Bursting at the Seams

“My boss might kick my ass for this,” I say as we look around, though my remark is made with a little laugh.

“Why?” he questions, concern thick in his voice.

“I’m the marketing manager, a festival is happening essentially right next door, and I didn’t know about it. We could have had a booth of our own here.”

“You said you work for a healthy lifestyle blog,” he remarks with a raised brow. “Nothing about this is healthy.”

“Not the point,” I chuckle, shaking my head. “I’ve been so distracted with Caroline’s wedding that things have slipped through the cracks. All the while I told myself I had it all under control… I should have delegated a bit at work or something. Lesson learned, I suppose.”

Emanuel nods and unlinks our arms to toss his around my shoulders. “I think everyone could stand to get a little better about asking for help when they are drowning.”

“Oh yeah?” I ask with a smile. “Including you?”

“Definitely,” he admits. “Maybe one day soon, it’ll be each other we can turn to for help.”

“I’d like that,” I breathed.

The conversation stopped so we could order our food. We selected a barbecue truck, though I opted for a chicken salad. After all the pizza and beer last night, my body is screaming for something green. He keeps his arm locked around me as we walk and eat, his tray having to be up next to my face to make it work. It makes us stumble occasionally, and all I can do is laugh.

“I didn’t think it was possible,” I think aloud.

“What’s that?”

I peer up to him with a beaming expression. “To feel young again.”

He rolls his eyes at me, though he’s still grinning ear to ear. “You’re twenty-six, not thirty like some of us.” Emanuel feeds me a fry from his tray and I take it, though I take the opportunity to bite the tip of his thumb lightly. His playful gaze darkens a bit. “Well, you feel young again and I feel… myself for once. It’s been a long time.”

“You mean you’re this carefree, goofy guy instead of a jackass at heart?” I tease.

“Absolutely. Just lost sight of it for a while.” Our faces near and we share a sweet and salty kiss. My heart is hammering away in my chest, and I hope this feeling never fades. The kiss deepens, his tongue pressing past my lips. I can taste the spices on his tongue and it’s pulling me in even more. However, he pulls away and whispers in my ear, “How about we go see your office?”

A thrill shoots through me and I nod, maybe a little too excitedly. I shouldn’t be this giddy to fool around with him at my workplace, where there’s people filtering in and out at all times. But I can’t shake how hot it will be to christen my desk the same way we did his. “Right this way, sir.”

“Sir? I like that,” he purrs to me.

We turn and head back through the festival to retreat back to my building, tossing our containers away as we walk. “Oh, so now you like PDA?” a voice calls from our left. I peer over to see a towering blonde woman who is model-thin and tan glaring at us. Before I can even think of anything to say, she is storming over and staring Emanuel down. “Or are you just trying to rub this in my face?”

“I’m sorry, who are you?” I manage to get out.

Her hazel eyes lock on me like I imagine military satellites did moments before launching missiles. “I’m Eliza Efron, his wife.”

Shell-shocked would be putting how I feel right now lightly. My jaw hangs slack, my eyes widen, and a sort of numbness rolls through my body. “Ex-wife,” Emanuel corrects. This should bring me some relief, but for some reason it doesn’t.

Eliza rolls her eyes and leans on one hip as she crosses her arms. “Thank God for that, right?” Her eyes cut to me. “If I were you, hon, I would run for the hills. I’m sure he’s being fun, charming, and affectionate right now. Everything you could ever dream a man to be for you. And then he’ll get comfortable, once he has you hooked. And he’ll slowly fade away. Become a cold, calculating, standoffish bastard who only wants to fuck you doggy-style so he doesn’t have to look you in the eye. And once that’s not enough for him anymore? He’ll leave without a word.”

My stomach churns and I have to turn my face away, a wave of embarrassment crashing over me. “Go away, Liz,” Emanuel barks at her. “My love life has nothing to do with you.”

“How you spend your money and time has everything to do with me until we settle our case,” she hisses back.

“You’re a greedy, vindictive--” he begins but I cut him off by moving myself out from under his arm then. “I have to get back to work,” I mumble before stepping away from the scene. My thoughts are racing and I just let it happen, a hazy wall of numbness protecting me from feeling anything about them anyways.