“All he has to do is puff his lips out and blow and he’ll see smoke rings from the fallen ashes.”
“The things that come out of your mouth.I’m glad you didn’t say that while he was here, he would have hit the roof.”
“I’m going to get a drink.Something hard, very hard…since I won’t be getting anything hard from him tonight.”
I watch her get a drink, visibly upset.She’ll be fine once she calms down.I sit down at our table and watch Nick work the room, making small talk to his associates and potential clients.He commands the room with the way he walks and the proud way he holds his head up high, like he knows he’s in charge.He scans the room, smiling when his eyes lands on me.I hold my head up and smile back.Yeah, he’s mine.He says something to the group he’s talking with and walks over, sitting down next to me.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m watching my man do his thing.”
“You like what you see?”
“I love what I see.I’m impressed.”
He brushes a finger up my bare arm.“That was my plan.Maybe I could impress you some more later.When we’re alone.”
I bite down on my lip and look at the mischievous look on his face.“Are you propositioning me in the middle of a crowded room?”
“No other way to do it.”
Leaning in trying not to smile, I whisper with as much intensity as a telenovela soap opera with a thick accent, “Escandaloso!Mr.Alexander.”
He laughs out loud, drawing attention to our table.I’m a little embarrassed; they’re looking at him like they haven’t seen him laugh before tonight.I lean my head down and smile.Another gentleman comes over to the table and introduces himself.
“Excuse me, Mr.Alexander, my name is Mr.Watkins.”
“Ah yes, Mr.Watkins.I’ve been meaning to talk to you, you’re a hard man to get a hold of.”
Nick stands and shakes his hand.I stand with him, and Mr.Watkins shakes my hand too.
“Mr.Watkins, this beautiful woman is Catherine Reed, the love of my life and the mother-to-be of my child.”I feel my cheeks heat up and I smile at the older gentleman.He could have just said I’m his girlfriend.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ms.Reed.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Mr.Watkins.”
“I’ll be back.I’m going to talk to Mr.Watkins.Do you need anything?”
“No, go ahead, I’m fine.”
Mr.Watkins’s timing is perfect.I see the person I need to settle a few things with go into the hallway leading to the ladies room.I slip out quietly behind her.She’s sharp enough to notice my presence.
“What do you want?”Paige sneers in a nasty tone in front of the ladies room door.
“I came to use the ladies room.But since we’re out here, I have one or two things to say.”
“What do you have to say that I would consider listening to?Other than Nick has come to his senses and dumped you.”
I get close to her and laugh without humor.“You’re a real bitch.You caught me off-guard at a weak and vulnerable time.That won’t happen again.I’m going to make this clear, my man doesn’t want you.You were the go-to girl when I wasn’t around, but I’m not going anywhere, I’m here to stay permanently.”
“We’ll see,” she says, her hands on her hips, nasty smirk on her face.
“If it isn’t business then you have no reason to find an excuse to hold a conversation with him.Keep your distance like you’ve been doing tonight.By the way, you’re doing a terrible job pretending you’re not strung out on my man.So let me repeat it again, he doesn’t want you.”
She tries to talk, but I hold my hand up and cut her off.“You said all you needed to say last time, it’s my turn.I don’t like you.By nature I’m not a violent person, but the way you came at me and ambushed me the other day…if I wasn’t pregnant, I would back hand you across this room and knock your fucking teeth out.But here’s the thing—those stories about pregnancy hormones are real, and some days I could cut someone for eating the last donut, sodon’t try me.”
Someone walks by and looks at us curiously.I stop talking and put a smile on my face, raising my voice to put on a good show like we are have a simple chat.“Enjoy the rest of your evening, Paige.”She does the same with a warm smile of her own but her eyes and voice are cold as ice like her.
