I wrote this short story for competition awhile back. It lost. I kind of expected it to. It was a big cash prize and there were over 4400 entries. I had a lot of help with editing and getting it all dolled up, but it wasn’t good enough. That’s okay. This isn’t the first contest I’ve lost and it certainly won’t be the last. I’ll keep trying.
I hope you read and like the story.
Thank you.
~Kristi
~~~~~
My Name Is Aayla ©
Aayla Boone rushed around her house, drinking a cup of coffee as she got ready for work. There was no music or TV to listen to as she put on her makeup in the bathroom, the only semi-clean room in the house. All she could hear was Joey snoring from the recliner in the living room where he’d passed out last night. Again.
She dried her hair, wondering if he was going to work today. Being a plumber, he worked for himself. It wasn’t the most lucrative thing when he didn’t do any job he didn’t want to do, which was most of them.
As she dressed, she heard raindrops bouncing off the roof. Nope. Joey wasn’t going to work today, not that he’d get any calls anyway. He’d blown off so many people, his reputation of being lazy or not showing up precluded any service calls that might come his way.
She carried her empty cup to the kitchen, pausing in the living room to gaze at him. What happened to you? You used to be fun, happy, and ambitious. Now, you’re nothing but a slob and a drunk.
Making her way to the front door, she stepped over the garbage that littered the floor around the house, slinging her purse over her shoulder. “The least he could do is clean this place up,” she muttered, walking to her car in the pouring rain.
It was just another Monday at work. Fielding phone calls, waiting on people who came in, and helping fill out forms was a part of her job as a secretary at a small insurance office. She liked the work and thought she was good at it, but the money sucked. She didn’t make enough to feed Joey and her or cover the household expenses, let alone buy all his beer and finance his nights out at the bar.
She’d been working here since she got out of high school. Her boss, Glenn Sparks, was an older guy who probably should have retired ten years ago. He was kind and thoughtful, giving her cash for lunch occasionally, and even remembering her on National Secretary’s Day. She didn’t have the heart to leave him or the job. His wife was in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s. Sometimes he would sit at Aayla’s desk and talk about his beloved wife of fifty-five years. It was obvious that he truly loved her. Even though she was physically with him, mentally she’d left him long ago, yet Glenn stood by her.
She wondered what it would be like to have a man love her like that. She was sure Joey would hightail it if something were to happen to her. He didn’t care. All he did was lie around, drink beer, and watch TV. He didn’t contribute a thing. He rarely showered, which left him with a bad case of body odor. She was almost grateful that he habitually cheated on her. She didn’t want to have sex with him. His lack of personal hygiene, his insane weight gain, and his selfishness made him less than desirable.
She buried herself in her work. She was on the phone when her friend Riley came strolling into the office. Aayla gave her a slight wave, wondering what she was doing here but was happy to see her.
“Let’s go to lunch,” Riley said with a smile after Aayla finished her call.
“I can’t,” she said with regret.
Riley was a typical blonde bombshell. She was tall, slim and dressed to the nines, with long, flowing blonde hair, and sparkly blue eyes. She was fit, had ample breasts, was single, and loved men.
“Yeah, you can. I won’t take no for an answer.” She opened the bottom desk drawer and pulled out Aayla’s purse and handed it to her. “My treat,” she announced as she went to Glenn’s office and knocked on his open door. “Aayla’s going to lunch with me. Do you want us to bring anything back for you?”
He gave her a smile. “No, thank you. I’m headed over to the home to visit my bride for a little while.”
“Okay. Tell her hello for me.” She smiled and returned to Aayla’s office again. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Aayla didn’t want to. She couldn’t afford a down payment on a free meal right now and it just seemed wrong that Riley bought lunch every time the two of them got together. It didn’t matter that Riley had a great job, was making good money, and could easily afford it. It was the principle of the deal.
Riley could feel her friend’s reluctance as she pulled her out of the chair by the wrist. “See you later, Glenn,” she called over her shoulder, dragging Aayla out the door into the cloudy day.
Aayla listened to Riley go on about her latest love interest as they drove to a casual restaurant. Riley was never at a loss for male companionship.
Riley waited until they were seated and had ordered before she launched into one of the many reasons she worried about Aayla. “Did Joey remember today is your birthday?”
“He was passed out when I left,” Aayla mumbled. “He wouldn’t remember anyway.”
She sighed, disgusted. “You know what you need?”
“I’m sure you’re going to tell me,” she muttered into her water glass.
“Yes, I am and there’s no need to get snarky. It’s my job as your best friend.”
