“I don’t think that’s possible.” There’s something in his voice, an affection that tugs at me, pulling at my heartstrings in a way that can’t possibly end well. At least, not for me. I have to remind myself time and time again that just because I’ve swooned over him in movies and fallen asleep to the sound of his voice doesn’t mean I know him.
“Goodnight Aria.”
“Goodnight, Carson.”
Bubbles trots over to where I’m sitting in the grass, licking my face as I stare down at my dark phone. “You are a good girl, Bubbles.” I sweet-talk her, give her face squishes, and rub her ears until she’s boneless and belly up in the grass next to me. “I guess we’re getting in the pool. What do you think?”
I don’t get an answer, but from the way her butt is wiggling on the ground, trying to wag against gravity, I think I found my swimming buddy.
* * *
“Check your closet,” I mutter under my breath. My cheap plastic tote is still there, neatly tucked in the corner where I left it. Other than that? The closet is unrecognizable. The pull-out drawers meant for shoes used to hold my beat-up old trainers and my sandals.
That’s all I had, because that’s all I needed, but now those drawers—all five of them—are filled with perfectly lined up shoes. Heels, pumps, sandals, wedges, loafers, deck shoes, and trainers. There are hiking boots, and athletic trail shoes, even slippers.
This is beyond excessive, but I’m starting to get the feeling that’s just how Carson is. Henrietta showed me the top-of-the-line smartphone he gave her ‘because it was Tuesday.’ Sandraandher wife both drive flashy red BMWs, courtesy of ‘Assistant’s Day’.
When I asked Sandra why Carson gave themeachone, she said it was because her partner is patient when she has to work long hours. Apparently, he told her it was ‘Assistant and Assistant Spouse Day as far as I’m concerned.’ Sandra said it in an almost perfect impression of his deep southern drawl and then, in her own smokey voice, she added, “He’s generous as fuck. He’d give you the shirt off his back, and then he’d have you wait while he stripped down and gave you everything he had; all the way down to his socks.”