It was almost five PM before the conference came to a close and I escorted Max to the airport. I missed him already and couldn’t stop pinching myself at the recent turn of events this morning. If Alsina hadn’t attacked me, would we have admitted our feelings for each other sooner and resolved everything that happened in Manhattan?
I was dying for Saturday to arrive. He promised to even pick me up himself once he was back from in the evening, and I’d stood crying as he kissed my cheeks and disappeared into the belly of his private chopper. After everything that happened, he was still the same. The same Anselm I’d met and fallen in love with, and not a grumpy, stuck-up boss as I’d initially thought he was.
I was glad that from now on henceforth, I was the only one who got to see the loving side of him he’d shown me in that restaurant bathroom.
God. I couldn’t wait to tell Cora all about it.
Finn raced out the front door the minute I pushed open the gate, and I bent forward to scoop him in my arms and twirl him around in the air just the way he liked it. He giggled harder as I placed him down, lifting his big blue eyes to me. “Welcome back, Mommy.”
I wiped the bread crumbs by the left corner of his cheek and led him into the house with me. The whole place was silent. “Where’s Aunt Cora?”
“In here,” Cora called from the kitchen. I sauntered over with Finn, surprised to see her seated by the kitchen island, laughing at something she was reading on her phone – probably a chat. She didn’t even look up at me. “Hey, Elaine. It’s five o’clock, already?”
I exhaled, setting my bag on the dish cabinet. “Yes. We’ve got to start making dinner. What are you laughing at?”
“Ah, nothing much,” she glanced up, at last, pressing the phone to her bosom. “Terry wants to take me out on our first date on Saturday. There’s this cool new Italian diner downtown – ”
“Wait,” I cut in, my heart sinking. “Saturday… like Saturday night?”
She nodded as her phone trilled once more with a new notification. “Mmh-hmm. Got plans for Saturday as well?” she stared at me curiously.
“Well, guess what? Your girl’s got news!”
“Oh my god,” she hopped off the stool she was sitting on, squealing with me. “Tell me! Tell me!”
“So,” I twirled a curl around my finger, giggling. “Max and I made up. We kissed in a restaurant bathroom on our way to the conference.”
Her jaw dropped. “No fucking way!”
“I know right?” I sighed dreamily with a hand on my chest. “Things went south with this chick called Alsina but afterward? It was bliss! Cora, he’s still the same. And this time, he promised to be completely honest with me.”
“As he should,” she said, cracking her knuckles. “I might be forced to rearrange his face if he ever hurts you again. I was calm about it the last time.”
I nudged her side. “Chill out. He’s a changed man.” I hoped. “We agreed to meet up someplace on Saturday, but as it stands now, I can’t because you’ve got a date with Terry that same night.”
Her face fell. “Shit. Can’t you shift it to Sunday? Oh, don’t bother, I’ll tell Terry to reschedule for Friday instead.”
She started tapping a message on her phone but I whipped it away. “No, Cora. I don’t want Terry to reschedule because of me. It might not be convenient for him. And also, I haven’t been looking after Finn this past week.”
“You worry too much. It’s nothing.”
I shot her a glare. “Don’t tell me that. You know I’ll feel guilty either way.” I blew out a breath, racking my head as I tried to think of a solution. “You’re right. I should reschedule for Sunday.”
I hoped he’d understand.
Cora sighed, rubbing my shoulder. “Sounds good. Now, let’s get dinner started. It’s almost seven.”
“Yeah,” I kept my phone away on the counter and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Let’s get started. We’ll have Chicken Divan.”
–
After dinner, I tucked Finn in and crawled onto my bed even before it clocked at ten PM. With a tummy filled with food and the bed cool and soothing, my mind still wasn’t at rest. I felt guilty for what I was about to do, calling off what I’d already planned for Saturday. What if Max didn’t understand and choose to be difficult? We’d never have a second chance with each other if that happened.
Ugh.
Sliding my thumb over my phone screen, I turned on my data and logged onto Facebook. Sky Walker was online and had also left me an influx of messages.
Sky Walker: Why don’t we meet up on Saturday? That’s if you’re free, babe.
I furrowed my brows, lips curling in confusion.
I don’t understand. We’ve already agreed that we’d meet up after your trip to Manhattan.
