Free The Phantom by Jocelyn Leveret Page A

booths for people to sit, just un-sanded wooden chairs, and giant spools for tables.
    I barely noticed when Beth sat down across from me and slid a shot of tequila my way. I just kept staring past her. “I didn’t even get a chance to explain or try to defend myself,” I said, still in shock.
    “I never could stand Geoff anyway. You are so much better off without him,” I heard her say from somewhere.
    I threw my head back and poured that amber, nasty drink down my throat. “Yeck!” I grunted and shook my head with my tongue hanging out of my mouth to get rid of the taste. “Another!” I yelled at the barkeep in the stained sleeveless shirt.
    Beth reached across and grabbed my hand. “Honey, talk to me.”
    “I don’t want to talk. I just want to get drunk.”
    “Come on. You were with the prick for seven years. I have no idea why, but you were.”
    “Seven and a half,” I corrected.
    “Whatever, it was way too long.”
    My eyes rolled. “I know you always hated him, but he had some good qualities you never saw.”
    Beth’s eyebrows arched behind her glasses. “I will give you a million dollars, a Porsche, and buy you a mansion right now if you can name one.”
    My mouth opened, but shut a second later. The bar was so quiet that the clack of the pool balls seemed to echo. Finally, the bartender brought me my drink. Immediately, I drank it down. “Yeck!” I said again.
    “Okay,” my best friend said after what seemed like an eternity had passed. “Now that we have the list of good things out of the way, should we list the bad, see which is longer?”
    I started to open my mouth again, but had to shut it.
    “So, bad list. He didn’t have a job, never got off the couch to so much as take out the garbage. While you were at work, he played video games, which he spent your money on by the way. His favorite movie involved a guy having sex with an apple pie, rap was all he listened to. Sasha, the guy took more time getting ready than you do! He’s a pothead, every third word out of his mouth he cussed. You constantly complained to me about how selfish he was in bed. I was there that night he called you a bitch to make his friends laugh. Honey, I’d go on but I’m out of fingers!”
    She was right. All ten were raised. Suddenly, I felt that beginning sting of tears. My voice wasn’t even strong enough to ask for another shot. I could only motion for the bartender to bring it.
    “I don’t even know why you were ever with him the first place,” she added.
    I shrugged. “He came along just after that bad break up with Chris, and before I knew it almost eight years were gone. I got used to him, and I guess it was just easier to stay together than go through another bad breakup.”
    “Easy, or not, he was horrible for you! You should have broken up years ago! Who knows where you’d be if you didn’t have him holding you back all this time”
    I glared at her. “Aren’t you supposed to be comforting me?”
    “Believe me honey, by the time this night is over and you realize how much better off you are, you’ll be comforted. Sasha, you were so, so happy to be able to do this article and he was everything but supportive! All because he was threatened by a man that doesn’t even exist.”
    “You’re right.” When I blinked, hot tears ran down my cheeks. “I do still have The Phantom, don’t I? Even if he’s not real to you, he’s real to me. The world just can’t give us men like Geoff and not give us him!”
    My best friend pushed her glasses up her nose. “Well, I can’t argue with that.”
    “And I’m going to prove it, to you and every other woman out there!”
    Beth smiled at me. “See? You’re feeling better already!”

Chapter Twenty
    I was so drunk when we left the bar, Beth wouldn’t let me ride up the elevator alone. I couldn’t even get my keys in the lock. When I dropped them, I actually growled.
    “Ssh!” Beth giggled. “Your neighbors are probably asleep!”
    Finally, I