“I told you, if I see Jess, Jess will know the brand and—”
“Tell her about me and the gift, Mia. Contrary to what you may think, I’m not hiding. And neither are you anymore. Good night, Mia.”
With that, he disconnects.
Chapter Sixty-One
If you cannot be positive, then at least be quiet.
—Joel Osteen
While I’d normally linger in my loft, enjoy my coffee and a little me time, this morning I can’t escape my place, my once-happy little place, fast enough. I’m out of my door, down the stairs, and on the sidewalk in a blink, as if a public place allows me to somehow become invisible again. I’m not sure I’ll ever be invisible again. I witnessed a murder. I didn’t report it.
I’m not me anymore. Not a me I recognize.
Eagerly merging with the bustle of morning walkers, I check the news yet again. Still nothing to note, not that I expected there would be. Kevin hasn’t even no-showed to work yet. I’m almost to the coffee shop when my phone buzzes with a text message, and dread fills me with the certainty that it’s from Adam. And, of course, it is: You look beautiful, Mia. Get rid of the glasses next. And remember: don’t turn Jess into a liability. Tell the truth. We met on the dating app. We can’t get enough of each other. We are always on the phone. I’m a man who wants to spoil you.
I halt and stop dead in my tracks, swallowing against the bile in my throat. He’s watching me right now. He’s here, somewhere in the crowd. He is always here.
Feeling as if I might hyperventilate, I slowly breathe in and out, and then I place one foot in front of the other, almost as if I’m a robot. I’m being trained to be his robot, his puppet, his submissive. All these terms and words play in my mind, taunt me, promise me my future is this, his. I’m his slave. I’m Adam’s Eve. Lord, help me, and I mean that literally. I need help.
I arrive at the coffee bar earlier than expected, but Jess is already present. She waves me down from a booth, motioning to the coffees already on the table in front of her. And here we go. Me, looking like another version of me, that Jess will have plenty to say about. Nerves do this little tap dance in my belly as I approach her.
She greets me on her feet, and with several gaping once-overs. “Okay, wow. You’re in Chanel, girl. Your hair is down. You look stunning. I’ve literally begged you to let me give you a makeover, and you shunned me. How did this happen?”
I motion to the table. “I need coffee.”
“Okay,” she says. “But I need answers.”
“Coffee. Answers.”
She nods and we slide into our seats. “Talk,” she orders. “Did your dad get that big payout for his work already and treat you? No,” she says, rejecting that idea as quickly as she’s spoken it, her brows dipping, “No,” she repeats. “No way that happened this quickly, and this is more than that anyway. There’s a transformation to you beyond the clothes.”
“There is something,” I say, the lies I’m about to tell burning on my tongue and lips. “I met a guy. A civil engineer. He just—wants to spoil me.”
“Wait. What? And I don’t know about this? Who the hell is he?”
“It happened fast. He was the cartoon guy on the dating app.”
“The one who upset you?”
“I think it was more like him being the male version of you. He basically told me I needed to break out of my shell.”
“But not as nicely as that.”
“No. You’re right. He was far pricklier about it than that, and he did upset me, but it also hit a nerve. Let’s just say, he drove home your years of preaching.”
“Okay. Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t feel comfortable with this. He’s the cartoon guy. He literally used a cartoon character as his photo, which shouldn’t be allowed. You don’t even know what he looks like.”
“I do. We did the whole video thing. He’s actually really good looking.” Which is true, I add silently. He is good looking. He’s also crazy, but I leave that part out. “So much so,” I add, still talking about his appearance, “that it felt like a joke that he was interested in me. He was the one leaving me the notes, by the way. He recognized me from the dating app.”
“Hmm,” she says, sipping her coffee. “I’d really hoped this was more romantic than creepy. Now I’m not sure what I think.”
Go, Jess, I think. Thank you for being right there with me, even if you don’t know you’re right there with me, right now.
“On the bright side,” she says. “You can now be a part of my dating-app story.” She waves that off. “Or not. I’m unsettled by all of this. I’m just—I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
“It’s—this thing with him—it’s only a week old. You’ve been busy, and I worried it was a joke.”
“And that means what? We are us. We figure things out together. You didn’t even tell me he existed.”
“Well, I am now. I’m talking to you now. I’m telling you about him now. He even wants to meet you.”
“He who? You haven’t even spoken his name.”
“Adam. Adam wants to meet you.”
“And that’s a hell yeah to a meetup. I need to assess this man. I mean, he has good taste in clothes, but those are some expensive gifts he’s throwing your way after only one week. That feels a little fast and off. Then again, men can be that way.” She holds up a hand. “Don’t let me be a Debbie Downer. I’m happy for you. When can I meet him?”
“I’ll see what I can work out.” Eager to just get past the lies, I change the topic. “Speaking of the dating-app story, you actually went to Jack’s place?”
“I told you I was. I’m desperate to get this article done. And by the way, his knee seemed just fine. Was he lying and just taking sick time?”
“Why do you always think the worst of him?” I challenge. “His pain comes and goes. That’s the way bad knees can be, and he had an MRI. His doc wants him to have surgery. And by the way, I don’t know what you said to him, but you must have scared him. He actually suggested he and I go on a date.”
Her eyes go wide. “What? I scared him into asking you out? That is the most illogical thing I’ve ever heard.” I open my mouth to speak and she holds up a finger. “Let’s tell it how it really is. This new guy showers you with gifts and pulls you out of your shell, and Jack wants to date you now? How many times have I said it? Jack doesn’t sit right with me.”
“First, Jack doesn’t know about Adam. And he wasn’t serious about the dating thing. He’s just afraid you want to marry him off, and then it’s just you and me again.”
“This is on me now?” She rolls her eyes. “Good grief. I have a life. He does not. I date and I’m thrilled you’re dating. There is something off about Jack.”
“He’s a good friend, Jess. Be a good friend to me by being one to him.”
She purses her lips. “He agreed to do the dating-app story for me, so I’m obligated to you and him.” She waves off the topic and adds, “Enough about Jack. Tell me about your father.”
I fill her in on what I know so far and end with, “I don’t understand why my father wouldn’t just reject anything involving Big Davis?”
She grimaces. “I fear he’s trouble, Mia. I’m shocked but happy you’re going to the meeting with the attorney. I’d offer to go as well, but I’m quite sure your mother wouldn’t appreciate it.”
My brow furrows. “Why do you say that?”
“I’m not really family, and she barely tolerates her own daughter.”
I flinch and she grabs my hand. “Sorry. Raw nerve. Forget I said that. Back to the meeting. Let’s talk strategy.”
“I’m all ears. Throw me some good words.”
“You be the lion in the room. Make everyone in the meeting focus on how dangerous Big Davis truly can be to a positive outcome of this negotiation. I know you can do it.”
“Because I’m such a good negotiator and do it all the time?”
“Because you, my dear, are smart, and that, with the love you have for your father, is magic. Meanwhile, I’ll make some calls and see if I can find someone who has something on Big Davis we can use, but I make no promises I’ll find anything.”