~Megan

“You've been quiet,” Avery walked next to my desk. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah. I'm just a bit drained from the trip, that's all.” I sighed.

She laughed, the wrinkles forming at the corner of her eyes.

“Must be only you 'cause Brie looks likes she can run a marathon right now.”

I chuckled softly, rubbing my temple.

“Are you sure you're okay, Meg? This isn't like you,” she eyed me.

I nodded.

“I'm fine. I'm just super tired, that's all.”

“Why don't you ask Mr. Martin for a few days off? He can get a temporary assistant till you feel better. I don't want you getting sick.”

“Ave, I'll be just fine” I assured her. “And speaking of assistants, have you heard from Cyn?”

Avery smiled.

“Yes. She sent me these really, really cute engagement pictures” she said, unlocking her phone to show me.

My eyes widened in delight.

“Oh my gosh, Paris?!” I exclaimed.

“My exact reaction” Avery laughed.

I smiled.

“Lucky them.”

“I know right? I'm so happy for her” Avery sighed happily.

I wish I could be that happy and publicly in love.

My stomach let out a loud growl and Avery giggled.

“Which reminds me of why I really came here,” she said, “Lunch?”

“Absolutely. I just need to drop off these papers in Mr. Martin's office.”

“Where is he anyways?” Avery asked.

“Breanna mentioned something about Mr. Corleone having a business lunch a few minutes ago. Mr. Martin probably went with him” I answered.

Avery nodded as I stood up.

“Oh, please get Breanna won't you?” I asked. “I'll just put these in Mr. Martin's office and be right out.”

“Sure” Avery smiled, walking off to get Breanna.

I turned off my computer, picked up my phone, and hurried to Mr Martin's office. I was going to have lunch with the girls and I was certain that it would put my mind at ease. I was tired of Ronbie Martin invading all my senses.

I had found myself in surprising situations before. And I adapted very well. But nothing... nothing in this world, could prepare me for the beauty sitting atop Ronbie's desk, feeding him whatever the hell it was.

Oh my... oh hell no!

I was certain Ronbie would be out for lunch with Mr. Corleone. So what the hell was this then? I felt a deep frown taking over my current shocked expression.

“Sorry, I'll come back,” I muttered angrily.

Ronbie quickly stood up from his seat, looking at me surprised. With my hand still on the doorknob, I turned around only for him to call out for me to stop.

Dammit!

I reluctantly turned around, fighting back the angry and disgusted tears that were threatening to spill.

Get a grip, Megan!

I wasn't going to give him or any guy the satisfaction of knowing how much they'd hurt me.

“What is it that you needed?” he asked.

“I was just dropping these off,” I said. “Breanna mentioned Mr. Corleone was out for a business lunch so I just assumed you went with him... that's why I didn't knock. Sorry.”

“No, no. It's okay. I should've been more careful. I wasn’t thinking.”

Ronbie looked over at the lady, and she blushed.

You have got to be fucking kidding me!

Seriously, he was going to flirt right in front of me?

“Lemme take those from you” he walked around his desk and towards me with his hand out.

Damn you Ron.

I 'accidentally' dropped the folders from my hands, staring him straight in the eyes.

“Oops,” I let out before storming out of his office, making sure to slam his damn door.

The few employees sitting at their desks looked in my direction, confused. Angry with myself, I didn't watch where I was going till I collided with a rock-hard chest; Austin Todd, the Logistic Executive. He reached out, grabbed my arm, and steadied me.

“Sorry, Mr. Todd” I took a step back, apologizing.

“Are you okay?” he looked me over once.

“Yes, thank you” I muttered. “Excuse me.”

I moved away as Mr. Todd knocked on Ron's door before allowing himself inside.

“What was that about?” Avery asked the second I got back to my desk.

“Nothing” I muttered, still angry.

Breanna arched a brow at me.

“Are you sure, Meg?”

I looked at her. Breanna was my friend... my very good friend. And even though we'd lost touch after high school, she didn't feel like a stranger when we reunited months ago. I cared about her and I knew she did the same for me.

She'd always been more supportive of me than anyone else had ever been. But I doubt she'd still be as understanding as always if I told her I screwed Ronbie Martin the night of Zed Meyer's party. And that we'd been doing it over and over again and I loved it and didn't regret anything.

“Megan!”

I blinked and met Breanna's concerned eyes.

“Are you sure you're okay?”

I forced myself to smile.

“Yes, Brie. Don't worry. I'm just tired. And then there's a really hyper Lulu waiting for me at home every day” I forced a chuckle at the end.

She gave me a small smile.

“I could watch her for you so you get a lot of rest tonight” Avery offered.

“No, no. It's fine.”

“How about you two come over for dinner at my place tonight?” Breanna asked. “I'm sure Manny would love to see the two of you. And you could even spend the night.”

