New Year

New Year

by

Bonnie Dee

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SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

Bonnie Dee on Smashwords

New Year Copyright © 2013

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

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New Year, a New Life Story

Chapter One

Jason

You ever experience one of those moments when people stare at you like you’re a turd that won’t flush? That’s pretty much how I felt the night of the Christmas party at Anna’s law offices. Dressing up in a suit was like putting on a costume. I have to admit I looked damn good that night, but underneath, I was still Jason Reitmiller—a partially disabled, minimum-wage-earning dog washer.

All of her coworkers knew that, of course, which had to be weird for Anna. I could tell she was nervous, because she kept asking me if I was all right. No headaches? No impending panic attacks or outbursts of temper?

I couldn’t blame her for fearing a repeat of the meltdown I’d had only a few months earlier at her place of employment. None of these lawyers would have forgotten that drama. Thus the curious looks at the turd in their midst.

Anna gripped my arm and occasionally leaned in to point out someone. Until now, they’d been faceless names featured in stories about her work life. But there was no way in hell I was going to be able to connect all these names to faces in one evening.

There’s Jules Arden.

I knew I had to at least program Arden into my low RAM memory. The senior partner was Anna’s mentor, the man who helped guide her career at Haggenstern and Lowe.

Jules. Got it. I looked at the beautiful woman beside me, and suddenly the rest of the room and all my anxiety disappeared. What the fuck did I care what a bunch of strangers thought of me and the way I’d humiliated myself in front of them? Anna wanted me here by her side at this fancy social event. I would keep my shit together and do her proud.

Did I remember to tell you how gorgeous you look? I asked.

Her gaze stopped darting around the room and came to rest on me. She smiled, and her beautiful brown eyes sparkled. Several times. But you know I don’t have a problem with you repeating things.

In that case… I leaned close and whispered, You look fuckin’ awesome, and I can’t wait to get home and peel that dress off you.

Any time, she murmured. If you start to feel stressed out or get tired, let me know and we can leave.

For just a moment I considered taking her up on the offer. I wasn’t at my best in crowded situations. Since the car accident that had left my brain scrambled and my body lame, I struggled to perform daily tasks, let alone process a lot of new input all at once. But then the very fact that Anna had offered me an out made me not want to take it. If we were going to last as a couple, I had to be able to fit into her world at least a little bit.

No way. I’ve got the prettiest woman in the room on my arm, and I intend to show her off. Sometimes I amazed myself with my suaveness. Maybe it was a hint of the player I used to be before the accident.

Anna smiled again, and I thought she seemed a little less nervous. All right, then. I want to introduce you to Jules.

We waded through a stream of sparkling party dresses and starched white shirtfronts, which gleamed under the Christmas lights illuminating the banquet room the law firm had rented for the occasion. The sweetness of too many perfumes and a tang of pine from decorated trees along one wall mingled into a strong odor that made me need to sneeze.

As we made our way toward what’s-his-name—JULES. Jules Arden—Anna occasionally stopped to introduce me to the people she worked most closely with. I smiled, shook hands, and tried to file away names, but they flitted out of my consciousness almost as soon as they entered. I could hardly pull out my iPad and type them in, and without that organizational tool, I was lost.

Nice to meet you. Anna’s mentioned you many times, I said to one guy, whose name was Dan or Doug or maybe Dave.

All good, I hope. A guy with slicked-back hair studied me intently. Definitely a turd-gazing look.

Absolutely. I’d decided that would be my word of the evening. People love to be agreed with, and I could get by best by keeping it simple.

I doubt that. There aren’t many stories that have Dave as the hero. A tall woman with long brown hair that was tousled as if she’d just fucked somebody in a janitor closet came up beside DAVE—not Dan. She wore too much makeup, and her sequined dress nearly blinded me as it caught the light. Cindy. I remembered her name from the couple of times I’d met her. Anna’s best friend at work.

Good to see you again, Jason.

You’re looking, uh—I hunted for the word—festive, Cindy.

She smiled and peered at me with unfocused eyes. Drunk. Aren’t you the cutest thing.

It was both a compliment and sort of demeaning. I had no idea what to say, so I just smiled back.

Thank God, Anna pulled me away. See you guys in a bit. I want to introduce him to Jules.

The music played by a DJ in one