Pieces of Rhys Read Online Free PDF Page A

minus Nicole, I didn't even feel like stalking him. He grinned in my direction, inviting me with his eyes, but I waved feebly and got into my car and drove away.
    When I got home, I found a note nailed to my front door. Like someone took a nail and a hammer and nailed the freakin' note to my door.
    "Gary," I grumbled, snatching down the note. I tried unsuccessfully to pull the nail out. "Asshole."
    Inside, I skimmed over the list, mentally checking off what he could and could not have. I was in a foul mood, but I wanted his shit out of my house. It took me over an hour, but I gathered most of the things he asked for, threw them in a large box and carried it to my car.
    Gary lived the next town over a few houses away from his evil mother. His car was in the driveway when I got there, a brand new blue Dodge Charger. I am not a vengeful person, but sometimes I wanted to repay him for the things he had done to me. Sometimes I wanted to trash his car, but that would be as good as signing my own death warrant.
    I didn't want to deal with Gary. I dropped the box at his doorstep and took off before he realized I was there.
    I half hoped Rhys would show up during the course of the evening, but the best I got was a few irrelevant text messages. My feelings were hurt, but I was pretty angry with myself for allowing myself to get all caught up in the moment. I had daydreamed about Rhys for so long, and I was naïve to believe that the story would unfold the way it always did in my imagination.
    I wanted to stop thinking about it, but my brain would not cooperate, and my chest had a dull ache. So, I did the proper thing and took a sleeping pill and put myself out of my misery for seven hours.
     
    Chapter Eight
     
    I woke up feeling like someone stole my puppy. The thief in question was Nicole, the puppy was Rhys. Bad metaphor, but that's how I felt.
    To make myself feel better, I took extra care with my makeup, trying a different color pallet. I styled my hair differently, letting it frame my face instead of pulling it back in a clip or ponytail. I dug into the back of my closet and found my Jimmy Choos that I used to only wear for special occasions. I put on a skirt instead of pants, and dabbed a little bit of Channel on my wrists. I checked myself out in the mirror and almost fell over.
    Before I married Gary, I was always well dressed. My clothes weren't always designer clothes, but I always looked well put together. I could make a potato sack look good with the right shoes. My hair always looked good and my makeup looked professional. When stress and fear begin to rule my life, I stopped caring so much. I didn't let myself go completely, but I went from Fashionista to Semi-Plane Jane. Looking at myself in the mirror, I felt like my old self again. I even managed a smile.
    "Booyah!" I pointed at myself in the mirror.
    I'm so corny.
    Because I took so long getting my shiz together, I was late for work. I had to park in Oz, but even that long walk didn't kill my spirits. I bounced into the office, apologizing to my coworkers and employees for my lateness. They were too busy trying to figure out why I looked so different to care.
    "Hey," Rhys said, after following me to my desk. His eyes slowly traveled from my head to my Choos.
    "Hello," I offered a smile. "How are you?"
    "Better now."
    My heart fluttered and I looked away.
    "New shoes?" He asked looking extra-long at my bare legs.
    "No. They've been in the back of my closet."
    "They look good on you."
    "Thanks."
    "You look extra sexy today," he said a little lower so only I could hear him and then he walked out .
    I checked under my chair, to make sure I hadn't leaked all over the floor.
    Later in the afternoon after lunch, I was climbing the stairs from the second floor to our office on the fifth floor. I almost screamed when I rounded a corner and found Rhys standing there, leaning against the wall.
    "What are you doing? You scared the balls out of me!"
    He grinned and said "I was