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Chapter One
Gisella
One Year Ago
There was no fresher hell than staring up at your sexy as sin boss with mascara and snot on your face! Oh wait, there was. You could also be holding a small, hard plastic vibrator pressed to your neck.
One that had neon green alien faces on it!
Just kill me now.
Not to mention that this was happening while I was hiding in said boss’s office, crying like a dolt. The buzzing next to my ears seemed to drown out all thought. Or sense, as I just stared up at him like a deer in the headlights.
I was an utter disaster with no signs of improving.
Why had I even bothered to get out of bed today? Why had I chosen this office to hide in? Why, I ask? Was this some kind of punishment? Had I been a bad person in my last life?
My boss, the sinfully sexy, hot-as-the-sun, Rudy Ferguson, was just staring at me, his head tilted to the side like a curious puppy. A very well-put-together puppy. I was about to be fired, and I’d only been in this atrocious building for less than fifteen minutes.
Why was I like this? Seriously. I should have just stayed home, in bed, alone. Then no one would be a witness to the mess that was me.
His gaze met mine. Not gonna lie, I was afraid to speak. What could I do? Good God. Someone just shoot me and put me out of my misery. Seriously, it would be the kindest thing to do at this point.
If I could only go back half an hour, I could re-do this disastrous day. It was all my mother’s fault. She’d jinxed me—or cursed me. With her, there was no telling.
Deep breaths, Ella. Deep breaths.
I let the morning replay in my mind, trying to see where it all went so backwards.
“It’s your first day! Are you excited?” my mom’s voice rang through my ears from the other room.
I was far from ready for this job; for being responsible. For adulting—all of it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m an adult. I’ve adulted and had it kick me in the teeth. I’ve been around the proverbial block a few times. And no, not in that way.
I just mean, at the ripe old age of twenty-eight, I’d seen a lot. Done a lot. Been married, cheated on, belittled to the point of having no self-worth, beaten after a bad business venture left him broke. I’d also been arrested for clocking said cheating ex with a lamp a few dozen times, when he’d tried to strangle me, and then divorced.
Ya know, the whole ‘been there, done that’ shebang.
In his case that was literal, but whatever. I was over it. Most days.
“Ella? Are you in here, sweetie?”
“Sorry, Mom, just not spatially aware yet.”
“You’re worrying over nothing. You’ve got this.”
“Mom, I love and appreciate your faith in me.”
She chuckled, hugging me tight. It was the best feeling in the world. Mom-hugs could heal all wounds, as it were.
“You’d better get moving before you’re late. The bus will be at the stop outside in less than ten minutes. Don’t forget to transfer to bus 11 south at Market Street. If you get lost, call me, and I will come find you. Or find a cop. They are always patrolling the area. Unless it’s dark, then you find an open business and stay there until I get there.”
“Dang it. Now I have things to worry about.” I laughed softly and kissed her cheek. “I’m going now. Love you, Mom.”
“Love you, too, baby girl. Have a good day!”
I hurried out the door and ran down the block to the bus stop. I had an hour and twenty minutes to get to work and be on time. I hoped to God I’d planned this out right. There was no cushion, no room for error.
Lord, Fates, Karma, whoever was up there listening, please be with me today. I needed today to go smoothly.
