Be My December(18)

 

“You are too good to me Lauren.” I laughed at the brutal honesty of my assistant. “I’m going to go and lock myself away for the day. Come and get me if you need anything and tell me as soon as those contracts arrive.”

 

“Will do.”

 

I left Lauren tapping away at her computer and slipped into my office. Monday morning blues were hitting me at an alarming rate and my motivation to work was running for the hills and taking my fucked-up brain with it. I collapsed into my chair with an oomph. and opened my emails, scanning for anything urgent, but I was drawn to Facebook and before I could control what I was typing into the search bar, Eden Rivers’ profile was glaring back at me.

 

What I had chosen to omit on Friday night was that I already knew her, and I sure as hell knew her name wasn’t Kellie fucking Carter. Fuck that pissed me off. Eden Rivers had been on my radar for longer than most people realized and it took everything that I was not to call her out on it but I also knew that she would possibly freak the fuck out and I didn’t want that.

 

I leaned back in my chair and looked out over the city. How was I going to explain this to her? The fact that she was in the city was partially my doing, however she wasn’t meant to be here yet. As far as I knew she was arriving on Wednesday. The realization that this was going to get messy set in, but there was no way I could back down now, not after she barreled herself into my life.

 

I clicked on the glowing X and Facebook disappeared before me.

 

Before I knew it morning turned into afternoon and afternoon into night. This was my life. Anderson Publications. I spent way too much time in this exact position; sitting in my obnoxiously large chair behind my way too conceited desk in my expansive office. I was a workaholic, and I would be the first to admit it. The buzz of an incoming text vibrated on my desk, and I smiled as I saw Ashlyn’s name flash before me.

 

Ashlyn: Let’s grab dinner. I want to get pizza at Joey’s.

 

 

 

 

 

I looked at my watch and the thought of digging into a pizza made my stomach roar to life.

 

Ky: I’ll meet you there at eight.

 

 

 

 

 

Ashlyn: Look at us two leaving work before midnight.

 

 

 

 

 

Ky: What is becoming of us?

 

 

 

 

 

An hour later I walked through the doors of Joey’s and I was greeted with loud chatter and the saliva inducing smell of fresh pizza and garlic. I scanned the room, finally spotting Ashlyn sitting in a booth in the far corner tapping away on her phone, no doubt working as she waited. Ashlyn looked up when I reached the table and greeted me with a killer watt smile which I returned before kissing her on the cheek and sliding in the booth opposite her.

 

“I didn’t think you’d show,” she teased, turning over her phone as to not be interrupted.

 

“What and leave you desperate and dateless? Please. I am a gentleman.”

 

“Well that’s true; your gentleman qualities were on full display Friday night,” she taunted with a wink.

 

So, we are getting straight to it.

 

I rolled my eyes as my back stiffened. This was a conversation I did not wish to have in the middle of a restaurant. I grabbed for the menu, but it was ripped from my fingertips. I looked up to be greeted by Ashlyn smirking across from me. “Seriously Ash, I just got here. Are we really going to do this now?”

 

She leaned over the table, dropping her voice. “What was Friday night all about?”

 

I narrowed my eyes and knew this conversation was going to happen right here, right now. We were equally stubborn, like two bulls locking horns, and I knew neither of us would back down. The arguments the two of us had were explosive and unpredictable—they often led to days of no contact—but it was critical to the structure of what our relationship was made of. It was what allowed our friendship to work. We tested each other constantly, and we refused to accept each other’s bullshit. To be honest, it was a breath of fresh air.

 

Through clenched teeth, I glared at her, throwing every ounce of my frustration her way. I was hungry, irritated, and tired. Fuck it! I would give in to her banter…Just this once.

 

“I had to do something. He is a fucking asshole.” The thought of Chris touching Eden made my hands fist on the table. A reaction Ashlyn didn’t miss.

 

“So you had to beat your chest like a caveman and go and save the girl?”

 

“Ashlyn, you know why I did what I did. I couldn’t just stand there and—” I swallowed hard as anger roared to life within me, and I had to take back control. “Can we just order a damn pizza and talk about something else?”