Acapulco Nights Read Free Page A

be a lawyer. In fact, I can’t remember you not talking about it. I seem to recall you were going to work for the best law firm in Chicago and make partner before you turned thirty-five.”
    “ Thirty . Make partner before I turned thirty .”
    “All right, make partner before you were thirty.” I waved my hand at the minor discrepancy.
    “Well, maybe I had been a little ambitious.”
    The tired look on her face prompted me to ask, “Are you happy there?”
    “Sure, I’m happy,” Janice said in the most unhappy voice ever. Even the usually crazy, tousled hair on her head drooped at her words.
    “Doesn’t sound like it. In fact, when I saw you in the airport you looked as if you’d just escaped from prison or something. As if you haven’t seen the sun in months.”
    “I haven’t. Remember, I live in Chicago?  Winter lasts almost all year long up there.”
    “Ha, ha.” I curled up in the oversized chair. “But you have your dream job, and you’re great at it. Plus, you’re making the big bucks, and that lets you do things, like invite your best friend to Mexico.”
    “I know, I know. But for the past year or so, I’ve been in this funk. I’m not quite sure what it is. First, I thought it was all the stress, so I squeezed in a psychiatrist every other month. After dumping a few thousand dollars into that, I actually started to feel worse.” She took another gulp of her drink. “Then, I finally figured out what it was.”
    “What?”
    “I wanted what everyone else had. What you and James have.”
    “Oh.” I looked down into my cup at the dregs of my screwdriver.
    “Most weekends you know where I am? In the office. And if I’m not in the office, I’m working at home.” She opened up the mini-fridge again, grabbed another orange juice and started unpeeling the seal around another tiny bottle of vodka. “The only time I go outside is on the way to a business lunch with a client or when I go for a run. You know what a big weekend is for me?  Renting a DVD and making microwave popcorn.” She poured the orange juice and vodka into her cup, stirring it with her finger.
    “Have you ever thought about finding a new job?” I held out my cup to her, and she refilled it for me. “Something at a smaller firm? Maybe moving away from the city?”
    “How would that help, Suzie? I know I’d end up doing the same things: working my ass off, staying in instead of going out.” She took a little sip of her drink. “Maybe I would have more free time, but you know how I would spend it? Rent two DVDs and maybe throw in a pack of M&Ms with the popcorn.”
    “Oh, I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
    “Don’t patronize me, Suze. Don’t you think by now I know myself better than you do?” She tossed the empty vodka bottle into the trash.
    “I didn’t mean—”
    She held up her hand. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bite your head off.  It just gets so frustrating sometimes. It’s as if I missed the dating boat and now it’s too late.” She kicked off her sandals and tucked her feet underneath her lanky body. “How can I make up for all that lost time? I’m totally behind the curve.”
    “It’s never too late, Janice. Never. Look at James.”
    “Yes, let’s look at James,” she sighed.
    “What do you mean by that?” I set my cup on the coffee table.
    “Well, he’s adorable, he’s successful, he’s witty, and, of course, he fell in love with you at the drop of a hat.”
    “Now, that’s not exactly true—”
    “Okay, so he fell in love with you after one date.” She swirled her drink in her hand, watching the ice spiral around.
    I couldn’t argue with that one. James had fallen completely head-over-heels for me before I even knew what hit me. I had it pretty easy. Time to change the subject before we started dissecting my relationship again. “There are men out there for you, I promise.”
    “Where?” she said, exasperated. “At the gym? Tried that. At work? Tried that more times