“It’s not a problem,” I tell him. “I told you, I don’t offend easily. I apologize for this morning, too, by the way. I could explain the whole situation, but it wouldn’t really be appropriate. Let’s just say that I don’t usually come to work with no underwear. Can we leave it at that?”
Alex laughs again. “Of course. I think working with you is going to be very interesting,” he answers, chuckling.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him again. “I promise, I’m usually very professional.”
“Don’t be sorry,” he tells me firmly. “I told you, I like employees with spunk. We’re going to be a great team. Have a good night, Allison.”
He hangs up.
And I turn and glare at Sara.
“Is there any other aspect of my life you would like to try and wreck? Maybe you’d like to buy Sophie a gigolo and get her pregnant or something?”
Sara actually looks pained.
“I’m sorry, Alli,” she says quietly. “I truly didn’t mean to do that. I thought it was Rick.”
I sigh.
“I know. And you were just trying to be a good friend. But damn girl, with a friend like you, who needs enemies?”
I fill our glasses back up with the last of the wine and we sit back, our heads leaned together. Sara picks up her leg and starts counting the stars with her toe.
“You’d better stay here tonight,” I tell her. “You shouldn’t drive.”
“You’ve got that right, sister,” she mumbles.
I can tell from her super relaxed face that I need to get her out of the hot tub, pronto, before she falls asleep. And that is what leads to the fact that I am hoisting her na**d body out of the water when Mr. Darnell goes into his backyard to take his trash out.
At this point in the day, I don’t even care. I just wave over my shoulder, ignoring his flabbergasted expression, as I help Sara into my house.
We’re both na**d and dripping wet.
This day just can’t get any worse.
And nobody should ever say that. Because what always happens when they do?
Things get worse.
That’s right.
Well, not exactly worse, but definitely uncomfortable. And slightly hilarious (in hindsight).
Sigh.
Because I was so tired, after I dropped Sara onto one side of my bed and covered her up, I laid down for just a second on the other side. For just for one second.
But apparently, when two people split four bottles of wine, it does something to their sense of time. Because when I open my eyes, it is morning and Sophie is standing over me.
“’Morning, honey,” I mumble. She raises an eyebrow.
“I guess it is,” she says. “But not as good as last night, apparently. Why are you and Aunt Sara na**d together in your bed?”
Eff.
I sit straight up and look at Sara. She is sleeping soundly, snoring softly, with drool pooling on my expensive brushed Egyptian cotton sheets.
And she is naked.
And I am naked.
I sigh.
“Obviously, it’s not what it looks like,” I tell Sophie as I jab Sara in the ribs.
“Of course not,” Sophie giggles, as she turns to walk out of the room. “Have a good day, mom. I just came by to pick up my math book. You’d better hurry. You’re going to be late for work.”
I look at the clock and then leap from the bed, yanking all of Sara’s covers off in the process.
I only have fifteen minutes to get ready. Efffffffff.
“Sara!” I yell as I head for the bathroom. “Get up. We’re late.”
She sits up and looks around bewilderedly. “Did we get drunk and drive to Vegas and get married?”
I laugh as I start the shower. “You’re half right. We got drunk, you cussed out Rick the Dick and then called my new boss a Tiny Dick. And we live in Vegas.”
She looks shocked, then she smiles at me. “Well, then. You’re just lucky your best friend is such a bad ass.”
I sigh.
“Get your bad ass in Sophie’s shower. We’re going to be late.”
She laughs and stumbles down the hall as I jump in the shower and try to figure out how I’m going to look Alex in the face today.
********
It’s not as hard as one might think.
And it’s certainly not as hard as I thought it was going to be.
Alex is acting like everything is perfectly normal.
He brought me another cup of gourmet coffee and left it on my desk with a note.
This is me, starting over.
Have a great day, AH
I have to smile at that and I am still smiling as Taylor walks in with a bunch of papers that need my signature.
“Why are you smiling like that?” she asks suspiciously. “Are people getting laid off today?”
I stare at her in horror. “Of course not! And why would I be smiling about that?”
She shrugs as she sets the folders down in front of me and settles into a chair to wait.
“I don’t know. You’ve been a little, shall we say…edgy lately. People have noticed. Everyone is asking me what your deal is.”
Hell.
I sigh.
“I don’t have a deal,” I tell her as I pick up a pen and start sifting through the stack. “I’ve just had an interesting week and I might be in a weird mood. I’m sorry.”
She stares at me. “What has been going on?” she asks curiously. “Tonya told me that you’re going out with Brian tonight. I told her that in no way was that true, but she said that Brian told her himself.”
I restrain myself from shuddering. And I can’t deny it since Tonya is Brian’s assistant.
“It’s true,” I admit sadly. “We’re having dinner as friends tonight. We’re both divorced so we thought it might be nice to get together with someone who understands what we’re going through. As friends.”
“Thank god,” Taylor breathes. “I thought you had lost your mind.”
I sign my name to a document and glance up at her.
“Nope. My mind is intact. Probably.”
She laughs and I laugh with her. She has no idea of the lengths my sanity has gone to this week.
“And what’s the deal with Alex bringing you coffee?” she asks. “Our old VP never even came out of his office. Alex has brought you coffee twice and he gets here before you in the morning. He’s probably going to start getting mad that you’re not here when he stops by.”