Word has it opposites attract. Jessica Keith would like to raise two middle fingers to that idea.
A wild, no-apologies party girl, Jessica wants nothing to do with the likes of Matthew Parkinson - a buttoned-up, rule-following golden boy. They have...
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Jessica
I toyed with my napkin on the table. For the hundredth time since Matthew and I got to the restaurant, I looked over the entrance. Matthew is on a business call next to me. It's been about fifteen minutes but I didn't really mind. My mind was somewhere else.
Matthew put his hand over mine on the table.
I didn't realize that I was fidgeting so much that the napkin was completely crumpled.
He distanced his phone for a second and asked, "Everything okay?"
"It's fine. Everything's fine," I answered, sounding a little rushed.
His brows furrowed with worry.
I shook my head and gave him a reassuring smile. If it wasn't enough, maybe the peck on the cheek that I gave him. It took another peck to make him hesitantly press his phone back up to his ear.
Finally, a woman in an elegant, dusty rose dress walked in through the revolving doors. Her eyes swept around and then settled on our table.
I gave her a little wave, holding in a sigh of relief.
Kierra visibly relaxed. I didn't even realize she was tense. Just in time, Matthew wrapped up the call and got up to help her to her seat across from us.
"I'm glad you could come," I blurted out.
She sighed, taking her seat in front of me. "I'm glad you invited me."
Matthew gestured for the waiter. I blushed when Matthew insisted on nothing-peanut of some kind. He was so serious about it too. I just gave Kierra and the waiter an embarrassed smile because I couldn't sink into my seat any further.
It's been at least a couple of weeks since that wedding debacle. The papers had it sprawled all over the front page for days. Today though, a new scandal kicked off its spot on the paper. Thank God for that one womanizing senator.
We talked and talked until our orders came. Looking at Kierra up close, I could tell that she had an extra layer of eye makeup on. Even her concealer has done its magic to cover up her sleepless nights. My heart twisted in my chest. When I heard Kierra hadn't been out of the house for days, I suggested we invite her to dinner. However, by the looks of it, I should've invited her to go have some drinks at the bar with me.
Halfway through our long conversation, Matthew's phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and sighed. "I have to take this one. Be right back." He pecked on my cheek before leaving the table.
Kierra and I had our gazes lingering on his back.
I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling nervous. "Just so we're clear, you can tell me off if this seems a stupid question, but on a scale of one to ten, one being the worst, how are you doing?"
"Gosh, is it that obvious?" She looked at her salad on the table.
"I mean, you just had your wedding canceled and found out your boyfriend was a jerk," I stopped myself, "Sorry."
