Chapter 54


    I stared at the test 1 had sent over 30 minutes ago that had gone


    Me baby, I’m at the restaurant


    I sat by the hotel bar sipping my sorrows away. Today was date night and before she left this morning


    she had promised me that she would go out in an effort to make it. That was what she had said and I


    believed her. But here we were again and the


    was not here.


    We had agreed to meet at 6, a full hour after her meeting was set to finish. Today they were discussing


    with producers as to who they would like to offer roles in the movie. I knew that it was a big day for her


    but I also needed her.


    I had wanted this date night to be our fresh start so that we could begin again. I had found the nicest


    French restaurant I could she was really into French cuisine now. And I had even bought her a new pair


    of diamond earrings that were burning a hole in my pocket. I was excited but she wasn’t there. Again.


    When she canceled the site viewing I had been happy for the time For the first time since we moved


    here, I felt like a priority. But now after that day nearly two weeks ago, it was like it all reverted back


    1 ran a billion-dor business but I still found the time for her because she was my number one and I


    was now questioning if I was hers.


    That was a dangerous ce to be for a marriage.


    I sipped on my whiskey allowing the bitterness to soak my disappointment. I lifted my hand in the air


    and waved down the bartender.


    “Can I have another please?”


    “Rough day?” The look of pity in his eyes made me frown. “You’ve been sitting here moping at your


    phone.”


    “Oh yeah,” I sighed. “I kind of got stood up.”


    “Then that woman is a fool.” A soft feminine voice said on my right. I turned to find a woman dressed in


    a power suit sipping on a martini. She was about three chairs away from me so I hadn’t noticed her


    when I sat down. But then again I never noticed any woman that wasn’t my wife.


    “She’s just busy.” I said with a tight-lipped smile.


    “And she doesn’t deserve you all the same. You two nned this date and she should be here.”


    The bartender looked between me and the woman and left to go and get my refill. But I didn’t miss the


    subtle eye he made my way as if to say that I could jump on this woman here.


    “Was it a first date?” the woman continued to speak.


    I raised my left hand in the air. “It was a date night with my wife.”


    Her smile didn’t slip from her face. “Well then, that’s even worse. If you were my husband I would make


    sure that I made time for you. But then again I have always been the doting kind of partner


    I hated to say it but I wished that Adide was like that. I mean for a time she had been. I felt like I was


    her number one. But now… it felt like this movie was her number one and I didn’t know how to feel


    about it. I wanted to be supportive and push her toward her goals but it was nowing at the cost of


    our marriage.


    The bartender came back with my drink. “It’s on the house.”


    “Thank you.” I took the drink and sipped on the liquor.


    I didn’t like what this ce was turning us into. Had I known that this would be the oue of our time


    here then maybe I


    would have fought her a little harder.


    A body came down to sit beside me.


    It was the woman from three chairs down. She held a small smile on her face. She raised her ss in


    the air waiting for me to clink mine with hers in cheers.


    Not wanting to be rude, I raised my ss in the air and clinked it with hers. We both took sips of our


    drinks and settled into afortable silence. But after a while, the woman spoke again.


    “Penny for your thoughts?”


    I side-eyed her sipping on my whiskey. “I don’t think sharing my problems with a stranger is the best


    idea.”


    “Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. A problem shared is a problem half-solved.” She turned in her chair


    to fully face me. “Besides, you look like you could use an ear.”


    “And how would you figure that?” My gaze moved to my ss.


    “Your shoulders are physically weighed down by your problems. And sometimes it’s easier to unload on


    strangers than friends and family.”


    “And why would you want to listen to a random stranger’s problems on a Monday evening when you


    could be enjoying your martini in peace?”


    She shrugged. “Maybe I’m an empath.”


    I didn’t miss the teasing tone in her voice and for some reason it made the tips of my lips tilt upward


    slightly.


    “An empath you say?” I would bite on whatever she was trying to throw out, but that didn’t mean that I


    was going to air mine and Adide’s dirtyundry for all to see.


    “Yes. In fact, I think I can read you pretty well.”


    “Do tell.”


    “Well,” she picked up the olive from her martini, “you’re a businessman of sorts. You like to keep mostly


    to yourself. And if the limited edition Richard Mille is to say anything, you are a man of money. And you


    seem toe from it but you have also made quite a lot of it on your own. How am I doing so far?”


    “Somewhat urate.” I said but she had pretty much hit the nail on the head. “So does this empath


    also happen to be a police officer?”


    “No,” sheughed, popping the olive into her mouth. “I’m awyer, which means I’m very good at


    reading people.”


    “That also means you’re very good at lying too, right? Aren’t allwyers supposed to be well-versed in


    that skill?”


    She smirked, leaning back in her chair, “I plead the fifth.”


    I couldn’t help theugh that bubbled out of me. She smiled at that.


    “I won’t lie I was having a shitty time and you have helped to lift my spirits a bit. Thank you…” I realized


    that she hadn’t given me her name. “Sorry, what’s your name?”


    “Ang Rotterfield,” she held her hand out for me to shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you


    “Damon Steyn.” I shook her hand.


    “Oh my God,” her eyes went wide. “The Damon Steyn? Wow. I’ve heard so many wonderful things


    about you.”


    “Really?” I pulled my hand from hers.


    “Oh gosh, she blushed. “I’m not a stalker I swear but you did business with one of my longtime clients,


    Arthur Fitzgerald. He raved about your work and yourpany and said that he had never met


    someone quite like you.”


    “Well, that was very kind of Arthur to say. But I’m just an average man in America trying to make his


    way.”


    “And I’m Jessica Rabbit” Sheughed but the funny thing was that she actually did look like her.


    Bright red hair, and striking blue eyes.


    “I mean you do look the part”


    She groaned, closing her eyes but the smile she tried to hide told me that she didn’t mind the


    comparison at all. “I should have said, Ariel.”


    “True,” I agreed,ughing with her. “Or maybe Cindere Blondes and redheads seem to be worlds


    apart though.”


    “You know what? You’re right.” She snapped her fingerughing.


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    And that was how the rest of my evening continued. Ang had somehow managed to turn my


    mundane Monday night. into somewhat of an enjoyable experience.


    I was still hurt by my wife’sck of attendance but at this point, it was out of my control. This would be


    something that we would need to talk about in time. I just hoped that this didn’t be a habit


    because I was a patient man but even I had my breaking point and Adide seemed to be pushing me


    toward it rather quickly.