I rubbed my arm.

“I have a hot tubbbbb” she dragged, pumping her brows at me.

I smiled.

“Thank you, Brie. But I'd hate to pry.”

Breanna narrowed her eyes a bit.

“Megan, you'd never pry. And it'll be just Roman and me at our new place tonight. Perfect time for you to see the place.”

I shook my head.

“Raincheck?”

Breanna folded her arms and shared a look with Avery.

“Okay then” she sighed. “If you're sure you're okay.”

I nodded with a smile.

“Yes. But I'm hungry so, shall we?”

“Yes please” Avery took the lead. “I'm craving some protein salad.”

“I was thinking of some Chicken burrito bowl with rice and beans” I smiled.

“Yum!” Avery exclaimed. “Wait, lemme just get my purse.”

She darted away to her desk and I could feel Breanna's eyes on me.

“Brie, let it go. I'm perfectly okay” I let out before she had the chance to drill anything out of me.

“Okay, okay” she chuckled. “I believe you.”

Avery returned and Carol and Ivy joined us for lunch. The rest of the day went surprisingly smoothly until Ron asked me into his office. I glanced at my clock. I had twenty minutes before I left for the day.

What the hell does he want?

Reminded of the scene earlier today, I powered off my computer and start to clear all my valuable things, placing them in my purse. Then I walked to his office, knocking first.

“You wanted to see me?”

He looked up from his computer.

“Why did you knock?”

“Habit” I bluntly replied.

Ronbie sighed.

“Please have a seat” he gestured.

“I'd rather stand and get this over with so I can leave. No need for me to get comfortable. Besides, I don't know what you and your little friend were doing in here. I'd rather not catch something” I snapped.

My words seemed to make him wince a little. Ronbie stood up and walked towards me, closing the door.

“I think you need to take a seat, Mimi. You and I have a lot to talk about.”

His tone was a bit serious, and I knew to not push his buttons when he was in this kind of mood. Reluctantly, I took a seat.

“About today—” 

“Why didn't you just say this is why you called me here? This entire sudden serious act threw me off” I smiled at him. 

“Hey—”

“I'm not doing this with you, Ron. You don't owe me any explanations” I cut him off again.

“Mimi, we have a lot to talk about.”

“Yes, but you already got plenty off your chest with your little friend today, right? So let it be because I'm not interested in the leftover conversations.”

“Megan.”

I crossed my arms.

“Hey, it's not like that,” he said more softly this time. “What you saw... it's nothing like that.”

“Yet so far, you're not saying anything to prove it's nothing like that!” I huffed.

“Mimi—”

“You know what, don't” I smiled, knowing deep down inside that I wanted to tear his office apart. “I sincerely don't want to hear whatever the hell it is.” 

He blinked.

“You do you. I'll do me. And no one has to know what's been happening for two weeks now. Because clearly... it was a mistake.”

“Why does this sound like a breakup?” he muttered, staring intensively at me.

“Trust me, Ron, breaking up wouldn't be an option between us if we were really together,” I told him. “But it's just not going to work and I need my job because I have a little girl to take care of.”

“Is that what you want?” he asked as soon as I ended.

I looked at him.

“You ask that like there's another way around this mess we're in, Ron. You and I... we're never going to work. We've already broken so many rules in two weeks. You think I'd be thrilled if word got out about us?”

Then I chuckled.

“I forgot... there's no us” I met his eyes, “You made that crystal clear today.”

I wasn't trusting myself to hold onto this fake smile any longer.

“Meg—”

“Have a good night, Mr. Martin.”

I opened the office door only to come face to face with the woman from this afternoon. 

It's nothing like that huh?

I looked back at Ronbie and his face had paled a little.

“See you tomorrow, boss.” I let out and bumped shoulders with the woman before me.

It's going to hurt tonight.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

“Megan!”

My head snapped in the direction of the voice and I smiled.

“Oh my gosh, Meg. Look at you!”

I chuckled as she met me halfway across the room.

“Hi, Darren” I smiled as she hugged me. “It's so great to see you.”

She smiled back.

“You look great!”

“Says the LA model” I teased.

“The tan looks great on me?”

“Perfect.”

She laughed.

“Come sit, sit” she gestured to a seat nearby. “How are you? It's been forever.”

“Yeah. Since college” I smiled. “You look truly amazing, Darren. Seriously.”

“Aww thank you, my friend.”

“I was surprised to see your text on Facebook,” I told her.

“And I was surprised to see that you still live here.”

“I do” I chuckled.

“Why? You were always so determined to leave.”

I shrugged.

“I guess I just love it here.”

She arched a brow at me.

“That... and because of my niece.”

Darren gasped.

“Oh my gosh. Gabby has a daughter?”

“Yeah. Lemme show you a pic.”

