Escaping Reality

pushed and shoved by people.
    Here it’s Mother Nature, and according to the store clerk I’d asked,
    this is normal here.
    Swiping at the hair in my face, I find myself standing in a small,
    homey-looking, compact office, and in front of a rich mahogany desk with a
    narrow hallway that looks like it leads to a few offices at most. “Welcome.”
    My gaze shifts to a gorgeous, twenty-twoish blonde bombshell wearing a
    hot pink dress and lipstick to match who appears in the doorway behind
    the desk. “Can I help you?”
    “Amy Bensen.” The name rolls off my tongue far easier than it had
    with Jared. I settle my leather bag, now packed with my shopping haul, on
    the waiting room chair. “I’m here to drop off my signed lease.”
    “Oh yes. Amy.” She smiles and offers me her hand. “Luke told me you
    were coming by.”
    “Luke?”
    “My boss. He’s not in right now. I think he said there was a package
    for you.”
    A package? I’m not sure what to make of that. “For me? Are you
    sure?”
    “Well, I’m new so I could be wrong, but let me go look in the mail
    room. I’m almost certain we had something, though.” She heads down the
    hallway without me truly seeing her.
    The package has to be from my handler. It would make sense. Maybe
    it contains a real explanation to what is happening and why I had to leave
    New York, I think hopefully, and my heart begins to thunder in my chest,
    adrenaline pouring through me. Answers. That’s all I want.
    It’s the unknown that makes me jumpy, afraid of my own shadow.
    The woman returns with a box wrapped in brown paper, reading a
    sticky attached. “Yep. I was right. The note says it’s from Mr. Williams.”
    “Have you met him?” Could he be my handler?
    Her brow furrows. “Dermit Williams?” I nod and she shakes her head.
    “No. He’s out of the country. He’s been Luke’s client for years, I believe.”
    I pull the lease from my bag. “Here’s the signed paperwork I was told
    to bring by here.
    I’m assuming Mr. Williams owns my building? The lease is with
    Evernight.”
    She shrugs. “I don’t know, but that sounds logical. I really just started
    a few days ago.”
    She offers me her hand. “I’m Meagan, by the way. You can call me
    Meg.”
    “Nice to meet you, Meg.” I shake her hand. “Are you new to town or
    just new here?”
    “New to town, just like you. I got my paralegal degree in New Mexico
    just this month and had a job lined up with a big firm that fell through.” She
    holds out her hands. “So here I am.”
    “Oh no. I’m sorry. Why don’t you go home?”
    “Ex-boyfriend.” She crinkles her nose. “You know. Personal drama,
    new life. Yada yada.
    Life is as perfect as a hot man in a pink hat, if you know what I
    mean.”
    I try to picture Liam in a pink hat and she is right. It’s just wrong. I
    grin. “A pink hat on a hot man. I’m not going to forget that one anytime
    soon.”
    She grins. “I aim to make a lasting impression.”
    I think of Jared and my t-shirt that was so very obviously wrong with
    my skirt and heels.
    I liked him. I like Meg. As for Liam, I downright crave that man. None
    of this is good. None of this is staying off the radar.
    “We should do coffee,” Meg suggests, her voice snapping my gaze
    back to hers. “We’re both new and all. Or drinks. There are some cool spots
    around here for happy hour.”
    “Sounds fun.” And it does, but I won’t be going any more than I will
    be calling to check on Chloe. I won’t be diving into the deep, dark waters of
    some wild river and taking others to drown with me. I’m not that selfish
    and I won’t let a window of weakness change that.
    “You want to exchange numbers?”
    “I have a new cell phone but it isn’t working right. I’ll call you and
    give you my number when I’m sure it’s staying as is.” I crinkle my nose.
    “And when I remember the number.”
    “I did that last week.” She grabs a pen. “Let me give you my cell so
    you don’t have to call me here.” She scribbles it down and hands it over. “I
    already memorized mine.”
    Accepting the paper, I ignore the pinch in my chest at the certainty I
    will never be calling her. “Thanks. It’s nice to start to know people here.”
    She lifts the box. “It’s kind of heavy.”
    I take it from her and frown. It won’t fit into my bag with my other
    things. It’s going to be a long walk back to the apartment.

    ***
    It’s all I can do not to stop on the street corner