Riley’s cheeriness was a bit unnerving to Aayla, but she wasn’t about to show it. Riley was the only one who ever remembered her birthday. It was nice.
“Instead of giving you my traditional Victoria’s Secret package, I’m giving you this,” she announced, sliding an envelope across the table to her.
Aayla opened the card. It was pretty, with flowers and glitter on the front and sincere verses about friendship inside. After Riley’s signature, she’d stuck a label with a website address printed on it.
Riley smiled. “I bought you a year of service. Go ahead and open it on your phone.”
Aayla retrieved her phone from her bag. She fired up the browser and typed in the web address and waited, wondering what it was. Her jaw dropped and her eyes shot open with horror when she saw it. “You want me to cheat on my husband?”
“No. I didn’t say that. I want you to find some quality male companionship. When I signed you up, I specified Friends Only.”
“Riley, this is a cheater’s website,” she exclaimed. “I can’t do this.”
“Yes, you can. You know Joey is cheating on you. He’s been doing it with every woman who will lower her standards enough to do it with him. I’m not suggesting that you cheat back. I just want you to find a new male friend. The only one you have is Glenn and he’s, what, eighty-five or ninety?”
“He’s seventy-three and you’re right; he is a good friend.”
“But he doesn’t give you what you need, Aayla,” she said, serious. “He’s an old man with his sights focused on his sick wife. Listening to that every day has to be depressing. Living with a sloppy drunk has to be depressing. Having that sloppy drunk not working and living off you has to be depressing. I’m merely suggesting that you find someone who will stimulate your mind, make you think, give you a different perspective, you know. What’s the harm?”
“I’m married,” she reminded, not wanting to sound ungrateful, but this gift was so… preposterous!
Riley grasped her friend’s forearm, seeing the panic in her eyes. “You’re married to a loser, girlfriend. He doesn’t work. He doesn’t pay any bills. He won’t even clean up the dump you’re living in. All he does is drink away your paychecks and chase women on your dime. Sorry, but that is total crap.”
Aayla knew it was true. Joey was very much like that and there was no denying it. “I know he’s no good, but he’s still my husband. I won’t cheat on him.”
“Nobody asked you to. I just want you to find a new friend.”
She looked at the screen on her phone, seeing beguiling men who were surely models for romance novels and skimpy underwear. They were probably as dumb as posts, too.
“Just think about it. Okay?” Riley said persuasively. “Fill out the profile information and see what happens. That’s all I’m suggesting.”
“The internet is jam-packed with creeps and scammers,” she rebuked.
“I know, but there are some good people out there, too.”
Riley could see the uncertainty on Aayla’s face and it made her a little angry. Aayla was a beautiful woman inside and out who did everything for that scumbag husband. He had zero gratitude and expected even more of her. “I’m not advocating that you cheat on Joey. But I want you to think about something. When you two first got together, he was a Romeo. I was there. Remember? He wined and dined you, bought you flowers and nice gifts, told you how pretty you are and how lucky he was to find you. He admired your intelligence, had a job that he actually worked—you remember, I’m sure.”
She nodded with a frown.
“Where is that guy, Aayla?” she asked softly. “Where is the guy who made you his queen?”
She shrugged, feeling sad. Joey had been good looking, fun, and vivacious, with some money in his pocket and some pride in his heart. Then it had changed. It had started innocently enough with him going to the bar after work for a couple of beers with the guys. It slowly escalated until he was staying out until ten or eleven o’clock, then until closing time, and finally to staying out all night. She’d forgiven him for coming home in the wee hours of the morning still drunk with hickeys on his neck. She didn’t ask for any explanations or fly into a rage.
Hiding her heartbreak, she’d quietly moved her things into the spare bedroom. It hadn’t lasted long because he’d said the words every desperate man says and every hurt woman wants to hear, “I’m sorry, I love you, and it will never happen again. I promise.”
He was good for a short while after that. He’d gone back to being the old Joey with his attentions. He went to work and came right home afterward. He stopped drinking. He had even suggested that they have a baby.
Aayla wanted kids and thought Joey had been serious. They had tried for a few weeks, but failed. Once the evidence showed itself, he’d gone back to the bar and his habit of staying out all night.
Ditching those memories, Aayla slipped the phone and card into her bag. “Thank you, Riley. It’s a thoughtful gift.”
Riley leaned back in the padded booth and gave her a wink and a smile. She didn’t detect an ounce of sincerity in Aayla’s voice, but she hoped she’d at least give this a shot.
~~~
“Winning this case will definitely make you a partner now, Jake,” Vincent congratulated as he and Jake sat in a swanky bar having drinks with several other attorneys after work.
