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Now I snort. Turning around to get him socks and shoes, I complete his thought.
“Some folks believe that, buddy! Not that I think they’re right, but some people say that.”
“Nice!” he says, kicking his feet in the air while sitting at the edge of his bed.
After I put his shoes on, I park him in front of the TV so I can go take a quick shower. My phone is already ringing — it’s Bella, and she’s probably pissed that I’m late, but I will give her no satisfaction, especially considering she’s the main reason I was up so late last night.
Remembering last night, I think about that friend of hers. Olivia. Liv. She moved something inside me, but I’m afraid I’ve ruined any chance with her. However, I wasn’t about to take advantage of a drunk woman.
Normally I’m quite reserved, but there was something about Liv standing there alone and beautiful on that balcony, her long, dark hair cascading down her slender figure. It made me want to sweep her off her feet. I figured out who she was and was having a bit of fun pretending I was someone else, but I was about to come clean when Bella interrupted us.
And then Liv had made up some excuse to leave and called a car to go home, all the while piercing me with a deathly stare. After that, Bella kept me up talking to me about this piece. It wasn’t until I’d agreed to do it and meet her today that she’d finally left.
Fifteen minutes later and we’re in the car. I tame the Porsche to stay under the speed limit for the sake of my son, but it’s hard to contain that much power.
I send an audio message to Bella just as we’re about to arrive. When we get there, she’s waiting outside in the sun, right in front of the building belonging to the media conglomerate her magazine is a part of.
“Thought you were never coming!” she exclaims, slapping her sides with her arms. “My editor is going crazy waiting! Although us reporters usually work on weekends to meet deadlines, my editor normally doesn’t. However, she’s making an exception today to connect with you.”
“I’m sorry. I had trouble getting out of bed this morning,” I say, giving her a hug.
Bella then turns her attention to Harlan as we walk inside. “Hi, Harlan!” she says, ruffling his hair. He immediately fixes his locks back to the way they were and rolls his eyes at his aunt.
She asks, “How’s your father treating you?”
“Nice,” he says, not giving her much attention. In his six years, they’ve only seen each other for a few select Christmases and a few birthdays, so there isn’t much of a connection yet. But now that Bella lives here, I’m looking forward to them growing closer.
She waits for the elevator in the lobby, and I stand there with Harlan, both of us impressed at the sheer size of the doorman. I’m six-four, and he’s taller than me, also wider and heavyset.
“Dad, that man isbig!” Harlan says under his breath.
“Yes, he is, buddy…” I say, laughing nervously and turning his gaze away from the man so he won’t stare,
“Oh, that’s just Dennis! He’s a pudding cup,” Bella says, loud. “Hi, Dennis!”
“Hello, Bella!” Dennis says, with a voice of thunder so cheerful I almost bow down my head.
The elevator comes. It’s a glass-walled one, open to the building’s central garden. Harlan looks at it with wonder, jumping from side to side and asking if we can visit the garden later.
A quick ride up, and we’re unleashed inside the office space ofTruth Quest Digestmagazine. It’s an open-plan office. People walk around, type furiously at computers, talk on their phones, and take video calls.
“And this is where I work!” Bella says, pointing at the space. “What do you think?”
“Crowded,” I say. All the noise isn’t helping what’s quickly becoming a migraine. “Your editor’s office is here?”
“Oh no. She has a closed office!” she says and points us toward an area behind the open plan, where secluded rooms mark the offices of the higher-ups. “This way.”
I have to stop multiple times on the way to keep Harlan from watching, staring, and asking a million questions to everyone we pass, and I’m guiding him by the hand once we get to the office door.
“Come in!” A mature female voice calls out after Bella knocks, and my sister opens the door to reveal a chubby redhead sitting behind the desk and perusing photographs.
I also see none other than Liv.
She looks up at me with surprise in her eyes, and a clear urge to flee that makes me feel bad.
“Oh right; you work here too!” I say, approaching her and sitting in the other guest chair.
“Uh-huh,” Liv says with a strained smile.
