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“I want to come pick you up,” Dani said.
“No,” I said, raising my voice. “Sorry, no. The car service is here to pick me up. Thanks.”
“I can come over for a visit. I won’t hold you up too long,” she said.
“Just… please. I’m fine,” I said quietly. “I’m sorry, Dani, for being rude. But I must go.”
“Okay, Lily. I’ll respect that,” Dani said. “But I’ll still send David to drop some things off to you over the weekend.” Keeping my head down, I left the office and headed for the subway home.
My phone beeped on the way and I took it out to check the messages. One missed call from David, and three texts from Declan.
Today was a wake-up call. I signed up for Anger Management classes like you asked me to, remember? I wasn’t always like this, you know. I need help so thank you for helping me. The rent went up on my shop. I can’t afford to miss work. If I do, I’ll lose everything.
I erased the messages and blocked his phone number. I sighed in relief, though. At least he was going for help.
Arriving at my apartment, I caught a glimpse of Natasha climbing into Ari’s Maserati and realized with glee she would be away at least until Monday. I would have the apartment all to myself.
Pondering their relationship, I absently went inside the building. They had been together at least four months, but she didn’t believe it would go over a year. All that time they shared, gone?
In almost two weeks of knowing Jonas, I was already feeling for him something more than I ever felt for Declan. I didn’t know how I could possibly handle months and not want or need more, and how would he handle it if I did? Would I have to hide my feelings, or would he have to break up with me?
Taking the elevator up to my apartment, I didn’t know what I was to do. But I didn’t have the time to think about it. I still had work hours to make up.
My stomach grumbled as I walked inside, prompting me to immediately go to the refrigerator and eat two of Natasha’s fat free strawberry yogurts. I went to the bathroom and took a couple more pain pills to alleviate the pain. Declan. I let him in and he hurt me. He hadn’t hit me in thirteen months.Why?I asked myself as I took a shower, but no reason came to mind.
Changing into my favorite black tank and shorts, I returned to the living room and set up a makeshift workstation on my couch with my laptop. By 8:00 that evening, I had managed to clear my inbox and send all of my work deliverables to Gregor.
Surfing through the channels on TV, I found a Star Trek marathon on the SyFy channel and grabbed my phone to check it before settling in. My heart sunk. One text message from David regarding a care basket from Dani. But David wasn’t who I wanted to hear from. I wanted Jonas. I decided to call Mary to alert her to the marathon and ask for some advice.
“Updates, please,” Mary ordered as soon as she picked up.
I closed my eyes. “I went to see Declan, only because he said he had the missing photos from the art week. But then he said he forgot them at lunch, and… Well, it didn’t go well. I don’t think he ever had them at all. Gregor kissed me. And Jonas is pressuring me with gifts, but no real promises of anything more. I like him so much, though. I don’t know.”
“Firstly, let’s start with the easiest. I agree. Declan doesn’t have the photos or videos. If he does, he’s the scummiest scumbag in all of scumville,” she said venomously. “He won’t leave it at that. How did you leave it?”
The bite in her tone had my stomach in knots. Mary truly hated Declan and I hated myself for lying. But I didn’t want her to know he hurt me, too. That would only make this worse. “I know now, but I had to find out.” I cleared my throat. “So what should I do about Gregor?”
“Well, even if he likes you, he’s definitely put off by your Jonas. Just act like nothing happened. He would want that now,” Mary said.
I rubbed my chest. “Jonas isn’t ‘my Jonas,’” I said, stretching my legs out on the couch. “I’m just his companion.”
“You like him a lot already, I can tell,” she said.
I sighed. “Yes. I do.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.” Mary sighed. “He’s clear on what he wants from you. So there won’t be more than that from him. You can and will get hurt if you’re getting attached. Maybe you should end it.”
I shut my eyes. “I don’t want to end it, Mary.”
“Just give it some thought, please?” she said. “As far as the clothing. It goes hand in hand with the agreement. If you are bumping shoulders with socialites, you can’t wear cheap threads. You’ll stand out, and not in a good way.”
I looked at the ceiling. “That makes me feel a little better.”
“I want you to feel better, but I have some bad news. I could only get five students to help with the phone-a-thon for the Love Legacy this year. So if you could add more funds to get students to sign-up to do a phone-a-thon., I can spread the word around campus?” Mary asked.
“If I get a raise or promotion, I could. But I’m not sure about that now,” I said sadly. “I still have to pay my own pledge this year.”
“Maybe Jonas could help you? I know that might muddy the waters more, but,” she hesitated.
