Page 153 of The Rules Of Attraction
She took her suitcase and walked away, leaving.
I didn’t realize how empty and lonely this apartment felt until then.
But, what was worse was the emptiness I felt.
And the loss.
I didn’t realize how empty and lonely I was until she left me.
* * *
“Don’t drink anymore.”Marc said. “Don’t drown your sorrows in the bottom of a bottle.”
“If my sorrows could be drowned in a damn bottle I’d drink every last bottle of wine in this house.” I slammed down my glass on the dinner table and rested my head back against the chair. The hard wood of the frame felt cool against my skin.
I was certain I’d drank a whole bottle of wine, and I did need to stop now.
It was best because I wanted a clear mind tomorrow. The last thing I wanted was either to skip out on tomorrow because I had a terrible hangover, or go in to work with it.
What did it matter though?
Lost in the wind.
That’s how I felt. Like one of those balloons that had floated away and soared far beyond anyone’s reach. Drifting around without hope or an aim.
Just there.
“You look like shit.” Marc stated. “Hey.” He snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Come back to me man. I came by to talk. We need to talk.”
I straightened up and stared at him. “I don’t know what the hell to say.”
“Let’s start with Summer.” Marc held up his hands. “I think she’s probably the most important topic here.”
“I want her back.”
It was nearly ten. Nearly three hours since she’d stood in this very room and left me.
It seemed like forever. The scene had played itself over and over again in my mind like a film on repeat.
“I’m sure you do. But she’s right, Alex.”
Mark had gotten here about an hour after Summer left. My cavalry ready to rescue.
He came by knowing I’d need to talk about today. He didn’t know though that today was only the start of my problems because with Summer gone it felt like I’d lost everything.
“I know. You’re both right. I know that.” Of course I knew. And I knew I’d been a complete jerk today. Selfish, out of character, and completely self-focused.
I’d kind of kissed the damn senior partnership goodbye the minute Summer closed the door.
The problem now was what to do.
“Don’t let her go to Dubai thinking she wasn’t important to you. I can see she was.”
“She is. I told her I loved her and she still left.” I reached for the bottle and poured myself another glass of wine. When the glass was full Marc took it and started drinking straightaway. “Hey, come on man.”
“Told you, no more for you. You need to get your woman back Alex.”
“Marc, the whole thing is a mess. Everything.”
