Everything & More (Book 1 in the E.C.N Series)

Chapter 34-Ryan

It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders when I finally told Martha and Mason. They were important to me and after talking to Garrett I knew I needed to say something. This was something I've been working on for almost three years now.

Though as if on cue, life had a funny way of telling me that the smile on my face wasn't meant to be there forever.

"Mar, 2 o'clock hot guy staring at you." I looked down at the girls and followed their eye-line. He was practically eye raping them. The annoyance I was feeling was rightfully directed when I snapped my attention to Lori. Turned out that she was already watching me with her eyebrow raised.

What the fuck is she doing?

Lori answered my unasked question when she held my stare and leaned in to talk to Martha, "You should go over, see if you still got it." She nudged her and shimmied with a smirk that grew on her face that only pissed me off.

She wants to get me upset... but why.

"Ehh I don't know." The hesitation in Martha's voice was clear.

"Come on, I'm not saying go out with the guy but you could at least try your flirting skills on him." I saw Martha about to deny Lori's absurd idea. She didn't get the chance because we were interrupted by a high pitched voice that came over the music. "Ryan?!"

All of our heads turned to look at the woman whose focus was completely on me. Her hair was in a high pony, which gave access to examine her caked on face. Her makeup looked like a completely different color from her neck, even in dimmed lighting. She was wearing a tight black dress that stopped mid thigh, if you could call it a dress. The damn thing was basically straps around her body. Her bust was two seconds away from screaming 'Free the nipple' right in our faces.

Her eyes fell on Martha, "Hey Martha!"

I was too shocked to speak, I haven't spoken to this woman in weeks. Lori stepped up and held her hand out, "Hey I'm Lori, I'm Martha's friend from work."

"Oh, I'm Paola. I grew up with these two." Her eyes went to the top right corner of our group that made her do a double take, "Oh my God, Mason. Mason Reyes is that you?"

I heard Mason let out an awkward chuckle. He never liked Paola. He used to yell at me all the time about hooking up with her when we were younger. He just found her to be a nuisance. Paola made her way over to him, giving him no choice but to hug her. When they pulled apart she was still clinging to him like a fucking koala bear. I didn't miss the slight distasteful look Lori had on her face as she turned away and grabbed another shot.

Paola continued to giggle and finally backed away from Mason before she aimed her sights back on me. "So Ryan, I just wanted to say I had a really good time a few weeks back. We should do it again sometime."

"Yea maybe." I shrugged and started chugging my water.

How could she want to do that again? I ditched her the first chance I got.

Coming closer she placed her hand on my chest, please stop touching me. Paola tiptoed till she reached my cheek and kissed it, "Call me." With that she was gone. I let out a breath, all I wanted to do was cringe.

"What the fuck was that?" Mason came up to me from his side, "Are you fucking her again?"

"What?! No!"

"Then why were you hanging out with her?"

"She's the personal assistant to one of the investors that I'm working with. I didn't know until I walked into the meeting and she was sitting in the damn corner taking notes."