Chapter 17
Brynne
“So that decrepit old dude went back on his word and gave the job to his trifling ass nephew? And his nephew is the guy whose bones you were jumping on vacation. Do I have that right?”
I nod at Raven and give Amira the side-eye as she pulls a pair of black leather pants from my closet. I shake my head no at her, but she throws them on the bed, and they hit my feet. She returns to my closet in search of more clothes.
I’m under my down comforter, wearing my most comfortable set of gray sweatpants. I’ve already told them I’m not going anywhere but they act like they didn’t hear me.
“See, this is why men are the worst. It doesn’t matter about their age, race, or sexual orientation. They all suck,” Raven says, and I nod in agreement. “I saw Leo and his boyfriend today.” She makes a face. “And that bastard had the nerve to come up to me and ask if we can be friends. I threw my hot chocolate in his face and walked away.”
“I hope it burned,” Amira says.
“Doubt it. It wasn’t that hot, but it did ruin his cashmere coat.” Raven gets up and starts rummaging through my closet with Amira.
“The cashmere coat you got him for Christmas a few years ago?” I ask.
“Yup, and it felt glorious.”
“I don’t know which of us has it worse,” Amira yells from the closet. “Raven’s ex left her for a man. Brynne accidentally fucked her boss, and I’m men-repellant.”
“No, you’re not,” I say. “But the stuff about me and Raven is true. I think Rave and I are cursed.”
“Speak for yourself,” Raven says. “I ain’t cursed, and Amira will be riding a big dick in no time.”
“With my luck, I’ll fall off and break it.”
I make a face at that, and Raven giggles at the thought.
“Have Brynne give you some pointers. Out of all of us, she’s the one who rode dick recently.”
“Don’t make me vomit,” I groan.
I never sent Colin the email he requested. I left the office immediately after that last confrontation and worked from home until it was time to leave for the airport. I’ve ignored all his emails since, and there have been plenty. If I could figure out a way to block him at work, I would do it. His reaction be damned. He joined the meeting remotely but let me take the lead—at least until I finished my presentation when he chimed in with his two cents, which I ignored.
I returned on Thursday afternoon and took Friday as a personal day, where all I did was lie in bed, eat Oreos, and binge-watch Love is Blind. It’s been a hell of a week. One of the worst of my life, but I’ve hit rock bottom before, and I’ve bounced back. I’ve given myself a deadline to end my moping. By the time I step back into the office on Monday, I’ll be back to being professional, and there will be no more confrontations with Colin Kincaid. I will treat him with nothing but professional courtesy and complete deference.
“Well, maybe it is a coincidence,” Amira says, and I shake my head at her. Always the optimist. Despite having a shitty sister and mother, she can always see the bright side. I wish I had some of her optimism.
“There is no coincidence that big,” I say. “It was all a ploy. The one time I decide to be slutty, and this is what I get. I’m closing my coochie back up for good. Maybe there’s a good convent in the mountains somewhere I can join. Maybe a silent order where my only companions will be the local sheep.” I take a pillow and cover my face with it. “And to think, I fell for a man wearing Crocs.” I let out a loud groan. “Crocs of all things. His taste in footwear should have been my first clue.”
“I have a question,” Amira says. “Did he take off the Crocs while you two were making love or did he keep them on?” She giggles at her own question, and I throw a pillow at her.
“But you weren’t slutty, though,” I hear Raven say. “You were into him, and he was into you.” Someone yanks the pillow off my face, and I’m hit with something else. “Get dressed. We’re still going out to celebrate you.”
“There’s nothing to celebrate. I’m a loser.” My friends made a reservation at my favorite restaurant before we went on vacation. “Let’s each order a large pizza and see which one of us can finish it first.”
“You’re fabulous,” they both say at once. Amira takes my hand and pulls me off the bed.
I slide off and lie on the carpeted floor. “I’m a dumbass who made bad decisions and can’t quit now like I want to. Why did I have to buy that house?” I ask my friends.
“Because the house was in your family and should have never gone to your piece of crap stepbrother,” Raven says.
“Ex-stepbrother,” I remind them. “Who had the nerve to call me a couple of days ago.” They both look at me with their mouths hanging open. “I didn’t answer because fuck that guy.”
“We’ll have to get into that another day. Tonight is about you, and we’re going to celebrate. Get up.” They each take one of my arms and pull me up.
