immense lobby seemed to shrink before my eyes as my focus became glued to Steve sauntering along the outer edges of the room in which we sat. He was chatting mindlessly on a cell phone, and my mind spun a web of indecision. Should I pretend I didn’t see him, I wondered, looking at Heather who was already following my gaze. Her eyes flickered, squinting with a perceptive glimmer before settling further in to tiny slits. I shifted nervously.
When Steve met my gaze, he paused in his conversation, and a spark of surprise turned his business-like expression into a wide grin. I gave a light smile in return, my chest swelling with remorse. I was drowning in my continence when he glanced to Heather and his happy expression cracked. Guilt aside, my curiosity peeked.
“How lucky am I to find you here?” Steve snapped his cell phone shut, and his green eyes held mine a little too intensely. He never once looked back to Heather, who was inspecting her shoes in a display of strong-willed indifference.
He was handsomely dressed, his fashion flair evident in the black suede suit jacket he wore boldly and with confidence. I could not help but admire his deep purple shirt left to drift lazily over the front of his designer jeans.
“Heather, this is the gentleman I spoke of earlier, Steve.”
My cheeks hurt from my forced smile, and I prayed her Southern manners would present themselves soon. I didn’t want trouble. But, with Heather one never knew what they might get. Her moods were shifty.
She coolly looked up at Steve, who extended his hand. She took it in a swift but polite shake.
“I’m sorry. Where are my manners? Please join us.” I patted the seat next to me.
“Thank you. I do prefer the company of such lovely ladies to work any day.” Steve smiled at Heather, who remained unimpressed.
“I didn’t realize you were here on work?” I nervously cleared my throat and scooted over to make room, strategically remaining out of arm’s reach.
“I was here tending to unfinished business, but as of right now I’m officially on holiday.” Steve dropped his briefcase to the couch and took off his jacket.
“How convenient,” Heather spat.
My mouth dropped open and my head snapped to my discourteous friend so quickly I felt a neck muscle twinge in a form of self-induced whiplash.
“What she means is how nice it must be to work so close to Memphis.” I glared in Heather’s direction.
Normally a fiery look would have softened Heather’s attitude, but she remained cold as stone.
I turned back to Steve and displayed the Southern belle simpleton look I had been perfecting since I was ten years old.
“What do you say we order some food?” I waved at our waitress, who was in no better humor than when we first sat down.
“And another martini please,” added Heather.
I watched with great dread as Heather set her chin in that familiar challenging expression that always meant trouble.
“Sam secretly hopes food will keep me sober for when she takes me on her date later.” Heather grimaced at Steve.
My mouth again fell open, and shock rendered me mute.
“Oh, you have another engagement tonight?” Steve slowly leaned back seemingly unmoved by Heathers behavior.
“It’s a secret.” Heather placed a finger to her lips.
“I’m meeting my friend I mentioned to you earlier.” I wish I was home making brownies .
“Ah, the gent you were waiting for last night? What was his name?” He asked casually.
“I’ll give you one guess. It starts with an E.” Heather winked at him and Steve cocked his head in bewilderment.
“I-I’m not sure if he’ll be there, no.” My tone fell to almost a whisper.
“Will you be joining her?” He nodded at Heather, who only grinned while rolling her booze around as though it were fine wine.
Was this for real? Had I fallen into a really bad comedy skit? I found myself actually looking about for the hidden cameras.
“Heather will be joining me seeing as I can’t leave
When Steve met my gaze, he paused in his conversation, and a spark of surprise turned his business-like expression into a wide grin. I gave a light smile in return, my chest swelling with remorse. I was drowning in my continence when he glanced to Heather and his happy expression cracked. Guilt aside, my curiosity peeked.
“How lucky am I to find you here?” Steve snapped his cell phone shut, and his green eyes held mine a little too intensely. He never once looked back to Heather, who was inspecting her shoes in a display of strong-willed indifference.
He was handsomely dressed, his fashion flair evident in the black suede suit jacket he wore boldly and with confidence. I could not help but admire his deep purple shirt left to drift lazily over the front of his designer jeans.
“Heather, this is the gentleman I spoke of earlier, Steve.”
My cheeks hurt from my forced smile, and I prayed her Southern manners would present themselves soon. I didn’t want trouble. But, with Heather one never knew what they might get. Her moods were shifty.
She coolly looked up at Steve, who extended his hand. She took it in a swift but polite shake.
“I’m sorry. Where are my manners? Please join us.” I patted the seat next to me.
“Thank you. I do prefer the company of such lovely ladies to work any day.” Steve smiled at Heather, who remained unimpressed.
“I didn’t realize you were here on work?” I nervously cleared my throat and scooted over to make room, strategically remaining out of arm’s reach.
“I was here tending to unfinished business, but as of right now I’m officially on holiday.” Steve dropped his briefcase to the couch and took off his jacket.
“How convenient,” Heather spat.
My mouth dropped open and my head snapped to my discourteous friend so quickly I felt a neck muscle twinge in a form of self-induced whiplash.
“What she means is how nice it must be to work so close to Memphis.” I glared in Heather’s direction.
Normally a fiery look would have softened Heather’s attitude, but she remained cold as stone.
I turned back to Steve and displayed the Southern belle simpleton look I had been perfecting since I was ten years old.
“What do you say we order some food?” I waved at our waitress, who was in no better humor than when we first sat down.
“And another martini please,” added Heather.
I watched with great dread as Heather set her chin in that familiar challenging expression that always meant trouble.
“Sam secretly hopes food will keep me sober for when she takes me on her date later.” Heather grimaced at Steve.
My mouth again fell open, and shock rendered me mute.
“Oh, you have another engagement tonight?” Steve slowly leaned back seemingly unmoved by Heathers behavior.
“It’s a secret.” Heather placed a finger to her lips.
“I’m meeting my friend I mentioned to you earlier.” I wish I was home making brownies .
“Ah, the gent you were waiting for last night? What was his name?” He asked casually.
“I’ll give you one guess. It starts with an E.” Heather winked at him and Steve cocked his head in bewilderment.
“I-I’m not sure if he’ll be there, no.” My tone fell to almost a whisper.
“Will you be joining her?” He nodded at Heather, who only grinned while rolling her booze around as though it were fine wine.
Was this for real? Had I fallen into a really bad comedy skit? I found myself actually looking about for the hidden cameras.
“Heather will be joining me seeing as I can’t leave
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