What He's Been Missing

“Oh, that was nothing. Just pretend I said Alarm Clock—Zachariah—whatever.”

Donnica sat back down and cleaned her markings with the Hermès cloth before I returned the dog. She picked up the ring and put it back on her finger.

“I don’t know what I was thinking,” she said. “I’m so glad I came—”

I saw shoes in the doorway. Before I could turn they’d rushed to stand behind Donnica.

“Ian?” I said. I turned to the doorway again and there was Krista with her hands up.

“I told him,” Krista said. “I tried to stop him!” She backed away from the door.

“You’re cancelling lunch with me?” Ian charged.

“Yes, I told Krista to tell you over the phone.”

“She did.”

“So then why’d you come here?”

Donnica’s eyes were bouncing between us. It was the quietest I’d ever seen her.

“You know why I came here. We need to talk.”

“Well, we can’t,” I said. “I have a client!” I pointed at Donnica.

“I was just leaving,” Donnica said. “I already texted Zach to tell him his Powerpuff girl is—”

“Your client is leaving!” Ian said.

“No, she’s not!”

“Yes, I am!” Donnica got up and straightened her little orange skirt like she hadn’t just had a breakdown. “I got to get home to Zach! We got us some making up to do.” Donnica wiggled to the door. “Ms. Winslow, I’ll see you next week.” She looked at Ian sharply. “Don’t be messing with my wedding planner.” She readjusted the dog on her hip and walked out.

“There’s nothing for us to talk about,” I said, slamming my laptop closed and getting up from the desk.

“Yes, there is.” Ian closed the door. “We need to talk about last night. About what you heard. About what we heard.”

“I’m fine. I don’t need to talk,” I said. I picked up a file from my desk and tried to busy myself by arranging the papers. I couldn’t look at Ian. I was embarrassed by what had happened at his house with Xavier. And totally confused by Ian’s behavior before I left. “Look, everything is fine with X. We’re going to work it out.”

“Work it out? No, Rach—”

“No, what?”

“He’s not good enough for you. He never was.”

“Not good enough? You sa

id you were happy about us hooking up. That you could ‘get behind that.’ Remember that? Now you’re flaking on your boy? On me?”

“He hasn’t changed. You know that. He’s still the same player from college.”

“You don’t know him,” I charged.

“I know him well enough,” Ian pointed out. “I know what I heard last night. And I know you.”

“She’s his ex-girlfriend.”

“Well, if you’re his new girlfriend, he doesn’t need to talk to his ex-girlfriend.”