His Games, Her Rules

“Okay, guess who’s going to a charity gala tomorrow night?” Monique asks, grinning as I watch her.

It’s Saturday night and I was watching TV before Monique strutted in. She’s been at Dave’s since the day before yesterday and she’s just coming home.

“Hello, how was your day? How have you been? How’s work? How’s the house without me?” I ask sarcastically as I pull my feet up on the couch and my arms on my knees. “What the fuck, Monique? Where are the pleasantries?”

She rolls her eyes as she sits down next to me on the couch and she bends her right knee so that she’s facing me.

“Okay, honey,” she smiles at me. “How was your day? How’s work? And how’s life without me being around?”

“My day’s been boring, thanks to you. And work’s the same. And life is shit without you here. You’ve been at Dave’s for two days, Monique. Two whole days.”

“I’m sorry, I just-” she shrugs and sighs. “Dave and I are so into each other, everything’s been moving fast.”

“Too fast, if you ask me.”

“Come on. You should be happy for me that I’ve finally found someone who understands me and cares.”

“I’m happy for you. I’m just not happy you’re never home.”

“Seriously, Robyn. If you get a boyfriend, you and I know I won’t be seeing much of you either.” She sighs as she stands up to remove her trench coat. She sits down again and tosses the coat over the arm of the couch we’re both sitting on.

“Yeah. Why don’t I get into a relationship first? And you and I know that isn’t happening anytime soon.”

“You know, as much as I’d love to scold you about your love life for the millionth time since we’ve been buddies, I’ve got good news.”

“The charity gala?”

“Yes,” Monique exhales as she reaches inside her bag that is on the foot of the couch we’re both occupying as she pulls out an invite. “My boss, Katelyn, was invited to a charity gala happening tomorrow, but she won’t be able to make it because, apparently, she’s got this emergency meeting in Paris and she’s traveling to Paris first thing in the morning.”

“So she gave you her invitation card?” I ask, looking at the invitation card in my hand.

“Yes. And the invite says to bring a plus one. So you’re my date.”

Why’s she hyper about a fundraiser? Nothing fun happens at a fundraiser.

“I just don’t understand how this is good news.”

She thinks about my response before shrugging. “Well, anything that gets me out of the house in the evening, dressed pretty fine, is good news to me. Especially when I have you by my side.”

“You’re fucked up.” I smile, turning the card around in my hand as I read the heading.

“The Gray Foundation.” I scrunch my face at the bold heading printed in fine font as I look at Monique. “Dominique Gray?” Now I get why she’s hyper about it. Because Dominique Gray is hosting this fundraiser and he’s obviously going to be there.

Monique clears her throat and rubs her nape. “Yes. It’s Dominique’s foundation, what does it matter?”

“It matters because it’s Dominique’s charity event. Is that why you are so hyper about it? Calling it good news?”

“I don’t know,” she throws her hands up and slaps it on her thighs, obviously for dramatic effect because she is a drama doll. “All I know is that my boss gave me her invite to show up on her behalf and you’re my date.”

“You could go without a date.” I point out, tossing the card on her lap.

“I know that. But who am I gonna gossip rich white people with?” She asks as she gives me a look. “Certainly nobody.”

“You’re crazy.”

“I know,” she chuckles. “Plus, here’s the fun part. It’s a masquerade gala and everyone’s showing up with masks on their faces.”

“A masked charity event? Boy, that’s something rich people would do. Especially Dominique.”

“Who cares? It’s supposed to make the gala more entertaining. I went shopping for both of us,” Monique says as she stands up to grab a shopping bag from the corner of the love seat as she returns to sit next to me. “And I got us both masks.” She grins as she brings out two feathered Venetian masks.

“You put so many thoughts into this, right?” I ask her, taking the blue mask from her hand as I examine it. Wow, it’s beautiful.

“Well, maybe. I got them yesterday and our dresses. The black mask’s yours. I thought it would look good on you, you know, brown eyes?” She pulls out a red dress from the bag and gives it to me.

“Monique? Why would you buy all this? It’s a fundraiser, not a wedding party.”

“Well, you’re right. Call me crazy for trying too much. This isn’t just any fundraiser. This is a masked charity gala hosted by Dominique Gray. I don’t have to spell it out to you that there will be lots of wealthy women and men. You don’t want to look like you don’t belong there and you don’t wanna try too much either.”

I sigh, still thinking all of this is too much.

“Thanks. The dress is pretty. But I still think you did too much.”

“Well, keep your criticism for later. You’ll thank me when we step into that event tomorrow.”

“Why do I have a feeling you’re trying to set me up with Dominique?” I ask.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. And I also believe Dominique Gray won’t be the only attractive man there tomorrow. And it’s a masked party. Meaning if you decide you’re not ready to, you know, hook up with Dominique, there will be plenty of sexy masked strangers there tomorrow night and you could just let go, and nobody regrets anything, especially when there’s nothing to regret.” Monique smirks at me as she takes the dress from my hand and the mask and shoves it inside the bag.

“What kind of charity event? What are they raising money for?”

“For less privileged asthmatic children.”

“Wow. And I’ve always thought Dominique is the last person who would do something as generous as that.”

“You know, you think too little of that man.”Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

I exhale. “Yeah. Do I get to donate though?”

“That depends on you. If you want to, that’s okay.”

I turn to look at Monique. “Are you gonna donate?”

“I might.” She smirks at me as she stands up.

I sigh and shake my head as I reach for the TV remote on the coffee table. Monique gathers her stuff as she turns toward the hallway.

“I’m gonna go take a shower.”

“Sure.”

A few minutes pass and Monique comes back, wearing pink cotton shorts and an oversized white T-shirt.

She picks up the remote and pauses the TV show I’m watching. “So how has your day been? How’s Doctor Sanders?”

“Cool. And I think Doctor Sanders likes me. Like, like me. If you know what I mean.” I raise my eyebrows.

“Oh, shit.” Monique is grinning, obviously entertained.

I exhale. “Yeah. Things are gonna be awkward sooner or later between the two of us.”

“Well, I think things don’t have to be awkward between you two. You both are adults, there’s no point acting shitty and awkward because you like a colleague and this colleague doesn’t like you back.” Monique says and shrugs.

“Also, Damien was here.”

“No kidding.”

“I’m not kidding. He brought flowers.”

Monique grins, arm on the headrest as she leans her head on it. “This is cool. Go on. What happened?”

“Nothing. And you were right, he was looking better than the last time we met. He looked good.”

“Does that mean you two are gonna try again?”

“Nah. There’s nothing to try. Damien is too good for himself. Could you believe he met this girl at Maine”

“Maine? What was he doing in Maine?”

“Went there for work. His uncle started a branch company there. Well, he met this girl, Emilia, I think, and they dated for two and a half years and one morning she told him they had to break up.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that. You won’t believe she’s married now. She literally got married to a guy a few months after she told Damien they should break up.”

“That is…fucked up?”

“Yeah. I felt bad for him. And also because he told me he didn’t get over me until he met Emilia.”

“Shit. Now I see why you don’t want to try again.”

“Yeah.”