Rogue Hearts

“We need to figure this out together. The sooner the better.”

“Fine,” she said. In her head she was slowly watching years of hard work flushing down a clogged drain, and it made her sick to her stomach thinking about it. A weekend fling was going to ruin everything.

“Dinner at my place tonight, and I won’t accept no for an answer, Victoria.”

“Okay. I’ll be there. Can I go now?” She could hear the anger in her voice, but she was too angry to care.

“Go,” he said. “But if you’re not over at my place by eight, I’m coming to you. I still have a key.”

She walked away before she could say anything else in the heated anger that filled her. What bothered her most was that she didn’t know who she was angrier at, Andrei or herself. She had a headache.

Chapter 9

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Andrei

Whenever Andrei was troubled, he went to visit his longtime friend Erik. He always knew what to do. Although Erik wasn’t book smart, the man had street smarts and sage advice to offer anyone who listened. The man loved to read, despite not having a traditional education.

Although Erik wasn’t ever the smartest man in the room, Erik was like a therapist. The guy had read a lot of self-help and psychology books in his spare time, and he lived for solving people’s problems — life-coaching had become a hobby.

They both had been so busy lately that they had not seen each other in a while, almost two weeks. Still, he’d called Erik and told him about Victoria.

Erik lived in one of the high rises on the other side of town. He could afford the place only because the owner also owned the bar below, where Erik was a bartender. They didn’t see each other every day, but they were still close.

“Hey, man.”

“Hey.”

“Lunch?”

“Sounds good. When and where?”

“Seafood. Casper’s. Twelve thirty.”

“See you there.” He hung up.

Andrei needed his friend’s advice before he met Victoria that evening.

Erik arrived first, and he spotted Andrei as he came across the street.

“Andrei, over here, man.” He raised his hand and beckoned to him. They had to stand in line, because it was a popular restaurant and always packed. “We have a fifteen minute wait. Is that all right with you?” Erik asked.

“Sure. That’s fine. So, how have you been?”

Erik smiled. “Great. Life is always as great as you make it. How about you?”

Andrei laughed at his friend’s philosophy. “Good. Could be better.”

“Does that have anything to do with that new lady you’ve been talking about?”

“Maybe. How about you? You seeing anyone?”

Erik said. “No, man. Can’t seem to find the right one.”

One of the other customers sitting in the waiting room seemed to be listening to them, so Andrei nudged Erik, gestured to her, and shut up. They sat in companionable silence. The dinner line moved forward, and finally they were seated at a table.

“You’ve seen a lot of women since you divorced Trish. You’ve told me all about your one-night conquests, like that woman who could bend like a contortionist. You said that she was a crazy bunny boiler, though. You haven’t bothered to hit it even twice in a while. So tell me about this Victoria,” Erik said.