WICKED GAMES | COMPLETE

THIRTY FIVE

Andie

Andie groaned as she sank into her couch.

Her week was not going well.

First, a group of rowdy college kids wrecked three games, which she had to hunt down replacements for.

Then she saw that damn poster with Miles' stupid face on it.

Now her asshole ex decided to change his tune and is threatening to... Treat her better?

Hell, her life was not going well.

She sighed and pushed off the couch, dragging her feet to the kitchen. She decided to whip up some spaghetti with a thousand extra helpings of cheese to make herself feel better.

As the noodles softened in the pot, she thought about where her life was headed.

She had been eager to get her cafe up and running, but now that the urgent timeline had been yanked out like a rug from beneath her feet, she suddenly wished she was back in the comfort of her office, speaking to big-shot clients and attending board meetings with purpose.

She knew that some of her colleagues whispered things like "trust fund kid" and "nepotism" behind her back, but she wasn't worried about their petty words. She had proven her worth by securing twenty million dollars in new accounts during her first year alone, and she deserved the promotion that was lined up for her in the next few years.

Now that she no longer had a reason to restrict her income, Andie felt foolish and lost.

It's settled then. My life is headed towards a brick wall.

She finished up her cooking and poured herself a glass of wine. She was getting ready to tuck in when she thought of Evan and decided to drop him a line.

He picked up on the second ring.

"Hey you, what's up?"

"Hey *grunt* doll *grunt* what are you *grunt* up to?"

"Um, you busy there? Maybe I should call back later?"

"Nah," Evan let out an exceptionally loud groan, and Andie heard the clang of heavy metal in the background. "Sorry, I was just finishing up a rep."

She chuckled. "I'm just glad you weren't getting, uh, hurt."

"I'm not. Been thinking of 'getting hurt' all day long."

"Ugh, save it for the confessional," Andie groaned. "So, it's been a nightmare week."

"It's Monday."

"I said what I said." Andie slurped up a particularly cheesy strand of spaghetti. "So I managed to hunt down all those replacement games. Then Lucas confronted me and threatened to marry me or some shit. And then I saw a poster of Miles and mindlessly bought his game. Fuck me, I guess."

"Wait, what? One of those things is not like the others."

"I know. I can't believe I panicked and did something stupid when I saw a picture of an ex. Who does that?"

"Everybody, Andie. It's literally a rite of passage. But what's this shit about Lucas?"

She shovelled another helping of pasta into her mouth. "He found me at the game store and said he needed to talk. So we went back to the apartment and he pulled out a ring on me. Said I was wrong to break up and he'd treat me better than before."

"Please tell me you said hell no."

"Hell yeah." She took a gulp of wine, the liquid fuel spurring her anger. "Asshole even tried to get it on with me. He knew which buttons to push. But I shoved him off and left."

"Good girl."

"But he said something about not giving up. I don't know, whatever. Good thing I didn't let crazy stick its dick in me."

"I'm proud of you, Andie. I knew something wasn't right about him."

"Just wish I'd seen it earlier," Andie sighed. "So, are you coming over for our Thousandth Visitor Party tomorrow?"

"No can do. Richard and I are heading to The Norrington Club to rub shoulders with some bigwigs." Rustling sounded from the background. "Alright, I've gotta go. Later, doll."

"Later..." Andie trailed off as Evan hung up.

She was puzzled. Evan used to hate The Norrington Club. He called it The Borrington Club because of what a snooze fest the members always were. He'd rather make his connections at art galleries or cafés, not some stuffy social club where the old men thought fintech was a robot shark.

Andie was about to call it a night when her phone rang, the caller ID showing that it was her mother.

"Andromeda, darling, we heard the good news! Congratulations! We are so happy things are working out for you!"

"Hey Mum, um, thanks!" Andie smiled, surprised that her parents were warming up so quickly to her café. "Are you coming over to celebrate?"

"Oh, none of that. Why don't you come back home for dinner with us? We'll have Carlotta whip up her famous truffle linguine that you love."

Andie drooled. Carlotta's cooking was the bomb and she now felt hungry again.

"Alright. I can do Sunday. See you, Mum."