“Alex! It feels like we haven’t talked in weeks,” she said, a smile in her voice.
“It’s only been one,” I replied.
“Well, I don’t know why you only call on Sundays,” my mom said. “I’d love to hear from you every day.”
“The phone works both ways,” I teased.
“Well, I know that.”
“But, uh.” I paused. “Don’t call me every day, all right?”
Mom laughed but made no promises.
“How are things?” she asked. “Are you coming home for Thanksgiving?”
“That’s actually what I was calling about—”
“You can’t make it,” she said, disappointment clear. “Damn it all.”
“Mom.” I cut her off with a short laugh. “Yes, I’m coming up for Thanksgiving.”
“Oh, good.”
“I just wanted to give you a heads-up that I’m bringing someone with me.”
“You are?” she asked curiously.
“Yeah, if that’s okay?”
“Of course it’s okay,” she scoffed. “You know you don’t have to ask. Everyone’s invited to Thanksgiving.”
“Okay, cool.” I closed my mouth and waited. It was a game I’d played with her since I was a kid. I’d give her just enough information to make her curious, and then I’d stop. The goal was to make her ask me whatever she wanted to know without my giving it up first. I rarely won, though, because she was the master.
The seconds ticked by.
I checked my watch. It had to have been at least a full minute.
“I’m bringing my, uh, girlfriend,” I finally said, giving up.
“Girlfriend, huh?” she replied teasingly. “What’s her name?”
“Sarai.”
“Oh, that’s a pretty name,” she said quietly. “What’s she like?”
I tipped my head back and thought of Sarai.
“She’s beautiful. Funny—quick, you know.”
“Oh, I know the type,” she said drily. I laughed. My entire family had that sharp wit.
“And she’s really smart. Way smarter than me.”
“That’s the best type of woman to partner up with,” my mom said knowingly. “Just ask your father.”
I laughed. “She’s kind, too, and sticks up for her friends. Actually, she’s fearless in that way.”
“It sounds like you really like her,” Mom said.
“Actually—” I swallowed hard. “Actually, I think I might be falling in love with her,” I confessed.
“Oh, baby,” she replied softly. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
“I think you’ll love her, too.”
“Oh, I have no doubt I will,” she said cheerfully. Then she chuckled. “It’s Ani you’ll have to worry about.”
Chapter 8
Sarai
Even though work was slow and I was bored out of my mind, I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. We’d spent the night before at Alex’s apartment, and even though I was tired as hell this morning, I didn’t regret a single second.
I was seriously falling for Alex Evans, and despite all my early misgivings, I couldn’t have been happier about it. He was everything.
“You’re looking chipper this morning,” Elise teased as she dropped a file on my desk.
“I am chipper,” I replied, still smiling.
“That’s an I got laid this morning smile,” she said, dropping into the chair across from me. “Spill. I’ve been married for ten years. We never do it in the morning anymore.”
I huffed out a surprised laugh as my mouth dropped open. Elise was sweet, and we’d always gotten along really well at work, but we normally stuck to safe subjects like weekend plans and family anecdotes.
“It’s the new guy you’re seeing, isn’t it?” she said, leaning back in her seat as she crossed her legs. “Yeah, I’ve seen you. Checking your phone a million times a day and staring off into space. What’s he like?”
“He’s awesome,” I gushed. I could feel my face growing warm in embarrassment at the vehemence in my words.
“That’s good,” she replied, waving her hand in a motion to keep going.
“He’s in the Army—”
“They always are, around here.” She laughed. “My man was, too.”
“He’s so sweet,” I said. “And smart. He opens doors for me and walks me to my car and brings me dinner when I’m overloaded with schoolwork.”
“He sounds great,” she said, leaning forward to whisper. “What’s he look like? How’s he in bed?”
“He’s tall, dark, and handsome,” I said, pausing as she hummed in appreciation. “And he has these super-long eyelashes and this gorgeous smile that just—” I sighed.
“Makes you weak in the knees, does it?” she replied knowingly.
“It makes me weak everywhere,” I joked, making her chuckle.
“And the sex?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
