But it isn’t Zack. It’s a number that I don’t recognize, so I bolt upright immediately. This is probably going to be the wife, isn’t it? She is going to want to find out exactly what’s happened with me and Zack and I will have to be honest with her because I started this confrontation. All of this is my fault.

  “Fuck.” My heart races. I nearly don’t answer, but I know that I need to. I can’t cause a trail of destruction of my own and not deal with the consequences. I can’t be that person. I have to answer. “Hello?”

  “Hello, is this Miss Aston?” the surprisingly male voice asks me. “Latesha Aston?”

  “Erm, yes speaking.” I rub my fore head hard, willing the head ache away. “Who’s speaking?”

  “This is Bill Martin, calling from Extrapries. You sent us your resume last week.” Oh my God, a job. One of the jobs that I have applied for. This is crazy and absolutely amazing timing. I couldn’t need this more. “I was wondering if you are still searching for a new job, and if you would like an interview with us?”

  “Oh yes, of course.” I don’t know exactly what this job interview will be for because I have applied for so many different positions, but that’s okay. I can do my research and work it out afterwards. “Thank you.”

  “Well, we have interviews running at the end of this week. Thursday or Friday. Or Monday if needs be…”

  “Thursday is perfect.” The sooner the better. “That would be great. Thank you for the chance.”

  As Bill reels off the details of the interview for me, I write it down excitedly. This is just what I need, a chance at a fresh start somewhere else, an opportunity to be someone else and to start fresh. I really don’t feel like there is any going back to Zack’s company now after what has happened. There is too much water under the bridge.

  Of course, I might not get this job. It sounds like they are considering a number of people, but I am going to make sure that I present the best version of myself possible. At least if I give it my all then I will know that there is nothing else I could have done. I can see it as good practice for the next one anyway.

  By the time I hang up the phone to Bill, I feel a whole lot better. I feel like I can make something of myself after all. This experience has dented my confidence, but I’m only twenty-four years old. I can pick myself back up and try again. I can keep trying again until I get everything right and I find success at last.

  “Who was that?” Tracey asks me idly as she brings the drinks in to the room. She hands one to me and I take it gratefully with a grin. “Someone who has made you smile anyway which is nice.”

  “A job interview for the end of the week.” It feels incredible to say this aloud. “Someone who actually wants to take me away from the shitty situation that I am in. Can you believe it? I’m so happy. I know that it might not become anything, but it’s a start and I really freaking need it. This could be the answer.”

  “Just don’t make the same mistake again,” Tracey teases. “Don’t date anyone from work.”

  “Oh, I won’t be dating anyone for a very long time, you can trust me on that one. I want to focus on my work.”

  “That’s wise. Oh, is that the company?” Tracey leans across and looks at my phone screen where I have already started doing my research. “That looks like a nice place. You excited for the chance?”

  We chat about it for a while, but Tracey soon falls in to silence while she drifts off, watching what is on the TV instead. This allows me to continue on with my research and my mental planning for the interview. Now this is helping me to feel much stronger, this is making me feel my power, this is me taking control. It really is true, that success is the best form of revenge and that’s the form I am going to take.

  Knock, knock. I glance up as someone bangs on our front door. That wasn’t what I was expecting today. No one is really aware that me and Tracey are home, which is strange. Knock, knock. Knock, knock.

  “Urgh, that’s probably a cold caller.” Tracey rolls her eyes as she stands up. “I will get rid of them.”

  “Thank you. I don’t think I can deal with any more arguing today.”

  I continue making notes as Tracey answers the door. I block the rest of the world out focus on what I need to do. I don’t even react when I hear raised voices coming from the front door. I have dealt with some of these cold callers before and I know how eggy they can be if you try to turn them away. Their salaries depend on what they sell so they have to do what they can to off load what stock they have. Tracey is more than capable of standing up for herself though. She usually deals with these people because she is so much better than me.

  I should have had her deal with Zack and his wife. She would have shut that shit down better than me.

  But then the voices get louder, or Tracey’s does anyway, and I realize that she is properly yelling. Someone seems to have really upset her and while I don’t know if I should intervene, I should at least be there for her. If this seller sees that no one is interested, then we might end up left all by ourselves which is how we want today to be. Perhaps next time someone comes to the door we should just ignore it…

  “Oh my God.” I stop dead in the hall way when I spot the person Tracey is shouting at and it all clicks in to place. Everything makes so much sense now. Well, the arguing anyway. Nothing else does. Especially not him being here after everything. Didn’t he get the hint before? Wasn’t I clear when I told him not to contact me again? Don’t the words leave me alone mean anything anymore? “Zack, what the hell are you doing here?”

  Chapter 14 – Zack

  “I just want to talk to you,” I plead with Latesha. “I didn’t get a chance before and I need to now…”

  “I just told you to get out of here,” Latesha’s roommate, Tracey screams at me. Yep, she officially hates me, and I can understand why. She thinks that I am a married man who has been having an affair with her best friend, without even letting Latesha know that she is nothing more than my bit on the side. At least, that’s what I have pieced together they believe. Now I just need to make Latesha see that she couldn’t be more wrong. “Latesha doesn’t want to talk to you because you are a piece of shit, Zack. You have been horrible…”

  “This has all been a mis understanding,” I plead, focusing only on Latesha. “Please let me explain.”

