Business And Pleasure

16

I avoided Trenton just like Bassey ignored my calls for the remainder of the week. Everything this week had gone to shit-Aurel was still alive and his name was freaking 'Oscar'! OSCAR! I mean who wakes up and names their black child that? How did you even begin to give him a nickname? Did he even have one? And he had 2 fucking families and me as a side chick! The heck?

Bassey had 'come out' as a lesbian to me. I say come out like that because she denied that she was one and claimed to only be attracted to me. That, in my books, was being a lesbian. I mean she had nothing to be ashamed of because it was what it was but maybe she hated the labelling. I didn't look at her any differently and I wanted to let her know that but little Mrs perfect just refused to answer my calls.

I had come in on my boss, Trenton Buscemi screwing the branch manager during what was supposed to be a business meeting. That was not the part that disturbed me. What disturbed me was that when he looked at me, he got his release! What did that even mean? But I knew one thing for sure-Trenton had sexual thoughts about me in that moment when he looked at me. That creeped me out.

And lastly, my supposed best friend Antoine. He hadn't said a word for a whole week. I had gotten worried and gone to his house to check on him but nobody was home and he had even left the house spotless. I was worried sick! What if he had been kidnapped or something like that? No one knew where he or his girlfriend were! They had simply vanished! I just hoped that they had vanished for a positive cause otherwise...I didn't even want to think about it.

Today was Friday and I had an off after 3pm which meant that I was free to go out-alone, since my only friend had disappeared. I guess I could go clubbing or go to some event to take my mind off this long and tiresome week I had had and maybe even get a rebound. Just for the night. I mean a girl has her needs.

"You busy?" A voice said from my open office doorway and I looked up only to see Edward Arlington dressed in some casual attire. His usually neat hair was in waves, cascading to his shoulders and making him look hip and younger.

I scoffed. "What do you want? You and I no longer have any business-"

He came in and closed the door behind him which I knew was never a good thing because we always ended up in a position I never wanted to find myself in with him again. I may want a rebound but I wouldn't mind the drought if he was my only option. He came over to my side of the desk and sat before me on my desk.

"You good?" he said in a sexy drawl.

"Just say what you want and leave!" I looked up at him. I wasn't having any of his BS today.

"Look...I just want to apologize for the other day...I didn't mean what I said and please forgive me."

"What the hell do you want from me, Edward Arlington? I don't care about what you said to me that day and I don't care for your apology! Is that all you came to say?" I stood up to match his eye level. "I'm over you and if you think that anything is going to happen between us, you might as well just take a marker and draw 'idiot' on your face. Now, get out of my office."

His blue eyes just captured mine and if I stared at them any longer, I was sure to lose this battle so I walked away and held the door open for him. He nodded and walked over then placed a quick kiss on my forehead. "I'm gonna miss you," he whispered.

"Can't say the same," I retorted. "You're soon to become a single man. Have fun."

He looked at me. "I didn't choose to become divorced. Bassey...I have reason to believe that she wasn't happy with me so I gave her what she wanted."

"Who would be happy with you, Edward?" I looked at him scornfully.

"You were...before you found out that I was married-"

"Because you showed me a side that I wanted to see!" I semi-yelled before I checked myself. "Everything is always perfect before you find out that you're an unknowing side chick to the world's biggest scumbag! Look, today is Friday and I don't want you to dampen my mood when I'm about to go out and have fun, OK? We had what we had and this should be the end of it. You're no longer welcome here and I don't want people questioning your visits to my office. I've had enough of the paparazzi since we broke up. Now stay out of my life for good! I don't ever want to see you again!"

"You can be so damn mean sometimes. I'm trying here and you're not even giving me a chance to-"

"I DON'T CARE!" I yelled, frustrated.

He glared at me. "No wonder people want to kill you," he mumbled under his breath and I heard it clearly but I wasn't in the mood.

I shoved him out and shut the door. "Adios douche!"

After work, I went straight to my house and tried to call Antoine but his phone was still on voice mail. For the first time in ages, I checked his social media.

"Damn you!" I gasped when I saw the photos on his instagram. "YOU'RE FREAKING ENGAGED AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!!!" I screamed at my phone. Then I went on whatsapp and sent him a voice note. "WHEN YOU GET BACK HOME I AM GOING TO MURDER YOU!" I yelled. "YOU LEFT WITHOUT TELLING ME AND I WAS WORRIED SICK AND THOUGHT YOU HAD BEEN TRAFFICKED OR SOME BS BUT IT TURNS OUT YOU'RE ON A BAECATION WITH YOUR FREAKING GIRLFRIEND-TURNED FIANCEE! ARRANGE FOR YOUR OWN FUNERAL ON YOUR WAY BACK, DO YOU HEAR ME??!!!"

I breathed and sent it then went to take a shower, preparing myself for my late night travels.

Stepping into the Club Exclusive, which was a 'club' for the rich and wealthy, my mood instantly dampened at the mood. Soft jazz was playing from somewhere and all around, men and women were having rich conversations and smoking and drinking while relaxing on the comfortable looking leather chairs.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I groaned.

The girl from reception had recommended it and I thought it would be more of a heavy drinking, smoking and dancing type of club with extremely loud music but what I felt could not even begin to describe my disappoint. On top of that, I was dressed in a skimpy strapless black lace dress that reached just a little above mid-thigh and my wig fell in black and auburn ombre curls to my back. I looked like a hooker among these men and women in their business attire who stared at me, making me feel that indeed I was the odd one out.  Uggghh...rich people. I may be rich but I was still a home girl deep down.

"Looking a little lost," a voice whispered into my ear as a hand snaked around my waist.

I quickly turned around, about to give the person a piece of my mind but my mouth suddenly went dry and I became speechless. If ever there was a coffee black Hercules...this man before me would be him. He was as tall as Antoine and his beard and hair connected! Thank you! Smooth skin that I could already picture sinking my nails into and pitch black eyes that I could just gaze into while he made me feel like a woman! Mmm!

"I have never seen someone like you here before," he said with a small grin and his accent! If I didn't melt right there and right then! I couldn't place his accent anywhere and that's what made it even more intriguing. "Your first time here?"

I nodded, lost for words.

"Hmm...so,  what does the lady fancy?" he asked, his eyes twinkling in the dim light. How was he able to make them twinkle?

"Um..." I usually went with the strong stuff but because I was trying to impress this specimen of a man before me, I simply said, "A cocktail would do," just to maintain my ladylike pretenses.

He nodded and we walked over to the bar, getting our orders and falling into an easy conversation. As much as I'd like to say I was listening, I wasn't because I couldn't keep my eyes off his full brown lips which were darkly lined on the edges. I just kept nodding and shaking my head where I thought was necessary.

This man right here. This was my rebound!