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“Just like everyone could see her heart ripped from her chest. She doesn’t deserve this!” Shit, I needed to dial it back. My emotions were getting the better of me.
“No, she doesn’t, but it is what it is. We need to get through the next few days. You can do this and then you can tell Miranda what’s going on. As long as you can trust her to not tell anyone.”
“I trust her. This is so fucking messed up.” The second kiss Cori gave me flashed in my head. “And what was up with that kiss?”
“Just trying to make it convincing. Why? Did you like it?”
I clenched my jaw.
“No? Okay. Good to know.”
“Nothing about this is funny.”
“I know, just trying to lighten the mood. I didn’t like kissing you either.”
I turned to look at her.
She stared out the window with her arms crossed over her chest, the lights from oncoming traffic bouncing off her fake red hair. Her red lipstick didn’t seem to come off. I studied myself in the rearview mirror, no lipstick on my mouth.
“I think you’re lying. You did like kissing me.” I could play this fucked up game too. Maybe she’d slip up.
Her head whipped around. “Fuck you! I did not.”
“I think you did,” I razzed her some more. “It’s okay. I won’t tell.”
“Just stop, Will. It was acting.”
“Worthy of an Academy Award.” I laughed out loud for the first time all week… or maybe all month. Oh, she was getting pissed and quick, and I relished it. “Alright, I’m just giving you shit. After the day I’ve had, I needed a little fun.”
Cori relaxed in her seat. “She’s pretty. There’s a sweetness about her. And her eyes never left you once. There was so much love in them. I can see why you would be with her… love her.”
I’d never heard Cori speak with so much sincerity. Or was it longing? Or she was just a goddamn phenomenal actress.
“Thank you for saying so. Miranda is my world.” Dammit, I needed to stop running my mouth. Axel would come unhinged at my openness regarding how much Miranda meant to me.
After I dropped Cori off at her place, I went to my empty home. I didn’t see any evidence Miranda had been here, not that I had expected her to return tonight, just hoped she would. A fool’s hope. Lily had made it clear Miranda would not be coming home.
Lily could sure be a bitch, but I knew she loved Miranda.
I expected Lily to hate my guts for cheating on Miranda. Fake cheating.The protective side of her was fierce. I’d seen it a handful of times. She would go to great lengths to protect those she loved. Miranda was lucky to have Lily in her corner.
I dragged my weary self into the kitchen to grab a beer from the fridge. I prayed Miranda would talk to me, or at the very least text. The night was young at eleven o’clock. Most nights, we didn’t go to bed before one in the morning.
Most nights, we’d go to bed exhausted, pleasantly sated after making love.
How could I let our lives get so fucked up in less than three months?
The house was lifeless without Miranda. She’d always have the radio on her favorite Top 40s station. She had said music helped her focus. I didn’t care why she listened to it all the time. I loved to watch her. The way she shimmied her shoulders, bobbed her head and hummed off-key, I loved it all.
I stretched out on the sofa and turned on the TV. The quiet was too much. I couldn’t resist the urge to call her and pushed the call button on my cell phone.Fucking voicemail. Frozen by the sound of her voice, I didn’t leave a message. I sat there until the call ended on its own.
Next, I typed out a quick text and waited for a response.
