Chapter 7

The next two days, both of the apartments Angela was supposed to look at cancelled. They both said they’d rented out suddenly. She was growing more frustrated because Thomas’s behavior was growing stranger and more intense. When she’d gotten home from her night with Steve to get ready for work the next morning, she’d found him still up on the couch, half drunk.

“What are you doing?” she’d asked him. “You have work today. You’re drunk.”

“You have work today and you smell like a two-bit hooker.”

She’d gone into her room, closed and locked her door and when she came back out, he was passed out on the couch. She hadn’t talked to him since. It was now Wednesday afternoon and she was getting ready to wrap things up for the day when Kimberly walked into her office and plopped herself down into the chair uninvited.

“How did the meeting go with Candy Cosmetics today?”

“It was good. I think Hannah and I are clicking well. We have a photo shoot set up this week down on Olivera Street. It should be fun.”

“Good, what day?”

“Friday at four.”

“Okay, I’ll be there.”

“Oh…okay…has there been a problem with my work?”

“No, your work has been spectacular. I am a little bit concerned that your personal life is bleeding over into your professional one. I’d like to make sure you understand that there are clear guidelines in your contract with regards to that.”

Angela was beginning to get the picture. Thomas must have told Kim that she and Steve are back together. Kim can’t fire her or harass her in any way because of it. Angela has a two year contract. She can however, nit-pick and look for things that puts Angela in violation of her contract.

“I’m sorry, what was it that gave you that idea?”

“I heard a rumor there was a confrontation between you and Steve McAllister and Thomas in the lobby last week.”

“Really? Where did you hear that?”

“From one of the security guards. It looks bad, Angela. You really need to get your affairs in order before you come into work. Then there is the idea of you crossing that line with your client…”

Angela couldn’t help it; she let out a harsh laugh. “I’m sorry, but, are you kidding? You were sleeping with Steve before I ever got here. How is that any different?”

“My personal life and professional ones both have boundaries which I do not cross. That’s the difference.”

“Fine, I will keep that in mind. Perhaps you should have this same talk with Thomas.”

Kimberly stood up. “Don’t worry, I will. You have a nice evening, Angela.”

“Thanks,” she said, sarcastically, “You too.”

Angela was infuriated by Kimberly’s veiled threats, but she wasn’t about to let them ruin her day. She’d been floating on cloud nine since her night with Steve and this evening he was taking her out to the track to drive one of the cars. She was excited about that. He’d told her she stole his heart when they were in the throes of passion too. They didn’t talk about that at all later…but she hadn’t forgotten it. The look in his eye when he said it was so sweet and so sincere. She hadn’t said it back. She felt it, that was undeniable…but she just wasn’t sure she was ready to say it yet. She wanted to give them a little more time first, but she already knew that she would get there. She grabbed her things and started to head out. Her afternoon went from bad to worse when she ran into Thomas in the hall.

“Hey,” he said, as if things were okay between them.

“Hey,” she kept walking towards the elevator. He followed her. She pushed the down button and he said, “Will you be home for dinner tonight?”

“No,” she said, pushing the button again. The doors opened and she stepped in. Thomas stepped in behind her.

“Going out with Steve again?”

“Why do you care, Thomas? Would you like to call me a whore again?”

“What?” he looked genuinely confused. “Why would you say that?”

“Are you telling me that you don’t remember telling me I smelled like a…and I quote, “two-bit hooker?”

“Oh my God! No, Angela…” the doors slid open and he followed her out. “I swear, I don’t remember that. I was so drunk.”

“That’s not an excuse.” She walked faster, trying to get away from him. She looked around the lobby as she did. No one was paying attention to them. She knew it was Thomas who told Kimberly everything. She pushed open the doors and he followed her out.

“I know…Angela wait! Please stop and talk to me…”

She sighed heavily and stopped walking. “We don’t have anything to talk about Thomas…unless of course you want to talk about your bad behavior and how it’s only gotten worse lately. Or maybe you’d like to talk about your excessive drinking?”

“I’ve been an ass and you have every right to be mad. I’m sorry. Please Angela…” he had tears in his eyes. “If I lose you, I lose all I have left of my best friend. Please don’t hate me over this. Give me a chance to do better.”

“You’re running out of chances, Thomas.”

“I know. One more chance. Have dinner with me at home on Friday night. No alcohol, I’ll cook, we’ll watch a movie…please.”

Angela hated the thought of losing the man that he used to be…but she was afraid that she already had. Still, she owed it to Blake to at least try, she thought. Thomas was her only real link left to him too. “Okay Thomas, one more chance. No crap, no getting drunk and saying things you want to apologize about later and no talking crap about Steve either.”

“Okay, it’s a deal. How about some of my famous Chicken Parm?”

“That’s fine,” she said. “I have to go.”

Angela flagged a cab. Before she got in, Thomas tried to hug her. She warded him off with a look. All was not forgiven and forgotten in a five minute conversation. He stepped back and watched her get in the cab. She didn’t turn around, but if she had, she would have seen him hail the cab right behind hers.

**

Angela was surprised at how excited she was to be driving a race car. Cars never meant much to her in the past…maybe it was just the idea of being in one with Steve that really got her motor running. She arrived at the track right after he did. As soon as he saw her his face lit up. She loved the look he got in his eyes when he saw her…it was pure joy. He put his arm around her and pulled her in for a long, hot, passionate kiss. When he let her up for air she was actually dizzy. “Wow, that was…something,” she said when she caught her breath.

“I missed you,” he said with a grin. She really looked at him then. He was dressed in some kind of racing suit. It was one piece and he looked really sexy in it.

“I missed you too,” she said, “I really like your suit.”

He leaned in and kissed her softly again. “Good, because I have one for you too…and wait until you see how sexy we’re going to look in our helmets.” He took her hand and led her into a huge garage. It was filled with car parts and tires and wheels and any kind of tool you could think of. He went over to a metal closet in the corner and pulled out a racing suit like the one he was wearing. He handed it to her and said, “This is the smallest one I have. It should work for you. Don’t wear your clothes underneath it though.”

“Are you being a perv?” she said with a grin.

He reached over and gave her butt a squeeze. “With you, I’m always a perv…but no. It gets really hot in the car. You’ll be too hot in all of that.”

“Oh, okay. I thought you wanted to take me in the racecar.”

“Don’t give me ideas,” he said, mischievously.

“Ha! Like you need me to put ideas in your head. Where should I change?”

“Just you and me here. I don’t mind if you strip right here.”

“No way buddy. I’ll strip, you’ll touch and I’ll never get my racecar drive.”

He laughed. “You’re right. In the office is fine.”

Angela went into the office and took off all of her clothes except for her panties. Then she slipped on the racing suit. It smelled like oil and gasoline. She took a hair band out of her purse and pulled her long hair back into a ponytail. When she was ready, she went back out where Steve was waiting. When he saw her, he let out a low wolf whistle. “Damn! Even in a racing jumpsuit you’re hot.”

“Thanks,” she said with a giggle. “I was thinking the same about you. Where’s my car?”

Steve went over and took the cover off of a burnt orange stock car that had the number 28 painted on top in yellow and “McAllister Racing” along the side. “She’s pretty,” Angela said. He grinned and without taking his eyes off of her he said,

“She sure is.”

“I meant the car.”

“Oh…me too,” he said, still smiling. “Okay, focus,” he told himself. He began to describe the car to her in detail with engine size and horsepower. After a few minutes he said, “Your eyes are glazing over. You don’t care about all of that, do you?”

“Not really,” she said, “But I am excited about driving it.”