Page 83 of Love, Luck & Clusterf*ck

“Sure, Perry. Come on in.” Paul peered around the door. “Does your friend need somewhere to sleep too?”

With all the toothpaste I was going to be buying, I could’ve saved money going to a hotel.

Kate Lambert: You don’t look too good. Are you okay?

Adam Zepecki: You’re looking less hot than usual. Feeling all right?

Stephen Davidson: I’m worried about you. Should I be?

I answered the first two with: No, but I will be. I didn’t want to lie to them and say I was fine when obviously by my appearance I was anything but. I wasn’t up for fooling anyone by calling a piece of shit beautiful. That’s how I felt, and I was positive my looks reflected that. Honestly, I really didn’t care. It was only Monday, one day since my world had been fucked up, and I’d still made it into work. Everything else was optional.

Hmm. I rubbed my hands over my face. I had no clue how to respond to the third. Stephen rarely used chat, but that wasn’t the confusing part. I wasn’t sure how to decipher his message. Was he worried because he thought I was mentally unstable or because Ilooked like crap?

I’d expected to get reamed out first thing that morning over what I’d done to his date, but… nothing. The nearly half-over day had progressed without a word, and I didn’t know what to make of it.

I decided to answer him with a simple: No.

The phones kept me busy, so I was thankful for that. During a lull, I powered up my cell. Then I blocked both Christa and Dre’s numbers. I was not ready to deal with either of them yet.

I weeded through the seventy-three texts to find only one worthwhile.

I tried calling before work. You’d better not be ignoring me, girl. I have amazing news! Kenny moved in!! I finally wore him down!!! Not literally yet. Still working on that one, hoping for tonight ;)

Reading his text was the bright spot of my day. It even forced a smile out of me. He loved his exclamations, so I gave him a bunch.

I’m so happy for you, sweetie!!!!!!! Not ignoring you, I promise. I’ll call later and fill you in on everything. Have fun tonight xoxo.

My line rang. “FiTech, Perry speaking.”

“Can you come into my office, please?”

“I’m pretty swamped out here.”

“It’ll only take a minute, Perry.”

Shit. This was it. I didn’t think I could handle him staring at me in disapproval on top of everything else. I’d messed up and done something foolish and rash. I didn’t want him thinking I was some crack muffin.

I logged my phone off and went into the glass box. The walls seemed narrower. Crushing, even.

“Have a seat,” he said.

“I thought it was only going to take a minute?”

He stared at me all right, but it wasn’t with disapproval. It was concern. Like a ‘make sure my fingernails are short so I don’t use them on myself or others’ concern. I wasn’t sure why, but being in thesame room as him just made me want to cry.

“You look like you’re not feeling well. Would you like to leave early?”

“I’m still doing my job fine.”

“That was never the question.”

“I’m sorry,” I blurted out. “I just….”

He moved in closer. “You just what?”

I just had one of the roughest nights of my life and I wasn’t in my right mind. I didn’t mean to be a psycho to your date and it’s none of my business anyway. We’re only friends, and I don’t want to lose that friendship over something idiotic I did.

“Perry?”

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