Page 63 of The Life She Had

Me: Sorry to bother you on a Saturday, and I feel a little sheepish doing this, but let me say, in advance, that I am not a clingy girlfriend.

Joaquin: Okay.

I hear hesitation in that, because the moment you say, “I’m not x,” people know that whatever you’re about to say probably means you are x.

Me: Liam stayed over last night and was gone when I woke up. When I texted, he said he had an emergency meeting. A little odd that he wouldn’t leave a note or say goodbye, but understandably he had other things on his mind.

Me: I’ve had trouble getting in touch with him since then. It’s been five hours, and I’m getting worried.

I don’t mention that he did respond to my early texts. I’d seen Tom’s expression at that, a mixture of confusion and pity. Liam was answering, so why was I making such a big deal?

Joaquin would respond in the same way, brush me off as an insecure girlfriend and wonder why I’m wasting his time with this.

Joaquin: Five hours?

Me: Yes. That seems long for a meeting.

Joaquin: Unless by “meeting” he meant that a client was being arrested. That can be a lengthy process, especially on the weekend.

Me: Or maybe his phone died.

Joaquin: LOL Not Liam. I swear the guy whips out his battery pack if his phone drops below half charge.

Me: I’m overreacting, aren’t I?

Joaquin: Liam always says you’re the most low-maintenance girlfriend he’s ever had. You wouldn’t worry without cause.

Joaquin: If he had a meeting, he’d have told Tina. I’ll give her a shout.

I thank him and try to go back to work. Tina is Liam’s clerk. I’d have contacted her myself, but she’s very protective of Liam, and she’d have been the first to give me the brush-off.

Fifteen minutes later, my phone chirps.

Joaquin: Tina hasn’t heard from him. He might just not have needed anything from her yet.

Which is bullshit. Joaquin just said Liam would have told Tina if it was business. That’s true. A sudden call on the weekend would have Liam notifying his clerk immediately, who’d have to abandon her plans and her family and get to the office, ready to support him with whatever he required.

So why is Joaquin walking it back? Because he’s protecting his golf buddy, having now realized that Liam might have said “emergency meeting” when he really meant “side-dish booty call.”

I don’t kid myself into thinking Liam hasn’t screwed around on me. I do know, though, that there isn’t a regular side dish. Still, I don’t argue with Joaquin. There’s no way a woman can say “my boyfriend isn’t with another woman” without sounding pathetically delusional.

Me: Okay, thanks for that. Last thing I want is to interfere with his job, so I’ll drop it and wait for his call. Sorry again for interrupting your weekend.

Joaquin: No interruption at all. I was doing paperwork.

Joaquin: It is odd that he isn’t answering my texts, either, though.

Joaquin: I’m going to give him a call. Just hold on.

I lean back in my chair, phone in hand as I wait. Then, from somewhere deep in the house, comes a familiar sound. The muted opening bars of “Start Me Up.”

Liam’s ringtone.

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