ocean with blue lips. She grabs my hoody and the towel I have for her. As we wait for Kevin’s girlfriend to finish the race I think I hear my name being called. I look around and don’t see anyone I know. Out of the corner of my eye I see a guy approaching. He’s got a wetsuit pulled down to his waist. He looks real good. He’s kind of tawny colored, with the body tall slim guys get when they lift weights -- well-built arms, shoulders, chest, and flat stomach that ends in a lean V. I can’t help but noticing he also has a big friendly smile. I figure he must know Juliette.
When he gets close he says, “Hey, Hita, I thought that was you.”
I keep staring, perplexed, that voice is so familiar. Finally I spit out, “Colin?”
He chuckles, “I saw you yesterday. What, you forgot what I looked like already?
I hope my jaw didn’t drop to the ground. I had no idea that under those T-shirts he wears his body was so spectacularly nice. Or maybe I realized it, but it never registered.
“Why are you here?” he says casually.
“Juliette did the swim. I’m her back-up team.” As I point to shivering Juliette.
He smiles and says, “sweet.”
I can tell he’s checking out my bikini clad body, which suddenly makes me feel exposed and naked. I feel at a loss of what to say next.
He tips his head, “Juliette who works with us?”
Nodding my head, I find the words to talk. “Yeah, you’ve met her.”
He looks at her and tips his head as she gives a little wave.
He looks back at me. “It’s nice running into you.” Looking me up and down again, he quirks his lips into a smile, “I should get back to my friends.”
He starts turning, then says, “Hey, I haven’t seen you or David at the Underground in a while.”
“Oh, yeah, David hasn’t been there?”
His eyebrows go up. “No.”
“We broke up.” Shrugging my shoulder I explain, “I was avoiding it since I thought it best to give him some space.”
“Yeah, sounds like both of you had the same idea.” With a smile, he looks over at some guys who are waiting for him. “My friends are waiting. I’ll catch you at work.”
As he walks towards the parking lot, Juliette elbows me, “I never realized Colin was so hot…and?” Juliette says.
I shrug, “What?”
“You’ve known this hot guy for what, two years. He sure went out of his way to say hello.”
Looking at her questioningly, I explain, “We work together.”
“Hita, you work at the same company. He’s not your boss; he doesn’t even work in our group. How many lunches do we talk about hot guys?” As we watch him retreat, she continues, “Damn, I’d put that boy number one on your prospect list.”
As I start walking with Juliette over to where Zach, Kevin, and Amanda are, I can feel my mind in a swirl as I move Colin from the guy I play ping pong with to the guy who might be my new fantasy.
Amanda asks, “Who was that?”
Juliette gets a real scheming smile on her face, “Hita’s ping pong buddy who sure went out of his way to say hello to her.”
I can feel the blood rush to my face, thank the Gods I’m too dark for anyone to tell.
Chapter 43 –News
At around five in the evening, Juliette walks up to my desk. She opens a new browser window on my computer and types in TechCrunch. The page opens up with an article on Google buying a young company for $1.3 billion dollars.
She then says, “Isn’t that your old boyfriend?”
The first article is all about Anil. He owns sixty percent of his company’s stock. There’s a picture of him standing next to Jennifer’s old boyfriend, Carter.
I gasp as Juliette leaves me stunned. I dated that guy, he liked me, he also thought I almost poisoned him and he had no sense of humor. But this guy liked me, he’s Indian, he would have married me. I, too, would be a billionaire now.
Picking up my phone, I text Jennifer: Did you hear the news?
She texts me back: That’s rather vague.
I text her the link to the article as I stand up and start walking back to the supply room.
In the room I stare at my phone. It takes about one minute before she calls.
Shrieking into my phone she says, “Shit, can you believe those guys did that?”
“Shit, that guy liked me,” I say.
“Shit that guy liked