Chapter 18: Chapter 18

C H A P T E R S E V E N

And now I was discovering that while he may be attractive, hot, self-assured, handsome, and had a variety of other qualities that I found interesting, he could also be an obnoxious, demanding jerk who told me what to do, didn't listen to me, and could damage Enrico's feelings without blinking an eye.

My phone rang while I was thinking this, and I jumped. It was the home phone that didn't ring. Everyone dialed my phone number. But I'd switched off my phone so I could get some work done, which resulted in Antonette paying me a surprise visit after she heard about my break-in and couldn't reach me.

I reached out and grabbed it off its base, then regretted it as I beeped the button and put it to my ear, thinking it was definitely a marketer because every time my phone called, it was always a marketer.

“Hello?" I inquired, nervously, ready to beep it off the moment I heard a voice.

I didn't hear a single marketer.

“Ohmigod!" Mic screamed.

My chin slipped off my knee as I blinked. Micah Vasquez was not a shrieking girly.

“Mic?" I called.

“Ohmigod!”

Oh boy. This just seems clear to me.

"The break-in, Mic... it's nice, it's -"

"You won't believe what did happen! ” My spine straightened.

Ohmigod! Ryan proposed to me! Antonette, Mic, and I had been waiting for Ryan to propose for-flipping-ever (Mic obviously more than Tonette and I but just barely). We couldn't figure out what was taking so long given they'd known each other for five years and been living together for four.

Yay!

"Oh Mic, I'm so -" I began to cry.

But she interrupted me off with, "Connor requested to be removed from the case!"

I blinked once more.

"What?" I inquired.

"It's the case!" " she sobbed. "It's the case!" It's the type of case that might make or break his career. We're talking accolades, commendations, and book deals. And he requested to be taken off the case because of you." Words like "Connor" and "taken off the case" and "because of you" were seeping into my consciousness.

So I asked again, "What?

"But this time I said it in a breathy whisper.

"I'm not sure what you did, Gia, but whatever you did, he...is...into you." Everyone is discussing it. I'd been waiting all day for a break so I could call, but you weren't answering your phone, so I had to go home to my address book since I couldn't remember your silly home phone number. I can't believe it. He's all right. He's fine.And he's nice.And he's fine.Did I mention he's fine? ”

"Mic -"

"I mean, the Captain wouldn't remove him off the case, but he did ask." Oh, girl. Shit.Shit! " she screamed.

"Mic -"

"I adore this. I start talking to Ryan the moment he steps through the door. We're planning a double date."

“Mic!" I yelled.

“What?" she inquired.

"Last night I was broken into," I explained.

"I know everything about it, girl," Mic answered with a "So what? " voice. "This morning, Melinda called me, and it's the talk of the Station.  I know all about ML too. I know every single thing."

Oh my, when will I ever learn?

Melinda wormed her way into my friends' life by being a kind, amusing, and giving person, so I shouldn't ever take them home. I was then unable to keep anything a secret. I was aware of it early on, but did I change my foolish behavior? No! Melinda continued to communicate with my high school classmate Chelsea. I hadn't spoken to Chelsea in fifteen of them. Chelsea lived on the Barcelona in Spain with some English billionaire, and she and Melinda chatted several times a year. Even our Christmas card exchange was nonexistent.

Say it out loud with me: "Family here, friends there, and they shall never meet!"

I informed her, "Mic, things have gotten tricky."

"No, Gia, you complicate things," was said after a little period of silence. “I heard that when ML stated his plans, you went against them. Connor also heard it. Maintain your resolve. I've known Connor Magtanggol for a long time. He wants a house with a white picket fence, two and a half children, a Big Ben, and a lady who can match his libido, which, rumors have it, runs in the red zone. He is a good officer and a decent guy. He's spent a significant amount of time looking, but he simply can't seem to locate the one. You may be his one, girl! How did you learn so much about him, Mic?”

