AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ve missed you, Tulip.”
“I’ve missed you, too.” She tore her gaze from the view of Cambridge, offering me sincerity with her words. “Sorry for acting out like that at the wedding.”
“Ditto.” Iwas more than happy to apologize and bury the past where it belonged. In the dumpster. “Ishouldn’thave crowded your space like that, or did anything that could fuck up your reputation.”
“Thanks.” She blinked once, opened her mouth to add something, and faltered.
“What is it? Tell me.” For better or worse, Ididn’tlike to give or receive politeness.
She breathed out slowly, the corners of her eyes pulling downward along with her frown. “We can’tkeep seeing each other. If you want to date…” Laura raised her hand when Icalled her name. “… if you’re looking for aserious relationship, that’sfine. Ijust wish you’dbeen honest with me about it. What we have is fun and it works, when it’sjust us. Not when another person’sinvolved.”
“Ugh, shit, Iknew I’dforgotten something.” Iburied my face in my hands again. The sight of Laura after seven grueling days got me so worked up that Iforgot the single most important thing Iwanted to tell her. “Val is my brother AJ’swife.”
“She’swhat?” Laura’smouth hung loosely.
“My sister-in-law.” Needing to explain fully how we came to that misunderstanding, Ielaborated, “He had to finish up acontract for anegotiation deal he had the next day, so he couldn’tattend the wedding. Val is somehow related to the bride, and it would’ve looked bad if she missed it. She asked me to accompany her and Iagreed.”
“Oh.” Understanding dawned on her. She searched the ground, twirling ablade of grass around her finger.
“Yes.Oh.” Iscooted closer to her, the grass scraping my ass. Ididn’tcare.
Her distress from the situation became more evident as the silence encompassed us. Her fingers worked tirelessly on tormenting the blade of grass she tore from the ground. She twisted and nearly ripped it apart from spiraling it around her finger.
Ifelt bad for making her feel bad, and all these feelings were fucking frustrating. When the blade, which hadn’tstood achance from the get-go, snapped, Icupped her hands with mine. The initial purpose of it was to soothe her. It resulted in me losing my ability to speak.
In an instant, it made everything wrong go right, the void that haunted me the past few days eviscerated. She filled me with all that was good, with things Ineeded but never dared to want. My hands on hers, her eyes on mine.
Complete.
Nope. No. No, sir. Whatever you’re thinking,unthinkit.
Fortunately, Laura talked and cut into this unhealthy train of thought. “Why didn’tyou say anything?”
“Where do Istart?” With aheavy sigh, Iresumed the here and now where things were good and didn’tneed me rocking the boat. “Well, Val’sbeen in my family for years, so it didn’teven register with me that Ihad to introduce her as my sister-in-law. Everyone knew.”
Laura bit her lower lip, and Icorrected myself, embarrassed for forgetting about her. “Except you, obviously.”
“Yup.”
“Add to that the fact that Ibelieved you when you said you wanted me gone, since you were working and all.” Ipeppered the sentence with asmile, my thumb caressing her skin. “You were pretty convincing.”
“Iwas convincing because it was the truth.” Her chuckle betrayed her attempt at an indignant tone.
“Look, Zach, Idon’tthink Ishould tell you this but Iwill anyway, so we’re clear next time.” She withdrew her hands from mine, flicking her hair back. Icaught awhiff of her perfume, the strawberry scent that Ionly affiliated with her, another thing Imissed.
“Idon’tdance with the guests, Idon’ttake breaks unless Ireally, really have to go. And Ido not, not ever, use these pee breaks for anything other than…peeing.” She cleared her throat, glaring down at me. Still not angry as she would’ve liked me to believe she was.
“Duly noted, and Iguess Ishould’ve known too.”
“Yeah.”
Irubbed my weekend stubble, wetting my lips. “Ihave one question though. Why did it feel like when you called Val to do the couple’spicture, you were basically telling meYou’re afucking liar?”
She pinched her lips together and Itraced my thumb on the straight line they formed.
“It got to me, Tulip.” Her nickname returned to me as soon as the resentment rolled off. We were talking now, not throwing blame. “You were right to assume we were together, but it still irked me that after the weeks we spent together you didn’tcome up to me and just ask.”
“What was Isupposed to do?” She drew away from my touch. “Pull you to the side, while I’mworking, and start aheart-to-heart conversation?”
