Chapter 21
Lexie
Argh. My head. The loud, annoying beeping coming from my phone’s alarm has woken me from my drunken slumber, and I hate it. I want to chuck the stupid thing out the window and watch it plummet four stories to its well-deserved demise. But that would be a bad idea. I need my phone. It’s finally paid for through my wireless plan. If I drop it and watch it crumble to smithereens, it’d be a imprudent. Satisfying but imprudent.
In any case, I need to get up so I can get ready for work. I should call in sick. I know he wouldn’t fire me since my hangover is all Gabriel’s fault. Who goes to a restaurant that gives you wine with every stinking course? Gabriel Parker, that’s who. And to think, I made a vow, after the holiday party, I’d never drink again. That promise was tossed out the window the second I was confronted with bitchy brunette Barbie and her husband. To be fair, Bill wasn’tthatbad. He wasn’t that good either.
Groaning, I push myself into a standing position. Well, standing is probably too generous a word. I’m upright. That’s good enough for now. Scooting across my bedroom floor Cy squawks. “Cy, shh. I need quiet, please.”
“Squawk,” he says again loudly like he didn’t hear a word I said. And yes, I just put ‘squawk’ in quotes. It’s okay because Cy is human to me. He deserves quotes.
“Shh, seriously buddy. Mama’s head hurts.”
I guess he could give two shites because he keeps right on squawking. I make my way over to his cage and stare inside. “Well, no wonder you’re squawking. Your mirror fell, and you’re out of seed.” I reach in to hang his mirror back up, and he pecks at my hand gently. “I love you too, Cy.”
After adding seed and giving him fresh water, I check on the rest of the crew. Ron and Hermione are fast asleep. I heard their wheels spinning in the night, so I know they were busy. I’m so used to the sounds my critters make at night I’m able to tune them all out. Actually, I think if they didn’t make a little noise, I’d worry and fret and get no sleep.
Shelly is busy,not.She’s sitting on a rock with half of her little head poking out of her shell. I place some turtle pellets in with her and make a mental note to get some veggies tonight. “Oh, crud. I’ve got to go out again. Don’t worry kids; I’ll pick some things up at lunch and bring them home.”
As I’m taking care of Shelly, my phone alarm alerts me that I need to get ready for work. I’ve set it to go off three times in the morning. Once to wake me, once to remind me to stop dilly-dallying around and get in the shower, and the third to get me out the door. I guess I need digital encouragement in the morning.
Pouring myself a cup of coffee, I slosh in a dollop of mint chocolate creamer (yum!) and head off to the shower. It works wonders for my hangover. I almost feel human again. Almost. When I rush downstairs, I look around for Eric and the car, but there’s no one waiting. I check the time on my phone and see eight thirty.
“Crap.” If I attempt the “L” and the bus, I’ll be late. I can’t afford a taxi right now if I want to buy a new dress for Saturday. I’ll risk being late as I run down the street toward my “L” stop.
Forty-five minutes later, I rush into the door of Parker and Associates panting. I toss my things on my desk and grab the headset. The phone is blinking like crazy. “Well, well, well. So nice of you to join us,” Katya snaps.
“No car,” I pant. “Had to take the ‘L.'”
She ignores my reasons and says, “It’s a good thing you’re fucking the boss, or I’d make sure you were fired.”
“I’m not f–sleeping with Gabriel.” Yet.
She snorts. “Figures. No doubt he doesn’t want to see you naked. Who would?”
What is it with this woman? I can’t argue with her, though. It’s pretty much the truth. I’ve had one person I’d call a boyfriend, and that was years ago. I think he just dated me because I was willing to write his papers for his college composition class. As soon as the semester was over, so was our relationship. We only slept together once, and that was the night before he broke up with me. Yeah, so there’s that.
I shrug, “You’re probably right.” I think I surprise her with that statement because her jaw drops open and her eyebrows reach the top of her hairline. Not a good look, let me tell you. When the phone rings, I sit in my seat and answer, “Parker and Associates, how may I direct your call.”
Katya is still standing next to the desk. I can see her in my peripheral vision, but I ignore her. I pretend to search my desk for something until she leaves. At that point, I grab my needed tools for the day and get started. There are probably thirty messages on the phone thanks to my tardiness. Whenever I’ve got a minute or two between calls, I listen to them and take hand-written messages that I’ll have one of the interns deliver to the appropriate people.
A surprising number of them are for Cammy again. There was a call from the Tribune, one was from a producer at a morning show on WGN, and several more were from other magazines and news organizations. I wrote down the information quickly and sent them to her.
Organizing my notes I see a shadow slide over the desk onto my computer keyboard. When I look up, I see Archie. “Oh, good morning Archie,” I say as chipper as possible considering my headache is back with a vengeance.
“Hi, Lexie. So, are you out of my candy?”
“Shoot. I am. I only have Root Beer Barrels left. I promise I’ll get some for tomorrow, though.” Candy and vegetables. I need to write that down.
“Oh, it’s fine. I just wanted a Smooch.”
I feel the blush rise up to my face in seconds. I watch a similar blush creep up to Archie’s face. Gosh, he’s so adorable. Giggling, I assure him I’ll get more for tomorrow, but before he leaves, I need to say something. “Archie?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry about the thing at the holiday party.”
He looks confused. “What thing?”
