Page 66 of The Bonus

He shrugs. “I’m not seeing her anymore.”

“Oh. Why not?”

“I just… I compare everyone to her, you know?”

I do know.

I listen as I drive.

“And I know we can’t be together and I don’t even want to be, but…” He hesitates.

“But what?” I ask.

“Thinking of Zoe takes me back to a time in my life when I was happy and everything was simple because she was the only girl in the world that I wanted.”

The traffic comes to a standstill.

“Every woman just seems so average.”

“Amen to that.” I sigh. “I thought it was just me.”

We keep driving in silence.

“Maybe we’re just getting old and maybe the thrill we used to get from love has lost its luster,” he says.

“It’s possible.” I shrug. “Probable, actually.”

I turn another corner as we drive and an idea comes to mind.

I call the office.

“Good morning, Mr. Ferrara,” Isabell answers.

“I won’t be in today.”

“Ahh.” She hesitates. “You have a fully booked day, sir.”

“Reschedule everything.”

“Are you unwell?” she asks.

I hit end call. “Mind your business,” I mutter under my breath.

“Why did you call in?” Mark asks. “What are you doing?”

“Taking you to Vegas for the weekend.”

“Why?”

“Gambling, alcohol and strippers,” I reply as I drive.

“You think playing poker, drinking scotch, and fucking multiple high-end strippers is going to get me over Zoe?”

“No.” I shrug. “But it will be fun.” I glance over at him and he smirks.

“You owe me four hundred dollars, by the way,” I tell him.

“For what?”

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