Page 7 of For I Have Sinned

“Why wouldn’t she just fire you if she doesn’t like you?” Amelia asks and then immediately turns on the blender.

I eat a couple of pieces of the red pepper I just cut up, waiting until she turns the machine off.

“Who knows?” I shrug. “She probably doesn’t want to look like the bad guy to the company. Even though everyone already thinks she is Satan reincarnated.”

“Couldn’t you find another job in publishing?” Vince asks as he steals the peppers away from me.

“This is one of the best publishing companies in the city, and it was hard to even get a job there. If I want to get out of the assistant position and become an editor, this place is my best shot.”

“But you’ve been a personal assistant for three years.” Amelia points out. “How are you going to move up in a place that doesn’t care about you?”

“Add it to the list of things for me to figure out.” I finally set the knife down with a heavy breath. “Can we please stop talking about all of my problems? It’s making the night extremely depressing.”

They both nod in agreement, and then we spend the next hour talking about their lives. Vince had met this new guy about a month ago, and he is infatuated with him. The feelings are mutual between him and Asher, and they genuinely believe this relationship is headed somewhere amazing. Vince tells us all about Asher’s plans for a vacation at the end of the year. His dark skin seems to glow whenever he talks about his boyfriend.

Amelia, on the other hand, has no love interest in her life.

She is too wrapped up in her job at the tattoo shop to consider a relationship.To be fair, I think her job is her love because the way she talks about her work, she shines the same way Vince does when he talks about Asher. Amelia tells us story after story of horror clients as we finish up the tacos and sip on our second glass of margaritas.

“You sound married to your job.” Vince picks up the pitcher of alcohol and pours himself a third glass.

“Is that so bad?” Amelia asks before chugging the rest of hers and wiggling her empty glass at Vince.

“No, I guess not. If it makes you happy,” He tells her, filling her cup to the brim. “You’re married to your job, I could be married in the near future, and then there is Celine.”

I almost choke on a jalapeno in my drink. After calming down from a coughing fit, I say, “You don’t think I’d ever get married?”

“It’s not that. It’s the fact that you would have to find a man who would put up with you.” Vince grins.

I gasp and swat at him. “I am not that bad!”

“I agree. She’s not that bad.” Amelia takes my side. Until she doesn’t. “You’re just a bit… headstrong and dominant when it comes to dating. Some men don’t find that appealing.”

“Okay, dating experts.” I scoff and point a finger at Amelia. “You’re also single, so you don’t get to speak about my dating life. Plus, with all the shit that I’m dealing with, adding a man to the mix is not a good idea.”

“He could help you relieve some of the stress you’re dealing with,” Vince suggests with a chuckle.

“That is what I have Blue and Rocket for.” I name off the toys in my nightstand drawer that get the job done. “And the men that I have one-night stands with when we go out are just fine.”

“Such a slut our Celine is.” Vince jokes, making Amelia giggle.

I grab a tortilla out of the wrapper and hit them both with it. They both laugh uncontrollably, and we continue laughing until tears fall from our eyes.

After the laughter dies down and we can breathe again, we each pour one more glass and get comfortable on the couch as we watch a scary movie that Amelia has been dying for us to see. Halfway through, Amelia watches the screen with wonder while Vince hides behind a blanket, awaiting a jump scare.

Me?

Despite the fact that the masked killer is stabbing away at someone on the screen, I can’t help but grin because I love my friends. And I love this life we live.

Chapter 3

Celine

Of all days for me to be late, it has to be on the day that we have one of the biggest meetings with a successful up and coming author. I swear, I am no longer drinking on weekdays. It never ends well for me.

This morning, I missed my alarm by fifteen minutes, and my commute to the office takes about thirty minutes. I threw my untamed waves into a messy bun, trying to make it look chic, and put on minimal makeup since I didn’t have time to spend on it.

Story of my life.