“Go beat off, she'll be out in a few,” I tell him with a slight snicker.
“I’m leaving you the keys to my car. I know you will need it. I have the perfect outfit for your interview. Wear my little black dress, the matching shoes and clutch are marked on their boxes under my bed. Love you Fifi. Make yourself at home.” She hugs me with tears in her eyes. Then squats down to Milo, her pug who is being his little lazy self, lounging in his doggie bed. “Be a good boy for Auntie Fiona.”
He licks her hand and went back to sleep.
“Go get your ring.” I swat her on the rear playfully as she rises with a yelp, rushing out the door.
April's apartment is perfect. Located in a great neighborhood that’s quiet, clean, and close enough to the popular local attractions. The apartment I am about to get booted from is livable at best and far from the good stuff. April earns great money working as the head nurse in the Emergency Room at Bellevue Hospital. She’s so put together while I’m a walking disaster.
My friends are real adults while I am simply meandering about as though I’m still enrolled in college and undecided in a major. April said some of us just take longer than others to find their calling. She always knows what to say, unlike me.
Thankfully April and I are similar in height and build, but other than that we are complete opposites. Where she has blonde bob cut hair and blue eyes, I have long auburn curls and muddy brown eyes. Dev calls my eyes dark fudge.
Scouring her clothes rack, my eyes land on the black dress. It’s perfect. My hands run over the contouring panels under the bust line. My curves are going to be banging. Taking it
from the closet, I lay it across the bed and go down to my knees to find the coordinating shoes and clutch.
I nearly knock myself out when the ringing of my phone jars me while I am under the bed.
Chase, my loser ex-boyfriend who left me high and dry when I lost my job, keeps trying to call me. I can't deal with him. Switching my cell to vibrate I tuck it in my bag so I can get ready in absolute peace.
Chase thinks he’s hot shit because he plays in a band with a bunch of drunken potheads. I might’ve been inclined to feel differently if their music was decent, but it’s terrible.
Intent on making an impression tonight, I tune Chase and my shitty morning out.
Sunk down in April's tub with cucumber slices resting on my eyes, I feel relaxed—finally, with my favorite conditioner pampering my hair. It has the most intoxicating scent—cherry, white almond, and vanilla.
I hope Randy is making all of April's fantasies come true. She deserves the best. We met in second grade when we ended up in a hair-pulling match over Todd Crisp. He had promised us both a teddy bear for Valentine's Day. Needless to say, he only produced one bear. I laugh silently at the memory. We were put into detention together where we concluded neither of us liked Todd. I ripped the bear's head off and gave the brown fluff to her as a peace offering. We have been besties ever since.
My skin eventually begins to prune and my water has turned cold.
After toweling off and going through my beauty regimen, I am all set to meet Lukas Cross. Our email exchanges have been brief, but I’ve gathered he is quite a flirt. I hope he tones down the innuendo for my interview.
With nothing to do until my meeting, I fire up my laptop and log into my cloud to go over my notes. Milo hops up on the couch curling against my side. I stroke his soft, warm head while I wait for my page to load.
I’ve never been a personal assistant, but I am certain I can manage.
My phone is already buzzing with more messages from Chase. I’ll have to talk to him at some point, but I don’t have the energy to listen to him.
Turning my cell off vibrate, I grab April's keys, stepping into my borrowed heels feeling like a million bucks. I made sure Milo had everything he’ll need and head out for the evening ahead.
April's Lexus drives like a dream. Much better than hailing a cab, taking the bus, or the subway. I left an hour early just in case I meet the evening rush.
It took me a half an hour to drive six blocks. Parking in the designated lot, I steal a glance at the time to see I’m still a good ten minutes early. Good. This permits me time to go into the bathroom and make sure I look good and feel great.
The bathroom in the bar is dark with very poor track lighting. Not that I expect much better. I decide to check my phone and send Chase a text to at least let him know we will talk later. He probably wants to get the last of his stuff from the apartment. I’ve been putting it off but it’s time to give him his shit and be done with it.
Hovering over the commode while trying to text may not have been the best idea. Just as I am typing out my message, asking Chase what is so important, I lose my grasp on my phone, and my life plops in the porcelain bowl to my horror. My jaw hits the floor as I scramble to decide my best course of action there, but then the unthinkable happens.
The self-flush sensor senses my movement and proceeds to take my phone out with my pee! Why me? Why did this shit always happen to me? Chase will totally think I am avoiding him, which I am, but my phone is my life line. He will have to deal with my prolonged silence until I get back to April's place.
Tears threaten to ruin my makeup. “I won't cry,” I whisper to myself. Biting my lip, I try not to freak out over my phone. I only got it three months ago. I am sure my cell phone carrier won’t find my story amusing.
Fluffing my hair once over in the dimly lit mirror, I mentally prepare myself for the night ahead. “You are a vixen in a sultry dress and you can do anything,” I tell myself with full conviction. “You've got this, Fifi Grey. That leprechaun will not stand in your way tonight.” Just as I utter the words, putting on my favorite mango lipstick, my tube breaks off. I throw my hands up. “Fan-fucking-tastic!”
Exiting the restroom quickly, I am afraid of what else the night is going to throw at me.
The Cask and Barrel is a bar located near Devlyn’s apartment and frequented often by his police buddies. This fact alone makes me feel better about meeting a stranger, even if he is a wealthy acquaintance of Randy’s.