Jake sipped his Jack Daniels and Coke. “I’m not so sure,” he responded, raising a dark, dubious brow. “It doesn’t seem as if Old Man Chalmers has his sights set on making me a partner at all.”
“Are you kidding?” he asserted. “You’re a real hot dog now. You just made the firm a boatload of money. You’re headed right for the top, my friend. Old Man Chalmers may be old, but he ain’t stupid. You’re an asset. He’s going to see that. Buckle up, buddy. You’re shooting right to the top.” He clapped him on the back. “I see a honey over there that needs my attention,” he said, gazing at the pretty woman who was sitting at a table with several other people.
Jake watched Vince make his way across the room to join his wife and her friends. He was a little envious since his own wife had no time for him and couldn’t care less if he made partner or not. As long as he kept bringing in the big bucks and stayed out of the way of her own career advancement, she didn’t care if he lived or died.
He finished the drink and left the bar. As he walked the few blocks back to the office to get his car, he wondered if Lynne was sleeping with someone at her architectural firm. She was gone all the time, never answered her phone or returned text messages, and pawned their ten-year old son off on anybody who would take him. She was pretty much incommunicado with him. Even on weekends. She claimed that she was working on a big project, but he’d driven by her office building on his way home from work several times and had seen no lights on in her office. When he got into the house, there were no signs of her or Jaden; no notes, no messages, nothing.
He found himself alone a lot. The house was too quiet for having a rambunctious ten-year old boy living there.
Tonight was no different. When he drove by her office building, the only light showing was the entryway’s security light. When he pulled into the driveway of his huge home, the place was dark.
Again, she and Jaden were gone. He parked the Lexus in the spacious garage and went inside.
He flipped on the lights in the kitchen and set his briefcase in a chair. He could smell that the cook had been hard at work again today. The place was filled with the aroma of pot roast.
Pulling his silk tie loose, he made his way to the refrigerator. It was going to be another lonely meal.
He took the containers out, filled a plate, and popped it into the microwave. He headed upstairs to change, intending to eat while he worked.
It wasn’t long before he was seated at the table, eating with one hand while he surfed the internet with the other. While he was looking for a particular website for research, he stumbled across a strange dating site. He’d seen many dating sites before and thought nothing of them, but this one was different.
He pushed his plate away and pulled his laptop closer to get a better look. Friends meeting friends, it touted. Of course, there were pictures of happy people hanging out, some with the opposite sex, some with the same sex, people holding hands in parks, the normal hoopla that goes with catching lonely folks.
Out of curiosity, he clicked to enter on a free trial. It required him to set up a profile. He hated that part, but nobody would know it was him. False picture. False profile. He was just looking for a friend, after all. He wasn’t trying to cheat on Lynne. He just wanted a woman to talk to. No harm there. Right?
Forgetting his dinner, he painstakingly wove a lie of a profile. He gave himself the name of Seth DiMarco, said his occupation was a museum curator in Los Angeles, and proceeded to weave a web of lies. When it was done, he searched some images for a guy who looked similar to him. The guy he chose had long, dark hair, dark eyes, a mustache and goatee.
Okay, he had to admit he wished he looked like him. Jake had dark hair and dark eyes, too, but his hair was short and styled, and he was clean-shaven. He looked very much like the lawyer that he was. The guy in the picture looked more like a biker.
He posted the picture and spent the next couple of hours combing through the profiles of different women, all of whom seemed to have romance on the brain. He wasn’t sure he wanted to cross that line, despite his suspicion that Lynne was having an affair. Two wrongs didn’t make a right.
He figured going onto a dating website was cheating, even if it was advertised as a friendship site. It was a place for people to meet; an online singles bar. He felt guilty, but not enough to stop.
He was about to contact a cute brunette when he heard the garage door opening. Lynne was home. He quickly shut down the laptop and had his plate in front of him by the time she and their son entered the house.
“Hey, Dad,” Jaden greeted cheerfully, sitting down in the chair next to him.
“Hi, Jay. How’s it going?” he asked with cheerfulness of his own.
He listened to his son recap his day, discreetly watching Lynne move around the kitchen, putting the tea kettle on the stove. As always, she ignored him. That didn’t stop him from noticing that she was flushed, her hair was a bit messed up, and she looked tired. He’d seen her look like this many times after they’d made love. She’d had hot sex and it hadn’t been with him.
His heart sank as it dawned on him that their relationship was over. She was playing around with another man.
Maybe joining a dating site wasn’t as horrific as it had first seemed.