“These pants are cutting off my circulation.” I suck in my stomach. I’ve been on an eating binge all week, and I need to rein that in. Tonight will be the last night I will eat a big meal. Tonight is the end of feeling sorry for myself over this job. Everything will be different on Monday.
Raven talks to the hostess, and when she’s told our table will be another fifteen minutes, we head to the bar. It’s packed, but Amira gets us drinks, and I’m left with Raven.
“I’m glad you guys talked me into coming out,” I yell to Raven over the noise. They practically pushed me into the bathroom, and after a hot shower and an outfit change, I felt better.
It’s incredibly cold outside, and the leather pants I’m wearing did not do a good job of keeping me warm, but I’m better now, and when Amira returns with three drinks, we clink and sip.
“What the hell is this?” I ask after taking another sip.
“Sex on the beach,” she says.
“That’s how I got into this mess.” We all chuckle at my declaration, and my mind flashes back to the first time I was alone with Colin on the beach. I remember the kiss we shared, and it’s as if I can feel his mouth on mine.
“Oh, dammit.” Amira pulls her phone out of her pocket, and Mom flashes across the screen. She hits ignore and shuts her phone off. “She’s called me six times today. I told her there is nothing I can do for Ashley and her situation. What the hell am I supposed to do about her husband getting another woman pregnant?” She shrugs, finishes her drink, and takes Raven’s.
Raven leaves to get us another round.
“Is she leaving him?” I ask. The answer to that should be obvious, but when it comes to Amira’s sister, you never know.
“ He left her ,” Amira whispers. “The audacity, right? I was at Mom’s place the other day, and when he came to pick up their son, he called Ashley a mean, miserable bitch who has no friends and no life. He said he’s going to sue her for custody because he refuses to let her poison his kids against each other.”
“Oh, wow,” is all I say, but that accurately describes Ashley. “Let me guess, they want you to drop everything and console her, right?”
“You got it, but I’m not doing that anymore. She doesn’t deserve what Rob did to her, but he’s right about her being miserable and having no friends. I was with them all day, and all she did was cry and blame everyone else for her troubles. I’m sick of them both.”
Raven returns with another round. She cranes her neck and looks around the bar. Then she looks at me, grimaces, and looks away.
“What?” I ask.
“Don’t be mad,” she begins, “and be cool, but the guys are here.” My stomach drops, and my pulse accelerates.
“ What guys?” I ask, but I think I already know. Raven blocks me with her body, but I’m taller than her, and the heels I’m wearing give me a couple of inches on her. I see him first. He’s like a damn model with his dirty-blond hair and perfect smile. He has his head turned and is talking with a gorgeous woman.
The taste in my mouth suddenly turns sour, and the good mood I talked myself into dissipates. I’ve told him in many ways that I don’t want him. So, why does my stomach feel like it’s been punched at the sight of him and someone else? The woman looks in his direction and smiles, and I look away.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I say under my breath, angry at the sight of him and her, but unwilling to say it out loud, or even admit it to myself.
Brody spots us first. He elbows Colin and points in our direction. Ian then whispers something to the woman. He wraps his arm around her waist. She looks up at him, and he quickly kisses her. I feel some tension leave my body. The tightness in my neck dissipates, and I exhale in relief. I should have recognized Ian’s wife from the pictures. I let out another big breath at that realization.
What are you relieved about? This is just one big scam. They’re all on his payroll.
Colin’s eyes meet mine, and I hold his stare for a fraction of a second before looking away from him. From how Malcolm is scowling, I guess his feelings about his friend marrying his sister have not changed.
Is this another coincidence? How is it that out of all the restaurants in this damn city, we end up at the same one at the same time?
Ian and Brody smile. The woman on Ian’s arm smiles. Malcolm scowls, and I refuse to look at Colin. Ian and the beautiful woman walk to us.
“Hey,” Ian says. He moves away from his wife long enough to hug us. I give him a half-hearted hug back. “This is my wife, Makayla.”
She smiles again and shakes hands with the three of us. She’s tall with beautiful brown skin and white teeth. Her hair rests on her shoulders. After shaking our hands, she wraps her arm around Ian’s. “Ian told me about you guys,” she says. “It’s so nice to meet all of you.”
“You too,” I say. “Congratulations on your marriage.” Her smile brightens, and she looks at Ian with pure adulation. From the corner of my eye, Malcolm scowls. “I thought you’d still be on your honeymoon.”
