Jennifer peeked around the corner of the Starbucks closest to Martin’s apartment. No, not yet. She could only hope this ambush went better than the one at work the day before. At least she could dress as she pleased for this one. But, while she waited for Martin to stop by on the way home from the gym for yet another fucking vanilla latte, all Jennifer could do was fume about the day before.
Her cubicle at the charitable organization gave her a perfect view of Martin leaving his cubicle on one side of her…and Ms. Morales, their boss, leaving her office from the other side. Jennifer had waited all week, but finally they’d both headed toward each other. She had intercepted Ms. Morales and told her she had something very important to tell her about the misconduct of a fellow employee…just before Martin came within earshot. Jennifer was sure Martin would have stopped her from telling their boss about all the money he had stolen…and, later, agreed to let her move back in to shut her up…if only Ms. Morales had been at all reasonable.
But no, their boss, that antique who wouldn’t even let them call her by her first name, had completely ignored what Jennifer said. Instead of responding appropriately she’d asked, just as Martin came within earshot, if Jennifer had managed to take any time out of her busy day to do anything for the children starving in Africa. As if she had any time to do her job in the midst of worrying about all her precious stuff left in that miserable storage unit!
If Ms. Morales was going to be so unreasonably selfish, she didn’t even deserve to know about the gobs of money Martin had stolen.
Martin. At last. On his way back from the gym. Jennifer snapped back into the present, made sure she wasn’t visible to him as she hid behind the Starbucks, and fussed with the bottom of the skintight skirt that just barely covered her butt. No, she wasn’t fool enough to intercept him before he got his fucking vanilla latte. Yes, it was true that sex hadn’t worked at the storage unit, but this was Saturday night…when even Martin wanted to be able to check getting laid off his to-do list.
She waited.
But when he came out he was on the phone. Better not to interrupt him. She’d have to circle around the block and “accidentally” run in to him right in front of his apartment. She ducked down a side street.
But not before hearing Martin saying into his phone, “Maybe it was for the best. I can’t wait to see you!”
“For the best.” God, how she hated Martin. But that wasn’t the point. She had to get him back.
Jennifer hurried, worried she wouldn’t make it around the block before he disappeared into his garden apartment. Every second was critical. She looked over her shoulder through a vacant lot, straining to see if Martin was off the phone yet…and fell on her face.
“Sorry. Looking for someone and didn’t see you.” The guy who’d bumped into her was the hottest she’d ever seen. Though he did have a nasty-looking scar on one cheek. After he helped Jennifer to her feet he sat on the curb, put his head in his hands, and started to sob.
Jennifer rushed on. But as she swung around the corner she saw Martin close the door of his garden apartment behind him.
So much for the “accidental” meeting. She’d have to ring his bell. She’d tell him that she’d rat him out to Ms. Morales if he didn’t let her in…though she’d decided she would never talk to that bitch again if she could help it.
While rehearsing her lie and brushing some dirt off from her fall, she spotted the hottest looking woman she’d ever seen. But, as the woman got closer, Jennifer saw tears streaming down her otherwise perfectly beautiful face, and noticed she was lugging luggage behind her.
If a woman like that could get dumped…and on a Saturday night? Jennifer felt smug. But she was still worried about whether Martin would let her in.
The woman stopped in front of Martin’s building. She straightened herself forcibly and blinked back her tears. Then she walked to Martin’s door and rang the bell. Martin let her right in.
First thing Monday morning, Jennifer decided, she’d demand an appointment to talk to Ms. Morales.
