Love You Always

“I think we’re done,” I tell Steve, standing from my desk.

“Thanks again. I owe you.”

“Anytime.” I cut off the line because the only one eating my angel should be me. I should save her. My phone rings again. I ignore it this time, heading toward the doors. When I swing it open the blonde from yesterday is standing there.

“Where did she go?” I ask.

“Who?” She stands from Mark’s desk.

“You know who if you’ve been sitting here and are also the one who knocked on my door.” Her mouth parts. “There are cameras,” I remind her. Not in my office but out here there are.

“I know. I’m sorry. I thought you meant your sister maybe? She’s on the line.”

“I meant the woman who stepped out of my office.” I try to get the lick of anger out of my voice. I don’t know what she’s up to but she is up to something. She tried to flirt with me yesterday. I’ve been around enough snakes to spot one. It might take me a moment but when I am paying attention I could point one out in a second.

“She left after leaving your office.” She moves to stand more in front of her desk. “Was I not supposed to let her leave? I didn't know who she was.”

“Go back to your desk. Have all my calls sent to the answering service.” Her nose flares and I know she wants to say something.

“Your sister?” She motions to the phone.

“I’ll take it.” I stalk back into my office, hitting the answer button. “You win,” I tell her as I grab my cell phone that I’d pulled out earlier when I was on the line with Steve.

“What do I win? I never win anything. I’ve never won once on one of those scratch-off tickets. I think it’s a scam.”

“Well, this time you won.”

I text my driver to pull the car around. I also ask if he saw Mia leave.

“I think we should launch an investigation into those scratch-off tickets. I mean, I should have at least won a free ticket or something. This is bullshit.”

“Let it go,” I tell her. She might be right. Those scratch-off tickets have something against her. When we were kids our parents would put them in our stockings and I’d always win. Her, not so much. I also buy them for her and scan the bars to make sure they are losing tickets before I give them to her. It’s one of the only ways that I have to get back at her. One day she’s going to figure this out and she’ll probably kill me.

“Fine.” She lets out a super dramatic sigh.

“I’ve gotta go. You won. Mia’s my girl and I’ll be marrying her. Once I find her again.”

“You lost her? Hell, you really do need a woman in your life. Men lose everything.”

“Kim. Gotta go. Call her friend Amelia and get your gossip. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Wait!” she shouts before I can end the call. “That’s why I’m calling. Amelia called me last night and of course we were super smug.” Shocking. “Then this morning I remembered I did a thing.”

“What?” I run my hand down my face. I never know what she is going to come up with next.

“Well, I already did it. I’m sure you have heard about it but I’m guessing you laughed and moved on.”

“Spill.” Because I can’t recall what she is talking about.

“I booked you a space at the Manor for next Saturday night. I put your name on it and said it was a wedding so it would leak easy.”

The wedding announcement I shook off yesterday. “I tried to call Amelia this morning and tell her about it so she would know it’s not real. I don’t want her to”—her voice drops—“murder you,” she whispers.

“Or have my girl see it and think that I’m a cheating bastard?” I throw back.

“That too.” I can hear the regret in her tone.

“Fuck!” I bellow. Why else would she have just left out of here? I’m not laughing about the fake engagement now. “I’ve got to go.”

“I’m sorry. I love you. Go get the girl!”

“Love you too, brat,” I say, ending the call and heading out of my office. I stop when I see the newspaper sitting on Mark’s desk. That’s why the blonde moved. She was blocking it. I bet she’s the one that showed it to Mia.

Rage lights up inside of me. What my sister did was a game. What this woman did was out of some kind of spite. I want to call her out. I would love to see her escorted from the building but I have to get to my angel first. She always comes first. This soon to be fired chick can wait.

I step onto the elevator firing off text messages to people to make sure they get her out of my office. I want the hallway camera footage pulled. I need to know everything that went down. I should have never let her out of my sight. Lesson learned.