Page 54 of Monsters of Midlife

LANEY

“Hello,” I typed. “Where the hell are you?”

Here I was typing random messages to a phone number I didn’t even know, but it was the only one I had to get a hold of my best friend, Caroline.

I didn’t dare type all the things going on in my life, even though I was dying to tell Caroline every detail. How was I supposed to pour my heart out to some random phone number that I was sure wasn’t even hers. She’d said that when she had first texted. That goddamn ex-husband of hers was doing something, I just didn’t know what.

Oh my God!

How much did I need my best friend? I just started seeing Magnus and I was falling head over heels for him and there was no one to even tell. I almost felt bad for my thoughts but maybe I should’ve had more than just one friend. The only problem was Caroline was the best friend I could ever. She was always there for me. She’d always been there to laugh at my mistakes and cheer me up when I was down. Caroline was my drinks date and my stay in for a movie date. She’d just always been there and now ever since Ryder had shown back up in her life, she’d disappeared.

Completely.

Just like he used to do when they were married.

If it wasn’t for the random text messages I received from her from an arbitrary number, I’d be filing a missing person’s report. The sink hole that swallowed her house now had a big fence around it and she hadn’t even come back to check on that.

I looked in the mirror double checking my final choice of outfits for my date with Magnus. It was going to be our third date and I was dressed to impress. My shoulder length red hair was pulled back in soft curls away from my face with a couple of tendrils hanging down to frame my high cheekbones. I knew I was a little bit on the curvy side but at forty-four, seriously, who gave a shit?

Right?

I had earned my curves thanks to my supreme ability to bake. I’d earned that superpower through years of baking. It was a little thing I was proud of. Even now I could smell the soufflé rising in the oven. It should be timed just right for when Magnus got here. No man had ever been able to resist my soufflé. It was like a straight shot from there to the bedroom. After two dates I was ready for it.

The dark green dress I was wearing highlighted the green in my eyes and there was just enough cleavage to show I was a woman but not so much that I looked trampy. I knew Magnus was younger than me. I didn’t have an exact idea of his age he couldn’t be more than mid-30’s. Tall, blonde, and godlike he was everything I’d always dreamed of having in a hot piece of man flesh. Well mostly. He didn’t live in Boston so that was a bit of a problem, but maybe that was a good way to start a relationship, right? Maybe that was a way to make sure we didn’t get in too hot and too heavy too fast.

Because the truth was, I was falling for him heavily.

“Ugh!” My frustration came out in a loud groan. Where was Caroline?

I picked up my phone determined to try to get a hold of her again, but this time I wasn’t going to text. I glanced at the last ten texts I had sent her. They were blue. They’d gone through to an iPhone but none of them were answered. I wasn’t going to quit on her just because of that. I dialed the number waiting to hear the computer voice telling me that nobody was going to answer the call. I nearly fell over when the phone picked up at a woman’s voice said, “Hello?

“Caroline! Caroline, is it you?” I ran quickly from my bedroom, which always had bad reception, and down into the kitchen where I could also keep an eye on the soufflés.

“Is this Laney?” The woman asked and I could tell it wasn’t Caroline.

My shoulders fell but at least somebody had answered the phone. “Yes, how do you know my name?”

“Caroline has been talking about you,” the woman said.

“Who is this?” I asked. “And where is Caroline?”

“My name is Sophie,” the woman said. “We need your help.”

The front doorbell rang just as the timer on the stove went off. The soufflés were ready and Magnus was here. But Caroline was more important than any of that.

“Where is she? Where do you need me?” My voce strained through the phone.

“I’ll reach out to you later,” Sofie said and the phone went dead.

“No!” I exclaimed glaring at the phone and wanted to throw it away. I thought of dialing back but the timer on the stove was still going off and Magnus was now knocking at the front door.

“Just a minute,” I yelled at the front door as I ran into the kitchen to turn off the timer and carefully, very carefully remove the soufflés from the oven. They were perfect they’re moist chocolate tops risen and beautiful. They, like me, were ready to be devoured.

Well, I thought I was ready for it, but after being able to talk to that woman on the phone, Sophie, I didn’t know what to think.

A knock came again at the front door. I took a deep breath and try to calm my nerves. There was no point in looking like a crazy woman. I smoothed my skirt as I walked to the door. This was a guy I really liked. I didn’t want to scare him off.

My heels clicked across the floor as I walked to the front door pulling it open with a big smile on my face and a swivel in my hip. Just enough to show him what my curves could do, but not so much that I would knock anything over.

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