Chapter 40
Juniper
"Hey, Lila. Hey, Skye," I wave as I enter the small coffee shop and head over to my friends.
They both beam at me as I make my way, and once again, I'm thankful for having them both in my life.
"Thanks for meeting me on such short notice.
I know you probably had plans, but I'm so annoyed and didn't really have anyone else to talk to.
" My best friend, Poppy, is currently working as an English teacher, and we always have to schedule phone and Zoom dates well in advance to ensure we are both free.
"Hey, we're friends," Lila says as she stands up and gives me a hug. I hug her back, grateful for her support and sweet words. "We are always going to be here for each other. What's going on, Juniper?"
"I’m just feeling low," I admit as I sit down.
Sometimes it's hard for me to admit the thoughts in my head aren't always as positive as I want them to be. I love my life, for the most part, but there is something missing. There’s always been something missing, and now that I have an unrequited crush on Remington, I feel my singleness and loneliness that much more.
"Oh, no, I'm sorry." Skye leans forward and grabs my hand. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"I had a weird morning with Remington, and I really need to nominate him as the president of the Annoying Bosses Association. I just can’t stand him.”
“Oh, no. What did he do?" Skye asks in a low voice as if she's scared he'll show up and hear us talking about him.
"He's just the most frustratingly annoying man I've ever met in my life."
Lila presses her lips together and looks over at Skye with a knowing look. "Are you going to tell us what happened?"
"So, you guys know he has a kid, right?" I pause and take a deep breath, wondering how he and said kid are getting along.
I slightly regret not going to the office with him because I really want to see him interact with his daughter.
I want to see if he will soften when he sees his little girl. Or if he'll go all stiff and awkward.
"Yes." Skye nods, her lips pursed. "They're meeting today, right?"
"Yeah, this afternoon. Anyway, he called me last night so that I could go over to his place to help him clean out his spare bedroom to get it ready for his daughter.
I already had plans with my dad, but I didn't say no.
I wanted to be nice. So, I go over there and spend my entire morning and some of the afternoon cleaning out this room, and well... let's just say that he's a jerk."
"What did he do?" Skye asks. "Oh, shit. Did he make a move on you?"
"Worse." I groan.
Lila's eyes widen. "Did he pull out his penis and ask you to suck it?"
"What? No." My jaw drops, and I can't stop a giggle from escaping at the thought. "He's a ladies’ man, but he doesn't see me in that way."
"He sure is a ladies’ man." Lila nods. "All the partners are." She giggles. "They really think they are the George Clooney and Brad Pitt of the legal world."
"They are all kinda cute," I admit. I don't really want my friends to know that I have a thing for Remington, but I can't pretend that I don't think he's super hot.
“I know he really thinks he's all that. I mean, he is the ultimate ladies' man.
He has a different woman every night of the week.
But no, he would never ask me to suck his dick because I am just a plain Jane that nobody ever notices. "
Skye makes a face and frowns. "Why would you say that?"
"Because it's true. Remington Parker doesn't even know I exist as a woman."
"Are you upset at that?" Lila asks softly.
"I'm not upset. I'm just frustrated. I overheard him on the phone with some lady who wanted to see him tonight, and he was basically telling her that she had nothing to worry about when it came to his assistant because his assistant was the last woman in the world he would even glance at.
That just makes me feel amazing, you know?
" I adjust my glasses on my face and sigh.
"I'm just fed up with being invisible. I'm fed up with being the woman that everyone calls to help them do something but who no one ever wants to take out, except for my dad because he has no life.
I don't want to end up like my dad. I don't have kids.
It would just be me." I bite down on my lip guiltily.
"I mean, I love my dad, but I want more than just him in my life.
" I shrug. "But no man ever feels that way about me. "
Skye leans forward. "Well, we're ready to give you that makeover whenever you want. You're gorgeous in an understated way. We just need to highlight your beauty, and the men will be all over you.”
“I’m ready. I mean, I just want to change something in my life, you know?
I never had a mom to show me makeup or anything.
I tried some YouTube tutorials, and I ended up looking like a witch.
Maybe I put on too much black eyeliner. I don't know.
" I shrug. "But I'd be really grateful for you girls' help.
I really want to meet a guy. I really want to show Remington Parker that I have a life.
I'm not just going to drop everything to help him with his kid.