~~~
When Aayla got home from work on Friday evening, Joey’s truck was gone. He’d stopped at her office to get some money, arousing her suspicion since he’d taken a shower and shaved. He smelled great and was wearing clean clothes.
Against her better judgment, she gave him the last fifty dollars she had, shorting them on grocery money. She wasn’t sure how she was going to make it up since pay day wasn’t for another week.
“I can’t keep doing this, Joey,” she told him, frustrated. “You’re going to have to start working.”
“There’s no work, babe,” he excused, sticking the money in his pocket.
“Then work for somebody else!” she snapped, glad that Glenn was gone for the day. She and Joey were going to fight.
“I don’t work for other people,” he hissed, pointing at her with anger. “You know damn good and well that I have always worked for myself. Business is slow right now. It will pick up again.”
“Meanwhile, you’re spending what little money we have on booze and women,” she shouted. “You take that money and have a good time because after this, the well is dry. I’m not giving you another cent until you start bringing something to the table.”
He brutally grabbed her jaw and glared into her eyes. “You will do as I say when I say it. Got it?” he sneered.
She swallowed hard, wondering if he was going to hit her while they were in public. He’d slapped her around a few times at home, but never where people could see him do it.
He kissed her on the lips for a moment then patted her cheek. “See you later.”
She lowered her head into her hands, breathing hard, hearing the bell ring over the door as he left. She needed to get rid of him. Riley was right. Joey was a parasite.
Shaking off the memory of what had happened with him that afternoon, she launched into cleaning house, taking bags of garbage out to the bin, vacuuming the carpet, and mopping the floors. It made her crazy to live like this, but with Joey always lounging in front of the TV, yelling at her because she was in the way of his show, or making too much noise, she’d finally given up. Let him live like a slob if he wanted to. She stayed in the bedroom where there was no TV but plenty of books to read.
It took her hours to get it done, but when she was finally through, she sat down on the couch with her phone. She intended to check her email and rolled her eyes when she saw that the browser had launched and that dumb dating site was up.
She looked at the welcome page, knowing guys like those who were pictured did not hang out on dating sites. She scowled while she looked at the pictures of the muscular, great looking men.
She debated for a short while, going over what had happened with Joey this afternoon. He was lacking in so many ways. They hadn’t had sex in months. She was fine with that, but the only time he talked to her was when he found something interesting about football or if the Giants won their game. She missed decent conversations more than anything. Again, Riley was right. Aayla needed some stimulation.
“Here goes nothing,” she sighed. She spoke as she typed, “I don’t like long walks on the beach. I have no aspirations of watching the sunset together. I hate all sports, especially football. I’m married, but not happily (I mean, I wouldn’t be here if I was. Right?). I’m not looking for romance or an extramarital affair. I just want somebody to talk to. Boring, I know, but that’s what I’m really looking for,” she finished and hit the save button only to have the fields on the screen come up with red asterisks, requiring information.
“Name?” she huffed, not wanting to give it. She tossed some names around in her head before making a decision. “Lisa McFarland and I live in Nashville, Tennessee,” she spoke as she typed and pressed the save button again.
“Geeze, now a picture?” she frowned. She searched some images until she found one that looked nothing like her. The woman she chose was a blonde with shoulder-length, poufy hair, airbrushed makeup, and pretty blue eyes.
“One lie deserves another,” she said quietly and hit the save button.
She read the congratulations message with a feeling of dread. Was this really cheating? She’d been clear that she wasn’t looking for an affair or anything more than somebody to talk to, but she felt as if she was in the devil’s workshop. She hoped she wouldn’t attract any weirdoes or stalkers and vowed to never tell Joey.
She took a shower and went to bed, taking her phone with her to put it on the charger. On a whim, she checked the site and found messages from three men. She looked at the first guy and read his profile. “Nope. Axe murderer,” she said, going to the next one. A blonde guy was offering her a good time. “Ugh,” she grunted and went to the next one. “Oh brother,” she snorted when she read the profile. A gay guy wanting to experiment with a straight woman and eventually have a child with her.
Dismayed, she shut down the phone and plugged it into the charger. She turned off the light and lay down, hoping Joey would stay gone tonight. It would be nice to get up to a clean house for a change.
~~~
Jake was working late, was tired, and needed to go home to get some sleep. He sat at his desk with his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his tie loosened, wearing a pair of eyeglasses that accentuated his good looks.
He took a break to check the dating site he’d signed up for a few weeks ago. He checked it periodically and had answered a few women who had contacted him, but nothing had come from it. He was okay with that. He wasn’t sure he was doing the right thing anyway.
