Into The Fire - E. L. Todd Page 0,67
I think I’ll try those.”
“I’m getting the same thing.” I sipped my coffee.
“No mimosas?” she teased.
“I wanted to wait until you got here.” I was excited to see her but it was also painful at the same time. Looking at her just reminded me of the fact I hadn’t looked at her in three weeks.
“Well, here I am.” She searched for the waiter. “And it’s time to get our drink on.”
I smiled against my will.
When the waiter came over, we ordered the same thing along with the two drinks. It felt the same way it used to, only we didn’t wake up together that morning and I wasn’t wearing the same clothes as yesterday.
“What’s new with you?” she asked. “I haven’t talked to you in a while.”
“Just work.” I tried not to sound depressed. “I have a lot of new clients who don’t have good taste. I went to a Yankees game with a friend the other night. Other than that, I’ve just been hanging out.” And drinking a lot.
“Cool.”
I didn’t ask her the same question. I didn’t want to hear about the guy who replaced me. There was a good chance I’d throw up if I did. “How’s work?” I kept my questions selective so she wouldn’t roam off the path.
“Good,” she said. “I just got a new client and he’s having a hard time.”
“Why?”
“His wife passed away a few years ago and people keep riding him to move on. He thinks having me around will get them off his back.”
“That’s sad.”
“I know. I feel terrible for him.”
“Is he old?” I blurted.
“No…a little over thirty. He hadn’t been married very long.”
“How’d she die?”
“Car accident.”
Man, that sucked. “Poor guy.”
“Yeah. He says he’ll never move on and this is just easier.”
I couldn’t imagine that. A quick image of Alessandra in a coffin came into my mind. I was kneeled at the table, crying my eyes out.
Whoa…what the fuck was that?
The mimosas arrived and she immediately snatched hers. “Yes! I’ve been craving these all morning.” She clanked her glass against mine then took a long drink.
I did the same.
“Heard anything from your parents?”
“No.” I didn’t want to tell her about the dinner they wanted to have.
“Man, they’re really holding on to that money, aren’t they?”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t get me started.” Honestly, I hadn’t thought about it much. All I’d been thinking about was her…and her new man.
Alessandra sipped her drink and looked out the window.
It became awkward.
We were both thinking about the last conversation we had. I knew I was. She was too.
“So…how’s it going with that guy?” Not that I really wanted to know.
“Good.” She didn’t elaborate. It’s like she knew I didn’t want to talk about him.
“That means you’re still seeing him?” I was hoping she ended up not liking him and ditched him.
“Yeah. We went out on Saturday and had a good time.”
My hand clenched the glass and almost shattered it.
She didn’t make eye contact with me.
“What’s his name?”
“Brad.”
“Stupid name.” I blurted that out without thinking.
“Sorry?” She raised an eyebrow like she thought she misheard me.
“I mean…oh.” But it was a stupid name. It was the most common name ever. What a douchebag.
“Oh.” She drank her mimosa again.
“What’s he like?” Stupid? Ugly? An asshole?
“He got out of a relationship around the same time I did so we’re in the same place. He’s funny and nice.” She didn’t sound enthused when she spoke of him. Weren’t girls supposed to be gushing over the guy they were seeing? It didn’t seem like she was love-struck—thankfully. “He’s a lawyer and has been practicing law for a few years. He has a dog named Wally. He volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club in the city…”
“Yeah, dump him.” I didn’t think when I said that either. It just came out.
“What?” she asked in confusion.
“I mean…oh.”
“Oh.” Her eyebrows furrowed together like she thought her ears were playing tricks on her.
“A lawyer?” I asked. “He’s no good for you.”
“How do you mean?”
“He’s probably stuffy and boring. He puts people behind bars even though he knows they’re innocent. And he gets people off when he knows they’re guilty.”
“Well, he’s a prosecutor. So he doesn’t let bad guys off the hook.”
“Still, you need a guy with more adventure. He sounds like a snooze fest.”
If she was offended, she hid it. “He’s very nice.”
“No girl wants a nice guy.”
“Actually, I do,” she challenged. “It’s nice to know exactly what he wants.”
What did that mean?
“Are you seeing anyone?” She drank from her glass again and it was