Groaning, I decide to just lay it all out there for him. “Fine. I found out this morning, before I’d even had my morning coffee, mind you, that I didn’t get the loan to start up my own salon, which wasn’t necessarily a surprise but still sucked. I started working at a salon here about two years ago and I like where I’m at but, yeah, I really wanted to be on my own. Kind of a dream of mine, I guess.”
“I’m sorry, Chloe.”
“It’s not your fault. Anyway, that was first thing this morning and as I was pulling out of a parking spot I was sitting in when I got the news, I hit someone with my car. I was on the phone, crying to my friend about not getting the loan, not paying attention and BAM! I just whacked right into this total douche of a guy. He was a dick about it and wouldn’t even accept my apology. I wasn’t denying that it was completely my fault, which really sucks even more because now my insurance will skyrocketandI have to figure out a car situation in the meantime because I think I totaled my piece of crap and using the rental issonot going to work. But it wasmypiece of crap, you know? Like, I had that tiny little bug paid off and now it’s just…squashed.” His lips twitch but I keep on talking because unfortunately this isn’t even all that had happened.
“Then! Oh then I got home, completely exhausted and my hot water heater tanked. No pun intended — is that even a pun?” I wave a hand in the air and laugh at myself. “It doesn’t matter. Anyway, my hot water heater is broken. It’s sad and done just like my squashed bug. And I’m not one of those adults who has their life together, okay? I just don’t. I wish I did, but I don’t have a lot in my savings for things like this. Which is probably why I was denied a loan,” I giggle almost hysterically.
He opens his mouth to speak but I stop him with a hand on his knee. “Oh no. That’s not all.”
His eyes widen and dart to my hand on his knee then back up again. “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry. That was… well, I shouldn’t have touched you.”
“Chloe, it’s okay,” he says, patting my hand like I’m a child. “Now, what else happened?”
“Where was I?”
“Water heater.”
A bubble of wild laughter escapes my throat and I know I sound and look like a crazy person when I spring out of my seat and start pacing around the small room. “So I called Ari again and asked her to meet up for drinks tonight and after hearing about the rest of my day, she agreed. Obviously, since she’s here. Duh.” I smack my forehead and he chuckles. “I decided I would wear my favorite jeans because they always make me feel better but when I put them on and my ass looks freakingamazingin them but, well, they didn’t fit. I haven’t worn real pants in a while and,apparently, leggings have a little extra give than jeans do. Since I’m a masochist, I decided I’d step on the scale and well, let’s just say that wasn’t a pleasant experience.” I huff, dropping back down into my seat. But, as luck would have it, my big ass doesn’t have very good aim and I hit the edge of the seat then bounce off it and plop onto the floor.
Rex doesn’t laugh at me, even though he absolutely should. Because I guarantee that looked hilarious. Although, the fact that his lips are pressed together tightly tells me he’s working pretty hard at holding back that laughter. “If it makes you feel any better, when I first saw you, I stopped in my tracks at your beauty, and that includes your body.”
I glare at him from my place on the floor. I’m sure he’s lying but rather than sound like one ofthosegirls who can’t take a compliment, I stand up, turn around, point to my butt, and look over my shoulder as I say, “Really? Thank you. That means a lot,” then I can’t stop embarrassing myself when I add with a finger point, “you, too. Your body. And face. And all that. You’re… not hard on the eyes.”
He raises a thick eyebrow over the rim of his glasses and damn if it doesn’t make him even sexier. “You okay?” he asks, gesturing to the fact that I’m still not sitting where I intended to.
I heave out a sigh, stand up from theflooras gracefully as I can without looking like a complete buffoon and gingerly sit in the chair. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for asking. And for not laughing at me.”
“I’ll wait until I watch it again on the cameras.”
“That’s very kind of you to wait,” I nod. “Anyway, I eventually found something I could fit into, came here, barely got a few sips of that really good drink with the peach whiskey in it and received a text.” I give him a look. “Oh, Rex, let this settle in for a bit… atextokay?”
“Wait a minute. Was it a text or a phone call?” he asks like a true smart ass.
I try not to smirk, but can’t help myself. “A text. From the guy I’d broken up with a few months ago telling me that hiswifeis four months pregnant so we needed to make sure all ties were cut. Which, believe me, already were.”
“You were dating a married guy?”
My eyes widen and I tip my palms up. “I guess! That was his way of telling me! Can you freaking believe it?”
“Um, wow. That’s…”
“Fucking idiotic? I know!” I stand up again, throw my arms in the air and then place them on my hips. “Who the fuck does that? I mean, honestly! I hadnoclue that he was married. Never had an inkling that he had a family at home! By the way, what the hell is with him telling me now? It’s been two months since he and I broke up and I haven’t given him a second thought but now he wants me to know that his wife is pregnant? And that she was pregnant while he and I were dating! What adick!And let me tell you — his dick wasn’t even that great to begin with.”
“Is that why you were crying? Because you still…”
“Want him? Screw that! No. Noooo. No.” I shudder in disgust. “Blech. I was the one who broke up with him and we weren’t that serious to begin with. It was a Tinder swipe that never should have happened and we were only together for a little over a month.”
“Good. He doesn’t sound worth it.”
“He wasn’t. I absolutely shouldn’t have slept with him, either. Nasty fucker.” Rex chuckles at my grumbling and I point at him. “What is it with guys? Why? WHY? WHY? WHY are you this way?”
He raises his hands in the air and scowls. “Hey now, don’t lump me in with men like that.”
I narrow my eyes on him but don’t respond. He could be married with two point five kids at home and a dog named Squirt. I walk over and look out the office window. I’ve been to The Flying Goat a few times before and once when they had a party on the back patio, which is what I’m currently looking at. I’m surprised I’ve never seen him before.
A flash of lighting lights up the sky and I watch as rain pelts the glass. I didn’t even realize it was raining. It actually brightens up this day for me, though. I love a good thunderstorm.
“Chloe,” Rex says quietly. I don’t turn around or acknowledge him but he won’t stand for that. “Chloe,” he repeats and this time I do turn around. Slowly, resting my butt on the window sill.
