“Stranger things have happened,” I muttered.
Since telling her, she had been checking up on me every day. And with good reason. My reaction to this breakup was the opposite of how I handled my breakup with Mac. In that case, I was full of self-righteous fire, ready to call all ‘I Will Survive’ on his ass and forget all about him—and I had been engaged to the guy.
With Robert, it felt so much worse. Because he loved me. I know he did. The way he had cried when he left my house left no room for doubt when it came to his feelings. He looked as if I had just shattered his heart. And in all my staunch belief that I couldn't be with someone that had lied to me, I hadn’t considered the state of my own heart. Because I loved that man in a way that was totally different from how I felt for Mac. He owned my soul, and he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to give it back.
“I am not going to Sweet Lila’s,” I stated.
“Come on, Lila’s friend Jenna is coming in from the city. Hannah’s off work for the night and Whitney and Web got a sitter. Most of the gang will be there. It’ll be just what you need to get your mind off Ro—stuff.” She stopped herself before mentioning ‘he who shall not be named.’
“I want to lie here and feel sorry for myself,” I whined, pulling back when she attempted to get me to my feet. “And what about Edgar? I can’t leave him here all night by himself.”
Hearing his name, Edgar looked up from his spot at the foot of my bed.
“We’ll drop him off with Adam. Tyler loves him, he’ll be overjoyed to have him there. Then both of you can stay the night,” Meg suggested.
“I don’t wanna,” I grumbled.
“Too bad. Sometimes you have to listen to your knowledgeable friend. I’ve done the wallowing in self-pity thing and trust me, the only thing it accomplishes is greasy hair and bad B.O. Now go get in the shower and I’ll pick out something cute for you to wear. I know your heart isn’t into it but getting dressed and going through the motions of self-care do make you feel better.” She gave me a shove toward the bathroom.
“I don’t have B.O,” I called out.
“Yes you do,” she shouted back as I closed the bathroom door.
After the shower, I dressed in a pair of jeans and my favorite peasant top and damned if Meg wasn’t right. I did feel a little better. That is until I thought about the last time I went to Sweet Lila’s to meet Robert for drinks.
Then the tears started again.
Meg looked at me in alarm. “My God, what are those things coming from your eyes?” she tried to joke.
I swiped the wetness from my cheeks. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I can’t stop crying.”
Meg put her arm around my shoulders and squeezed them. “My beautiful Sky, it’s because you love him,” she said softly, kissing my temple. Then she patted me on the ass. “Now enough wallowing, let's go listen to bad music on the jukebox and drink too many five-dollar cocktails.”
We loaded Edgar into the back of Meg’s car and drove to her house. She called Adam on the way to let him know he’d be on dog-sitting duty as well.
He was there at the door when we arrived, having just settled Tyler in front of the TV to watch his favorite cartoon. He took Edgar’s leash as Meg went in to cuddle her son before heading out for the evening.
“You look like hell,” Adam commented with concern. He unhooked Edgar’s leash, giving him free rein of the house. Edgar bounded off to the living room and I could hear Tyler squealing in delight.
“Thanks, buddy. You sure know how to make a girl feel better.” I attempted to make a face, but I was pretty sure it came out wrong.
“Look, I don’t know what happened between the two of you, but Rob’s looking just as rough. He won’t talk to anyone, he just sulks in his office all day. I’ve never seen him such a wreck. I’ve never known him to emote much at all, so this whole broken-hearted thing is throwing Jeremy and me. You seem to have done a number on each other. I wish one of you would tell me what happened,” Adam said kindly, his eyes soft as he looked at me.
“It has to do with that Tiffany Hardwell,” Meg filled in, joining us in the entryway.
Adam frowned. “Ms. Hardwell? What does she have to do with anything?”
I didn’t want to get into all of it again so I cut them off before Meg could relay what I had shared earlier. “Meg will fill you in, but if you want me to at least pretend to have a good time tonight, we need to go now, before I lose my will to live.”
Meg and Adam shared a look.
Robert and I could read each other almost as easily. We had started to understand what the other was thinking simply but glancing at each other.
Hello depression, my old friend…
“Okay, well, have fun tonight. Sky, you’re staying here tonight?”
“I guess so,” I muttered.
“I’ll make sure the guest room is made up then. And we can talk more tomorrow, alright?”
“Do I have to?” I griped.
Adam frowned. “Yes, you do. Meg, make this woman have fun. Her moping is annoying.”
I stuck out my tongue, appreciating the chance for some levity.
Instead of driving to Sweet Lila’s we decided to walk, that way Meg could have some drinks also. “Not too many. Tyler gets up at five in the morning like clockwork.” She looped her arm with mine and we walked the two blocks to the only bar in town.
“I don’t know
