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“No, it’s only a problem if it all goes tits up, I guess,” Jennyreplied.
“It makes me pissed off that people think you can’t have a relationship with someone at work. If you’re professional enough, I mean, look at you and Scott,” Sallysaid.
“I spend most of my time avoiding him, Sally. It’s hard work. I have to sit in a meeting with him tomorrow, and I’m not looking forward tothat.”
“You’ll be fine, especially if you make sure you dress to kill,” Jennysaid.
“I’m so glad that bitch has gone though. I never liked her,” Sallyadded.
Sally liked everyone, usually. “If she had stayed, I’d have left,” Isaid.
“Jerry wouldn’t allow that, he booted her out the minute that video was seen. She’s a tart and he, sorry to say this, has always been a slimeball,” Sallysaid.
I laughed again. The feeling that other women understood what I had gone through, that they had my back, was a newfeeling.
“You know, for a long time I’ve felt very alone. I know what people at work think of me, and I wasn’t trying to be aloof deliberately. I just wanted to work hard and prove myself,” Isaid.
“Fuck what anyone says, it’s jealousy. Yeah, they talk about you. You’re the only woman up top and best friends with the boss,” Jennysaid.
“You do like to call it as it is,” Sally said with alaugh.
“No other way. Up front and honest, best policy,” shereplied.
We drank a few more cocktails, laughed a lot, and staggered out to get taxis. I hadn’t done that for years, not since my college days. I smiled all the wayhome.
The trouble with alcohol on an empty stomach was that it affected the brain way more than it should. I’d kicked off the high heels and decided I needed water to help sober me up. I sat at the kitchen table sipping from a bottle and thinking back over the weekend. Ichuckled.
“It’s a game,” I said. “Just a game.” My voice hitched mid-sentence.
Was it though? I wasn’t sure anymore. Maybe he was just a perv. I giggled some more as I thought of him getting himself off on what I’d said. I cringed at the same time. Was I just a tool to entertain him? I’d played straight into his hands, I’d told him things I shouldn’t have. I felt the tears pool in myeyes.
“What a sad fuck!” I shouted. My words echoed back, reminding me there was no one to hear, no one tolisten.
The other trouble with alcohol on an empty stomach was that it blurred reality; it made the recipient do dumb things. Dumb things like sending atext.
I’m a little drunk. I just wanted to say something.Isent.
A little drunk is okay, what do you want to say?Came Mackenzie’sreply.
Fuck You. I giggled as I pressedsend.
Is that a request? How, Lauren? How would you fuckme?
You play a good game; want to tell me the rules? Make it an even playingfield.
For someone a ‘little’ drunk you sure are articulate. And I told you; I don’t playgames.
Are you mockingme?
No, Lauren. Go to bed.Was hisreply.
Had I not dropped the phone, and the action of reaching down for it had my head spin, I couldn’t have been held responsible for my response. I stumbled into the bedroom and fell onto the bed. Wasn’t this the part where he was supposed to come barging in, having miraculously obtained a front door key? Or the part I find out he owns the building and security waves him past? Or the part where he rips off my clothes and makes mad, passionate love tome?
That’s what happened in my books, why couldn’t it happen in reallife?
* * *
“Oh, fuck,”I groaned, reaching for my phone to stop itsalarm.