He scrolled through the list of women who had recently joined and discovered a pretty blonde with stylish hair and fantastic blue eyes. He clicked on her profile and read it, smiling as he did. “You hate football and all you want is conversation,” he summarized aloud to the empty office and clicked on Send Me a Message and began to type:
Hi—My name is Seth DiMarco. I read your profile and am glad you don’t like football.
He stopped and took it out with the backspace key, thinking it sounded stupid. He thought for a moment before typing again:
Hi, Lisa, my name is Seth. I read your profile and see that we have a lot in common. Write back, if you’re interested.
The green dot next to her name said she was online so he waited to see if she would respond.
Aayla sat alone in her bedroom, reading Seth’s profile after receiving his message, wondering if she should answer him. The TV was blaring from the living room and Joey was drunk again and would probably pass out on the couch. He wouldn’t catch her.
With a burst of courage, she typed back:
Hi, Seth, I read your profile, too. You’re right. We seem to have some things in common. I just want to make sure you understand I am not looking for anything more than conversation.
Jake read the message and smiled a little, typing back:
Understood. I’m looking for conversation, too and nothing else. I’m married with a ten-year old son. I know you’re married, too, but do you have any kids?
Aayla typed back:
No. My husband and I have been married for eight years and he refuses to have sex with me now. We tried for a few weeks a few years ago, but he gave up. I guess it didn’t mean as much to him as it did to me.
He frowned, wondering if he should approach this. What the hell. It isn’t like they were ever going to meet. He typed:
You haven’t had sex with your husband in a few years?
Aayla shifted in the bed, wishing she’d never said that. What a thing to say to a complete stranger. She typed again:
I have. It’s just been many months. I’m sorry I said that. I mean, I just met you and that isn’t something somebody should ever broadcast
He scratched his stubbly jaw and typed some more:
It’s okay. I can’t say that I get a lot of sex from my wife, either. I think she’s got a boyfriend.
She responded:
I’m so sorry
Ah, it’s okay. I spend a lot of time at work. She has her own career. I think we’ve just lost each other in the melee, you know
Aayla was sad for him, but wanted to know:
Is that why you joined this site?
He sent her another message:
Yeah, I guess. I spend a lot of time alone. I was bummed one night and found it. I felt terrible about joining, but everybody needs attention sometimes. She’s not willing to give it. I won’t find another woman because of my son. I don’t think it would bother her if she knew, though. She might be glad. Does your husband know?
Aayla found herself relaxing a little as she responded:
No. My husband isn’t attentive, either. I have a friend who bought me a subscription for my birthday because she thinks he’s a freeloader. She wanted me to find a guy to spend some time with
Jake smiled a little.
When is your birthday? He asked, wanting to be polite.
It was last month
Then, happy belated birthday, Lisa
Aayla smiled and typed back:
Thank you. When is your birthday?
It was back in January
Happy belated birthday to you, too, Seth. Did you have a party at the museum?
“Museum?” he echoed aloud, confused. “I about blew that,” he said with relief, remembering that he put his occupation as a museum curator in his profile.
I spent it quietly, he replied. No parties or anything. Did your husband get you anything special for your big day?
No. I don’t think he remembered. Did your wife get you anything?
A 14K gold money clip. It’s nice
That sounds lovely. I’m sure you appreciate it
Jake smiled again, seeing that she was the type that would appreciate anything anybody gave her.
Aayla panicked when she heard Joey shuffling down the hallway and typed quickly:
I have to go. My husband is coming!
She scrambled to get under the covers, shoving her phone under them and grabbing the novel she’d been reading as the door opened. She met Joey’s cold glare with one of her own. “Yes?”
He weaved a bit, staring at her for a moment and left, pulling the door closed. He hadn’t said a word.
Feeling guilty, Aayla let out a sigh of relief, setting the book down on her lap. It was almost like he knew she was up to no good.
“I should not be doing this,” she whispered, covering her face with her hand.
~~~
But she couldn’t stop. It was like she was addicted to having conversations with Seth DiMarco. He sent her messages morning, noon, and night every single day for weeks. She looked forward to them. He hadn’t crossed the line into being provocative or flirtatious. He didn’t say anything that could be construed as romantic nor did she. He was a deep thinker and he did stimulate her.
Jake was feeling the same way. He’d been afraid that he’d been chatting with a bot and once asked Lisa to order him a pizza in the middle of their conversation. Her response had been a dumfounded, “What?” She was too responsive and warm to be anything but human. He found he was coping better with Lynne’s affair. He had Lisa to thank for that. She was a pleasant diversion.
