Possessing Eve (Book Two)

Chapter Seven

            The arrogance of that little asshole to call my job of all places! It wasn’t just the fact that it was my job, but it was my very first day! To top it all off, Joel had already gotten me in trouble with Gigi, who came out to have a very stern conversation with me once she got off the phone with him. I’m not sure how the two of them knew each other and didn’t really care. All I knew was that I was super pissed off at him. Then it was the indecency to text me right afterward. What the hell was wrong with him?

            I stormed inside my apartment, throwing my studded purse on the bar. Immediately, I opened the fridge, searching for a beer. Of course, we were freshly out. I might not have much money, but this was an emergency. Luckily for me, Gavin wasn’t home yet, so I didn’t have to worry about explaining my mood to him. I’m sure he would laugh it off, interested in the fact that Joel had the audacity to cause problems at my work on my very first day.

            There was a bar within walking distance of our apartment. As soon as I stepped foot inside, I threw myself on a barstool at the bar, snapping my fingers at the bartender. He rolled his eyes at me, which on any other night, I would have snapped back at him, but I deserved it tonight.

            “Vodka, please.”

            He seemed to change his attitude once I added please to my order. The instant he sat it on the bar, I took it in my hand and gulped it down in one straight shot.

            “Slow down there,” I heard someone say off to my right.

            I turned around half expecting to jump down a guy’s throat when I noticed it was the guy that was with Gigi before she showed me off to my desk. Richard, I believe his name was.

            “I know that working for Gigi Harp isn’t all that much fun, but I don’t think that it deserves the unkindness you are showing to that drink.”

            “Unkindness?” I asked.

            Richard laughed, taking a seat next to me. “Vodka needs to be treasured when drinking it. You need to drink it slowly, letting it slide down the throat with ease that gives that little tingle at the back of your throat when you are done. That is how you drink, my friend.”

            That remark earned a laugh from me. “So, you are basically telling me that you are an alcohol connoisseur.”

            “Oh sure,” he joked. “On the side, I dabble in all kinds of things. Alcohol is what really gets my heart pumping.”

            I had to admit that the guy had style. He had a sense of humor that genuinely made me laugh, not just faking it like I usually did when guys tried hitting on me. To be fair, I’ve heard all the shitty pickup lines before, so this was definitely a step up from those.

            After waving down the bartender for another shot, I dipped my head back, swishing the drink around in my mouth before finally letting it slide down my throat. Honestly, it did the trick. “Your right. It does taste better that way.”

            “See? I can be a little helpful when I want to be. So, what did Gigi do to you on your first day that earns you a seat at the bar tonight?”

            “Nothing that she did,” I sighed. “A friend of a friend called in and got me in trouble. He acted like he didn’t know that I worked there, but what are the chances?”

            Richard nodded his head, actually listening to what I was saying instead of only pretending for the sake of hoping to get me in his bed by the end of the night. “A friend, huh? You would be surprised at the high probability of that happening. Gigi has friends everywhere. Anyone with a semblance of importance knows Gigi well. If your friend has had dealings with her, which is likely, it isn’t that farfetched.”

            Before I could have cared less how Joel knew Gigi, now I found myself wondering how. As far as I knew, Joel was pretty much close to nothing. As far as I knew, he didn’t have a big wallet or have an ounce of fame. It made me question everything about him that I thought I might know. I had slept with a guy I barely knew. How original was that?

            “Are you sure he is just a friend of a friend? From the expression on your face, I sort of get the vibe that he might be more than that.”

            It probably wasn’t a good idea to open up to someone I would have to work closely with, but he was about all I had right now. I couldn’t go to Mia because she was secretly rooting for me, and Joel and I couldn’t talk to Gavin because he was hardly ever around anymore. Who else did I have to vent to?

            “Honestly, we slept together once. I was drunk, he was drunk, so it sort of just happened. Since then, he has developed this little crush. I’ve been letting him down until he beat me at a game of pool in which I told him I would go out on a date with him.”

            Richard sat down his glass, turning more toward me in his chair. “How was the date? Anything memorable happen?”

            “Yeah, it was memorable, alright. Then after that night, we didn’t talk all week. Isn’t it supposed to be the guy’s job to reach out to the girl after a date that went well?”

            He nodded, pressing his index finger to his lips. “I will let you in on a little secret, Eve. As men, we don’t always make the most conscious decisions. If it is something that stares us right in the face, ninety percent of the time, we don’t see it. Anyway, let me guess. The first time you hear from him all week is when he calls in? Yeah, that sounds like a typical guy move.”

            I turned in closer toward him, really enjoying how easy it was talking to him. “Being a guy yourself, is that something you would have done?”

