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From experience, I knew that when my stomach was upset like this, I needed to drink Coke.
“My son,” the shaman said, shaking his head. “What you need is lots and lots of something, but I’m not sure that that is Coke.”
Whatever that meant.
I had a car pick me up and drive me home.
On the drive, I listened to messages and caught up on what was happening at work. Turned out they were coping well without me. Jill had gone off on leave, apparently needing a break too. I wasn’t too surprised to hear that. Star left a message about the wedding, some details she needed. I let her know that Evie wasn’t coming, that we’d broken up.
Second later there was a message from her: Sorry to hear that. She was nice.
When I didn’t respond to that, she sent another message: Maybe too young?
But that wasn’t it. I knew that wasn’t the reason why things with Evie hadn’t worked out. It was my fault, somehow. I didn’t know how or why, but it was me. I didn’t like the thought of it, though. It didn’t sit well with me. Like a backpack where the weight was displaced, whenever I thought of Evie, I’d get this uncomfortable feeling. But what else could I do? I’d apologized, I’d tried calling. She wasn’t at home.
I’d done all I could, right?
But, no.
I would come to work and look over at where she used to sit and I’d see my new PA, Melinda and feel disappointment in my gut. She wasn’t Evie, in any way.
I’d go for dinner with Jacqueline and find my attention wandering. The last thing I felt like doing was to take her home, get her in bed. One evening, in the car outside her place, Jacqueline had leaned over to kiss me. I had not seen it coming. It was a cheeky kiss, she pressed her body against mine and slipped her tongue into my mouth. Her hand wandered down to my groin, pressing on my cock and it responded the way she was expecting it too.
“Come up for coffee?” she asked, her voice inviting me to do much more than drink coffee. I went up to her place, a smart penthouse with a view over the bay. There was a thick fog over the water, blocking out the lights and the bridge. I knew it was out there, but I couldn’t see anything.
“Hey there,” she said and when I turned around, she was up and against me, kissing me and trying to get me in the mood. Jacqueline was beautiful, sophisticated and funny but it wasn’t happening. I gently pushed her away.
“Not tonight,” I said.
She bit her lip and turned away.
“It’s not you…” I said and she nodded.
“I know,” she said.
I wanted to want her but the truth was that the only woman I had any interest in, was Evie. Still. Even after I hadn’t seen her for so long, I still wanted her.
This was new for me.
Jacqueline put on some clothes and brought me a drink.
“So, what’s her name?” she asked me. There was a note of resignation in her voice.
I pretended not to know what she was taking about.
“It’s obvious, Tate, there is someone else.”
“No, there isn’t.”
“You’ve never pushed me away like that before,” she said. Then, with a bit of sadness in her voice, she said, “A woman knows.”
I couldn’t tell her it was Evie, my former PA. How would that look?
“Whoever she is, she is a lucky woman,” Jacqueline said with small smile on her full lips.
I thought Evie wouldn’t agree.
Star wouldn’t either.
