One night stand with my daddy's best friend
130

I huffed and pulled my hair up into a ponytail, looking at Janey in the mirror. "Is it so hard to have a girl's night out without a guy interfering with our good time?"

On cue, Janey's phone began to ring. "It's Harry," she said, pulling it out her purse. "I gotta answer this." She walked toward the back of the room where two girls were applying thick layers of gloss to their lips and gossiping about various guys. "Aw, I miss you too," I heard Janey say into the phone. "I won't be much later. Just a couple more drinks and... Aw, really? Ah, okay. Okay. I'll be back as soon as I can. I love you so much. Mwah."

She returned with a sorry look on her face.

I stared at her blandly, my lips pursed as I asked, "Let me guess, you gotta head home."

"Harry has a serious case of the sni1⁄2es," she said with a sad pout. "And he needs me to pick up some cough medicine on the way home."

"What, now? The fun's just getting started." "You know what he's like when he's ill." "Yeah, a big baby."

"Don't be mean," she said. "He has asthma. When he gets sick, he gets reeeeally sick. Sorry, chick, but I gotta head home."

"It's okay," I sighed, leaning my head against her shoulder as we stared at one another in the mirror. "We can have a proper girl's night out this weekend and get really crazy." She said nothing and avoided my gaze. "What?" "Nothing," she hedged, but I didn't believe her. "No, what's wrong? Why do you look so miserable?"

"It's just that me and Harry booked a romantic weekend away in a cabin in the woods. So maybe next weekend?"

I could feel our friendship slipping away from me. I hated to believe that we were really drifting apart?

"Oh," I said. "Well, the weekend after next is Thanksgiving, so I'll be at Dad's. I suppose we can catch up when you get back."

"You're not mad?"

"I'm never mad at you," I promised, pulling her into a hug. "Now let's get you home. Don't want Harry dying from his killer sni1⁄2es."

Regretfully, we walked out into the street where the cold wind was picking up and late-night party goers were filling the streets eager for a good time. The air smelled like street food, alcohol, and cigarettes, and there was an ambiance of fun and anticipation of late night debauchery. But sadly, tonight I wouldn't be part of it.

"You wanna share a cab with me?" Janey asked as she thrust her hand out toward a passing taxi.

"Sure."

I reached into my bag for my wallet, but my hand felt nothing but the silk lining at the bottom. "What the fuck?" I gasped.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't have my wallet."

"Shit. Did you leave it in the bar?"

"No, I used cash that was in my pocket for the drinks. Aw, crap I think I left it in my o ce."

The taxi pulled up beside us and Janey opened the back door. "You coming?"

"Nah, I better head back and get it."

"Are you sure? Couldn't you just get it in the morning?" "I won't be able to sleep until I know it's there for sure." "Hey, girls, are you movin' or what?" the cab driver

grumbled as he looked over the back of his seat. "Jesus, I'm coming!" Janey grouched.

"It's okay. Just go," I told her. "I'll get a cab on my own." "No, don't do that. I can wait for you if you want."

"No, you gotta get back to Harry. Honestly, it's fine."

She climbed in the back and stared up at me with apologetic, puppy dog eyes. "I hate leaving you alone."

"I'll be okay. It's just a two-minute walk back to the o ce."

"Are we going?" the driver griped impatiently.

"Yes! Fuck's sake!" Janey moaned. "Text me when you're home, okay?"

"I definitely will. Get home safe!" I closed her door and the driver sped off. "Dick," I said to myself as the cab joined the busy nighttime tra c.

Walking back to the o ce, I couldn't believe how dumb I'd been to forget my wallet.

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Your brain's been in your panties recently, I told myself. If you were thinking less about Matthew, you wouldn't be so forgetful.

Reaching the entrance to the o ce, I approached Jerry, the night watchman. "Well, hello, miss. Don't tell me you're one of those late-night workout fanatics."

Suddenly, away from the crowded bar, I was aware of the tipsiness. I'd only had three drinks, but they'd gone right to my head, and I found myself giggling.

"No. I just need to pick something up real quick from my o ce," I said, skipping past him.

Hurrying across the foyer, I entered the elevator and immediately wondered who the crazy witch in the mirror was. Then I realized I was looking at my exhausted self; hair blown around in the wind and makeup worn away by the long day. Tugging at my hair, I tried to spruce myself up, but it was useless.

Thank God nobody's around to see me like this, I thought as I stepped out and briskly walked to my o ce. Opening the door, I saw my wallet in the middle of my desk and let out a sigh of relief.

Right, it's finally time for a hot bath and a midnight snack.

But as I turned to leave, I heard the click of Matthew's door, and a second later, he appeared at the end of the hall.

"Becca? I thought you left hours ago."

"I forgot my wallet," I said, holding it up. "I was just leaving."

There was a wry smile on his face, as though he was enjoying what he was seeing.

"What?" I asked. "Nothing."

"You looked like you were going to laugh at me."

"No, not at all. It's just it's the first time I've seen you not all prim and proper."

"You mean I look a mess."

"I mean you look like you've just finished partying hard.

In a good way."

We stared at each another. There was the overwhelming knowledge that it was just the two of us in the o ce. An energy grew between us, a sense that we were being drawn closer. "Anyway, what are you doing here?" I asked, trying to take his attention away from me. "You can't still be working."

"Yeah I am."

"Why?"

He looked down at his shoes for a second and said, "I like working. It takes my mind off things."

"Like Olivia?"

Shit, why did you just say that? That's the White Russians talking.

His head had jerked up, a frown marring his handsome face. "Yeah, like Olivia."

"I saw her earlier. Or rather, I heard her. The mad banshee."

He threw back his head and laughed. "That's one way of describing her. But I'm sorry you had to hear that. She made quite a scene."

I felt the jealousy from earlier rise in me once again, but it was stronger, more intense. I knew I should let the subject drop, but fortified by drink, I shamelessly pried.

"What did she want?"

"Ah, you don't really wanna hear about her." "I do."

"Really?"

"Sure." I shrugged.

He looked up at the clock, then back toward his o ce. "Why don't we go and grab a coffee? I've not had much of a chance to catch up with you properly since you started here. We've been working like crazy." "A coffee?"

Say yes. A coflee is exactly what you need. And getting Matthew on his own is exactly what you want!

"A coffee sounds wonderful," I said. "Just let me freshen up first."