wide. "It was like Justin was his younger brother
or something. But, it's a good thing."
"Absolutely,"
I agree. "It's early, I know, but I really think this is it. I can't ever
see myself without him. You should see me when he travels—I'm a complete
wreck."
"You
know I'm totally jealous, right?" she admits.
"Yes, I love it! "
Her
laughter bursts through the warm room. "You're such a bitch."
"No
worries, I'll set you up. You're not the only one I'm working on right now
anyway."
Melissa
looks confused. "Oh, yeah?"
I shrug
her off. "I'll fill you in later. I'll need your help with it when the
time comes."
"Anything
you need," she says. "Just make sure mine is hot," she jokes.
Justin
does have a few very good looking friends, but they are all part of Panther one
way or another, and we agreed they can't be on the menu for Melissa. There's
too much risk of her finding out more than she should.
I'm not
sure how I can keep some things hidden from her; she knows me too well—and
she'll be helping me with some things I can't trust to anyone but her. It may
come to me telling her what Justin really does—as long as I can find a way of
doing that without her putting it together with Steve and his disappearance.
Today
she looks so beautiful in the Michael Kors turtleneck sweater that I just gave
her for Christmas. She had called me when she opened it to protest about its
price, but I had quickly pointed out that she would have gotten it for me and
would want me to just accept it. As hot as she looks, we're not going to have a
problem hooking her up.
The
girls from the office are excited to meet Melissa. I texted everyone last night
and arranged for us all to have lunch today at Delmonico’s. I'll make sure John
is all set for the day, and then I'll show her around.
I want
her to meet Lena most of all.
MELISSA
LOVED THE PANTHER office,
and loved John even more. She'd thought I was full of shit when I told her how
great a guy he is. She still thinks it’s partly because I'm sleeping with
Justin. I love her bluntness, but I assured her John was a sweetheart before
that.
Delmonico's
is so elegant inside; all dark wood, soft table lamps, old portraits hanging on
walls covered with old style wallpaper under a tin ceiling. I was here once
with Justin, Trisha and Sam. The food was incredible, so I'm really looking
forward to this today.
Our
waiter came to the table to greet us and ask if we wanted drinks.
Duh!
He's a
stunning young man, and he catches Melissa's eye immediately, at least his ass
does.
"You
wanna see if you can order that?" I ask her after he walks away.
"Ah—shit
yeah!" she breathes.
"Can
I have one?" Jennifer asks politely.
Everyone
smiles, but Lena's looks forced. I strategically sat Melissa between us,
wanting her to get to know Lena better. She is as much Justin's sister as
Melissa is mine, and I want us all to be close.
"So,"
Lynda turns to Melissa, "has Charity told you all about how she stole
Justin from me?"
Melissa
is shocked. Clearly, she has no words. Her jaw flaps silently.
"Yeah,
I had him all lined up too. I think I was second in line," Jennifer adds.
Lynda
continues. "Then this young little thing swoops in and screws it all up
for the rest of us."
Melissa
understands the joke now. "Yeah," she shouts, "she did that shit
back home too."
"I
knew it," Lynda snaps, laughing.
Melissa
rolls with it, "Yeah, we all hated her there too. She just gobbled up
every decent guy that came along before anyone else had a chance."
"Seriously,
guys. I wanna know who called dibs on the waiter before he comes back?"
Jennifer demands.
"Home
team advantage," Melissa giggles. "You guys get him."
Lynda
turns to me. "You see? You see how it's done? Your friend knows."
Clarice
and Cathy are hysterical at this point, mostly because they can see the waiter
has heard a good chunk of the conversion. He smiles nervously back at us from
the bar, looking like a turkey on Thanksgiving. The bartender is
or something. But, it's a good thing."
"Absolutely,"
I agree. "It's early, I know, but I really think this is it. I can't ever
see myself without him. You should see me when he travels—I'm a complete
wreck."
"You
know I'm totally jealous, right?" she admits.
"Yes, I love it! "
Her
laughter bursts through the warm room. "You're such a bitch."
"No
worries, I'll set you up. You're not the only one I'm working on right now
anyway."
Melissa
looks confused. "Oh, yeah?"
I shrug
her off. "I'll fill you in later. I'll need your help with it when the
time comes."
"Anything
you need," she says. "Just make sure mine is hot," she jokes.
Justin
does have a few very good looking friends, but they are all part of Panther one
way or another, and we agreed they can't be on the menu for Melissa. There's
too much risk of her finding out more than she should.
I'm not
sure how I can keep some things hidden from her; she knows me too well—and
she'll be helping me with some things I can't trust to anyone but her. It may
come to me telling her what Justin really does—as long as I can find a way of
doing that without her putting it together with Steve and his disappearance.
Today
she looks so beautiful in the Michael Kors turtleneck sweater that I just gave
her for Christmas. She had called me when she opened it to protest about its
price, but I had quickly pointed out that she would have gotten it for me and
would want me to just accept it. As hot as she looks, we're not going to have a
problem hooking her up.
The
girls from the office are excited to meet Melissa. I texted everyone last night
and arranged for us all to have lunch today at Delmonico’s. I'll make sure John
is all set for the day, and then I'll show her around.
I want
her to meet Lena most of all.
MELISSA
LOVED THE PANTHER office,
and loved John even more. She'd thought I was full of shit when I told her how
great a guy he is. She still thinks it’s partly because I'm sleeping with
Justin. I love her bluntness, but I assured her John was a sweetheart before
that.
Delmonico's
is so elegant inside; all dark wood, soft table lamps, old portraits hanging on
walls covered with old style wallpaper under a tin ceiling. I was here once
with Justin, Trisha and Sam. The food was incredible, so I'm really looking
forward to this today.
Our
waiter came to the table to greet us and ask if we wanted drinks.
Duh!
He's a
stunning young man, and he catches Melissa's eye immediately, at least his ass
does.
"You
wanna see if you can order that?" I ask her after he walks away.
"Ah—shit
yeah!" she breathes.
"Can
I have one?" Jennifer asks politely.
Everyone
smiles, but Lena's looks forced. I strategically sat Melissa between us,
wanting her to get to know Lena better. She is as much Justin's sister as
Melissa is mine, and I want us all to be close.
"So,"
Lynda turns to Melissa, "has Charity told you all about how she stole
Justin from me?"
Melissa
is shocked. Clearly, she has no words. Her jaw flaps silently.
"Yeah,
I had him all lined up too. I think I was second in line," Jennifer adds.
Lynda
continues. "Then this young little thing swoops in and screws it all up
for the rest of us."
Melissa
understands the joke now. "Yeah," she shouts, "she did that shit
back home too."
"I
knew it," Lynda snaps, laughing.
Melissa
rolls with it, "Yeah, we all hated her there too. She just gobbled up
every decent guy that came along before anyone else had a chance."
"Seriously,
guys. I wanna know who called dibs on the waiter before he comes back?"
Jennifer demands.
"Home
team advantage," Melissa giggles. "You guys get him."
Lynda
turns to me. "You see? You see how it's done? Your friend knows."
Clarice
and Cathy are hysterical at this point, mostly because they can see the waiter
has heard a good chunk of the conversion. He smiles nervously back at us from
the bar, looking like a turkey on Thanksgiving. The bartender is
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