Chapter 62 Entanglement
I'd been out for several days, and my caseload had piled up. Today I was so busy I didn't even have time for water.
But I finally managed to finish everything by the end of the day with Susan's help. She could tell I was in a bad mood and invited me out for drinks.
"I think you need to relax. There's a new bar nearby. I checked it out a couple days ago. Lots of cute guys there."
Darcy happened to be walking Lynn Lawrence out and overheard. He immediately said he wanted to come too.
"I haven't been to that bar yet. And I'm free tonight anyway," Darcy said.
Susan and I exchanged a glance. What a terrible excuse. I'd bet anything Darcy only decided to tag along because he heard Susan mention the bar.
"I could use a drink too. Mind if I join?" Lynn asked.
Honestly, I didn't like Lynn much. He'd been so cold about Colby's death. The lawsuit against Julio was purely about getting money.
But Darcy probably wanted to make it look like he had his own reasons for going to the bar, so he invited Lynn.
"Great. I'll buy you a drink."
What was supposed to be just me and Susan turned into a party of four.
We headed to the underground parking garage together. That's where I saw James.
He was leaning against my car door. Obviously waiting for me.
"Ashley, you're off work. I made a reservation at Perch LA. Let's go have dinner."
I felt exhausted and angry at James making decisions for me. I needed time to seriously think about our relationship, but he clearly didn't want to give me space to think things through. He kept chasing me for an answer.
"James, I don't want to go to Perch LA for dinner. I already made plans with Susan and the others to go to a bar." I tried to keep my voice calm.
James stepped closer and grabbed my hand.
"Ashley, the reservation's already made. It'd be such a waste to cancel. I'll go to the bar with you tomorrow, okay?" James tried to act cute.
"No!" I pulled my hand away from his.
I saw the hurt expression on his face. Part of me still felt bad seeing him like that.
But I knew I needed to make my position clear. James was acting too childish.
"James, I need to reconsider our relationship. During this time, we're not going to hold hands or go on dates or hug like before."
I watched James's hands clench into tight fists. He was clearly struggling with the pain.
"Ashley, don't do this. This is too cruel. I can't accept you leaving me." His voice was full of suffering.
"James, you're an adult now. Can you please act more mature? We haven't broken up. I just need time. And even if we did break up, we'd still be family." I tried to comfort him.
"Ashley! I don't want to break up! Don't break up with me. I'll do anything!" James looked at me with red eyes.
I felt like James was being too obsessive. Even though I explained I just needed time to think, he kept insisting on his own interpretation.
These past couple days, James had seemed like a stranger. The old James was warm and considerate.
But lately I'd discovered James also had an obsessive and crazy side.
"James, you're only pushing Ashley away by smothering her. Give her some personal space and time. You know her personality. Nobody can force her to do anything." Susan stepped forward to reason with him.
Maybe having someone else point it out snapped James back to reality. He stopped blocking me. He just told me to drink less and come home early, and that Matthew was waiting for me at home.
Watching James leave the parking garage, I felt my whole body relax.
"Attorney Ashley, was that man your boyfriend?" Lynn stared in the direction James had left.
"We're just dating."
"He looks really familiar. I feel like I've seen him somewhere."
Lynn's brow furrowed. He was clearly trying to remember.
"James works at the social services office. Maybe you saw him there."
I'd heard from Darcy that Lynn used to be a thug. He only got rich after inheriting Colby's estate. According to Darcy, Lynn didn't even know Colby was a hitman. He always thought they were poor. So if Lynn had gone to social services for food stamps or something, he might have run into James.
"No way! I've never been to social services. That old man Colby made sure we didn't starve." Lynn's tone was contemptuous.
From Lynn's attitude, you could tell he and Colby really had a bad relationship.
"Maybe James just has one of those faces," I said offhandedly.
I didn't want to discuss James anymore. He was the source of all my recent stress.
About fifteen minutes later, we arrived at the new bar Susan had mentioned.
The moment we walked in, the noise hit my ears. But it made my blood pump. My body wanted to move with the music.
"Ashley, look over there. That guy's really hot. Looks young too." Susan pointed to a guy in the left corner.
I looked over. He looked like a college student, with that fresh college vibe. Sharp features. Long legs.
"Susan, you've got good eyes!"
We'd just walked in and Susan had already spotted a target.
"Girl, are you seriously just here to drink?"
I really was just here to drink. I wasn't in the mood for any hookups.
"I'm not in the mood to appreciate hot guys."
"OK! In that case, I guess I'll have to let all these hotties stay lonely and drink with you instead."
Lynn had already disappeared into the dance floor. Susan stayed with me, and Darcy hung around us too. But Susan shooed him off to dance after a few minutes.
I told Susan about the situation with James. She was also surprised by his transformation.
"That's crazy! That doesn't sound like the James I know at all."
"Julio killed our parents and kept forcing himself on me. James can't accept it. But last night he was really scary. It felt like he had a completely different personality." I downed the vodka in my glass.
"Ashley, I think you really do need to think this through. Being partners is different from being family."
"Actually, I think James and I should stop here. My dependence on James is more as family. I used to think that being like family was nice. I liked that kind of peaceful life. But after this, I realized what I can give James isn't what he wants." I was honest with Susan.
"Ashley, I can't advise you. I'm not the one in a relationship with James. I'll support you whatever you decide. But you need to make things clear with James soon. From what happened in the parking garage today, James can't wait much longer."
I made a sound of agreement. The reason I hadn't been clear with James was because I didn't want to face him right now.