I unlocked my phone and showed her the picture I took on the morning before Aubree's wedding.

“Oh she's got your eyes, Megs” Darren cooed. “She's adorable.”

“You should come by the house some time and meet her. You'll love her.”

“I will” she laughed. “So where's she now? With a sitter?”

“Not exactly.”

Darren's forehead creased in amusement and I chuckled.

“She's with Breanna,” I said.

Darren leaned back into her chair.

“Breanna?” she questioned. “Breanna Nolan?”

I nodded.

“She's in town?”

“For almost a year, yes.”

“Wait so she came back after the incident?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh...” Darren trailed off, then picked it up again, “Hang on... so it's all true?”

“Mm yeah.”

“And the wedding?”

“The picture of Lulu that I showed you... we were going to the wedding.”

“You went?”

I shrugged.

“To support my friend.”

“She went?”

“She did.”

Darren filled her cheeks with air and shook her head.

“I can't imagine what she must be feeling right now.”

I chuckled softly.

“Oh, she's fine, Darren. Breanna's over it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. We work together at Jewel Interactive. Trust me, she's very fine.”

“Okayy” Darren laughed. “I guess it's good you stayed back in town for all these years. Who would she have been friends with.”

I chuckled.

“Breanna is a very likable person, Darr. If I wasn't here, she'd still make a ton of friends if she wanted to. And besides, Zachary and Dove stayed back in town too.”

“Hart?” she bit the corner of her lip, smiling.

“Paws off. He's with Dove now” I giggled.

Darren pouted.

“I doubt he'll still want to if he saw me right now.”

“Uh-huh,” I chuckled.

“What about you?” she asked with a smile. “Got any lover?”

“Lover?” I chuckled.

“Yeah. Have you met anyone yet?”

Ronbie Martin.

I was about to answer I saw a group of men, being led by no other than Ronbie Martin, walking into the restaurant Darren and I sat in.

Shit, shit, shit!

I quickly hid behind my menu and Darren looked at me, confused. I gestured toward the entrance and she turned. Still confused about what she was looking at, she grabbed the menu from my face.

No, no, no!

Sulking further down into my seat, I waited until they were all seated. Once I saw where they were seated, I felt comfortable enough to sit upright. They were literally on the other side of the restaurant. The only one who would notice me seemed far too engrossed in their conversations for him to look around the restaurant.

“What was that about?” Darren asked.

“That's my boss... blue suit.”

She glanced his way.

“Okay?” she chuckled, “Is your boss against fun?”

“No, I... I just don't want him to see me. He might ruin our evening.”

Darren laughed.

“Nothing a little bit of alcohol can't fix it he does ruin our evening.”

She lifted a hand and signaled the waiter. About Ana hour and several shots of vodka later, I half forget about my sexy boss sitting on the other side of the restaurant. Darren and I were laughing and just having an overall great dinner.

“Hey, you never answered my question.”

“Which one? Cause you're full of 'em this evening” I laughed.

She laughed too.

“The one about you seeing anyone.”

“Why? Are you going to set me up on a blind date?”

“Don't tempt me Megs.”

I giggled.

“So?”

I rubbed my temple and glanced at Ron.

“It's... complicated.”

“Ouu... situationship?” she asked, “I hate those.”

I chuckled.

“There's no ship, Darren” I sighed. “I'm all consumed with this man but... we just can't be together.”

“Why the hell not? He doesn't feel the same way?”

“That's not what his kisses and caresses tell me, Darr.”

“So then?”

“So then we can't be together” I sighed. “Someone else... feeds him.”

I flexed my jaw, disgusted. Part of me wanted to start a fight the next time I saw that woman. But that wasn't me. And also, I'd never fought over a guy before, and I refused to start now.

Ronbie was making it very clear he wasn't interested in me and what we had was just a fling... a mistake. And it hurt like hell.

“So what are you going to do about it?”

I blinked... my attention returning to the beautiful ginger-haired woman in front of me.

“Nothing, Darr” I answered.

I took a few minutes to think it over and over and I arrived at the same disappointing outcome.

“I can't do anything.”

“Bullshit, Megs. You can tell him how you truly feel. He's a guy. And guys are always too stupid to realize simple things. You're young and super beautiful. Megan, you have a lot to offer any man.”

I shook my head.

“Not this time... not this one” I whispered. “I just fell hard for the wrong one.”

“Oh Meg” she sighed. “How about you give him a call?”

I swallowed my next shot.

“What for?”

“Goodbye sex.”

I gave her a look as the liquid burned down my throat.

“No.”

She looked at me rolling her eyes.

“You can't lie to me, Meg. I know you. This man has probably already invaded not only your mind but your heart.”

“Exactly why goodbye sex is out.”

She laughed.

“You sound just like my cousin, Patricia. She's against goodbye sex.”