They each looked forward to the company of the other and spent most evenings together. Neither of them had yet to reveal their true identity, although Aayla got the feeling that Seth was not a museum curator. He was smart, witty, and was a great speller with a vast vocabulary (definitely sexy to her). She knew museum curators had to go to college to get jobs in that field and were highly intelligent, but he seemed intelligent in a different way.
I want to send you something, Seth told Aayla one evening
Aayla’s heart stopped. She was going to have to reveal something here. She and Seth had been chatting for weeks and the only thing she suspected was not true of him was his occupation. She’d been dishonest about her name, her looks, where she lived—oh no, she had to tell him the truth about some things now. Everything else she’d told him was true, but surely he would be angry if she came clean about these things.
Jake faltered. He’d bought Lisa a silver bracelet and had his initials engraved on the back. JJB. His real initials. He had a few things to confess, too. He knew he was risking their relationship, something he’d grown to love and appreciate. She was charming, open, seemingly honest, smart, and had a beautiful spirit. She made him feel like he mattered; like he was more than a checkbook or someone to pay the bills. He’d opened up to her with such frankness; he felt she knew him better than anyone else did. He didn’t feel like he had to put up the façade of being a champion civil attorney who was making a ton of money or that he had to prove himself by making partner in his law firm. She didn’t judge him nor do anything that made him feel less than a man. He could be himself. It was so refreshing.
Hello? He typed when he didn’t get an answer after several minutes, seeing that she was still online from the green dot beside her name.
With shaking fingers, Aayla typed back:
I have a confession to make
Jake held his breath, hoping she wasn’t going to tell him that she was really a man or that she was a murderer or something.
Okay, he replied, waiting.
She swallowed hard and typed again:
I don’t live in Nashville. I live in North Haven, CT. I am a secretary at an insurance company
Jake smiled a bit. If that’s the worst she was hiding, it wasn’t a big deal. He’d kind of figured that anyway. He hadn’t exactly been honest about things himself.
He typed back:
I don’t live in California, either. I live in New Canaan, NJ. I’m an attorney in NYC
Aayla muted her soft laugh with her hand, feeling a little weight lift from her shoulders. No wonder he seemed so smart. He was a freaking lawyer.
Are you going to let me send you something?
She hesitated before writing back:
I’m married, Seth. I don’t know that receiving a gift from another guy is appropriate
Lisa, there’s nothing appropriate about what we’re doing here. I’m married, too. I just want to give you something nice as a token of my appreciation for you spending quality time with me. Nobody else wants to do that. I’m a moneymaker for people. You make me feel like I’m much more than that. Please let me send you this
What is it?
It’s nothing big and you can slip it by your husband with no problem. All you have to do is tell him you got it for yourself or that Riley gave it to you
“Oh, my God,” she whispered, frightened. Whatever it was could be passed off. He was too smart to give her something big that would require an explanation.
Reluctantly, she gave him the address to her office.
He assured her that he would never do anything to get her into trouble with her husband and discretion was everything.
Aayla went to bed that night after spending a couple of more hours with him, thinking he was a great guy. It had been a long time since she’d received a gift from a man and this excited her.
She just had to keep it from Joey.
~~~
Two days later, the package arrived at the insurance office. Glenn was going through the mail on her desk while Aayla was on the phone. “Who is Lisa McFarland?” he asked after she’d finished her call, pointing to the small box on the desk.
Aayla picked it up. “Oh, she’s a friend of mine. I told her she could have this package delivered here. It’s a birthday gift for her husband.”
“Oh,” Glenn said with a smile, sitting down across from her. “I gave my bride a stunning gift one time…”
Aayla listened to Glenn reminisce about giving his wife some extravagant gift after the birth of one of their children. She smiled and asked questions, but wanted to tear into the box to see what Seth had given her.
A customer interrupted them and soon Glenn was in his office with the door closed. Aayla diligently tore into the package and was surprised to see a silver chain bracelet adorned with a black amulet in a Cartier box. She put her hand to her chest as her mouth dropped open. “Cartier?” she choked, knowing it was very expensive. She carefully cut the tiny strings that secured it to the black velvet box and took it out to look at it closely. “Ooo.”
When she flipped it over, she saw the initials JJB.
Who is JJB? Seth’s initials were SGD. Was Seth lying about his name, too? She was. Why wouldn’t he do the same? Maybe he’d bought it secondhand. Yeah, she reasoned. He bought it secondhand.
