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We make it a few steps towards one when someone hails us. “Hey, Natalie… Genesis.”
Just the last person I want to see, Nosy Luke, the guy I’d almost told off in BB’s bar. He’s with Liam, with his greenish blond hair, and some other guys who look vaguely familiar. Their meals look to be half eaten, so with some luck, they should leave soon.
Natalie waves. “Hey guys.”
I wave as well, a fake customer service smile on my face. The kind that saysI’m only doing this because I have to.
I don’t have an issue with the rest of the guys, but Luke creeps me out. He is always staring at me. Not sexually. More like he’s hoping to find out my innermost thoughts and secrets.
Last week, I came around the corner and saw Luke and Melinda talking. They stopped when they saw me. Melinda flushed red while Luke had looked at me in that weird way of his. I shuffled past, my ears burning.
I just know they were discussing me.
“You two want to eat with us?” he asks. I turn from his intense gaze and that weird smirk on his lips.
“No thanks,” Natalie says, speaking over my curse. “We’re going to talk about our new team. Wouldn’t want to bore you with shop talk.”
All the guys smile except for Luke. He looks angry for a second before he wipes his expression and plasters a smile on his thin lips.
Not sure what his problem is, but I let it go to enjoy the beauty of the day.
The weather is perfect for the middle of November. Cool, breezy and the temperature is more reasonable than it has been in weeks.
The festive flags flutter and clang in the breeze. Watching them lightens my mood. What could go wrong on a beautiful day like this?
Plenty, I suppose, but whatever happens tonight when I talk to Royce, I know I’ll be okay in the end.
Nat and I head to the Americana food truck to place our orders. We decide on lettuce wrapped burgers and sweet potato fries with garlic mayo and spicy ketchup. We walk to a table situated far enough away from our colleagues so as not to be disturbed.
And I hope far enough away not to be overheard.
“Okay,” Nat says with a concerned expression. “Are you finally going to tell me what’s going on? You’ve been brooding like a hen since Wednesday.”
I rush out my decision like it doesn’t cost me anything to say. “I’m going to end things with Royce.”
Nat’s eyes widen with surprise.
I can’t fault her. I’d been acting like everything was fine until this week, when I didn’t hear from Royce for three days running. When I finally got a text from him, it said he’d been crazy busy, butif he could,he’d try to FaceTime me sometime this weekend.
From that moment until I made my decision to end things this morning, my mood plummeted to zombie status.
“Why?” she says, “I thought things were going well.”
“Since he’s been in New York… I’ve heard from him…” I count on my fingers, holding them up for her to see. “Ten times in the past twenty-six days.”
“Gen, that means nothing. I’m sure he’s just busy with the company and all.”
I wish I could tell Nat what Thomas and I discussed. Sworn to secrecy, I can’t. If she knew, she would understand how truly hopeless things are. Thomas has all but said that Royce and Tiffany have not called off their December wedding. As far as he knows, it is still going to happen.
And in my heart, I do too.
“I wish I could believe that, Nat. I really do. But I can’t wait for someone that won’t communicate with me. Someone who doesn’t care enough to… What the hell is his problem?”
Nat turns left, and then right, looking for an unseen foe. “Who? What?”
“Behind you, Nat. It’s Luke. He’s staring at me.”
Nat gets out her compact from her purse. Pretending she is applying more powder, she observes Luke in her mirror. “Damn. He sure doesn’t look friendly.” She shrugs and closes her compact with a snap. “I guess he has his reasons.”
