Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 60700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
When I turn it off, Juliana launches in, as if she’s been waiting to speak. “He really likes you, you know. You’re the first woman we’ve heard about. That’s why we came to check you out.”
My heart constricts. I almost believe her.
But it doesn’t matter whether he likes me or not.
He doesn’t like me enough.
I can’t bring myself to answer. I just force a wan smile as I remove the cape and dust the stray hairs off her neck. “That will be fifty,” I manage to say.
She pays me, and they both hesitate, as if wanting to say more, but I turn my back, walking away to fetch the broom. When I return, they’re gone.
I sit, trembling.
Bobby’s been treating me like a second-class citizen. And for what? To have a laugh at my expense? To keep me at arm’s length? Am I not good enough to be an actual girlfriend? Do you have to be Italian to make that cut? Or…what?
I can hardly think, and my next client will be here any minute.
I pick up my phone and hold it with trembling fingers. Thirty minutes ago, I’d been excited to text him to tell him I got the job. Now, though?
I grit my teeth and dial his phone number. I’m not supposed to call, but I don’t really care. Or actually, I do care. This is a test.
How he responds will tell me everything.
He doesn’t answer.
I Google-search his company and dial that number because he said he had to work today, even though it’s a Saturday.
“Lexi, you can’t call me here.” That’s how he answers.
I nod. The invisible guillotine blade just came down on his neck. “That’s what I thought,” I say tightly and end the call.
Fuck. Him.
I’m done.
This no longer works for me.
I take care of my next client then slip into the back room to call Gina. I’m afraid I might cry, and I don’t want anyone at the salon to see me.
My friend picks up on the second ring. “Hi, Lex.” She sounds sleepy, even though it’s two in the afternoon. With Gina working late nights and having a hot boyfriend who can’t get enough, she often sleeps past noon.
“Sorry did I wake you?”
“Mmm, no. I was just getting up. How are you?”
“Crappy.” My voice breaks.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. Bobby’s daughters just showed up here to meet me. I guess there was a family wedding yesterday?”
Gina waits.
“Apparently I’m not good enough to merit an invite. Or to even know about it. According to them, he isn’t planning on letting them meet me, so they played detective to find me on their own.”
“Okay,” Gina says slowly like she’s trying to understand.
“This isn’t working for me. I don’t want to just be the whore he keeps for good times.”
“Yeah, of course not. But I don’t know if it’s really like that. Why don’t you just talk to him and ask him WTF?”
I make an impatient noise in my throat. “I don’t even want to talk to him again. Listen, I’d better go, I have another client coming. Thanks for listening.”
“You’re welcome. Hey, Lexi?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t feel like you can’t leave him because you don’t have a place to go. You’re still welcome on my couch.”
“Thanks,” I say heavily. “I appreciate it.”
Sleeping on Gina’s couch is better than hanging around and being Bobby’s plaything.
Bobby
I was in the middle of another conversation with the damn IRS auditor when Lexi called.
I didn’t mean to be a stronzo, but I know I offended her. I don’t know why she called here, though.
We have boundaries in place. She’s not supposed to call me.
Still, I have an uneasy feeling about it all afternoon. I text her back that I’m tied up, but she doesn’t reply.
When the IRS auditor finally leaves, I try calling, but she doesn’t pick up, so I drive over to the apartment. She was supposed to hear about the job today. Fuck, I hope it wasn’t bad news. Maybe that’s why she called me at work.
The moment I walk in the apartment, I know something’s seriously wrong. The place is spotless. Lexi’s normally neat, but it smells like it’s been freshly cleaned, and today wasn’t a cleaning day.
I find her in the bathroom, scrubbing the tub. She glances up when I walk in and greet her, but she says nothing.
Alarm bells clang in my head.
“Lex? What’s going on?”
She just shakes her head and continues to clean. Okay, so she’s one of those people who cleans when she’s upset. Got it.
I walk up behind her. “What is it, baby? Did you hear about the job?”
“I got it,” she says flatly. She stands and pulls off her rubber gloves, passing me without looking my way.
“That’s great.” I pause when she continues to avoid eye contact, washing her hands in the sink. “What’s going on? Talk to me, bambina.” I reach for her.