  “You don’t get to explain.” Tracey tries to slam the door on me, but I put my foot in the way to prevent it from closing all the way because I still have a lot of things that I want to say. “You need to take a long hard look at yourself. You need to think about how you have treated my friend. It’s horrible.”

  “I know.” I hang my head low. “And there isn’t any excuse for it. I can see that. But I would like to explain. I just want to show you, Latesha, that none of this was your fault. This was all outside influences.”

  “That is bull shit.” Tracey is like an angry bull protecting her friend. She is going to be a challenging barrier to break down. “You don’t get to explain yourself away. Not after what you did.”

  Latesha spots the flowers underneath Tracey’s feet. The bunch that she snatched off me right away and she crushed between her feet because she despises me so fiercely and I can see her getting upset. Or certainly emotional enough to have tears behind her eyes at any rate. All I want to do is hold her to take the pain away but since I’m the one who caused it, I don’t think I have the right to try. All I can do is stand here like an idiot.

  “I think I should talk to him,” Latesha softly tells her friend. Her voice doesn’t sound sure about me, but she isn’t sending me away either, so I will take it. “Just for a moment. Then he can go.”

  “Once you have heard me out, I will leave immediately,” I insist to try and placate them both. “I promise.”

  “I don’t like this.” Trace tells her friend with a serious warning to her tone. “Not one bit.”

  “No, I know. I understand that.” Latesha rests her hand on Tracey’s shoulder. “But I won’t go anywhere. I will only be here so if I need you, I will tell you. Five minutes is all that he needs. No more.”

  Tracey eventually leaves us alone and I find Latesha’s eyes piercing right through me, searing right in to my soul. It isn’t a pleasant look, she isn’t looking at me like she is pleased with me, but it’s okay. That will change, I think. Once I finally explain the truth to Latesha, everything will be okay again.

  “Karen isn’t my wife.” That seems like the best place to start. “She isn’t even my girlfriend. She is the mother of my child…” I pause to see if this revelation will be a shock to her, but it seems that despite my privacy, she has heard about Amelia anyway. I guess secrets don’t stay buried for long. “And I haven’t seen her for over three years. She hasn’t been involved in her child’s life. I met up with her to see if she might want to change that.”

  “Oh…” Horror crosses Latesha’s face. “Oh God, and I walked in like that…”

  “Don’t worry, that isn’t an issue. You didn’t affect the meeting at all.” I don’t want her carrying that guilt. She doesn’t need that on top of everything else. “I just wanted you to know that she isn’t anything to me…”

  “I see.” She shuffles awkwardly because she clearly doesn’t know what to say. “Right, well…”

  “But that doesn’t excuse how I have behaved,” I insist. “I raced off when we first hooked up because I was late to get home for Amelia. Then I left our date because she was sick, which is why I haven’t been at work…” I shake my head sadly. “And I’ve been all stressed because of that which has made me a dick. I also felt bad that Amelia got sick when I was with you and blamed myself. Because Amelia doesn’t have her mother in the picture, I feel like I need to be everything to her and more. My mother is around and helps a lot, but it isn’t enough…”

  “Wow, and you had that meeting with Karen to contend with.” Latesha is really starting to understand now and she actually feels bad for me. I don’t deserve that either. I just want her to know. “That must have been hard.”

  “It’s just been a lot, that’s all. Everything happening all at once.” I smile thinly at her. “I should have known this was coming. I did hire a private investigator to find Karen because I thought that it would be best for Amelia… but I don’t know what’s going to happen now. We didn’t really leave it with any decision.”

  “Oh, I see.” She doesn’t seem to have an answer to that. I don’t either. I’m just going to have to spend more time with Karen one on one, hopefully without any drama, to make my choice. “Well, I hope you sort it out.”

  I stare at Latesha with my heart fluttering as I do. I might have tried to push her out of my mind for the better of Amelia, but it isn’t working. I don’t think I can cope without her completely. I can’t help needing her in my life. I shouldn’t, there are many reasons why this shouldn’t work, but I crave her too much.

  “I want to sort things out with you as well,” I admit. “I know that I don’t deserve for you to even be here talking to me right now because I have lashed out and you have taken the brunt of it more than once, but I really do like you a lot. I really would love to spend more time with you. If you would let me. As a friend or…”

  “Or more?” She cocks an eyebrow at me. “Because after everything that has happened between us, I am going to need you to be a lot more honest with me. Keeping things from me hasn’t worked in the past.”

  “No, that’s all too true.” I nod slowly. “Secrets aren’t good. I didn’t want anyone at work to know about Amelia because I thought that it was better for me to keep my professional and personal life apart. Only I didn’t change that even when I crossed the barrier with you, and that was wrong of me.”

