Read Online Fade In by M. Mabie - Free Book Online

Birthday Slut, I guess.” I prepare myself for the story with one more spicy tuna bite and a deep breath.”Okay, so Kurt was being sort of a dick on Friday. He went out with work people after he got off and sort of ruined my birthday dinner.”
    Neil’s face scrunches as he looks to Winnie for confirmation. When she nods her head with a disappointed expression, he turns back to me with a pout.
    I wave off his sympathy. “Anyway, he came by after he was finished and well...” There was not delicate way to tell the story. “I was giving him my special job—you know, the real special job—and then I just”—I gesture the motion of aiming a penis—”aimed it back to his face and let him shoot himself with, um, himself while I told him to get out and that we were over.”
    I slump forward, breathless after rambling to get the last part out. I won't have to tell this story again. Thank God.
    Smacking the table and sucking in air like a ninety-five-year-old asthmatic, he squeals in delight. “That is. The best. Breakup. Ever! Oh my God. It's brilliant. What did he do? Was he pissed?” I should have waited for Christmas to give Neil a gift like this story.
    I look at Winnie warily, because she knows the rest of the story from breakfast Sunday morning, and maintain keeping that part minimal. Neil knows of my condition, but I don't need his pity. Better to let him think I'm a badass than the mess I am inside.
    I vaguely go over the talk we had and that we parted as friends. Winnie's favorite part is still the booty-call loophole goodbye. In all honesty, I kind of like that part, too.
    My phone buzzes from inside my new bag, and I reach in, looking at the screen that reads Dr. Evil. Dr. Meade's office. I let it go to voicemail, and the three of us keep talking and laughing over amazing sushi.
    Neil apparently went on a date over the weekend, and the guy was nice, but he called him sugary. I had my suspicions that Neil liked the bear variety of homosexual. He always dismissed the “too sweet” or the “icky nice” men.
    Winnie updates the both of us on the guest favors she ordered online and how Coop about shit a brick when he saw the total. It wasn't that much, but other than the fancy-schmansy car he drives, Coop is pretty frugal. She is under the impression that money is meant to be spent. My thinking lies somewhere in between.
    “I called the driving services and asked for Ray like you said in the email, too,” he tells me as we start our walk back to the studio. “Cooper already called them, so they knew we were going to call. They sound pretty good. That Ray guy is their most popular driver.” He wags his eyebrows suggestively. “Do you want to use them a few times before making a commitment? They can start on Wednesday.” Neil asks, getting us back to my self-inflicted tasks for the week.
    “Yeah, line it up. I doubt it will matter all that much. It's just a car service.”
    Winnie can't hide her small twinge of jealousy, “Dammit, now I want a car. Okay, I've got it. What if we share? I mean, I can foot some of the bill and we can share your new PA, too. You're too boring to need one all to yourself.” She walks ahead of us and stops us with two hands to consider her idea.
    “No,” I deadpan and push past her, grabbing her arm so she doesn't fall behind. “Whoever I hire will be too busy to mess around with a bitch like you.” I lay my head on her shoulder as we walk back into the building.
    “Fine, but if their workload gets low, just tell me. I have errands all over the city with the wedding shit plaguing my days, and it would be nice to have someone to do my bidding.” I think she's probably serious. She'd love someone doing all of her dirty work.
    “Yeah, okay. I'll just say, ‘Excuse me, assistant? Do you mind picking up some things for my best friend, Bridezilla?’” I say in the bitchiest voice I can find. It's a little too close to normal, and I laugh at myself before continuing. “Who