Never Too Late

Chapter 2 - The Not-A-Date Date

Word spread pretty quickly that I had a date with the new accounts manager. Even Helen couldn't hide how impressed she was by how quick I moved. Her attention wasn't something I loved at any time she showed it, not that it occurred often enough, I liked it even less now.

"I underestimate you, Mattie." She admitted when I brought her afternoon tea. "I didn't think you'd even deliver the cheque but to come away with..."

"I didn't do that for you." I cut in.

"Oh, I know. You did it for yourself. You saw something you wanted and you took it. You and I have a lot more in common than I thought."

"I'm nothing like you."

"You're wrong." She took a sip from her cup, looking up at me with those bulging toad-like eyes of hers.

"Well, if that's all..." I cleared my throat and straightened my blazer, "It's going on five, unless you need anything else..."

"No, no." she cut in. "Off you pop."

She turned back to her computer, tea cup still in hand, to look at the new cover for this months' issue dismissing me offhand. Cassandra was waiting for me by my desk like she does most nights but tonight she looked perturbed with her hands on her hips and chewing on her own tongue whilst drumming her nails on my desk, annoying Candice's incessant chatter about whatever dribble she picked up on Twitter. She'd always had a crush on Cass since she first laid eyes on her.

"Anyway, there's this really good club near Tribeca I think you'll like."

"I'll be sure to take it under advisement, Carol." Cassandra cut her off abruptly.

"It's Candice..." Candice trailed off miserably.

"What's wrong?" I asked, hardly daring to ask.

"You made plans for tonight."

"Yes, I did. It's not a crime, is it?"

"Dave's made spaghetti and meatballs! You know what that means. We only do this once a month. It's the night of the three M's."

"The three what?" asked Candice.

"Meatballs, margaritas and a man candy movie marathon."

"We were going to watch Bradley Cooper films."

"We can do it another night."

"Oh, Mattie! Davina has been slaving away for us."

I sighed, "I know and I'm sorry. I'll make it up to both of you."

"Well, you can tell Davina you're going out, 'cos I'm not."

Davina didn't care, she was actually relieved because her on again, off again older boyfriend had shown up and hoovered up most of the spaghetti before we'd even made it to the apartment.

Reed Hamilton was near twenty years older than our friend Davina at forty-seven years of age. Once upon a time he was a badass lawyer living the good life until a tragic skiing accident landed him on his ass for over a year until he learned to walk again. Afterwards he couldn't handle the post-accident trauma, letting his brilliant mind go to waste whilst he lived on cheetos, mountain dew, pot and porn in his mother's basement in New Jersey. Until she kicked him out.

After making a couple of not so dumb-ass moves he made a lucrative investment whilst selling a tonne of pot to barely legal youths. Now he lives two floors above us and has been dating Davina for nearly three years. Cass and I speculate if she's only with him for the free pot or to piss of her wealthy family because we hardly ever see them when they're not fighting about something. Ever since Reed 'found God' he's been preaching to her and anyone who will listen about getting more involved with the church. However, he never seems to do more for the church or God other than preaching or calling out his name in Davina's bedroom.