Free Savior (An Impossible Novel) by Julia Sykes

ego couldn’t allow him to see the truth of what I was, as though acknowledging my disrepute might tarnish him in some way.
    It didn’t matter an yway.  I was just relieved he was gone.  I had told myself it would be unwise to try to see Clayton again after our night of passion, and it turned out I had been right.

    Chapter 5
    I had to fight down the urge to spew the disgusting drink right back out of my mouth.  “Ugh, that tastes like dirty woodchips or something!”  My hand darted across the table to grab Penny’s cosmopolitan, which I gulped down eagerly.  The sugary sweetness of it helped to wash away the nasty flavor.
    “Hey!”  My friend cried.  “That’s mine!  And I told you not to order that crap.  It’s what old men with no taste-buds left drink.”  Her glower was censorious as I set down the now-empty martini glass.  “I believe you owe me a cocktail.”
    “Shit.  Sorry.  I’ll trade you?”  I asked hopefully, pushing the glass of neat whisky in her direction.
    Penny just tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder and raised one eyebrow, shooting me her best you have got to be fucking kidding me look with those glacial blue eyes.  Damn, she looked cool when she did that.  I had always wished I could.  Unfortunately, I looked like I was having some kind of fit if I tried to raise one eyebrow.
    With a resigned sigh, I went to the bar and ordered two more cosmos, trying not to wince as I handed over my credit card.  I really couldn’t afford them, especially after the Glenfiddich I had ordered proved to be un-drinkable.
    How the hell does Clayton drink that crap?  I wondered.
    A better question is: Why the hell did you order it?
    It had been three days since Clayton had stormed out of my apartment, and I hadn’t heard from him since.  But that didn’t stop my mind from constantly thinking about him.  I hated how upset I had made him.  Putting together a few pieces, it had become clear to me that he was dealing with some past fuck-up of his own regarding fraternization in the workplace.  He was just trying to be careful not to make the same mistakes again.
    Of course he was.  Doing so might cost him his job.
    Or maybe he really is just a decent guy.
    I rolled my eyes at myself.  It didn’t matter if he was a knight in s hining armor or a self-centered jerk.  I wasn’t going to see him again.  I had made sure of that with my childish actions.  It was for the best, really.
    Plastering on a cheery, carefree smile, I headed back to my table.
    “So, who’s the asshole?”  Penny asked perceptively.
    My smile wavered slightly.  I had invited her out to throw back some drinks and dance, not hash out my problems.  But maybe a good bitching session would help me get my mind off of Clayton.
    “Cheryl.  Who else?”  It took no extra effort to spit out her name like something distasteful.  Penny knew all about the bitch; she used to work at Ivory too.  She had gone to the same school as Cheryl had, so of course she had no trouble getting the job.  It also didn’t hurt that she came from a wealthy background, so somehow that made her a person of worth in Cheryl’s eyes.  But, much to my surprise, Penny was actually a sweet, down-to-earth person.  And she knew how to keep up with me at a party.  We had only worked together for six months before she found a job somewhere else.  The way Cheryl treated me drove her crazy, and as much as I appreciated her show of solidarity, I asked her to keep her nose out of it.  She was my only friend at work, and I didn’t want to lose her.  But then one day Cheryl had apparently said something so out of line that Penny couldn’t stop herself from going off on her.  She still wouldn’t tell me what it was Cheryl had said, and a part of me was grateful for that.  I didn’t think I really wanted to know.  In any case, her tirade had resulted in her being asked to leave Ivory.  But Penny was smart and talented and she had the