“Oh, we just got back yesterday, but we’re here to celebrate—”
Ian cuts her off by loudly clearing his throat and nudges her ribs. She stops talking and drops her gaze to the floor. She adjusts her scarf before she fiddles with her wedding rings.
“Celebrate what?” I ask as gently as possible under the circumstances. I know what they’re celebrating, but I want to hear someone say it.
They all stare at each other.
“Um,” Makayla says. She stares at her husband, and he shrugs. “Nothing, really. It’s, uh—"
“My job,” Colin says. Brody slaps his palm to his forehead, and Malcolm smirks.
“Oh?” I ask, and Colin nods. “And how did you get that job?” I sneer.
“Well, my undergraduate and graduate degrees, along with my years of experience as an architect in a top firm in San Diego. That’s how.”
“You’re leaving out the most important reason, Colin Kincaid ,” I hiss.
“Not to mention my professionalism, which is something you lack. I bet you think your bad attitude makes up for it.” He inches closer. “It doesn’t.”
I put my drink down and step closer to him. “I dare you to do something about my bad attitude and lack of professionalism.”
“Uh, we’re here to celebrate Brynne,” Raven says. She steps between us, and Colin takes a step back. “Because she’s fabulous.” She raises her glass, and Amira clinks it.
“Yeah, she is,” Makayla says, and I wish she’d stop talking because the last thing I want is to like her.
“Killah told us about what happened,” Brody says.
“Yeah?” I say. I take another big sip of my second drink. “What exactly did Killah tell you?” The group goes quiet again. Even Makayla’s smile slips.
“He’s not a bad guy,” Brody says. “And he didn’t plan this. He would never do anything like that.”
“Hmm,” I say as I pretend to think about it. I make the mistake of looking at him. He has the nerve to look bored with this conversation. “Right,” I scoff. “I mean, even Hannibal Lecter was charming at some point.”
Amira lets out a nervous giggle, and Raven cackles.
“Well, I did eat you,” Colin says, and I choke on my drink. Makayla laughs, and even Malcolm tries to hide his smile.
“Did you? I have no memory of that. It must not have been that good.” I give him the side-eye and sip my drink.
“Burn,” Amira says.
“Really?” Malcolm asks. “That’s not what we heard.” All the guys look away, and I feel a blush of embarrassment spread over my entire body.
“You know what would be nice?” I ask no one in particular. “It would be nice if you would go eat somewhere else.”
“Why don’t you go eat somewhere else?” Colin says.
“Because we were here first,” I whisper-shout so as not to make a scene in the bar.
“Well, we have no issues with you guys being here. If you have a problem with us, you leave.” Colin has the nerve to scoff and gesture at me.
“The only person I have a problem with is the one who stole—"
“Why don’t we all sit together so we can clear this up?” Makayla suggests. She looks from me and my friends to Colin. Amira and Raven nod in agreement, but when I widen my eyes at them, they stop and look away.
“You want me to sit with him?” I point in Colin’s direction without bothering to look at him. “To celebrate with him ? Celebrate the job he stole from me?” I ask her, wide-eyed.
“Well—" Makayla begins.
“I didn’t steal a fucking thing,” Colin says. Unlike me, he doesn’t bother to lower his voice, and several patrons glare at us.
I set my drink down and take a few steps closer to him. He straightens to his full height, which is several inches taller than me.
“Who do you think you’re yelling at?”
Ian slides between us, and I take a step back. Makayla takes Colin’s elbow and pulls him a few inches away.
“Calm down,” Amira says. She puts her hands on my shoulders.
“Yeah, calm down, Honeybee.” Colin taunts me, and my hand aches to make contact with his cheek.
Thankfully, the hostess interrupts to tell us that our table will be ready in another ten minutes. She apologizes for the delay.
The guys and Makayla stand at the other side of the bar now, but I can feel his eyes burning a hole in my head.
“I’m going to go give him a piece of my mind,” Raven says. I don’t get to tell her not to bother before she leaves me and Amira to join them. I watch as she pulls Colin to the corner of the bar. Raven’s body is turned away, so I can’t read her lips, but the conversation doesn’t appear intense. She gets on her toes and whispers in his ear, and I get a feeling in the pit of my stomach. He nods at whatever she’s saying.