            “No, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t use to. However, when I see a beautiful woman like yourself, there is no way in hell that I would mess that up.” Richard stared at me, leaning in closer, which was every guy’s sign that he wanted to kiss you, and honestly, I was thinking about it when it shouldn’t be.

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            “Pick up the phone, Eve!” I screamed into my phone. I’ve called her number three times now back-to-back like a crazed ex-boyfriend or something.

            If she wanted me to show her more effort that I was interested in her, that meant she needed to actually answer the f*****g phone when I called or texted. It made me wonder if I screwed up things with her already. How was I supposed to know that she worked for Gigi? It wasn’t my job to keep tabs on every little thing she did, even though I wanted to.

            Deciding to keep up with the whole crazy boyfriend vibe, I picked up my phone to dial her number again. This time she managed to pick up the phone.

            “Did you not get the hint after the first time that you called that I didn’t want to talk to you? You would figure that you were smart enough to get it.”

            I cleared my throat, getting my mind wrapped around the fact that she answered. “Yeah, but I wanted to explain that situation with Gigi before you might have got the wrong impression or something.” I could hear the loud music in the back and screaming people all around her. She didn’t have to tell me where she was for me to know. “Are you seriously out drinking right now? Did I piss you off that bad?”

            “Yes!” Eve screamed over the music and people. “Gigi pulled me into her office after your call, scolding me for not transferring your call to her immediately. It’s your fault that I got in trouble, to begin with. It was my first day, Joel! You can’t go around causing problems for me on my first f*****g day!”

            It wasn’t my best thought in a serious moment like this, but hearing her rage out really got me going. I had to shake my head to snap out of it. “I told her not to do that. I’ll call Gigi tonight and get it straightened out with her. You got to know that I had no idea that you worked there. Gigi and I have known each other for a few years, and I call and check in on her every once in a while.”

            Eve huffed, making me picture her crossing her arms over her full chest. “Yeah? Did you sleep with her too?”

            “Is that what you are worried about? You think that I slept with Gigi? She is a good-looking woman but too promiscuous for my taste. Gigi isn’t exactly a vision of purity or anything closely resembling it.”

            Maybe it was me hearing things or thinking too much about it, but I swore that I heard a guy close to her calling her name. The jealous maniac inside of me started doing flips. Hell no! I know that I haven’t worked this hard to get her attention to have her run toward some other guy.

            Eve giggling is what set me off, making me hang up on her. I grabbed my jacket and ran out of the house, slamming the door behind me. I tried calling myself down the entire trip over to the bar, but nothing seemed to work. I swear if I walked into that bar and she was entertaining another guy, I would beat the living s**t out of him, just to prove a point to her. I’m not the guy she thinks I am, not even close. I might be trying to put on this good guy act around her, but I wouldn't be able to keep it up if I saw her with someone else. That was crossing the line with me.

            When I opened the door and saw Eve sitting at the bar talking to some guy, I stormed over. It wasn’t until I was right upon them that I noticed who it was.

            “Joel?” Richard asked, c*****g his eyebrows at me.

            He looked between Eve and me, putting the pieces together. Eve stared at me with tight lips, and her eyes squinted. “Why are you here? I don’t remember inviting you, and do you two know each other or something?”

            Yeah, she could say that. Richard was a f*****g coward. As jealous as I was about her talking to another guy, Richard was the least of my concerns. Besides, Richard knew the real me and wouldn’t dare thinking about f*****g with me. He would be too afraid of what the consequences would be.

            “Of course, we do,” I finally admitted while staring straight at Richard. “Long time, Richard.” I turned my attention back to Eve, giving her a smirk. “He works for Gigi, who I happen to know. It only makes sense that we know each other, Eve. Now get your things. I’m walking you home.”

            Eve jerked her arm away from me, grabbing onto her glass and downing the rest of the alcohol left inside. “I don’t remember asking you to take me home. Actually, I am enjoying my conversation with Richard, so you can see yourself out now.”

            Richard clenched his jaw. His tense body became even tenser if that was something that was even possible. He slapped some money on top of the bar, nodding to the bartender. “No worries, Eve. I will catch you around the office, and I’m sure to hear from you in some emails. I have to go. Work comes early, and if I stick around any longer, I’m going to be too drunk to come in, and that wouldn’t go over too well with Gigi. Joel,” he said, nodding his head to me. “Have a good night, you two.”

            That was the power that I missed. Having someone look at you and know that you weren’t one to be f****d with. I considered just giving up the whole charade with Eve but knew what I stood a chance of losing if I did.

            Eve glared angrily at me, grabbed her purse, and pushed past me. “Pay the bartender if you really want to make it up to me.”