I straightened and moved closer to the glass doors that led toward the rest of the community center. Moments later, I saw a figure emerge, and I immediately recognized the man from the night of my first date with Angela. As soon as he stepped past the glass doors, his eyes landed on me, and a confused expression followed.
“Remember me?” I smirked. “I’m Eric. Angela’s man. Let’s talk, just you and me.” I stepped closer, towering over him for a brief second.
“Donna, what’s this about?” He turned toward the receptionist’s desk.
My eyes remain trained on him, but the receptionist must have given him an unsatisfactory look because he soon frowned and planted his gaze back on me.
“It’ll only be a minute,” I added, stepping to his side, placing my arm around his shoulders. “Let’s take this outside.” I felt some reluctance when I pulled Marshall along, but eventually, he conceded.
“You stay here,” I said over my shoulder to Don who’d begun walking behind us. He hesitated but then shrugged and went back to the front desk.
“Why are you here? How did you even know where I worked?” Marshall asked as soon as the doors closed.
“A man who gets straight to the point.” I nodded, arms folded across my chest and planted my feet. “I like that. I’m here about Angela, obviously.”
“She told you where I worked?” he questioned, accusation in his voice.
I stepped forward, crowding his personal space. “She doesn’t know I’m here. And we’re going to keep it that way.”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“I’m here because of an encounter I heard occurred between the two of you. She was reluctant to go into much detail, but I got the sense you insulted her.”
“Now wait. If she’s telling you I threatened?”
His rant was cut short by my chuckle and a firm hand on his shoulder. He glanced at my hand on him and then back to my hard face.
“Marshall, let me make one thing clear right now. If you would’ve threatened her, this would be an entirely different conversation. No words would be exchanged. You get what I’m sayin’?” I clamped my teeth together, causing the muscles of my jaw to flex at the same time my hand squeezed his shoulder. The thought of him threatening Angela had me on edge. I didn’t take a step back until I saw him wince in pain from my contact. Marshall visibly exhaled.
“I don’t like the implications of your actions. You berated her, and that’s not something I take lightly.”
“I didn’t berate her.”
“So you’re calling Angela a liar?” My eyebrow spiked, daring him to lie.
“N-no. I just said what I felt.”
“And youfeltthat she was stupid for seeing me, correct? Last time I checked calling someone stupid is an insult. Has the definition changed since the last time I checked Webster’s?” I gave him a serious look.
His gaze casting downward was his only response.
“Didn’t think so.”
“Okay, I’m sorry for insulting her. I didn’t mean it like that. I was just disappointed and I?”
I held my hand up. “Disappointment is understandable. She’s beautiful, vivacious, and caring. Any man would be lucky to have her.I’mthat man. And I don’t like what belongs to me being disrespected. An apology is a good start?”
“Start? Start of what?”
A sideways tilt of my head revealed I didn’t appreciate his tone at the moment.
“An apology is a good start, but also, you’re going to find another gym. Cancel your membership and find another place to work out. Delete Angela’s number, email, and all memory of her from your mind.”
His jaw dropped. “You can’t be serious? I paid for the year for my membership.”
I shrugged. “There’s only four and a half months left in the year. Workout at home, go to a park, take up yoga somewhere.” I stepped closer. “I don’t give a shit where you workout just don’t do it in the same gym as Angela. And don’t eventhinkof taking a step inside ofCharlie’s.Whether she’s there or not. We clear?”
He began shaking his head, and my already present frown turned into a scowl. His eyes widened when I bent down lower to get in his face.
