Chapter 5 Girls' Night

Friday night found Avery in a slinky black dress, downing shots with her best friends at a nightclub downtown.

"Forget him," Jasmine said, handing her another glass. "You're too damn pretty to mope over your boss."

Avery tried to laugh. "It's not that serious."

But it was.

Somewhere between drink three and four, she started dancing, losing herself in the lights and the beat. The attention felt good - freeing. But still, she caught herself glancing at the door, as if some ridiculous part of her expected him to walk in.

He didn't.

But her phone buzzed at 1:47 a.m.

Ace: You're not home.

Ace: Where are you?

Ace: Answer your phone, Avery.

Her buzz faded instantly.

---

He didn't speak when she came into the office on Monday.

Just stared.

All day.

Until after hours, when the building was quiet, and he finally asked her into his office.

She stood stiffly, hands clasped.

"I don't recall giving you permission to be seen clubbing half-naked in public," he said flatly.

"I wasn't half-naked."

"I saw the photos," he muttered, tossing his phone on the desk.

Her lips parted. "You've been stalking my social media?"

He leaned back. "It's called protecting the company's image. Or did you forget you're my wife on paper?"

Her eyes blazed. "Then maybe next time you take a woman on a business trip, you should take your wife instead."

Ace stood slowly. "Watch your tone."

"No," she snapped. "You want me to act like a wife when it's convenient, but I don't even exist to you otherwise."

The silence was suffocating.

Then he looked at her with something that almost looked like regret - but it was gone in an instant.

"Go home, Avery."