Gun Moll
Honey, I'm on fire, I feel it everywhere
"I'm sure if my brother was moving to the city I was currently living in, I would be happy." Maggie notes as we walk out of our weekly meeting. "Why aren't you happy, Gee?"
"Because my brother is throwing away his dream for some bimbo!" I exclaim as we walk into my office. "And on top of that, I've got to worry about this new writer Brad is bringing on."
"Brad isn't going to replace you because you refuse to go out for a few drinks with him," she assures me. "Just focus on doing your job right; this girl is probably nothing."
"I hope you're right, Mags." I sigh as I collapse onto my office chair. Just as I do that, my phone goes off. A smile appears on my lips when I notice that it's a text from Dominic.
"A text from mystery man, I see." Maggie chuckles before sitting down in one of the chairs in front of my desk. "You know, I thought I was your best friend here in Chicago; why don't I know anything about this guy?"
"He's a friend, that's all." I reply; lying to myself more than to Maggie.
In the last month, Dominic has been by my side when it comes to stressing out about work and my brother. He's been trying to keep my mind off of things. And he has, but I find myself slowly falling in love with him; a man I really don't know much about. Sure he's told me a few pieces of information but he hasn't been overly sharing when it comes to his past; that's what worries me. For all I know I could be falling in love with a criminal.
"A friend doesn't make you smile like that." Maggie smirks towards me. I just roll my eyes as I write my reply to Dominic's text. "So are we having our weekly lunch date with Vincent today?"
Shit, I think to myself. I completely forgot about our plans before making a lunch date with Dominic. "I am so sorry," I apologize. "I already made plans with Dominic, but I cou---"
"You don't have to cancel with lover boy," she laughs, "we can reschedule."
“Are you sure?” I ask, “because I can easily tell Dominic that something has come up.”
“I’m positive Gee,” Maggie laughs. “I would never have you cancel on someone that makes you this happy. What kind of friend would I be?” I smile just as my phone rings and Dominic’s name pops up on the caller ID. “Tell Lover Boy I said hi.” She laughs before getting up and leaving my office.
**
“D-day is coming up soon, isn’t it?” Dominic asks as we sit down on a bench to eat our chili dogs. I just sigh before taking a bite of my hot dog. “Come on, it can’t be that bad. He’s your brother and from what you told me, you guys are close.”
“Yea, we are close.” I mutter.
“Then what’s the problem?” He asks, causing me to look up at him.
“I don’t know what’s the matter but I have a bad feeling in my stomach about this whole thing.” I reply, “it’s like something bad is going to happen to him and it’s going to involve moving out here to be with a girl no one has met before.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” He assures me, a smile creeping up on his lips. “When’s he coming in anyway?”
“Next weekend.” I reply before throwing away the rest of my hot dog in the trash can next to us. Suddenly I lost my appetite.
“How about next weekend, we -me and you- take him and his girlfriend out on the town?” Dominic suggests. “That way you get to know the girl and I’ll be there to be your filter.”
“You’d seriously do that for me?” I ask, a smile creeping onto my lips.
“What are friends for?” He asks with a smile on his lips.
“You’re seriously the best.” I state, pulling him into a hug. I have no idea what I did to deserve Dominic in my life…
***
Dominic
After my lunch date with Giselle, I had home and see Lacey standing right outside my door. I just roll my eyes before pushing past her to unlock my door. I walk in, knowing well enough that Lacey is going to follow.
“So I found out about your new girlfriend, Dom,” she states as she sits down on the couch. “And really, another journalist? You never really learn do you?”
“She’s nothing like you Lacey.” I inform her, “she’s not out for blood money. She’s out to give the people news, real news.”
“For now.” Lacey counters with a smile, “sooner or later that naive little girl is going to realize that putting out good news isn’t going to be enough. She’s going to soon realize that good journalism doesn’t have boundaries and that she’s going to have to make enemies to make a name for herself.”
“She isn’t going to turn out like you.” I simply state. “She has morals and she sticks by them.”
Lacey looks up at me with a smirk dancing on her red painted lips, “it’s cute how you defend her. You must really love her, huh Dom? You never defended me like that.”
“Because I knew from the beginning you’re nothing more than a pretty face and your heart is as cold as ice.”
“I’m not the same girl, I’ve changed.” Lacey informs me, defending herself. “I came back to prove it to you.”
“Bull shit.” I scoff, “just leave Lacey. I’m through with you.”
“That’s the biggest mistake you’re ever going to make, Dominic Starling.” With that she gets up off the couch and walks away; slamming the door shut as she leaves my apartment.
I can’t fall under her spell again….
Giselle
“So when do you think we’re going to meet our newest writer?” Maggie asks as she walks into my office with Vincent right behind her.
“Brad told me she’s coming in on Monday.” I reply as both of them take a seat on the chairs in front of my desk.
“They’re starting a betting pool in editing,” Vincent informs us, “the bet is how long it’ll be before she’s sleeping with Brad. Mostly everyone thinks she’s already sleeping with him.”
“Probably.” I chuckle as I type away on an instant message to my brother; informing him of the weather for next week so he packs accordingly.
“You ok, Gee?” Vincent asks, “you seem distracted.”
“Her brother and his girlfriend are moving here next week,” Maggie replies for me, “it’s stressing her out.”
“That and the new writer is stressing me out.” I add on. “Something doesn’t seem right in here. I think there is more to this whole new writer thing. Either she really is sleeping with Brad or there is more history going on.”
“You think she worked her before?” Maggie asks, earning a nod from me. “And let me guess, you want to get to the bottom of it, right?”
