"So, who is the new man in your life now?" Even though my mother moved from Ireland since she was in her teens she still had the stick Irish accent.

  I rolled my eyes and looked across the table at the brunette, I've been told I look like all my life. "There is no man in my life, mom." Every time my mom and I had our once-per-month lunch she brings up something to do with relationships.

  She hummed and looked down at her sandwich. "Your brother has a girlfriend. Her name is Zoe, a very pretty girl a nurse at the hospital he works." Telling me about Kyle and his new girlfriends was her way of telling me I need a man without saying it. If Kyle with his player ways can get a girl, why can't get a man?

   I nod and took up my wrap. "Yea, I know. I saw her picture on his WhatsApp status with the quote, 'My love,'" I took a bite of my wrap. I didn't mean to sound cynical but everyone knew Kyle relationships never last for more than a minute.

   "Oh, Kari. He's serious about her. I've never seen your brother looked at a girl that way."

   "You mean like he wants to have sex with her?" I loved my older brother dearly, but truth be told, the man was a dog with women.

  "Kari, he's in love with her. I know."

Since I still had food in my mouth, I nod.

   "Kari, you need to get someone to love you." I rolled my eyes. Hear we go again. "You're not getting younger and I'm getting old. I will soon need some grandbabies."

  "Mom, you're only 49 years old. You have plenty of time to get some grandbabies didn't you just say Kyle is in love."

"You know that's not I mean." I rolled her brown eyes at me, "It's unhealthy to live like you do."

"Mom, my life is not unhealthy. I am very healthy." I grew up with two parents who were doctors and they made sure that everything that was cooked and eaten was healthy. It's because of them that I barely even eat fast-food.

   "You work long hours and then go to bars." I raised my eyebrows at her. How did she know I go to bars? "Yea, I'm your mother. I know everything."

  "I don't always go to bars and I don't have a drinking problem if that's what you mean. I go to the bars to get clients." That was half of the truth. I went to bars because I liked the environment, for some reason people at their highest and weakest point makes me think.

  She mumbles, "But you do work late."

  I nod, "Mom, I'm a lawyer. My job is all about investing time to make sure someone's life is saved."

  "You care so much about your clients but what about you. Don't you want to have a husband to be by your side? Some like your father." My father was a good father, but I don't think I could live with a man who was like my father. All he spoke about was sports and medicine, two things I was not interested in.

  "I do want to get married, someday." Someday far from now.

  "I was like you. I didn't want to get married, but I met your dad and that changed."

   I laugh and shake my head, "Mom, you met dad when you were eighteen. What kind of marriage were you thinking about before age eighteen?"

 She gave me the look and rolled her eyes. "Sweetheart, having a man is good."

  "Not if they cheat."

   She shakes her head then sip her smoothie, "If you keep going back to what happened with that loser, you'll never move on. Yes, so some man cheat but not all. There are pretty nice men in America and if you don't want an America man I can set you up with some Irish man." I laugh and shake my head.

No, hell to the no.

  "I think I'll stick to the Americans."

  "Now, don't be racist now. There are some great Spanish men as well and I heard from one of the nurses at the hospital that Jamaican men are keepers."

  I laugh, "I wasn't being racist. I was just generalizing. I actually love Spanish men, Jamaicans, I'm not too sure about."

  "Sweetheart, I just want you to be happy."

  "I am happy."

.......

  "Girl hurry up." I ran over to my bag and grab it. Iris and Brandon were not the waiting type.

"I'm coming. I'm waiting on the elevator." I lied. I'm not even out the door yet.

   "No, you're not. I hear barking." I frown, and I didn't even hear the noises the puppies were making.

Little traitors.

  "I'm coming." This time I spoke the truth. I close my apartment door and walked down the hall to the elevator. When I entered a teenage boy was in there with his bike and like regular teenagers these days, he ignored me and was on his phone until we reached the ground floor.

  I open the back-seat door of the Benz and entered the waiting vehicle.

   "Are you late for court too?" Brandon asked a little annoyed.

  I rolled my eyes and answered, "Only if my client is a dick-head like you."

   Iris starts to laugh and turn to look at me with her thumb up, "Good one."

  "Whose side are you on?" Brandon questioned his girlfriend as he starts the engine.

