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I can sneak out for a drink or two right now if you’re game. Where should I meet you?
The reply is a surprise. I type a quick response that I’ll be there to pick her up in a couple of minutes, and pull into the road. I head toward her place, and I feel giddy. She’s going to sneak out. It feels like we’re teenagers, finding a gap to be together, carving out a bit of stolen time. I know we’re both adults with lives that belong to us and we can do whatever we want.
But knowing she wants to see me makes me happy. And after this, it will all be out in the open.
When I arrive at her house, another car is in the driveway. I park next to it and glance at the front door. It opens, and Natalie walks out, looking upset.
When I turn off the ignition, I open the door and step out.
“What are you doing here?” she asks.
“I came to pick you up—”
“I asked you to meet me somewhere.”
I grab my phone and look at it, only now seeing her message. I didn’t hear it come through.
She looks over her shoulder.
“Please, just go. I’ll meet you in a bit, but you can’t be here.”
“Who’s here?” I ask.
“What?”
“Why do you want me gone?”
“Because I don’t want you to meet Kylie yet,” she says. “I thought we talked about this.”
“You’re allowed to have friends. Kylie doesn’t have to know we’re together.”
Natalie shakes her head. “I’m serious. Please just leave. I want to do this on my own terms and in my own way. You said you were okay waiting.”
“Natalie?” Someone asks from the door, and she turns.
The guy from the coffee shop appears.Sam.
I’m furious immediately. “What the fuck is he doing here?”
“Excuse me?” Natalie asks, taken aback.
“Is he the reason you don’t want me to be here?”
“Don’t you dare,” Natalie says, her face changing from confusion to anger that matches my own.
“Is everything okay?” Sam asks, stepping out.
“It’s fine, Sam,” Natalie says. “Will you wait inside with Kylie?”
Sam looks hesitant and I glare at him. If he comes closer to Natalie, I’ll fucking deck him.
But he doesn’t. He goes inside like she asked and leaves us alone. I don’t know if that pisses me off more that he listens or if I’m relieved he’s gone. I don’t know anything anymore.
“I asked you to leave, Mason,” Natalie says. “I’ll meet you somewhere else, but I don’t want you here.”
“Why not? So you can spend time with Sam instead?” I laugh bitterly. “When you said ‘sneak out,’ I thought you meant from Kylie, not from your side piece.”
“What?” she gasps, shocked. “Is that what you think?”
