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"That's presumptuous of you. What makes you think we have a problem? I haven't said anything."
"He sent you flowers. They're on your desk. He says he loves you, is sorry, and asks that you give him another chance. So, what did he do?"
"You read my card? I can't believe you did that." I glare at him, floored at his intrusion. Then I realize I'm talking to Romeo, who has few filters in addition to a total lack of respect for privacy.
"I was doing my due diligence, making sure it wasn't a threat."
"In a bouquet of flowers?"
"You never know," he says with a flip of his hand.
"We broke up," I sigh, knowing Romeo will get the truth out of me one way or another, so I might as well get the pain and embarrassment over with now. "He cheated on me."
"That dog! Should I refer to him as 'lefty' now?"
"Lefty? Where did that come from?"
"You didn't remove one of his testicles?"
"My God, no. Jesus, do you think I'm that vicious?"
"Maybe not. But I'd do it. I'd wait until the bastard fell asleep and then execute a payback by snipping off one of his boys."
"Okay, that's a little on the crazy side. Besides, you'd have to do it to half the male population. They're a bunch of lying, cheating dogs. My boyfriend cheated on me in college, and husbands two, three, and four cheated on my mom. I swear it's a loose penis epidemic."
"Are you sure you want to reference your mother? I seem to remember you telling me the cheating in her third and fourth marriages was mutual. And isn't she on her fifth or sixth marriage now?"
"Fifth marriage, and okay, maybe she goes by a different guideline and is a bad example."
"Sweetie, the problem isn't the male population. The problem is the caliber of the men you date and the fact you're way too trusting. You need to grab them by the balls and put them in their place. Assert yourself and quit letting them walk all over you."
"So, I'm supposed to act like some warrior walking around with a spear and jab my boyfriend in the ass when he gets out of line?"
"That would be precious," he chuckles. "Now stop, you're making me laugh," he demands, his hands going to his cheekbones, fingers pressing against the skin underneath his eyes.
"My God, why do you do that?" I say, exasperated. "Pressing your fingers to your face won't prevent you from getting laugh lines. It simply looks silly when you do it."
"There's no proof it doesn't work, and I'd rather look silly than have wrinkles before my time. Now, back to the subject of you. It's about time you bring romance to the front and center of your life rather than keep your relationships on the back burner as if they were some convenient hobby. I know you like your job and excel at it, but maybe you need to back off a little. Remember, love is important, too, and there is such a thing as work-life balance. Then again, if you had a man who was worth anything, you'd be head over heels in love right now, and we wouldn't be having this conversation. Sweetie, it's like you're stuck on some hamster wheel, going around in a ridiculous circle. Step off the wheel and find someone who cares about you, treats you like a queen, and wants to be a serious part of your life. I did, and Brad couldn't be a better partner."
"I know. I get it. We've had this conversation before. And I'm glad you and Brad are happy. But I don't have time in my life for a serious relationship. My job is more important."
"Only because you make it that way."
I give Romeo a mock death stare, then open my purse and pull out my wallet.
Romeo throws his hands on his hips and gives me the evil eye. "What are you doing?"
"How much do I owe you for my counseling session?" My comment gains me another exaggerated eye roll.
"You couldn't pay me enough. My advice is legendary," Romeo says with a chuckle. Then his fingers shoot back to his cheekbones. "Get out of here before you make me wrinkle. And don't forget that you have a meeting in half an hour."
"I know, I know, the Monday morning meeting." I turn and walk away, wishing I could forget about the meeting. I've beenso distracted by Troy's deceit that I haven't come up with any suggestions to contribute to the group. I'll sit back and let the others pop off ideas for new stories for once. It was time some of them stepped forward anyway. I walk into my office, reflecting on what Romeo said. As usual, he had me pegged. Sometimes, I swear he knows me better than I know myself. That only shows how observant he is and how well he understands people, almost like he has an uncanny connection to their hard wiring.
"Do you need help with anything this morning?" a voice says behind me.
I swing around to find one of our interns, Candace Stremler, standing in my doorway. Dark-haired and petite, she's quiet and far too shy, and some of our staff, Drake in particular, are notorious for taking advantage of her mousy personality.
"No, I don't need any help, but you might want to check with Tim. I heard he needed help with some research for a story he's working on." I flash Candace a smile and reach for the crystal vase full of red roses on my desk. I remove the card, toss it in the trash, and hand her the flowers. "You can have these."
