Jackie was vibrating with anger as she drove to the lunch spot. She’d tried to calm herself down with breathing exercises, but it was no use. She felt hot—feverish with the need to allow Antonio to kiss her and simultaneously pissed off that she’d almost allowed it. Why did he affect her this way? Just his presence, the way he called her that damned ridiculous nickname…it brought back feelings of nostalgia and embarrassment. For Jackie, lovers came and went. No big deal. It wasn’t fair for one person to have a hold on her this way.
By the time she pulled into the parking lot of Thuk Thai, she was seething. She practically threw her keys at the valet, stomping past the hostess stand to find her best friends. She found Tanika, Bronwyn, and Mya in a large, half-moon-shaped booth in the corner, looking at the menu.
“Sorry I’m late,” Jackie said as she slid in next to Bronwyn.
“We know,” they all said in unison, not looking up from their menus.
Jackie rolled her eyes. Okay, so maybe she was always late. But this time she had a valid excuse. “Look, I would have been on time had it not been for the latest round of bullshit at the office.”
Tanika was the first to set down her menu. She put her chin in her palm, resting her elbow on the table. “What is it now, Jack?”
“Let me guess,” Mya chimed in. “Some deal fell through? Someone called youma’amagain?”
Bronwyn gave Jackie a once-over, eyes narrowed. “No. That’s not it. Your aura feels off. I feel some kind of emotional imbalance. Something or someone’s upset you. Seems personal. Very personal.”
Jackie pursed her lips. “Listen, that aura nonsense may have worked for Tanika, but that don’t work on me.” She wasn’t about to be a part of Bronwyn’s neo-soul, pseudo-psychic ways today.
“Hey now,” Tanika countered. “Bron’s ‘aura nonsense,’ as you call it, landed me a fiancé. Your wonderful cousin, to be specific.” She playfully waved her diamond ring in front of Jackie’s face.
She didn’t want to smile, but Jackie couldn’t help it. Tanika and Gideon—through the strangest, most magical of circumstances—had found each other. If Jackie was a person who believed in love and happily ever after, then Tanika and Gideon would have been on the Mount Rushmore of such fairytales. She was delighted for them. But that wasn’t going to be her story.
She’d learned that a long time ago.
“Well, Bron was right in your case,” she said, grinning at Tanika. “But my mood has nothing to do with auras or emotional imbalance. Just a weasel of a man who keeps popping up in my life!”
“Jackie, who are you talking about?” asked Tanika, pushing up her glasses.
Jackie was riled up, completely ignoring Tanika’s question. “I have no idea why he’s evenhere! He’s like a festering sore. Like a bad case of diarrhea.”
“Girl, not when we are about to eat!” Mya waved off the commentary.
“He just gets under my damned skin! It’s like he was brought into my life to torture me! To remind me that I’m never going to have a lick of peace when he’s around! I rue the day I met him! He just—”
“Jackie,” Bronwyn placed a calming hand on her forearm. “Slow down, love! Who?”
Jackie rubbed her temples. She had to take a few deep breaths before speaking his name. “Antonio-fucking-Steele.”
“Ooooh.” The entire table groaned with understanding.
“I think we are going to need some drinks,” Tanika said as she flagged down a waiter.
“Strong ones,” Mya added.
Jackie dropped her head on the table with a bang.
“ICANNOT BELIEVE YOU ACTUALLY THREW YOUR FAMOUS BAKEDbeans on the man!” exclaimed Tanika.
“Yep,” Mya confirmed. “All over that fine man’s white linen, too!”
The ladies were on their second round of mango mai tais. Jackie took a deep sip of her drink. “And I’d do it again! How dare he just show up! And then had the nerve to not even tell me that our agencies were merging.”
