Page 16 of Love is So Mean

Now, I can’t sleep without any lights on. I didn’t get why I was scared of the dark or why it always felt like the dark played tricks on me but after my therapist, she made me realize it.

Even though Enrique asked that question, I needed him to know I would never put my child in the dark. Even if I lacked emotion, I learned what is good and what is bad for children. As an adult, I can’t undo everything because it’s too late for me but I know it won’t be for my child.

Baba is still going off in Arabic and English. My withdrawn state is even worse when I speak with him. I know that the atmosphere has changed as I enter the event. Matthew already knows that I don’t want to be bothered by my lack of enthusiasm on my face.

I stay in the back as my eyes peruse everything and my eyes land on Enrique’s as there looks to be some tension between him and his fiancée, I do wonder what that is about but not enough to want to know. While he talks with her, his eyes move and land on mine. He stops speaking as his brows furrow and he gives me a once over. There’s a disapproving look on his face when he stares at my shoes. I wonder what that’s about and I shrug as he continues to look my way while Baba starts telling me how as a businesswoman, I am close to failure and I will never be where he is.

Chapter 10

Enrique

“Baby, would you like another drink?” I ask Emily to start a conversation.

She was extra mad after I left Yasmeena’s room. According to her, I told her to find a friend to have sex with right before I followed Yasmeena. I have no recollection of Emily mentioning sex before I walked away but I’ll take her word for it.

I smoothed it over by assuring her I was talking about the spa services. Emily insists on knowing what I talked about with Yasmeena but I cannot tell her. Even without the NDA I wouldn’t divulge such personal information. If Yasmeena knew me as well as she thinks she does she’d know that.

“No, thank you,” Emily says flatly and I know it’s going to be a long weekend. I love her but I cannot cut off my concern for Yasmeena. It’s not how I’m built. Knowing her secret is going to continue to cause problems in my relationship.

“Emily, look at me.”

Her lips are still poked out in a pout once she looks my way. It doesn’t help that I said Yasmeena’s name during the proposal. I accidentally caused some insecurity towards my boss whenabsolutely nothing was going on between us. The way I ran after Yasmeena earlier makes my arguments a hard sale.

While Yasmeena is beautiful, her lack of concern for what is going on around her was always a hard no for me. Just like my thoughts conjured her, she appears, the outfit looking like she just walked out of a magazine, a summer issue to be exact. Subtle yet sexy. My eyes fall down to her feet and I’m annoyed again. Didn’t I already tell her about wearing those damn heels?

I track the conversation in my head again just to realize that I actually didn’t.

“What the fuck are you looking at,” Emily hisses, bringing my attention back to her.

“First of all, whether you have a problem with me being around my boss or not, this is MY job function. I have to work. Relax.” She balks because I never speak to her firmly. I don’t need her suspicions being aired where my other colleagues and subordinates can hear her. “Second, I was looking for Matthew. I have something to discuss with him. Give me a moment.”

I walk away before she can respond. Part of me is annoyed with Yasmeena for throwing a huge monkey wrench into my relationship. I can’t send Emily home, that’ll just look worse.

“Matthew,” I catch him before he walks off. He turns to face me and I go out of my way to focus my attention on him and not his boss who is now a few feet away. “Do me a favor. Go to the gift shop and buy some flat shoes or flip flops that will match your boss and tell her I asked if she would change into them. Please.”

While Matthew will not argue with me, he still doesn’t hide the confusion in his tone as he acknowledges my request. I return to my fiancée’s side while managing to not look or walk in the vicinity of Yasmeena and kiss Emily on her temple.

“I love you,” I tell her because I feel like she needs to hear it. It is the truth after all.

My declaration pulls a smirk out of her and I pull her close because I don’t like fighting. We find an open spot where Emily starts chatting with the fiancée of one of our executives. The women start gushing over wedding planning, giving me a chance to check on Matthew. He’s holding the shoes while it looks like Yasmeena is scolding him.

With a sigh, I excuse myself and make my way over.

“The only person putting those things on is you, Matthew. Go bring them back, I didn’t ask for a change in shoes.”

“Thank you, Matthew,” I tell him as I relieve him of the shoes. “Yasmeena, a word.”

I motion to a spot a little ways away that is not populated. I head that way once I ensure that she’s following me. Once there, I open the door that leads to the storage room we’re using for the event.

I lean in so no one but her can hear me. “You almost broke your ankle in those damn things when you passed out earlier. Please put the flats on.”

“Flats? Have you ever seen me wear flats?”

I get in her face because it seems the only way she listens. “Yasmeena, if you want me to reconsider your offer, switch the fucking shoes.”

“So you're threatening me?”

“Call it what you want. Shoes.”