Raven would never make a move on a guy I’ve been with. Neither of my best friends would ever, but seeing another woman so close to him stirs things in me I don’t understand. It’s the same feeling I had a few minutes ago when I thought Makayla was with him. I do my best to read his lips when he responds to whatever Raven says, but I can’t. He seems calm and even points at me at some point. I resist the powerful urge to give him the middle finger. She says something else, and he shrugs. After a moment, he takes her hands, and they exchange more words. She pulls her hands from his, points in his face, and walks away.
“Looks like she told him,” Amira whispers.
“Yeah,” is all I say, but I’m unconvinced. The conversation would have been more animated if she had told him off. Raven is not one to hold back when she’s angry.
“What did you say to him?” Amira asks when Raven gets back.
I lick my dry lips as I wait to hear her answer.
“Oh, I cussed him out good. You know me. I told him he was shady as fuck for seducing you when he knew the whole time he was stealing your job, and I told him he should be ashamed of himself and that if I weren’t a lady, I’d smack the shit out of him.”
“Really?” Amira asks.
“I sure did,” Raven assures us, but I don’t believe her at all. I’ve seen her tell someone off, and this looked like the opposite of that. Raven is a sweet person unless someone pisses her off.
“And what did that liar have to say?” I ask.
“He said he had no idea; if he did, he would never have taken it.” I snort at the blatant lie. “He says there’s a reason he can’t walk away, but he’s not at liberty to say why. He says he wishes you’d believe him.”
“There’s a reason he’s a thief?” I let out an aggrieved breath. “And I’ll believe his sorry ass when pigs fly out of mine,” I say. “I’ll tell you one thing; there’s no shortage of audacity when it comes to that”—I look around as I think of a word—“charlatan. And I don’t buy that him showing up here tonight is a coincidence either.” I don’t know how he could have known, but I’m suspicious. There’s no way I could have let it slip at the office since Raven is the one who made the reservation. She didn’t tell me where we were going until a couple of hours ago. I never email her from my work account. In fact, we only text, so there’s no way he could have hacked into my private conversations.
The hostess returns, telling us that our table is ready, and when she leads us past the group of guys, I walk by them with my head in the air.
“I can’t stand her,” I hear Colin whisper, but I decide to ignore him. Anything else would likely get me arrested, but I can feel his eyes on my back as the hostess leads us to the table.
“The fucking nerve of that guy,” I practically hiss once the hostess leaves. “You’d think he’d have the decency to leave and let us eat in peace, but he refuses. They would go somewhere else if he felt bad about what he did, but he’s so entitled. I hope he chokes.”
The waiter returns and fills our glasses with water. He then leaves bread and butter on the table.
“Oh, my Lord,” I hiss again. “They’re being seated right over there.” I point at the table a few feet away. Everyone but Colin waves at me. “I can’t believe they are still on his payroll. You see the way he wastes money? He doesn’t need that job, but I do. God, I can’t stand him.”
“But, girl, you still have your job. And a big ass raise. Let him deal with all the stress of being the boss while you collect your paycheck and stack your money. What if it is a big coincidence? What if he can’t just quit because of some weird family shit?” Raven asks. “You know how crazy those rich people can be.”
“Exactly. I know all about crazy family shit, and we’re not rich.” Amira says. “My family is fucked up,” she whispers. “I guess we are rich. Rich in dysfunction.”
“What if you’re passing up on something good with him because of your pride?”
“My pride?” I ask. “Don’t tell me you’re falling for his pack of lies, Rave.” They both open their mouths to argue, but I talk over them. “It’s not even like that. You don’t understand because you’ve always had your own business.” Raven owns a hair salon and has always been her own boss. “He just came and took something that was promised to me. Something I really wanted, and, most importantly, something I earned.”
“Because his decrepit old uncle gave it to him. I think you’re mad at the wrong person.” Raven picks up her drink and points it at the other table. “He keeps looking over here, and I know he’s not looking at me and Amira. Why don’t you just have coffee with him?”
And even if we had coffee. Then what? I can’t and won’t date the boss. It’s hard enough for a woman of color to gain respect in my field. One way to ruin that would be to start sleeping with my boss.
“Well, if he keeps looking, I’ll have no choice but to pour hot sauce into his beady little deceptive eyes,” I say instead and then sigh. “And I know Milton is the one who fucked me over. That’s why I’m making my exit plan. You have it right, Raven. I’m going to work for myself.” We all toast to that. “Anyway, forget about that. Let’s have fun.”