“There’s a crowd gathering. A bunch of women from my street are outside taking selfies with these guys.”
This had gone far better than Allison could have anticipated. She nearly wished she’d been there to witness it, except that would have meant seeing Neil, and she couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t strangle him. “If you hadn’t cheated on me, you wouldn’t have to suffer this supposed embarrassment.”
“I made a mistake, okay? It happens. You need to get off that high horse of yours. Not everyone can be perfect like you.”
She choked back a grumble. “Not cheating does not make me perfect. It makes me a decent human being, which is more than I can say for you.”
“I’ve told you one hundred times that she meant nothing to me. It was just a few months of hookups. I was stupid for doing it, and I’m sorry.”
Allison clamped her eyes shut. She was not going to let him manipulate her anymore. “I’m done with this conversation, Neil. Unless there’s a real problem you need me to address, I’m going to hang up now.”
“I want my key back, Alli.”
“Change the locks. And don’t call me Alli.” She hit the red button on the screen and tossed her phone onto a pile of papers on her desk. The desire to scream was so intense she dug her fingernails into her palms.
“You okay?” Kianna asked, arching her perfectly groomed eyebrows.
“I’m fine.” Allison was a firm believer in fake it ’til you make it. She would keep saying she was fine until she was actually fine. Still, the Neil situation had her shaken. How had she not seen that Neil was an arrogant jerk? How had she managed to miss the signs? As an executive recruiter, it was Allison’s job to read people, but she’d clearly been all wrong about Neil.
“It’s okay to have a human moment. Your boyfriend cheated on you. No one would blame you for crying or throwing things.”
No, no one would fault her, but Allison refused to let this drag her down. Neil would move on with his life in his perfect house, with his suspiciously white teeth and 3 percent body fat. Allison was not going to let him be the only one to find happiness. “I’m fine. Let’s get back to work. We need to finish this up so I can head over to my new place and meet the movers.”
“Okay. If that’s what you want.” Kianna launched into a summary of their bottom line. It didn’t take long. The upshot was too many expenses, not enough income. “All of this makes the Black Crescent account that much more important. If we nail this first assignment for them, we should be able to go on retainer. That will put us safely in the black.”
Having a new client in her hometown of Falling Brook, New Jersey, was a real boon. Allison had pulled in a favor to make it happen, but she was sure it could translate into big things. “We can do it. I can do it. I will knock their socks off. I promise.” The best part was that it would not only bring in money, she could see her brother, Scott. Allison had been there for his birthday last month, but she always looked forward to their time together.
“How soon are you planning to go out there and meet with them?”
Allison flipped through her calendar. “I haven’t booked my travel yet, but I’m thinking next week. My plan is to walk into that meeting with the three amazing candidates we’ve been talking to for the position.”
“Can I make a suggestion?”
“You think I should go sooner?”
“I think you should leave sooner, as in go somewhere for a few days. Relax. Unwind. Meet a hot guy and let him rock your world. Get Neil out of your system.”
“But we have so much work to do.”
“And we need you on top of your game when you meet with Black Crescent. You’re wound way too tight right now.”
Allison had to laugh. “Have you been talking to my mom?”
“Please tell me your mom didn’t tell you to hook up with some guy.”
“She didn’t. But she did tell my aunt Angelique about Neil, and Angelique called last night begging me to come and stay with her and my uncle for a few days at their resort in the Bahamas. Bad news travels fast among the women in my family.” Allison was incredibly close to her mom, so much so that she felt suffocated sometimes. So of course, they’d had many phone conversations about the Neil situation, and it was only a matter of time before her aunt found out.
“That sounds perfect. I say you do it. As long as there are men available, of course.” Kianna got up from her chair, gathered her notes in her arms and headed for the door.
“A man is the last thing I need.”
Kianna turned and cast Allison a stern look. “I’m not talking marriage. I’m talking sex. A few mind-blowing orgasms and Neil will be a distant memory.”
“I’m not much for random hookups. I’m not even sure I can do that.”
“Have you looked at yourself? Any sane guy would be psyched to take you to bed.” Kianna turned on her heel and headed down the hall.
Allison wasn’t sure about that, but maybe it was time to do something nice for herself—book a bungalow on the beach and fall asleep in the sun with a good book. She fumbled for her phone and dialed the number for her aunt.
“Tell me you’re on the plane,” Angelique said when she answered.
Allison smiled. She couldn’t help it. She loved her entire family deeply. “Not yet.”
“But you’re coming?”
“As long as you have room for me.”
“I have one bungalow open, so we have room. It’s all yours. I hope it’s okay if I put you next to one of your brother’s friends, though. Zane Patterson?”
That name started a long-forgotten hum