"Didn't I say he was fine?"  she retorted. "I have Ryan, but it doesn't mean I can't study well, which I do."

This was correct. She did it. She'd studied fine for so long and so diligently that she was now a professor of fine.

"I can't worry about it since I have to work," I explained. "I have commandos building a security system at my house." In front of Antonette and the aforementioned commandos, Falcone smashed Enrico like a bug. My sister is going through a rough patch, and it's seeping into my life. And Finn revealed his plans this morning, and there was an Official Meeting of the Badasses in my yard, the outcome of which I am not privy to, but I know Magtanggol and Finn withdrew, and I think it's to regroup, based on your news. I also know that I've met Falcone three times in daylight, and one of those times he brought me Miranda's Noodles for lunch, so I'm betting he feels he's in the lead."

"Did he bring you Miranda's Noodles?" ”

“Yes.”

"How did he find out about you and Miranda's? ”

"As I said yesterday, Mic, he knows everything about me!" And by that, I mean he knows everything about me. He informed me he follows me, or his boys do and report back. That's crazy! ”

"Why would he do such a thing?"

"I inquired, and his response was 'Babe,' which is how he answers most of my questions or answers to most of my ranting at him."

"I'm not sure, Connor may be broody, but I doubt he'd answer a direct question with 'baby.'"

Good God.

"I can't think about Connor or anything else," I explained. "I really need to work, and this is all messing with my brain."

"Well, you should think about ML because when I heard that a man named Falcone claimed you as his own last night, I asked some inquiries about him and discovered a lot, which implies you should let him go."

Oh boy. That didn't sound promising.

"I, too, don't want to know anything about him." After a year and a half, I'm learning quickly, and the more I engage with Falcone, the more likely it is that I'll be the first victim of a spontaneous brain explosion."

"Do you dislike him?"

"I don't have time right now to convey the complexities of what I feel for Falcone." I have three hours to do 10 hours of work before I have to leave for my folks' place. They know Isabelle is in difficulty, and while they may have disowned her, she is their daughter and my sister, and they will be concerned. I'm aware of this because it stinks and I want to wash it away, but I'm concerned. I'll have to prepare for it. "I'm taking everything one step at a time."

"You don't sound so good," there was further quietness.

I closed my eyes and leaned forward, colliding with my desk.

Why is it that no one is paying attention to me?

"Was that your head on the desk? " Mic inquired in my ear.

"Yes," I said quietly into the phone, my eyes closed.

"I'll leave you alone, sweetie, but we need Cosmos soon. I'll discuss a double date with Ryan. Maybe Connor will be able to do supper because you aren't a big role in this case. Or maybe we can just have a party in our place and no one would know."

I opened my eyes and looked down at my lap. "This isn't letting me go, Mic; it's planning my romantic future with a man I barely know while I'm stressing out about how I'm going to convince the man I also barely know but have been sleeping with for months that we're done when his opinions on the topic strongly contradict with mine."

"Really?" says the silence. You said it was over? ”

"Mic!" I jumped up in my chair.

”

"OK, fine! Okay, I'll let you go."

"Call Antonette and brief her on the scant information you have; it'll save me time," I said.

“Gotcha.”

"No back-to-back dates."

"We'll simply put it on the calendar."

“Mic! ”

"Call back tomorrow, sweetie."

Then I was listening to silence.

I turned off the phone and placed it on its stand. Then I got up and walked downstairs because I was pretty sure I had frozen Twix bars. I was fairly sure since I always had frozen Twix bars, but it wasn't unheard of for me to eat my way through my stockpile while, say, watching a movie or just feeling hungry. I'd discovered that freezing Twix bars increased attentiveness after extensive testing. I wanted to sharpen my concentration, so I was going to bring out the heavy guns.

I discovered that I had frozen Twix bars.

When I offered, I discovered that commandos did not eat frozen Twix bars.

This was excellent. More for me, please.

I took a twin pack, straightened my shoulders, cleared my brain with effort, and headed back up the stairs to my office.