" I bite down on my lip again. "Though, I do wonder how it's going. "
"He already picked her up, right?" Skye asks.
"Yeah." I nod. "I thought maybe he would call and beg me for help, but I haven't heard a word from him." I’m slightly disappointed at that. I kind of liked the fact that I was the one that he called for help, even if it didn't really mean anything.
"I have an idea," Lila says. "Why don't we go to an open mic poetry slam tonight and let out our feelings, and then let's make a plan for the makeover next week?"
"A poetry slam? I didn't know you write poetry." I look at her in surprise.
"I'm not. But you're a writer, right?"
"I don't write poetry, and I certainly don't do poetry slams." I shudder and think about my book and how Remington reacted as I told him the plot.
He genuinely seemed to enjoy it, and it made me excited to go home and write more.
It inspired me to figure out where the book was going so I could tell them more and see what he thought.
"It'll be fun, I think." Skye says. "Shall we go? Do you have anything else to do?"
"Well, I was thinking after this drink I would..." I pause. "You know what? Let's do it. I mean, I might suck, but it's not like I know anyone there, right?"
"Exactly." Lila giggles. "And you know what? I'll say a poem, too.”
“You will?” I ask in surprise.
“I mean, let’s all three of us perform. We all have to sign up.”
Skye makes a face. “I don’t want to. I don’t have a poetic bone in my body.”
“We’re actresses.” Lila stares at her. “We can fake something.”
“True,” Skye says, tossing her red hair. “Fine. Shall we go?”
“Maybe after one more drink,” I say. “Or two. Do you guys know where we’re going?”
“I know just the place.” Lila grins.
Four drinks and two shots later, we walk into Arkansas Slow Brewery, and a crowd of hipsters with dreadlocks, plaid shirts, and hand-sewn clothes. They all look far too cool for school and I feel totally out of my element, yet I’m glad to be experiencing something new.
"Welcome," the doorman nods as he gazes at us. "Can I see your IDs, please? It's going to be a five-dollar cover."
"This is where you have the poetry slam, right?" Lila asks as she pulls out her ID.
"Yeah, ma'am. Sign-ups will be at the bar. We'll start in about fifteen minutes."
"Great. All three of us are going to sign up."
He looks at her and then at Skye and then at me. "Sounds good. That's going to be fifteen dollars, please."
"I'll pay for everyone," Lila says, pulling out a fifty. "Keep the change." He stares at her and just nods.
"He could've said thank you," I whisper as we head inside, and Lila shrugs.
"He's probably upset we didn't give him more money."
"Really?" I ask.
"I don't know." She giggles. "But this is New York City, so I would believe anything."
"Yeah, true." I look around in surprise to see how packed it is. There is a group of younger males with long hair and Mohawks talking about Kant’s philosophy, and I just stare at a grinning Lila. “I feel so out of my element,” I admit. “What will I even talk about?”
“Remington.” She grins. “No one’s going to know that you’re talking about your boss.”
“I guess,” I say. “But maybe I won’t do a poem about Remington. I feel kind of weird talking about him in a public space like this. I mean, between us, it’s fine, but...”
“Stop stressing, Juniper,” Skye says. “It’s cool. I mean, Kingston knows I complain about him all the time.”
“Yeah, and so does Max,” Lila giggles. “They think it’s funny.”
“I suppose they would think it’s funny because they love you. However, Remington and I are very much employer and employee, and there is no sexual chemistry or love there. If he ever finds out I’m talking shit about him, I’m fired, and I kind of need this job right now.”
“No one’s going to tell him. I’m not going to tell him,” Skye says. “Are you going to tell him, Lila?”
“Never. Come on, let’s sign up.” We all sign up and grab pear martinis and find seats.
The smell of weed fills my nostrils, and I feel like I'm beginning to get a contact high, though my nerves are fraught when I hear a woman with bright blue hair and several nose rings calling my name.
I stand up slowly, heart racing, and head towards her.
"Let's welcome Ms. Juniper to the stage," she says with a grin. "You've got five minutes. When you see the light blinking at the back, that's your twenty-second warning. Got it?"
"Yup, I think so."
"Here you go, Ms. Juniper." She hands me the mic, and I take it from her, wondering if I've lost my mind. I am so far out of my comfort zone, it's not funny. "The stage is yours."
I stare out at the sea of eyes staring up at me, and the stage starts swaying slightly. I am nervous I'm going to faint.