Artificial Love (The Goodbye Trilogy #2) by Alisa Mullen Page B

the first floor and had the whole apartment building on video surveillance. It was my only stipulation when I bought our two apartments. The other tenants were told through the association but as long as the video didn’t actually scan into their apartments, they were actually grateful for the added security.
    “So you look different,” I pointed out, as I took a hefty swill off my beer only to realize that I needed another. Fuck. She looked at me blankly. I did a little circular twirl with my finger over my head and then around my chest area. “Hair? The new outfit? Is this about your husband? Are you going through something because of the separation?”
    “Divorce,” she snapped out. “We are getting a divorce.” She didn’t seem very interested in my hotness anymore.
    “So, is that what happens to you when you get a divorce?”
    “Let’s see. Is this what divorce did to me? Maybe,” she slapped her hand down on the table and laughed hollowly. “Hey why not? Divorce did this to me,” she said as she twirled her fingers all around. “I threw away all my high priced, pretentious clothing, cut and dyed my hair orange, and now I only wear sleep wear with paisley on them.”
    There was complete silence as we stared each other down – each of us for very different reasons. She wanted a fight, probably because she had been alone and hell - she had been talking to herself. I was staring at her because that was the first time she actually spoke like a normal human being and not the nice and proper girl she was supposed to be. I averted my eyes and stood.
    She let out a big exhale and started to apologize. Instinctually, I leaned down and firmly kissed those beautiful lips. She was gorgeous, orange hair or not. She whimpered a little when I caught her apology with my lips. I drew away and straightened my body. I smiled at Emily, the real Emily.
    “Want another beer?” I asked. Her small, silky fingers covered her chatty Cathy lips as she nodded at me.
    I chuckled all the way as I prepared for a real night with the real Emily McDonald.

Chapter Fourteen
    Emily
     
    Johnny Lennox kissed me and I didn’t care that he did it to shut me up. He placed those beautiful lips onto mine and my, oh my, I was reborn. Well, I was a little girl with the giggles. I had to stifle them as he casually moved about the kitchen, retrieving more beers. I snapped out of my lust image of him on top of me and jumped up.
    “Oh, goodness. Let me get that for you. You just got home. It’s so late. You must be hungry and tired. I made a casserole after we spoke and that’s simmering in the oven. Are those your clothes to clean? Do you need them done right away?” I felt like a piece of shit. He had served me and I got misguided by his obvious dislike of my appearance and that kiss. Wow…that kiss.
    “Emily. Stop,” he firmly stated as he put his hands around my flailing body, trying to move around to get him the casserole, the beers, and starting to dive into his bag.
    “Stop what, Johnny?” I looked at him perplexed. He had to be hungry. He must have very little to wear after a tour that long and he sort of smelled like feet and cheap beer. I tried not to wince when I caught a whiff of his shirt, no matter how beautiful he looked in it – it reeked of a rock star tour.
    “You’re my guest, sweetheart. You don’t do anything special for me. I see you cleaned. Don’t do that. I have a maid come in on Sunday afternoons. You cooked. Don’t do that. I want to take you to some of the best restaurants in New York City. Lastly, you will never touch my dirty laundry unless there’s a fire and it’s the only thing you have to throw on before you escape the flames.”
    His smile broke across his face and it was brilliant. His messed up hair, his tired eyes, and his smooth voice all made me want to melt. If he kept looking at me like that, my stomach would eventually give out and I would vomit.
    “I just want to pull my weight around