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"I spent last night wallowing in self-pity and drinking myself into a stupor. I ended up hurling inside the bowl, thankfully. I spent a year on that piece of shit, and look where it got me. I was willing to hang up my stilettoes for the bastard." She looked at her friends.
"You know he had been making noises about settling down. Yes, I know he was married before, and there is the ex-wife and the child, one I have never met, which should have been a warning.
Whenever I asked to meet with his daughter, he would have some damn excuse. 'I don't want to upset her. She is not ready yet. Give it some time.' Bastard!" She added feelingly as she took another sip of her drink. “And here I am, thirty-four and without a man. I could kill him for stringing me along like that.”
“It’s not worth it,” Delores told her quietly, her concern increasing as she stared at her friend. “And you will get over it.”
“I am not like you I want a family. I want children of my own before it is too late for me. I want a goddamned husband in my bed, my very lonely bed. I am sick and tired of going home to no one." She shook her head as Delores opened her mouth. "I am sorry to be dumping all of this shit on you. I am just venting."
"Nothing's wrong with that." Delores reached out to touch her hand lightly. "We could go back to my place and dive into some ice cream."
That brought a smile to Angeline's face. "We could, but we are here now, and I am feeling much better. Tell us about your trip."
"Are you sure?"
"My life sucks. Let's move on." She said firmly. “How was the trip?”
“It was wonderful as usual. You know how I get when I attend one of these fairs. I am like a kid in a toy store. I managed to get a movie deal for one of our unknown authors. She is from Kansas City and is such a sweetheart.
All country and wide-eyed innocent. She is barely twenty-five with blonde hair and blue eyes, and I cannot believe they make them like her. But she is great and very effusive with her gratitude. The city is going to eat her up in a heartbeat. That is if I have a damn job.”
“Oh, honey, you did say the company is going to be taken over,” Sara recalled.
“We have a meeting with them tomorrow at ten, and apparently, the big man will be there with his team.” Delores picked up her drink and took a deep swallow. She had finally called Jerry back, and he had given her the depressing news. “He wants you in on the meeting.”
“Why?” She had demanded.
“I didn’t know and was too damned scared to ask.” He had admitted.
“I hate the fact that a conglomerate is buying it out. They are soulless and only in it for the profit. I have been at Jerry's to make the necessary changes without success. Now this is going to happen.”
“Your job is secure; I am sure of it,” Angeline murmured. “You are kick-ass good at your job.”
“I keep telling myself that,” Delores admitted with a sigh. “But there is this fear in my stomach that everything is about to change.”
“The CEO is Deacon Manchester.”
“Yes.”
“I have been reading about him. The man is relentless in business and owns a big chunk of several cities. He is also a womanizer who changes women the way most men change their shirts. He is also very hot, with that ink-black hair and silver eyes.” Angeline looked at her friend speculatively. “He might be into you.”
Delores almost choked on her drink. “You must be high.”
Angeline shrugged slender shoulders. “You are hot honey, and the man is not gay, nor is he blind. I am sure he will take one look at you and invite you into his bed.”
“I never mix business with pleasure, and Deacon Manchester is way out of my league. Even if that were not the case, it would not be happening.”
“Because you are so self-sufficient, you don’t need a man.”
“Precisely. Now, what shall we order? There is- “
“One of these days, you are going to be like us mortals, a woman in love with a man and realizing that everything else pales in comparison.”
“That’s not going to happen to me.” Her voice had cooled considerably, and the impatience could not be quelled. “I understand you are hurting, but that does not allow you to take it out on me. I live as I please and will not allow a man to dictate how I live it.
I am sorry you are going through hell, Angie, but that asshole is not worth you crying over him. Get over it! You have a terrific life. You are beautiful and smart, and you have money. You will find someone; you just have to stop damn looking.” She closed her eyes and took a breath. “I am sorry honey- “
“No.” Angeline shook her head and blinked away the tears. “I was being a bitch, and that’s what’s friends are for.” She sniffed. “I needed that kick in the ass for being such an idiot.” She scanned the menu. “How about the Cobb salad? My treat.”