“How is she? It's been forever too.”

Darren smiled.

“She's fine. Living her life with a wealthy doctor boyfriend she caught some months ago.”

Lucky her.

“What about you? Have you caught any LA boys?”

Darren smiled again; wider.

“A ton” she replied. “But, I want to be with someone who genuinely makes me happy and a better person when I'm with them.”

“Mm,” I hummed.

“Like Zachary Hart.”

“Darren” I laughed.

“What? I still have a crush on him.”

“He never noticed you in high school and college. Why would you think he'll notice you now? Much more when he's probably going to start a life with Dove soon?”

“Start a life?”

“Mm-hmm” I hummed, nodding. “He wants to settle down.”

Darren made a face.

“I'm not looking for marriage right now.”

I giggled and rolled my eyes, downing another shot.

“I mean look at me. I'm sexy and smart and I still have my whole life ahead of me. I'm not ready to have babies and change diapers. That's for when I'm forty... ish.”

I shook my head.

“It's just something about Zachary Hart that makes me just wanna mm!”

“You could have fooled me, Darren.”

She laughed.

“Is he still hot?”

Before she could force me to answer that question, her brother, Aaron, stopped by our table. He was the head bartender at the restaurant, and Darren wanted us to relive our college days when I used to bartend and she'd just hype me up. Aaron's boss said it would be okay since I had all the certifications and licenses I needed to do it.

“Are you ready, Mighty Meg?” he gestured at the bar. “We're about to have our rush.”

“You can't be serious?” Darren looked at him like he'd lost his mind. “You're letting her in during rush hour?”

“She can handle it” Aaron smiled, grabbing my hand.

I allowed him to escort me behind the bar. Glancing over my shoulder at Darren, I look away again.

“Okay, Meg. If you want good tips, smile and be friendly.”

I chuckled... feeling the alcohol boosting my confidence already.

“I know how it works, Ron” I whisper, pulling my v-neck shirt down a bit, exposing more of my cleavage.

He chuckled.

“I'm a fool to have doubted you.”

For the next half hour, the bar was incredibly busy. When did this many people walk in here? Aaron walked up behind me, whispering that this has to be the busiest he has seen at the bar. Even his boss commented that I should work here at least once a week. I told him I'd think about it. I actually didn't mind helping out. If only Breanna was down to babysitting Lulu.

“Hey gorgeous, are you new here?” a patron asked me.

“Something like that. What would you like?” I smiled.

“Your number,” he said boldly, and all I could do was smile again.

I'd gotten hit on more than I could count tonight. Even after pulling my shirt back up, covering most of my cleavage, yet, the men and women kept coming.

“Or perhaps a date?”

I bit my lip and pushed my hair to one shoulder.

“Well, I'll have to—”

“Megan” Ronbie squeezed his way through the crowded bar.

I blinked.

He's still here?

“I need to talk to you.”

“Back off, buddy” the guy who just asked for my number butted in. “I saw her first.”

“I beg to differ,” Ronbie said, never taking his eyes off me. “Now, Megan.”

“What did I just say?” the man stood from the barstool.

Ronbie looked off, waving his hand. Security guards instantly came over.

“Kindly escort this man out,” he said.

I didn't know why it bothered me, but it did. I frowned and moved away when he was distracted by the struggling man. Finally finding Aaron, I told him I had to go and put my niece to bed. Darren wasn't seated at the table she was supposed to be at so I told Aaron to tell her I'd call her in the morning.

Gathering my things, I made a beeline for the exit. I didn't dare to look around to see where Ronbie Martin went. I didn't want to see him or even talk to him. 

“Megan!” Ron stepped outside the restaurant, hot on my heels.

It would have been childish of me to break out into a run. So I did what any mature adult would do. I stopped.

“I told you I wanted to talk to you. Why are you trying to run away?”

“I'm not. I just want to go pick up Lousia from Brie's, and go home.”

“Let me drive you then. It's pretty late” he offered.

Everything in me screamed for me to say yes.

“I have something I want to discuss with you, as well.”

“I prefer to go in a taxi. I will be at the office, early tomorrow morning if you want to talk about work. If it’s something nonwork-related, that would be rather inappropriate, don't you think?”

Ronbie looked at me like I'd grown another head. Part of me wished he would try a little harder to persuade me, but he didn't. He just nodded.

“Okay. I'll see you at the office tomorrow, then”.

Not wanting to look desperate, I said goodbye and slid into the taxi the valet had flagged down for me.

Damn it, Megan!

I could have had that man eating out the palm of my hands before he dropped me off at home. I closed my eyes and reclined in the backseat.

“Ron...” I whispered.

Just then the door to the taxi opened. I opened my eyes.

“Scoot over.”

I frowned at Ronbie.

“What?”

“Scoot over.”

Thank you for reading! ✨