Page 14 of Unwrapping His Gift
The elevator doors open, and as soon as I step out, I am instantly attacked by a crazy Marissa, who leaps at me like some kind of insane monkey creature.
“You slept with him, didn’t you?” she hisses into my ear.
“What!?”
“You slept with him!” she repeats. I’m glancing around the office like a criminal on the lookout for the cops as I make my way over to my desk. “Didn’t you?”
“What are you, my mom?” I ask, taking a seat. “Do I have to report to you on everything I do now or something?”
A smile breaks out on Marissa’s face – a knowing, pleased-with-herself smile. She wags a finger at me as she leans up against the wall. “Iknewit. You just couldn’t stay away!”
“Would you stop?”
“Hey, I don’t blame you,” she laughs. “Look at the guy. He had every gal in the office swooning over him – wanting to sit on his lap and tell them they’d been a naughty girl this year so maybe he’d punish them a bit.”
“Oh my God,” I sigh, rolling my eyes.
“But those were the ones whodidn’thave a history with him,” she says. “Whodidn’tget stood up and ghosted by the guy. Whodon’tknow what kind of potential for trouble he truly has.”
“Look, it wasn’tjustabout the sex, okay?” I whisper, dragging my chair closer to her.
“Uh huh.” She smirks.
“Look, I’m serious! He took me back to the coffee shop and explained everything to me!”
“Everything?” she asks. “And you bought it?”
Something about her tone and the way she asks the question catches me off guard. “Bought it? I didn’tbuy it, Rissa. I listened, I processed it, and I asked myself whether it made sense or not.”
This time, it’s Marissa who’s rolling her eyes. “Okay, and did it?”
“Yes.” I nod. “For the most part.”
“For the most part?”
I shift uncomfortably in my chair, trying not to think about the five years Craig had where he could have called me but didn’t. So I may still be harboring a bit of resentment toward him about that – so what? It’s not something I want to get into with Marissa about right now. Right now, I have to defend myself!
“You heard me,” I reply, nodding. “You know what else?”
“What?” she asks.
“He paid my back rent. All of it. Without me even asking him for help.”
Marissa nods and smiles. “Ah, so he’s your sugar daddy?”
My jaw drops. “You didnotjust say that.”
Marissa shrugs. “Hey, if I were you, that’s what I’d keep him as for a while. Until you’re absolutely sure you can trust him not to break your heart.”
“Rissa–”
“Look, I just don’t want you to get hurt, okay?” she says, coming over and placing a hand on my shoulder. “Asshole ex-boyfriends are no fun. You know whatisfun? Hanging out with your awesome friend. Me!”
With that, Marissa walks away from my desk and heads off in the direction of her cubicle. At that moment, a thought springs into my mind; what if part of the reason Marissa is trying so hard to convince me not to hang out with Craig is because she likes me being single so I can spend time with her? After all, I did turn down going out with her and some other girls from work just last night. Sure, she’s got the other girls to go with, but Marissa and I are a lot closer than they are. I shake my head. No, I really shouldn’t think something sinister like that about a good friend of mine. She’s just looking out for me I’m sure.
7
DAISY