  “Well, you might not need to worry about that anymore.” She shrugs one shoulder at me and blushes. The way that her cheeks turn a funny shade of red makes her even more adorable to me. “Because I have an interview for another company. So, I might not be working for you anymore… if that makes it easier.”

  “Oh…” I don’t know if I like that idea or not. In a way, I suppose it would be better because it does keep things separate, but at the same time I don’t know if the office will feel as good to me without her in it. Not only is she incredible at her job, she is also the ray of sun shine that I desperate need more than anything else. “I see.”

  “Well, I haven’t made any decisions yet. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I will see.”

  I have to admit that this amps things up for me. This makes it even more desperate for me to be honest at long last because I might not have forever to say everything now. So, even if I end up getting rejected, I need to spill the beans, to wear my heart on my sleeves and to allow Latesha to see how much she means to me.

  “Latesha, I like you a lot. A whole lot actually. So much it scares me since I didn’t plan on falling for anyone so soon.” I breathe deep, panicking a little. This could all go so horribly wrong. But I have to keep trying. “Now, after everything that has happened and the massive mess that I have made of everything, I understand if you don’t want to spend any more time with me or if you even want to just be friends, I will be content with that. But what I would like is for us to date again. Properly this time, honestly. I will tell you everything, I won’t keep anything to myself again, and I certainly won’t take the stresses of my life out on you. I would love for you to give me a chance, starting with right now. I want to take you out to dinner, if you’ll let me?”

  “But what about your child? Don’t you need to be with her?”

  She doesn’t even know Amelia and she is putting her first which is more than Karen has ever done really. She is showing to me that she really is the most incredible person ever, the lovely woman that I was getting to know, which makes my chest swell with happiness. I nearly get giddy with the happiness. Why did I worry that she might freak out about me having a child? I can’t believe I assumed that she could reject me for it. But Latesha isn’t like that. She is actually a decent person with a kind soft caring heart.

  “My mom has her tonight, and Amelia is fine at the moment, there aren’t any issues.” I grin, loving how being honest feels. “She knows that I am out on a date with you tonight, well that I might be out on a date with me tonight if you say yes, and she’s all good with it.”

  Actually, she’s happy but wary, scared that I’m acting nuts, but I know that has a lot to do with Karen and nothing much to do with Latesha at all. Her main worry lies with my daughter’s mother. She isn’t too pleased that I haven’t yet concluded about her, but as I told her that will take time.

  I take her warning on board that I should sort out Karen before I date someone else, but I know what I’m doing. I know that this is the right thing for me. I told my mom that I need to try and get Latesha to hear me out and that we might need dinner to sort things through, and I’m sure she will get it in the end.

  Soon, all of this will make sense to everyone else. They will all see that I had the right ideas after all. It will just take time.

  “Fine.” Latesha’s lips finally curl up in to a smile and she grins at me. “I will go on a date with you, but just the one while I try to figure out if I’m going to forgive you or not. I’m not totally sure yet.”

  I resist the urge to fist pump the air in excitement because this is truly the best thing that has ever happened to me. Latesha is giving me a third chance which I don’t deserve but that I am going to make sure she doesn’t regret. I will prove to her that I can be worthwhile, she will soon see.

  This is going to be the start of something incredible.

  Chapter 15 – Latesha

  “I hope you know what you’re doing…” I have to admit that Tracey’s words have been circling through my brain all night long, but to be honest they haven’t stopped me at all. I kinda feel like despite everything I do know what I’m doing. I know that nothing can justify Zack’s actions, but his explanation makes sense to me. Enough for me to be willing to give him a chance to make it up to me anyway. Just to see…

  “This is a nice place,” I declare quietly over the candle light towards Zack. “A bit fancy though.”

  “Yeah, it might be a bit much,” he chuckles, despite the fact that I’m sure with his money and caliber be must be more used to this sort of thing than I am. Not that I can imagine him eating at places like this often. He might be wealthy, but he clearly isn’t pretentious. He isn’t a lot of things I first assumed. “The food was great.”

  “Do you want dessert or are you full now?” he replies with a twinkle in his eyes.

  I don’t want the night to end. I’m not ready to go anywhere, but at the same time I do know that I am full. I couldn’t eat another bite even if it is the best meal that I have ever had in my life.

  “I don’t think I can eat more,” I tell him honestly. “But it was really delicious.”

  He leans across the table and rests his hand on mine while staring lovingly in to my eyes. I’m sure that anyone looking at us would assume that we have been a couple for years and that we have been together for years. But I have learned the hard way that assuming from an outsider perspective doesn’t give you all the answers.

  No, we might not have been together for years, but we are on the brink of something incredible, I can just feel it. If we can overcome those bumps early on and still be really seeing each other as we are then the future looks bright for us, I’m sure of it. Other people might have their doubts, but we will prove them wrong.

  “Would you like to come back to mine for a bit? You haven’t seen my place yet…”

  “But your daughter,” I gasp back. “Your mother. They aren’t going to want me coming back with you.”