  Iris lifts her hands, "Hey, I'm neutral in every argument."

  Brandon mumbles something then drove out of the apartment.

   "By the way. Where are we going?" I had just got back from the office when they call, this was Iris's exact words. "Girl get ready, we're coming for you." then she hung up. It was a bad habit of hers that I had gotten used to.

  "To a party." She responded cheerfully.

  I around to the front of the car. Brandon's left hand was on her leg while the other on the wheel. I rolled my eyes and looked through the windscreen.

  "Whose party?" Not like I would know anyways. Brandon and Iris were from the business world, they hang out with business people and I'm from the law world I hang out with Iris and Brandon who are from the business world. Boring life, yeah.

   The only lawyer in my firm that I would consider close friends it would be Lucio and Bennett. Lucio hadn't linked in a while because of both our busy schedule. Lucio was cool, handsome and every girl's dream, but he wasn't into girls.  Bennett was very kind and sweet but he was married.

  "Saga Saint."

   I knit my brows. That name was just hideous! Were his parents having an argument at the hospital? Why else would you name your child Saga Saint?

   I had no idea who he was anyways. Deciding not to ask the couple any more questions I pulled out my phone and I checked if I got any text messages and I didn't, so I went on Instagram to occupy my time.

   We stopped in traffic, so I looked out my window and realize we were on the George Washington Bridge. Curiosity was killing me so asked. "Where does Saga Saint lives?"

  "Englewood, New Jersey. We're almost there."

  I nod my head even though she couldn't see me.

  I was on my way to New Jersey to a party of a man with a ridiculous name.

   I need to get some more friends. Friends from my world who I can share lawyer jokes with because If I ever hear a next business man joke I will die. 

Literally.

   I love Iris and Brandon dearly, but their scene wasn't for me. Even though I went everywhere with them. I'll always be left alone because I don't know anyone in business and I didn't know anything about business. I only business that needs to care about are my clients and there wasn't a lot of legal things when it came to them. Just contracts, some law suits and that was about it.

   I remember when I was in high school how much friends I had and then after high school, everyone left and went to their separate schools. Some got married and had babies. They all moved on to bigger, greater things, at least most of them.

  I've come to realize the older I got the fewer friends I started to have.

   I could really tell if that was a bad thing or a good thing because sometimes I'm really lonely but other times I see what happens with friends and all the drama and I'm like I don't need that.

   "We're here!" Iris shouted. I was so caught up in my thoughts I didn't know what was happening around me. Iris even seems a little too excited about this party.

   I looked through the window at the big mansion in few. The driveway of the mansion was full of all types of expensive cars, including sports cars.

   Following Brandon and Iris, I opened my door and exit the car. Iris walked over to me and grabbed my arms. We follow closely behind Brandon was look at the cars as we passed them. Even I was used to this, I was still amazed at what millionaires and billionaires did with their money.

   When we reach the door, Iris let go of my hands then turn to me. "Oh, I forgot to tell you." when entered the mansion she looked around then turn back to me, "We invited Seth as well."

  At the sound of his name, my eyes widen. "No!"

  I should have known Iris would have tried something like this. I should have never told her what happened between Seth and I.

   Now she was forcing me to hang out with him by bringing me to a mansion which was full of strangers.

Just great!

   "Yes. It was Brandon's idea." Iris said trying to pin her action on her boyfriend.

  "You know that I want to stay was far from Seth as possible. Why would you do this to me?" I looked her annoyed.

   "I didn't..." before she could finish calling we interrupted by a smoky voice.

  "You ladies look lovely." I turn around and looked up into his green eyes, but he was looking at Iris. "Iris," he gave a smile when he turns to me the smile vanished. "Karishma." He nods at us then walked ahead to caught Brandon!

   He didn't smile at me.

 Seth Parker always smiles so when he didn't something was wrong.

The only thing wrong was that I'm no longer sleep with him.

  What a jerk!

  He was giving me a cold-shoulder because I did the right thing. I told him I couldn't sleep with him again and now he's playing the injured girl-friend act on me, well it wasn't going to work.

No, Seth Freaking Parker.

If you don't want to smile at me well, go ahead.

Two can play that game.

.....................................................

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