Perfectly Lonely - Jessica Marin Page 0,42

raises his hand and catches the attention of the bartender to bring us two more drinks. “Well, I believe in signs and I think I know exactly what fate has in store for you and I.”

18

Chase

I was feeling like an asshole when I texted Layla saying I was going to be late due to my conference call with my brother and our marketing director.

When fifteen minutes passed by after I sent her a text and I heard nothing, I didn’t think much of it as maybe she was still working.

When thirty minutes passed by and she still had not answered my second text, I was worried.

And when the forty-five minute mark came and went without a word from her, I was frantic.

So imagine how livid I am when I walk into the bar an hour later to see her having a good time with another man.

I’m fucking seething!

In order to calm down before confronting her, I order a glass of water and sit at the opposite end of the bar to observe them. The guy has his arm thrown across the back of the booth where she sits, his eyes trained on her chest as he says something to her that makes her laugh. Her laughter is loud and boisterous — not her normal laughter when she’s in control. I see an empty shot glass and a tall regular glass that has clear liquid with a lime in it that I bet is not water. When she looks in my direction and doesn’t acknowledge my existence, I know Layla is drunk.

And so does he.

He’s probably the reason why she got drunk.

I study him and can see why women might think he is good looking. He looks like he could be an MMA fighter dressed up in a suit. He wears his suit tight which makes him look powerful. Some women find power sexy.

I see him as anything but powerful.

I see him as a dangerous predator.

And he has his sights set on Layla.

I down the rest of my water and move slowly to their table. So engrossed are they in each other that they don’t even notice when I stand in front of their table.

“Layla,” I command in a strong voice, wanting to make sure she sees me this time. She looks in my direction and her eyes are watery and glazed in that incoherent alcoholic state.

“CHASE!” she yells so loudly that the man sitting next to her backs away from her. “You’re finally here!”

My anger lessons at her happiness upon my arrival. “Yes, I’m here because I was getting concerned when you didn’t text me back after I asked you to meet me at my house.”

Her face scrunches up in confusion and she looks back and forth between me and the guy next to her. She looks around for her purse, finds that it’s right next to her on the side not being taken over by douchebag and rummages through it until she finds it. She squints at the screen and then snorts out a chuckle.

“I wrote it, but forgot to hit the send button!” She starts to laugh hysterically and then slaps douchebag on the shoulder. “It’s all your fault as you were distracting me.”

“I’m very good at being a distraction,” he says in a flirtatious tone that makes me want to punch him.

“Oh, I bet you are!” Layla continues laughing hysterically and turns her attention back to me. “Chase, you’re not going to believe this. I met him in the convenience store this morning while buying condoms for Robert. Then Robert asked me to accompany him to his first meeting and guess who it was with?” She points to douchebag with an awed expression on her face. “This guy! And then, I was waiting here for you and he shows up instead! How much of a coincidence is all of that?” Her head sways down, the alcohol taking over her reflexes to hold her head up.

“Interesting coincidence. What did you say your name was?” I narrow my eyes at the hard look on his face. He removes his arm from the back of her seat and pushes himself out of the booth.

“I didn’t say.” He looks at me with disdain and then immediately hides it when turning his attention to Layla. “Thank you for letting me keep you occupied while your date was an hour late. I look forward to seeing you on Monday to go over the job opening.” He sizes me up before nodding his head