She fired up the website on her work computer and typed him a message, seeing that the green dot was on next to his name:
What a gorgeous bracelet! Thank you so very much. It means a lot to me. I love it and will always cherish it
Jake was in a meeting with several other associates when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He discreetly looked at the message, keeping the phone almost under the table, away from the eyes of the other people. He kept the smile of satisfaction from his face and slipped it back into his pocket. Lisa had received the bracelet and was happy. It made him feel good.
An hour later, he was on his way to his next meeting and typed a message to her, seeing the green dot next to her name.
You’re welcome. I’m in meetings all day. Talk tonight?
She smiled, typing:
Definitely
~~~
Days later, Joey burst into Aayla’s office. “We have to get down to my folks’ place,” he said with urgency that she’d never seen him express before.
“What? Why?” she asked, confused.
“My dad had a heart attack and he might not make it. We have to go now.”
“We have no money, Joey,” she reminded in a quiet voice. “We can’t afford a trip across the street let alone one to Georgia.”
“We have to go somehow. Do you have anybody you can borrow money from? Maybe that Riley chick?”
“No. She doesn’t have money like that.”
She briefly thought of the Cartier bracelet she was wearing and how expensive it was. It would bring good money at a pawn shop. No, she told herself firmly, protecting it with her hand under the desk. Joey has no sort of relationship with his family and this is probably another one of his lies.
He pointed at the computer on her desk. “Look up the number to Jacob Boone. He’s some hotshot lawyer in New York City. We’ll get the money from him.”
She typed the name into Google, knowing that Joey had two brothers, but she’d never met them. He didn’t talk about them or his parents.
“Call that office,” Joey commanded when she gave him the results.
She picked up her cell phone off the desk. “I’m not asking anybody for money,” she informed him. “I’ll get him on the phone, but you have to talk to him.”
“Fine. Just do it.”
She was informed by a snooty receptionist that Mr. Boone was away on a family emergency and would be out of the office until further notice. She offered to line her up with another associate.
Aayla explained that her husband was Jacob Boone’s brother and that their father had had a heart attack and it was imperative that Joey speak to Jacob. The woman was unyielding in not giving out Jacob’s personal number, but took Aayla’s to give to him.
“It’s the best I can do,” she told Joey after she ended the call.
“We have to figure something out. Let’s go get packed. We’ll get a title loan on your car if we have to.”
Aayla didn’t want to do that. The car was all she had to get to work and do what she needed to do. She was sure she couldn’t pay it back and the car would be lost.
Her only hope was that Jacob would call Joey and give them the money.
And he did.
~~~
Aayla dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt for the long trip to Georgia. Joey drove a long way, drinking beer the whole time, ignoring her protests.
She knew he drove drunk all the time and hated it. He was dangerous behind the wheel. When they stopped for gas, she slid into the driver’s seat and finished the trip herself while he slept it off in the passenger seat. She woke him when they arrived at the hospital, wishing he’d at least taken a shower before they left. His blonde hair was greasy, his clothes were dirty, and he smelled awful.
She went inside the hospital, leaving him to catch up. She’d met his parents before and she liked them, even if he didn’t.
By the time she found Nick Boone’s room, Joey had caught up with her. The room was private and had two men and two women visitors, one of whom was her mother-in-law.
She was immediately drawn to the dark haired man. He was tall, well built, his hair cut short, styled, and clean. He had dark eyes that seemed to see right through her. His finely groomed goatee was like the rest of him; fresh, sharp, and tasteful. This has to be Jacob, she surmised.
Jake watched Aayla as she was introduced to his brother Liam and his wife, Joanie, shaking their hands while she uttered soft greetings and smiled congenially. When it was his turn, his heart stopped and he held her hand just a bit too long. He looked at her wrist and saw the bracelet he’d given to Lisa McFarland. There were so few like it and for her to have one of them was unlikely.
He looked at her in a different way now. Aayla had straight, dark hair that hung to her shoulders. It looked silky and soft. She had dark eyes, was of average height and weight. She was dressed as well as she could be considering Joey was an abysmal provider. Her makeup was subtle and she smelled good.
After she and Joey were brought up to speed on Nick, Jake wanted to steal away with her. He wanted to ask her one big question. The air between them crackled as he stole furtive looks at her and she fidgeted uneasily.
Aayla felt as if she knew Jacob and felt him looking at her. But they’d never met. Jacob was checking her out with more than casual interest. She’d seen him stare at the bracelet and had met his eyes briefly when they’d been introduced.
