The VIRGIN STRIPPER

55

***** Lisa Michaels *****
I couldn't say anything.

Standing at the middle of the lounge area at Dave's place, all I could feel was guilt and shame.

I knew how this must have looked to Darcy even though she seemed to act like she was not very much affected.

"I love your outfit," she said a moment after Dave had disappeared to wherever. "I think I saw you somewhere," she continued, tilting her head to the side as if to call back the memory. "Right, Melissa's magazine. " she announced triumphantly and I nodded a bit awkwardly.

Looking around the room, she smiled at the sight of the already sleeping puppy and roamed her eyes around the place, or as far as the eye could see, "the place looks nice enough," she hummed in appreciation and I was left a little confused.

Had she never been to Dave's apartment before?

"Hey, don't be shy, I'm not gonna bite," she said with a carefree laugh and my insides knotted.

I mean, it's one thing to find your soon-to-be husband with some woman in his apartment and be nice while he is still around but it's a whole different story to act like it does not bother you in the slightest bit.

I had seen way too many murder mysteries to know it was always the nice, zero chills, jealous girlfriends who did it.

And don't know about anyone else but I didn't want to be the one whose body was discovered in a cellar somewhere or a lake.

"I was actually ju-"

"You have the ones for Miami right?" Dave walked back in as he looked through the papers and sorted them out before piling them in some sort of arrangement before giving them to her. "These are for the Maine project and some budgets for the Boston project as well."

"Thanks," Darcy said and turned to me with a small smile. "If it's okay with you two, can I maybe steal her for a while? We could grab coffee or something."

"You don't take coffee," Dave said before I could respond.

"It's her call, I could have tea or something else. I only suggested a safe choice."

I had an awkward conversation to finish with Dave and a probable death invite from his soon-to-be wife, what was a safe chance even?

"I was on my way out, we can get some coffee." I said since both seemed to have baited breathes waiting for me to decide.

"See you later," Darcy said walking to the door first.

"Don't forget this," Dave reminded as he handed me the shopping bag with both mine and Ella's jumpers.

"Thanks," I said and walked right behind Darcy as she led me to her sleek car parked by the entrance.

"You'd think friendship alone would buy me a gate pass to park my car at the driveway," Darcy muttered with an amused chuckle before leading me around her car so we could both get at the back. "Thanks Simeone. Good night." She called to the guard and he nodded nonchalantly.

"Do you know any coffee shops around here?" she asked once we were both settled inside and her driver pulled out to the road.

"Not really," I told her and watched as she opened the files as if to confirm the content.

"I think there is a coffee shop a few blocks from here. Rodney," she called to her driver and he nodded. "Take us there."

I just sat and looked out the window while my insides ate at themselves. I was paranoid on most part and gullible and naive on the other part.