Free The Boss Lady by Lolah Lace Page B

problem.”
    “No I’m not going to let you.” Nicki grabbed her empty wine glass off the table.
    I stood to join her at the sink. “Why are you so bossy?” I figured I would ask. There had to be a reason why she needed to exercise this excessive amount of control.
    She turned from the sink and pressed her lips together. “Because I’m the boss.”
    “You’re not my boss.”
    “Yeah, you have to have a bachelor’s degree to work for me.”
    There she goes throwing her weight around. She can really push my buttons if I let her. I’ve been through too much to let Miss Nevels the bossy devil get to me.
    “You smell like fresh flowers.”
    “Don’t smell me.”
    I frowned. “I’ll inform my nose.”
    “You do that.” She smirked. “I will load the dishwasher.”
    “Well I’m going to head out.”
    “Fine.” She turned her back on me.
    “Lock the doors and windows and set the alarm.”
    “Sure thing, I never would have done those things without your reminder.” Sarcasm was her go to in times of discomfort. Was I the cause of her discomfort?
    “You never get tired of torturing me?”
    “No never.”
    I raised one eyebrow as I took a fast peek down her blouse. “Okay well I’m out, tell Kelly bye for me.” I grabbed my cell phone off the kitchen table. I snatched my car keys off the counter and I headed to the front door. I left out and went to my truck.
    I took the quick scenic ride home. I was at my place and I was instantly knocked down into a deep state of grief. The time at Nicki and Kelly’s had almost erased the trip to jail to visit with my daughter’s murderer.
    My house was a shrine to my beloved daughter. I felt like I was choking on the memories of her that truly existed and the memories that will never manifest.
    Sometimes the pain was unbearable and I wanted to drown my sorrows in liquor but I couldn’t indulge in the thing that stole my daughter from me. How could I ever put a beer to my lips and not think of Hailey? It hurts and time is not healing my wounds. It’s not doing anything. I hurt just as much as the minute the doctor told me she was dead.
    I went into Hailey’s room and lay in her bed. Her scent was still in the sheets. I can’t imagine ever washing these sheets. I don’t ever want to wash away the memory of my daughter. The hours were passing and they truly felt like days. I had been in her room for what seemed like forever. I couldn’t fall asleep. I couldn’t stop replaying the events of the day Hailey died over and over in my mind. I had to leave this bed, leave this room and leave this house.
    I got in my pick-up truck and drove the desolate streets. It was no different from other nights of endless driving with no destination. I knew I would never sleep consumed with thoughts of how that dreaded day could’ve gone differently. This time my car found a destination. I pulled into the driveway. It was eleven at night but I didn’t really care. I dialed her cell. I had the number. I just never used it before today. It was about five hours since I had seen her.
    “Luke.” She answered on the second ring. Nicki didn’t sound asleep. She seemed to be wide awake.
    “Open the front door for me.”
    “Are you okay?”
    “Open the door.” I hung up the phone.
    I turned off my truck. I saw the inside light come on in the foyer. I slowly got out my pick-up and headed for the front door. When I turned the knob it was unlocked. I walked into the foyer and Nicki was standing at the foot of the staircase. She glided pass me to activate the home security system keypad. I didn’t look back at her as I made my way up the stairs to her bedroom.
    I could feel her presence a few paces behind me. I could smell her floral scent traipsing behind me. We entered her bedroom. I closed her bedroom door and locked it.
    Nicki purposely went to the opposite side of her queen size bed. She was wearing this small thin tight red nightgown. She didn’t have time to change into it. She