It's A Crime Read Free

this man who still won’t touch me. And he’s not gay, either—that’s been proven. If she wants a go at him herself…she is more than welcome to him.
    “Thanks.”
    “Should I take lunch now then?”
    “Sure.”
    As she went to get her jacket and pocketbook from the hooks behind the office door, I fumbled around in mine looking for my cell phone. I walked into the office, passing Karen on my way in.
    “Be back in a bit. Do you want anything from Jeremy’s?” she called over her shoulder.
    “Nah. I’m not hungry. Too much coffee.” Probably why I’m so antsy.
    “ Okay, I’ll be back in a half hour.” The chime on the door echoed her exit.
    I walked behind my desk and sat down. Lying right there on the desk in full view was my cell phone.
    I am a jackass. I truly am.
    I pushed the invoices to the side and opened my laptop. Opening my email, I scanned the inbox for anything new. There was one from my mother, one from Michelle, and six from Jonathan. I check marked all six and put them directly in the trash. Next I opened the email from my mother. Let’s get the aggravation over first; I haven’t called her in a while, she was probably worried .
     
    Grace Elena,
    We haven’t heard from you in days. We’re just checking in. We miss you. Love, Mom.
     
    I loved when my mother included my stepfather into her conversations with me, like she conveniently forgot I disliked him immensely. I shook my head and typed back a quick response.
     
    I’m fine, hope you are too. We’ll have lunch later this week. Miss you too. Me
     
    I opened the email from Michelle next. Michelle was my best friend since first grade. She and I have been attached at the hip ever since. Michelle is the cool, calm and collected one and I am more the fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. She keeps me in check. A job I would never want . She is staying with me while her apartment is being painted.
     
    Grace,
    Plug your cell into the charger; after you find it of course, it’s dead.
    Call me.
    Clear your voice mails. You have no room on your phone for my new voice mails until you clear all the old voicemails you never listened to.
    CALL ME!
     
    I shook my head and lifted the cordless off the base then dialed Michelle as I plugged my cell into the charger.
    “Hey.”
    “Plug your phone in?”
    “Yup. What’s up?”
    “You up for this? Are you sure you want to do this alone? I’ll sit at the bar. Jonathan can be really intense when it comes to you.”
    “ I need to get this over with. I’m at the point where I don’t even care that he had sex with some other chick. I just want out of this relationship, if you can even call it that. He fucked her but ignored every signal I threw him? And still he’s always watching me, stalking me, always lurking. It’s weird. Besides I think he would be even angrier if he saw you there. Especially with you obviously knowing what I was about to do. ”
    “Okay, I’m going to the gym and bringing in Chinese. Keep your phone with you in case you need me. MAKE SURE IT’S CHARGED!”
    “ I will, I will. I’ll call you if I need you to come and rescue me.” Laughing out loud, I assured her, “I’m going to try to get this over with as soon as I can. Hopefully he won’t cause a scene. We’re meeting at DiMaios. I figure if it is a public place, he will act like a gentleman. Well, as much as he is capable of.” That got a loud chuckle out of Michelle. Jonathan was many things, a gentleman not one of them. “I have to tell you, Michelle, my nerves are shot. I’ll see you at home.”
    “Be careful. Love you,” she said sounding anxious.
    “ Love you too.”
    I hung up. Signed off on a couple of invoices. After writing a few checks, I shut down my computer and grabbed my coat. I put my cell in my bag, 20% charged. Shit, It’ll have to do.
    As Karen was walking in, I was rushing out.
    “Call me if you have any issues,” I said over my shoulder.  “I will probably go straight home, so