The Stopover (The Miles High Club 1)

I’ve stopped reading the paper so that I don’t have to see his name. On my runs, I go the other way so I don’t have to see the Miles Media building or restaurants or anything that would remind me of him or our time together.

Him . . .

I can’t even bring myself to say his name.

He’s been put into the vault, and nobody dares mentioning him to me. It’s like he never existed . . . and maybe he never did.

“What are you wearing tomorrow?” Molly asks as she cuts into her steak.

“I thought my navy suit.” I chew my food. “I want to look professional and smart.”

“No gray skirt?” Aaron smirks.

I wipe my mouth with my napkin. “I threw that fucker out.”

“What?” Molly shrieks. “I loved that skirt! I would have had it.”

“That was a troublemaking skirt,” I reply. “Trust me; you don’t want that kind of negativity in your life.”

“Here, here.” Aaron lifts his glass, and we clink again.

“Michael asked me out on a date on Saturday night,” Molly says casually.

My knife and fork hit the plate with a clang as my eyes rise to meet hers. “What?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know what to make of it, really.”

“Did he ask you out for a casual dinner? Are you sure it’s a date?” Aaron frowns.

“No, his exact words were, ‘Would you like to come out on a date on Saturday night?’”

I smile. “Are you going to go?”

“I don’t know.” She sighs. “So much water has passed under the bridge between us. We’ve just got to a place of trust and friendship again. I don’t want to ruin it.”

“By fucking him?” Aaron smirks as he bites into his food.

“Well, if I did fuck him, and he didn’t use double Viagra on me, I would be mortally offended. I know what tricks he has in his toolbox now.”

We all giggle.

“God, that night was funny,” I add, remembering him passing out from all the blood in his dick.

Molly rolls her eyes. “For you, maybe.”

We fall silent as we eat.

“Good luck for tomorrow, babe,” Aaron says.

“Thanks, guys.” I smile. “You are the best two things about New York.”

“God, you’re so right,” Molly mutters into her glass. “And these margaritas.” She raises her glass to show me. “So should I go out with Mike?”

“Yes,” Aaron and I gasp. “Go.”

“Emily.” Athena smiles as she wraps her arms around me. “It’s so good to see you. Welcome.”

“Hi.” I smile nervously.