After Joey fell asleep in the chair next to his mother, Jake looked at Aayla. “We should go get some coffee,” he suggested as casually as he could, his nerves rattled with the realization that Lisa and Aayla were probably one and the same. She’s my brother’s wife! What are the chances?
Aayla suspected that he was Seth DiMarco and if he was, her day of reckoning had come. She was about to lose the best friend she’d ever had. It hurt. A lot.
Jake walked with her to the elevators, observing her, thinking she was so pretty and too good for his drunk, lazy brother. They joined several people inside the elevator, not saying anything, not touching, not looking at each other.
Oh God, if he is Seth DiMarco, he is my husband’s brother, she groaned inwardly. This was a huge mistake. Of all of the people on the internet, how did he end up being the special one? She held Seth in higher esteem than she did Joey and they could be brothers!
She winced when the elevator stopped and walked with him into the cafeteria.
He offered to buy her something to eat, but she had no appetite and politely declined. He paid for two cups of coffee and led her to a table that was far away from other people.
“This is a strange question,” he started uneasily. “We’ve not met, but I have a feeling I know you. Are you Lisa McFarland?”
She wanted to crawl under the table, but took a deep breath, trying to ease her jangled nerves. “Are you Seth DiMarco?”
He met her eyes, her counter question being his answer. “I was until today. My name is Jacob Boone. Everybody calls me Jake.”
She swallowed hard. “My name is Aayla Boone and everybody calls me Aayla.”
He smiled, revealing even white teeth and offered her his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you…Aayla.”
She smiled, too, feeling a little more at ease, slipping her hand into his. “How did you know it was me?”
He kept a hold of it, not that she was pulling away, and tapped the bracelet. “If you look on the back of the amulet, the initials are JJB.”
She hadn’t mentioned that to him. “I noticed that. I didn’t know who JJB was. I thought maybe you’d bought it secondhand or something,” she said without accusation.
He caressed the top of her hand with his thumb, unable to stop himself from looking into her eyes. He admired her beauty, wit, and innocence. “That would have been a classic schmuck move. That’s something you would expect from someone like Joey.”
She smiled, feeling shy. “He would never give me anything like this. He hasn’t given me anything since we’ve been married.”
Saddened, he said wondrously, “I can’t imagine neglecting you like he does.”
“I’m not special, Jake.”
“Yes, you are, Aayla. If all of the things you told me are true, you need to get rid of him. You deserve better than what he gives you.”
“Everything I told you is true. Is everything you told me true?”
“Every word.”
She loved the way he was touching her, just lightly caressing her with his thumb. He was making her quiver and sending lightning through her body. “We can’t do this.”
“Why?”
“You’re my husband’s brother. It isn’t right.”
“What if I wasn’t?”
She shrugged, looking away.
“Would you give me a chance if your husband wasn’t my brother?”
“You’re asking me to cheat,” she breathed.
He leaned over the table to her. “What do you think we’ve been doing all this time?” he countered in a hushed voice.
“I don’t know. Is conversing cheating?”
“Joining a dating site while we are married is cheating. I see where we can do one of two things.”
She bit her lip, waiting for what he was going to say.
“We can stop this charade and never speak again or we can give it a shot and see where it goes.”
She didn’t say anything. Her mind was addled with such a sudden decision and the fact that Seth DiMarco had surfaced as Jake Boone.
He could see her twisting and wished that she wasn’t. “I don’t need a decision right now, but I really want to give us a try. If it works out, we can get divorces and be together.”
“Until then, we cheat,” she whispered.
He didn’t deny it. “We’re staying in the same hotel. My room is across the hall from yours. I won’t pressure you, but if you decide that you want to give us a chance, come to my room at eleven o’clock tonight.”
Before she could respond, he was gone.
They avoided each other for the rest of the day. Jake bought Joey a bottle of Jack Daniels to make sure he would be passed out early so Aayla could get away if she wanted to.
He took a shower and got dressed in a pair of warm-up pants and a t-shirt before starting his restless pacing. Checking his watch every few minutes, he wondered if she would come. Had she decided to stay with his bum brother? Would she stay in the life of misery that the two of them had created? Or would she break free and make a life with him, someone who loved her and appreciated her for who she was?
He waited for the knock at the door. Ten fifty-five turned into eleven o’ three and still no knock. Eleven fifteen came and went. He continued to pace, thinking she’d somehow gotten held up, but at eleven thirty, it was obvious she wasn’t coming. Her decision was clear.
He was turning down the bed when there was a soft tap at the door. He crossed the small room and opened it.
Aayla leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissed him passionately.
He kissed her back, dragging her inside and kicked the door closed.
Hanging out with Kristi 