I keep our conversation afloat before my brain can caution me against it.
Me:My underwear?
Over the next several minutes, I stare at my phone, willing it to vibrate, buzz, or ring. When none of those things occur, I hit Lennox’s number at the top of the screen and squash my cell phone to my ear. His top lip only ever twitches when he’s lying, but since I struggled with how to respond to his seemingly blasé response to what occurred last night, I didn’t pay it much attention until now.
My call rings out three times in a row. Then, two seconds after I give up on my endeavor to reach Lennox, a message from him fills my phone’s screen.
Lennox:Sorry… lost you during transport and now I’ve arrived at the stadium. TTYL. xx
Although guilt could have me mistaking his actions as devious, I’m confident I know him well enough to know when he’s purposely skirting the truth. His spasming top lip is a sure-fire sign of this, much less his sudden inability to communicate. Lennox never withdraws from a debate, whether based on an embarrassing topic or the God’s honest truth. His backpedaling confirms he knows what happened last night, but regretfully, he wishes he didn’t.
That hurts more than wondering if I took advantage of him, and I can’t hide the devastating mask it slips over my face when a tap sounds at the door.
Assuming it’s the doorman Lennox mentioned in his text, I tell him I’ll be a minute before quickly getting dressed, then snatching up my purse from the desk partway into the room.
I’m in the process of rummaging through one-dollar bills for a bigger denomination when the shadow beneath the door moves away. Confused but confident I won’t have time to schedule a second move before my meeting, I race into the hallway.
“Sorry,” I apologize to the brunette partway down the corridor, my breathlessness concealing the fact I’m shocked they sent a woman who would be barely five feet to help me lug bags well over the allocated weight limit if Lennox had flown to Ravenshoe. “I-I was fetching your tip…”
My words trail off when the brunette spins around to face me. She isn’t a doorman. She is the waitress from last night—the pretty brunette who exchanged numbers with Lennox after I stumbled out my order like I have a permanent stutter. I only do it while nervous, and the attention she was bestowing upon Lennox was enough to give me hives.
The pain that’s shifted from my stomach to my heart weakens when I recognize one of the items she’s clutching. It’s the wallet I gifted Lennox last Christmas. “Oh, you found Lennox’s wallet. Thank you so much.” In reward for her honesty, I attempt to hand her the only ten-dollar bill in my purse. “He said he lost it, but he couldn’t remember where.”
She pushes my note back to my half of our exchange before shaking her head. “Payment isn’t necessary. I found a keycard for this hotel in his jacket so I thought I’d return his belongings while I was in the area.”
“Belongings?” I query a mere second before the truth smacks into me. She said she found Lennox’s hotel room card in his jacket. He was wearing his jacket when we left the burger and fries joint she works at. “You were who he went to see last night?”
“I’m so sorry,” she murmurs, mistaking the hurt in my voice as an admission of Lennox’s guilt. “He told me you were friends.”
“We are friends.Justfriends,” I reply, my voice barely a whisper since the events of last night now makes it seem like a lie. “We’re practically like family.”Who lie to each other constantly.
“Oh, thank goodness.” She runs her hand down my arm in what should be a comforting manner but makes me feel sick. “I was afraid this was going to get awkward. That’s why I ran when you called out. I didn’t realize you shared the same room.” I’m tempted to tell her we also share a bed, but before I can, she breathes out, “But since you’re just friends, can you please do me a huge favor?” Before I can tell her I’d rather wrap a noose around my neck, she adds, “I washed Lennox’s jacket. It was a little sticky after… you know.” She pauses to suck in a quick breath. It doesn’t make her sound any smarter when she continues, “While I was drying it, I remembered he placed my number into the breast pocket of his jacket.” She represents a ditz while saying with a giggle, “But, of course, when I went to replace it, I didn’t find any evidence of it being in his jacket. It also wasn’t in his wallet, so I’m thinking he probably put it somewhere for safekeeping so he wouldn’t lose it. Would you happen to know where that would be? As I’d really like to replace the message I put on the original with this one.” She hands me a folded-up piece of paper. “I’ll love you forever if you could switch them for me.” Her eyes bulge out of her head. “Or I could do it.”
When she sidesteps me with the tenacity of a bull shark, I snag her elbow in a firm grip before tugging her back. “Lennox isn’t home. He’s at training.” Furthermore, your whole composure screams psycho so there isn’t a chance in hell I’ll let you anywhere near him, and that isn’t even the jealousy eating me alive speaking. It is Lennox’s wingwoman. “But I’ll make sure he gets your messages…”Along with the hundreds of missed calls you most likely bombarded his phone with since last night.
“Oh, okay.” I take a mental note to never go out again when she drops her bottom lip like a child. She’s a good four to five years older than Lennox and me, but she’s acting as if she’s twelve. “And will you ask him to call me? He said he would last night, but he hasn’t yet. See.” She holds out her phone, showing fifty-seven outgoing calls to Lennox’s cell but no incoming ones. “His dad, on the other hand…”
I jackknife back, certain I misheard her. “What did you say? You’ve been in contact with Lennox’s dad?”
“Uh-huh.” Her excited expression while showing me the hour-long conversation she had with Lionel in the wee hours of this morning makes my stomach gurgle. It is the exact look Lennox loathes when females realize who his father is.
“Here? In Ravenshoe?”
She murmurs in agreement once more. “He’s here for Lenny’s opening game. He has box seats. I could probably get you an invite if you’d like? Lionel was handing them out last night like they’re valueless.” She stops, giggles like a brainless idiot, then adds, “Well, if you have double Ds.”
Her immature laughter stops when her eyes drop to my chest.
I don’t have double Ds.
My boobs barely fill a C cup.
They won’t stop me from retaliating, though. “Thanks for the offer, but I don’t need tobegfor free tickets. I can purchase my own.”
“Ah-huh. Sure, you can, honey,” she fires back, her tone just as bitchy as mine. After giving me a stink eye to rival all stink eyes, she drops her slitted eyes to the ten-dollar bill I tried to hand her. “Then why don’t you keep that so you can buy half a soda pop in the box seat area this coming Saturday?”
With the giggle of a hyena, she thrusts Lennox’s coat and leather belt into my chest, then spins on her heels and saunters away. I watch her exit like I’m not envious of the faultless swing of her hips before I trudge back to my room.
If it isn’t already bad enough I’m wondering how well Lennox and her got to know each other last night, the horrible situation worsens when I spot the doorman waiting for me by the door. He witnessed our exchange, and although he doesn’t say anything, he knows who won our showdown.