Oh, God. Please let it not be what I was thinking it was…
Sky Walker: I sincerely don’t remember ever agreeing to anything like that with you. And what’s with Manhattan? I’m no businessman, I’m just a telesales agent.
Fuck. My jaw went slack in horror.
Another text came in from him.
Sky Walker: I’d really want us to meet on Saturday, babe. You can choose the location if it’s fine. I’ll be glad to honor and respect your wishes.
This wasn’t what I’d anticipated at all. Sitting up, I slapped a palm over my forehead, considering my options. It’d be inhumane to back out from what we’d started already. And if truly he wasn’t Max, I couldn’t deny having a little bit of attraction for him. I mean, he’d made me wet the other night while sexting.
But that’s only because I thought he was Max!
Ugh.
Maybe the least I could do was meet him up.
With shaky thumbs, I hastily typed.
Fine. Let’s meet up on Saturday at 7 at Dreams.
I’d already typed send and the blue delivery ticks turned blue before I realized that I was babysitting Finn on said Saturday.
Oh, God. Things were only getting worse.
Sky Walker: Fine by me. Can’t wait to see you, hun.
He went offline the next second! Who the hell does that?
Tossing my phone aside, I exhaled, trying to think of a solution quickly. I couldn’t reschedule for Sunday because I was planning to meet up with the real Max then. Looking back, how could I not pick up the hints that Sky and Max were not the same people? They did talk alike. A lot too so it wasn’t my fault.
Suddenly, my phone began ringing and my anxiety worsened when I peeked at Max’s name on the caller ID. For a minute, I contemplated not picking up, my breathing turning shallow. When I slid my thumb to answer, at last, I exhaled in frustration. “H-Hello?”
“Elaine?” I shut my eyes, tears threatening to fall at the sound of his voice. “How are you? I just got to Manhattan.”
“Oh, that’s great. I’m happy you made it,” I said brightly, sighing in genuine relief. “How was your flight?”
“Terrible,” he sounded tired, “the only thing keeping me from turning the chopper back was the knowledge that we’d be meeting up on Saturday night.” There was a fond, teasing edge in his voice. “I can’t wait to see you… to slide my dick in between those tits like we did that night five years ago.”
My pussy lips clenched as the memories flooded in. I sighed. “Bad baby boy. I can’t wait to see you again too.”
“It’ll be a night to remember. Trust me.”
I chuckled. “Won’t you go easy on me? I’ve got… slightly depressing news though.”
There was a brief, static sound before I could hear his voice again. “Is everything fine?”
“Yes, yes. Everything’s good. It’s just that,” I paused, swallowing a lump, “I don’t think we can meet up on Saturday anymore. I have a lot of manuscripts to finish and I’ve got friends over… you get the picture.”
When he didn’t say anything immediately, I added. “Sorry if I sound uncertain. Believe me, there’s nothing I can do.”
We lapsed into an uncomfortable silence that seemed to drag on forever. When he spoke up, at last, I was halfway dozing already.
“I’m sorry, Elaine. But I don’t buy your excuse.”
I frowned, hardly believing what I’d just heard. “You think I’m making this stuff up?”
“I don’t care if you’re swamped with work or visitors… I’m meeting you on Saturday. That’s final. Tell your friends you’ve got someplace more important to be and they can visit you on Monday. I’ll give you the day off.”
I sighed, rage pouring off me in waves. “You can’t tell me what to do. We’ll meet up on Sunday instead. That’ll be better. I can come over to your place in the morning.”
“I’m not telling you what to do, Elaine. You’ve got to stop pissing me off. Your reasons are just not valid. Your friends can come over some other time and the manuscripts can bloody wait! I need you Saturday night.”
“Well, if you can’t respect my wishes, then I’d say we don’t meet up at all.”
“Then that’s fine by me, as well. I can see just how much I mean to you. Goodbye, now. Cut the damn call.”
What the fucking heck? Why couldn’t he accept a no? Sunday wasn’t far, the sky wouldn’t fall before then.
“You’ve got to stop being bossy. Yes, you’re my boss but we’re trying to have a relationship here. A lasting one.”
“Cut the call, Clarabelle. I’m done listening.”
“Fine, Mr. Grump. Don’t you bloody call my phone again!” I pressed the red button and leaned my back against the headboard, furious.
How dare he?