“I think tonight's the night we find out what Brad is hiding from the world…” I reply. “It’s time to break open old wounds and find out what in the world caused this paper to die…”
"Because my brother is throwing away his dream for some bimbo!" I exclaim as we walk into my office. "And on top of that, I've got to worry about this new writer Brad is bringing on."
"Brad isn't going to replace you because you refuse to go out for a few drinks with him," she assures me. "Just focus on doing your job right; this girl is probably nothing."
"I hope you're right, Mags." I sigh as I collapse onto my office chair. Just as I do that, my phone goes off. A smile appears on my lips when I notice that it's a text from Dominic.
"A text from mystery man, I see." Maggie chuckles before sitting down in one of the chairs in front of my desk. "You know, I thought I was your best friend here in Chicago; why don't I know anything about this guy?"
"He's a friend, that's all." I reply; lying to myself more than to Maggie.
In the last month, Dominic has been by my side when it comes to stressing out about work and my brother. He's been trying to keep my mind off of things. And he has, but I find myself slowly falling in love with him; a man I really don't know much about. Sure he's told me a few pieces of information but he hasn't been overly sharing when it comes to his past; that's what worries me. For all I know I could be falling in love with a criminal.
"A friend doesn't make you smile like that." Maggie smirks towards me. I just roll my eyes as I write my reply to Dominic's text. "So are we having our weekly lunch date with Vincent today?"
Shit, I think to myself. I completely forgot about our plans before making a lunch date with Dominic. "I am so sorry," I apologize. "I already made plans with Dominic, but I cou---"
"You don't have to cancel with lover boy," she laughs, "we can reschedule."
“Are you sure?” I ask, “because I can easily tell Dominic that something has come up.”
“I’m positive Gee,” Maggie laughs. “I would never have you cancel on someone that makes you this happy. What kind of friend would I be?” I smile just as my phone rings and Dominic’s name pops up on the caller ID. “Tell Lover Boy I said hi.” She laughs before getting up and leaving my office.
**
“D-day is coming up soon, isn’t it?” Dominic asks as we sit down on a bench to eat our chili dogs. I just sigh before taking a bite of my hot dog. “Come on, it can’t be that bad. He’s your brother and from what you told me, you guys are close.”
“Yea, we are close.” I mutter.
“Then what’s the problem?” He asks, causing me to look up at him.
“I don’t know what’s the matter but I have a bad feeling in my stomach about this whole thing.” I reply, “it’s like something bad is going to happen to him and it’s going to involve moving out here to be with a girl no one has met before.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” He assures me, a smile creeping up on his lips. “When’s he coming in anyway?”
“Next weekend.” I reply before throwing away the rest of my hot dog in the trash can next to us. Suddenly I lost my appetite.
“How about next weekend, we -me and you- take him and his girlfriend out on the town?” Dominic suggests. “That way you get to know the girl and I’ll be there to be your filter.”
“You’d seriously do that for me?” I ask, a smile creeping onto my lips.
“What are friends for?” He asks with a smile on his lips.
“You’re seriously the best.” I state, pulling him into a hug. I have no idea what I did to deserve Dominic in my life…
***
Dominic
After my lunch date with Giselle, I had home and see Lacey standing right outside my door. I just roll my eyes before pushing past her to unlock my door. I walk in, knowing well enough that Lacey is going to follow.
“So I found out about your new girlfriend, Dom,” she states as she sits down on the couch. “And really, another journalist? You never really learn do you?”
“She’s nothing like you Lacey.” I inform her, “she’s not out for blood money. She’s out to give the people news, real news.”
“For now.” Lacey counters with a smile, “sooner or later that naive little girl is going to realize that putting out good news isn’t going to be enough. She’s going to soon realize that good journalism doesn’t have boundaries and that she’s going to have to make enemies to make a name for herself.”
“She isn’t going to turn out like you.” I simply state. “She has morals and she sticks by them.”
Lacey looks up at me with a smirk dancing on her red painted lips, “it’s cute how you defend her. You must really love her, huh Dom? You never defended me like that.”
“Because I knew from the beginning you’re nothing more than a pretty face and your heart is as cold as ice.”
“I’m not the same girl, I’ve changed.” Lacey informs me, defending herself. “I came back to prove it to you.”
“Bull shit.” I scoff, “just leave Lacey. I’m through with you.”
“That’s the biggest mistake you’re ever going to make, Dominic Starling.” With that she gets up off the couch and walks away; slamming the door shut as she leaves my apartment.
I can’t fall under her spell again….
Giselle
“So when do you think we’re going to meet our newest writer?” Maggie asks as she walks into my office with Vincent right behind her.
“Brad told me she’s coming in on Monday.” I reply as both of them take a seat on the chairs in front of my desk.
“They’re starting a betting pool in editing,” Vincent informs us, “the bet is how long it’ll be before she’s sleeping with Brad. Mostly everyone thinks she’s already sleeping with him.”
“Probably.” I chuckle as I type away on an instant message to my brother; informing him of the weather for next week so he packs accordingly.
“You ok, Gee?” Vincent asks, “you seem distracted.”
“Her brother and his girlfriend are moving here next week,” Maggie replies for me, “it’s stressing her out.”
“That and the new writer is stressing me out.” I add on. “Something doesn’t seem right in here. I think there is more to this whole new writer thing. Either she really is sleeping with Brad or there is more history going on.”
“You think she worked her before?” Maggie asks, earning a nod from me. “And let me guess, you want to get to the bottom of it, right?”
“I think tonight's the night we find out what Brad is hiding from the world…” I reply. “It’s time to break open old wounds and find out what in the world caused this paper to die…”