Where Would I Be Without You - By CJ Hawk Page 0,13

known better, seen the signs, figured out the what's up situation." I said what's up like I was a gangster. I was going to have to quit acting all party gangster after Wednesday. It was part of my twenty or so step plan to mature and grow up. However, whenever I did talk gangster, Marion and I always got a good laugh.

She held doubt in her voice. "Really? Because the day of your family birthday party you were hoping he might step it up a notch. I didn't think you were thinking ring, but some type of commitment; sounded like you wanted it to reach the horizon. You can't be over him that quick."

I bit the inside of my mouth while thinking. "I suppose. I am still a bit hurt and confused. It was all so surreal. Him being late. My cousin saying something about why is he wearing a ring and then his wife. Ack. That was scary. I hope she doesn't plan on hunting me down, driving me over with her car or worse." I shivered at the thought.

"I doubt it. And hey, I hate to say it, but you probably weren't his first. The reason the wife figured it out so quickly. Look. Guys like Steve are a dime a dozen. If they think they can get away with it, they will. They look good, say the right things and plan appropriately by having an excuse for everything. Now this Mason guy, you did say his name was Mason, right?"

"Yeah. Montahue." I paused and looked at her, waiting to see if she recognized the last name.

"The Montahue. Like as in the one that manages this building, has the billboards all over town, you make your rent check out to?" Her last word hung in the air. If I wasn't certain, we both were thinking how awkward to write a rent check to your lover that manages the building. Although, he wasn't managing right now, he was being the super. And super kisser was more what I was thinking.

It did not take Marion and me long to be deep into a retake of my family birthday party. She mentioned that it wasn't really all that bad, but she was an awful liar, and deep down, I knew I would not be going back to that expensive Italian restaurant anytime soon. At least not in this decade, too bad as it was a really romantic restaurant for couples or small parties, and I could easily envision Mason and Carl drinking from a cut glass as Marion and I giggled over, just about anything as we liked to. I could easily see Carl and Mason having drinks, talking business, hitting the golf course together, which was scary for me, because I was basically envisioning marrying the guy and having his kids. I needed to apply some breaks to my mental race.

A knock at my apartment door drew both of our attention to stare at the door. As if we could see right through to who was standing there. For a fleeting second, I held my breath thinking what if? What if Steve's wife decided I was worth the kill after all? Then we both looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders, and I was about to call out 'who's there' when his Latin bad boy voice practically sang out. Well, at least to me, it did.

"Amber? It's Mason. I've got your laundry. I saw you come in with someone while I was working on Mr. Cather's door hinge. Hey, Mrs. Hatley had an issue with you monopolizing the laundry room..."

He didn't have time to finish. I swung my door open so fast, the air behind it got sliced in half. "Hey!" No lack of excitement on my part. Then I noticed it. My laundry basket with my three loads of laundry. Washed, dried and oh my garsh... did he fold it too?

"Can I come in?" He asked in a way as if I could never say no. He produced a sex-laden appeal that even got a smile out of Marion.

I stepped aside and let him in as I watched him walk over and set my laundry on the very hard window bench from which I first caught sight of him. When he turned to look at me, he gave my body a quick grazing that sent a nice warm happy feeling to the core of my, well you know. Then he looked at Marion with his inquisitive sexy mysterious eyes