“You could say that,” I said, smiling at the memory.
“But you’re not sure you want to see him again?” Gia asked.
“No, the opposite. I want to see him again. More than anything if I’m honest but he seems to think that the whole thing was a fling. Nothing wrong with that, I guess.”
“Bullshit,” Gia said immediately.
“What?”
“You don’t really think that is okay. You are feeling really hurt.”
“How did -”
“I’ve been there, babe. Remember when I told you I was pregnant?”
“Of course.”
“I was in a similar headspace. It took so long for Reece and me to sort each other out that we nearly missed our chance.”
“So what are you saying?” I asked.
“Don’t fuck around. If you want to know what is going on ask him. Tell him how your feel and what you want and see what he says.”
“That’s one way to go about it,” I said.
“It is risky but most direct,” Gia said.
“How are things going with the pregnancy?” I asked, grasping for a change of subject.
“Pretty good. My back and boobs hurt most of the time but the hormones are doing wonderful things for my sensitivity and has made sex with Reece even better.”
“You can still do that?” I asked.
“For a little while longer, yeah, and so we’re trying to make the most of the time,” Gia said
“I bet. How many times a day?” I asked.
“Oh, at least a couple. I’m so glad he is working less and has a lot more time now.”
“Nice.”
“Yeah, it is,” she said.
I was envious of what Gia had with Reece. They really seemed to love each other and by all accounts, had a great sex life. They even had a baby on the way.
I really wanted what they had but not with Mike. He really didn’t seem like husband or daddy material. He was clearly disinterested in all the baby stuff at the baby shower. That was why he had hung out with me in the kitchen.
I’d thought it was also because he liked me. But obviously he was just trying to get in my pants, never to see me again after that.
I tried again to forget about him. I had heard that a good way to forget an emotional entanglement was to throw oneself into work. Granted, it was in the play The Cocktail Party by T.S. Eliot, in which nothing ends well for anyone but that didn’t mean it couldn’t work in principle.
My plan was turning out pretty well because we were going into the holiday seasons and the orders kept pouring in. Most of them were standard, like the retirement party that wanted a design of an actual gold watch, while others were a bit weirder, like the graduation ceremony for morticians that wanted one of those table length cakes designed like a miniature cemetery, compete with teeny-tiny headstones and mausoleums. I took a picture of that one as a momento before sending it out for delivery.
I was coming in to start working on a cake I was decorating when I noticed a box on my work table. It was one of those big, white dress boxes, complete with a red bow. I was more scared than surprised, fairly certain I had locked the door the night before.
Carefully undoing the ribbon, I slowly lifted the lid off the box. Clearing away the blue paper, I found folded neatly in the box an adorable pink New York Ranger’s hockey jersey. On it lay a small envelope.
I picked up the envelope and opened it. Inside was an engraved invitation to skybox seat for that night’s game, along with a ticket. There was no signature, but I figured it must be from Mike.
Putting the envelope back on the jersey, I replaced the lid and took the box over the garbage can, tossing it in. Turning on my heel, I set to the work of the day, completely driving all thoughts of the box and Mike from my mind. For about five minutes.
No matter what I tried. I couldn’t get him out of my mind.
I retrieved the box from the garbage can, telling myself it was because the jersey was genuinely cute and I was only going to the game to confront Mike and tell him to stop fucking with me. I didn’t want to admit it at first but Gia had been right; the direct approach really was best.
Chapter Five
Mike
I had really splurged. That was a subjective idea considering my income bracket but I was really trying to impress. If the booking site offered an add on or a perk, I took it.
I closed the door behind me and sat on the luxurious leather chair in the Lexus level luxury seating and waited for the game to start. I checked my phone to see if Sally had texted before I remembered she didn’t actually have my phone number.