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“I’m not sure what you’re referring to,” I say cheerfully.
The reporter senses a weakness. Jesus, they are vicious people.
“Are you saying you are not aware there’s talk that yourhusband, Rake Hanson, is discussing being traded away from the San Francisco Aftershocks?”
I glance at the security guy. His face is blank.
I decide to fake it, and wave away his comment like a pesky little bug. “Oh that,” I laugh, “that’s just a crazy rumor.”
I turn toward the coffee shop, hoping to shake them off, at least long enough to let me think, but there’s another question.
“Sounds like, Petal, from the expression on your face, that Rake didn’t discuss this with you. Now if you were a real married couple, you’d be in the loop. But since you’re not, you’re adding fuel to the story that your whole marriage is a ruse, like initially reported.”
I feel my face turn several shades of red, and rush toward the coffee shop because they can’t follow me in there. I walk up to the counter and place my order in a shaking voice, and wait at the end of the counter, fiddling with sugar packets and little wooden stirrers.
“Look, there she is,” someone hisses.
I want to turn around. I really do. But I pretend not to hear.
“God, don’t you think he could have gotten a prettier fake wife? What a tool that guy is.”
My eyes well with tears as a fury fills my chest, making it hard to breathe. Something inside me is working its way up my body, and I know there will be no holding it back in about four seconds.
Three… two… one…
I take my tray of coffees and turn around. “Shut your mouth,” I say, slowly and evenly.
Both women’s eyes widen, probably more at my tone than my words. I walk out of the coffee shop and back to Twisted Hearts, where I disappear into the back room to try to figure out what just happened.
I grab my phone from my pocket and look up ‘athletes being traded.’ It means exactly what I guessed. Like switching any other job, they have to relocate to where their new teams are.
What I’m still confused about, though, is why Rake hasn’t mentioned this to me.
He’s talking this good game about the two of us, seeing where things go, yada yada, and all along he’s aware he might be leaving town?
That is so fucked on so many levels.
The first being that Rake might be on his way out. Permanently.
And the second is that he didn’t bother mentioning it to me.
He had plenty of opportunities to bring it up. We’ve been together nearly nonstop for the last few days since he hasn’t had to travel.
Was he thinking the whole time he’s telling me about his fears, the whole time he’s wooing me, the whole time he’s fucking me, that he’s probably going to leave town?
My God. What have I done?
I wasn’t looking for a guy, not after what Andy did. I wanted to be on my own, a single girl enjoying life, for a while. A long while.
Then Rake drops into my life. I was not interested, not in the least, but his persistence wore me down. I let him in, into my life and into my heart.
Sure, it’s early days, but there’s something there.
At least, therewas.
And now this?
I pull my phone out of my pocket and send a group text to Lucy and Gilly.
