Page 41 of Power
“Yeah, your face. Anyway, the guy shows up, and he’s totally catfished me. He’s a head shorter, which usually doesn’t bother me. But how’s this—all he does all night is talk about him and his ex-girlfriend, and how she would let him smell other women’s toes. Seriously, smell their toes, Reece! Then he asked ifwe go on another date if I’d have a problem with him smelling other women’s toes. He went on and on about this toe’s thing. Look, whatever floats his boat, but my God, I think he had a toe fetish. Not a foot fetish, but a toe fetish. Anyway, he tried to go in for a kiss at the end of the night, and when I said no, he told me I was a freak because he’s so desirable and did I realize how lucky I was because he chose me out of a pool of women.”
I’m laughing at her adventure. “Stop making me laugh, my face hurts.”
“How is your face? Will it recover or will you be stuck with what you had?” she teases.
“I’m in pain, but I’ll recover.”
“Alright, so what happened with the guy who did that to you?”
I shrug. “I have no idea. I think that’s something Bennett wants to talk to me about. We’re going to have breakfast in thirty minutes.”
“Wow, sounds so spontaneous,” she says with heavy sarcasm.
“You have no idea, but I can’t really talk about it.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Are you home? I’ll come over after work. Wouldn’t want you walking around with a smashed-up face and frightening all the kids who see you.”
“I’m not, but I will be. I’ll call you when I return home, okay?”
“Did you stay—”
“Yep,” I cut her off before she says the words. My paranoia is in overdrive, and I have no idea if anyone is listening to my calls. “Don’t say anything about that, okay.”
“Jesus, it all sounds so ominous.”
“I have to go, but I’ll see you tonight. Hey, any chance you can do me a massive favor and pick up Emily on Friday? I really don’t want to show up at her school with my face like this. I’d rather explain it to her in the privacy of our own home.”
“What are you going to say to her?” I blow out air through my lips. “Yeah, good luck with that. I have to go; I need to make a coffee. Love your face, even when it’s all smashed up.”
“Thanks for the sympathy.”
“You’re welcome,” she chirpily replies.
I hang up and chuckle. Tash can always lift my mood, but she’s also fiercely loyal and will take my back with no questions asked. Lying on the bed, I let out several yawns before closing my eyes for a short nap.
I can feel something on my cheek, and when I try to swat it away, it starts laughing. My eyes flutter open to find Bennett chuckling as he sits on the side of the bed. “Are you watching me?”
“I tried to kiss your cheek, but you hit me.”
“Did I?” I yawn and sit up in bed. “What time is it?”
“It’s time for breakfast. Are you hungry?”
“Yeah, I’m starving.” My stomach growls in response to my words, as if it was waiting for me to wake before it grumbled. “Thanks, stomach.”
Bennett laughs again, leans over and kisses my forehead. “You’re adorable when you’re sleeping.”
“You’re a weirdo to watch me sleep; that’s creepy.” He stands and offers me his hand. “Thank you, sir.”
“You’re welcome, ma’am.” I notice the table is gone and I look around wondering when and how it disappeared.
“Where’s the table that’s normally here?” I point to the void.
“I have a private sitting room through that door over there.”
Wow. “You do?”
Bennett laughs again. “Did I not give you a tour of my room?”
