Free Falling For Him 1 (Rachel and Peter in Love) by Jessica Gray Page A

hazardous to your health?!

Chapter 11
     
    I entered my apartment, sobbing and not caring one bit. Lara Bishop should be locked away. I stripped out of the borrowed, and now soggy dress – leaving it lying in a heap on the floor. Clara would probably kill me tomorrow, but she couldn’t make me feel any worse than I already did. I collapsed on the bed, my eyes red and swollen from my tears and crying so loudly that I didn’t hear Karen until she touched my shoulder.
    “Rachel?”  Karen asked, alarmed at finding me so distraught. “Honey, what’s wrong?”
    “Karen?” I tried to stop my tears, but they just kept on coming. “When did you get home?”
    “I took an earlier flight and Michael picked me up at the airport.”
    Upon hearing Michael’s name, I sneered, “That useless rat!”
    “What are you talking about?” she asked confused.
    “Didn’t Michael tell you about our trip to Yosemite?”
    Karen shook her head, “When did you and Michael go to Yosemite? Why didn’t he tell me about that?” She smiled knowingly, “Did Michael finally ask you out?”
    I looked at her aghast, “Not if he was the last man on earth!” I assured her.
    Karen looked even more confused, “Calm down and tell me everything from the beginning.” She handed me some tissues and I blew my nose, trying to gain control of my tears.
    “Okay. It all started…” I proceeded to tell Karen everything about the trip to Yosemite, Michael abandoning me, meeting Peter and then getting stuck at his uncle’s cabin. I was just launching into a by-play of tonight’s disaster when she stopped me.
    “Did you say Lara Bishop?” When I nodded, she continued, “What’s Peter’s last name?”
    “Shaw. Why?”
    Karen looked stunned, “You’ve been dating Peter Shaw? Girl, do you have any idea who he is?”
    I shook my head, once again reminded that I should have done some checking up on him. “Should I?”
    “Oh, you just wait right there.” Karen ran from the room, returning moments later with several tabloids upon which was Peter’s picture with a lovely Lara plastered against his side.
    I grabbed the magazines, looking at the dates, relieved to see that they were several months old. “That’s old news.”
    “Peter Shaw is one of the most eligible bachelors in Silicon Valley society.  You honestly didn’t know who he was?”
    I shook my head, “It doesn’t matter anymore. I embarrassed him in front of said society.”
    Karen waved that away, “According to rumors, it won’t matter to him. He’s never been one for conforming to rules and has no problem making a scene if the need arises.  I heard he was engaged to Lara…”
    “Peter explained that.” I proceeded to share with Karen everything he had told me about Lara Bishop and her eyes got wider and wider. “What a bitch!” she exclaimed.
    I went on about her having my hair set on fire and showed Karen the evidence. The ends of my hair were all shriveled up and melted together.  Karen looked at the damage and left, coming back with her hair scissors and urging me to turn around so she could take care of it.
    My phone rang, and when I ignored it, Karen reached over and answered it. It was Peter checking to see if I had made it home all right. Karen assured him I was fine, just upset. He offered to come over and she suggested he give me some space and contact me tomorrow. Evidently that was acceptable to Peter and he promised to call me in the morning.  Karen then resumed working on my hair.
    By the time she had finished, she had removed a full two inches of my hair and I was furious once again. How dare that woman try to set me on fire? What on earth was she thinking?
    “You need to go see Peter.” Scooping up the evidence of my burnt hair, she slipped it into a small plastic bag and handed it to me, “Show him the evidence.”
    “I don’t know, Karen. Maybe I should let it go and concentrate on finishing my internship. I have just a few weeks to