Focusing on the carpet, I’m quiet as he elaborates.
“In all fairness, I really did think she was cheating on you. I couldn’t wait to rub that shit in your face after I had seen her out with the guy when I went to pick up coffee one day. I hired a private investigator to collect any evidence he could, but their coffee shop meetings were all he uncovered. They never went home or anywhere else together and barely even touched.”
I don’t give a fuck. She was still doing it behind my back. Why is he in my living room defending her right now?
“She turned to this Mason after she saw the return on your first investment. I’d been hounding her all week to get you to make another commitment but she wouldn’t budge. That night I came over here she had just discovered Rio Venture Corp was a decoy and was headed here to tell you herself. My guy overhead the conversation and I knew I needed to run interference. So I did what I did and I’m not proud of it,” he finishes with a shake of his head.
When I don’t say anything, he sighs and stands to his feet.
“I felt like I owed you an explanation… face to face. I’ll see myself out. Take care of yourself, Andrew.”
Forty-four
LILAH
“Lilah, do you have a minute?”
My hand stills on my spoon as soon as I hear her voice.
It’s Charli.
And she no doubt wants to talk, but I’m really not in the mood. I haven’t been in the mood for the last three months if we’re keeping count.
I just want to enjoy my yogurt in peace while my class is away for their weekly music lesson. Not talk about whatever it is that Charli wants to discuss.
But it would childish to turn her away… again. I can only avoid her for so long before she calls in reinforcements, namely my mom. And that is not a duo I want to tackle at the moment.
“Sure, come on in.”
I push my yogurt to the corner of my desk and watch her approach.
She looks fabulous as always in a belted denim shirtdress and leopard-print pashmina. Her hair is up in her signature teaching topknot and a pencil is sticking out of the curly mass.
“How have you been?” she asks quietly.
The awkward tension filling the room since she entered makes me want to cringe. This is my best friend and we’ve been reduced to this?
I feel like shit when I see the sadness in her eyes because it’s all my fault. I withdraw during difficult times. It’s my thing. But this last bout has been the worst one yet.
Where I would usually run to Charli to vent about everything eating me up inside, I’ve shut her out too.
“I’m okay,” I answer in a wobbly voice.
“I’m worried about you, Lilah.” And I can’t ignore the concern plastered across her face.
“I’m fine. There’s absolutely no need for your concern.”
She flinches as if I’ve just slapped and I want to sink into the floor.
What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I being such an asshole to someone who clearly cares about me?
“You’re my best friend, I will always worry about you,” she says fiercely.
“Sorry,” I mutter avoiding eye contact.
“You’ve lost a lot of weight,” she observes sadly.
A broken heart will do that to you. My appetite has been missing in action for some time now.
“Why don’t you let me take you to dinner tonight?”
My first instinct is to decline her offer, but I realize if I’m ever going to return to my normal self I should probably try to engage in social interactions beyond the five-year-old kids I teach every day.
I’ve been faking the funk since August and here we are in the middle of October.
Something’s gotta give.
So I accept. “Sure. That would be great.”
A genuine smile touches her lips and she starts rattling off things at the speed of light.
“Fantastic! We’ll get fancy. I hear that new Asian fusion place on Dixie is to die for. Let’s go there. Pick you up around seven?”
I can’t help but get a little excited. Her enthusiasm is contagious.
Maybe a girls’ night is just what I need. It can’t hurt.
“Seven sounds great,” I tell her with a smile of my own. It isn’t as big as hers but it’s the best I can manage, all things considered.
“Oh! I’m so happy!” she squeals, rushing around my desk to hug me tightly.
As soon as her arms around me, I want to burst into tears. I haven’t hugged anyone in so long. I’m starved for human contact.
She props herself up on the edge of my desk and I tilt my chair back to look at her.
Clearing my throat to hide my emotion, I ask, “So how’s everything with you?”
Shrugging, she gives a noncommittal grunt.
“Not much has changed,” she shares solemnly. “I just missed my best friend.”
We talk until it’s time to go retrieve our kiddos from their specials and I can’t deny the extra spring in my step following our conversation.
Maybe I’m going to be okay after all.
***
After school I head into the parking lot to my car.
Getting a new loan with a repossession on my record was not an easy feat. The interest rate is freaking high but it provides me with peace of mind. It was either this or hopping on a bus every morning at a quarter to six to get to school by seven.
Rifling through my purse, I search for my keys while looking at my phone to compose a text message to my mom.
I’ve never been too good at multitasking and that fact is made clear when I collide with a solid brick wall.
“Ouch!” I groan, reaching up to rub my forehead.
And that’s when I notice I’ve
