She shoved it in the front closet, tossed her sandwich in the trash, and went to sleep alone—the way she would for the rest of her life.
*
Autopilot.
Jessica fell back into her pre-Dr. Luke Jones routine: exercise, work, study, test, repeat. After two weeks she gave up trying to pretend that he didn’t exist. After all, it would be difficult to do since they were both in the Long Beach Triathlon with Kelly and Gabe.
“You have a lot of explaining to do.” Kelly barged through the door.
“Nice to see you too.” Jessica set her bags by the door.
They were all riding down to Long Beach in Gabe’s SUV. Aside from a few texts from Luke asking if she was coming to clean, which she answered with a simple “no,” they hadn’t had any other communication since the black bag incident.
“Ellie said you’re Luke’s maid now. I told her she was full of shit, but she insisted she wasn’t and it’s a weird thing for her to make up on her own, so what gives?”
“Oh, Ellie … yeah, um … it’s true. I was doing some light house cleaning for Jones—I mean Luke. But I’m not anymore.”
Kelly looked at her like a third eye had sprouted above her nose. “That … that doesn’t make any sense.”
It really didn’t.
“You’re a disaster.” Kelly looked around Jessica’s cluttered apartment. “And everything at his condo is immaculate. What could you possibly be doing to help him?”
“I’m not doing anything. I was, but now I’m not. Are you ready to go?”
Kelly narrowed her eyes. “Why not?”
Jessica grabbed her bags and lifted her bike on her shoulder. “We—I—he … fired me.”
“What?” Kelly opened the door.
“Well, what I mean is he let me go. Actually it was more me than him.” She handed Kelly her keys to lock up then headed down the stairs. “He was too … demanding. I didn’t want to feel so tied down.”
“Jessica Mauve Day, I don’t believe a word you’re saying. This whole situation reeks of lies and … something else.”
“Hey, Jess,” Gabe greeted her at the curb and took her bags and bike.
Kelly tracked Jessica with an evil eye as they both got in the backseat.
“What’s with the sour grape look?” Gabe asked Kelly as he shut the door and adjusted his mirror.
“Our friends are up to something.”
Jessica shook her head and ignored Kelly’s distrustful scowl all the way to Luke’s condo.
“Hey, man!” Gabe jumped out and grabbed Luke’s bike.
Jessica looked out the opposite window, digging her nails into her palms just short of breaking the skin.
“Oh … you’re sitting in back?” Luke asked Kelly as he opened her back door.
“Why? Do you want to sit back here with your ex-maid?”
Jessica whipped her head around to look at Luke. He squinted a bit, flitting his eyes between her and Kelly.
“Ex-maid?”
“Yes. You fired her, didn’t you?”
“Uh …”
“I quit.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Kelly nodded. “You were being too … what did you say, Jessica? Oh, now I remember. You were being too demanding and she didn’t want to feel so tied down.”
Luke’s wide eyes sought confirmation from Jessica. “Is that so?”
She grimaced.
“Get up front. I’m sitting back here with my ex-maid.”
Kelly seemed to dismiss the edge of anger to his words, but Jessica did not.
“Everyone ready?” Gabe asked as soon as Kelly closed her door.
With a unison of yes, they were off to Long Beach.
Kelly dominated the conversation with her pre and post triathlon meal plans for everyone, the map of the course, check-in times, and basically everything else from the website as if she were the only one in the group who could read.
Luke pulled his phone out of his pocket and focused on the screen. Jessica drummed her fingers on the arm rest, stealing an occasional sideways glance. Those hands that held his phone and fingers that slid over the screen were the same ones that cupped her breast, brushed over her nipple, and slipped between her legs. She adjusted in her seat, feeling warm and tingly.
Her phone vibrated. Slipping it out of her bag she smiled.
Jones: Hi.
Jessica: Hi.
She rolled her eyes to the side, but his face remained stoic as if he were messaging someone a million miles away.
Jones: I’ve missed you.
Her heart galloped.
Jessica: Missed you too.
Jones: Did you lose my number?
She stared at the screen.
Jessica: Just my nerve.
Jones: Because of the bag?
Jessica: Yes.
Jones: I miss your lips.
She shifted again in her seat. How he sat there like a statue was beyond comprehension.
Jessica: They miss you.
Jones: Why no bra today?
She dipped her chin. Her hard nipples were molded in twin peaks against her grey tank top. Tossing any sort of discreetness out the window, she turned and stared at him, silently demanding him to look at her. But he didn’t. He showed absolutely no outward signs that they were having any sort of interaction.