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“Oh babe, how did I not know that?”
“It’s not important, I guess. But the thing is… Grayson knew that was a fear of mine and so every time we go to his place, I have to get in a lift.” I pause because the reality of what I’m about to say feels like a big deal. “He’s helped me rationalise that fear. He started off by distracting me, kissing me, but now I can do it almost completely by myself and…” I feel myself getting emotional, but I swallow it down. “It’s probably nothing but, it feels like something.”
“Well, isn’t he just the dark horse—bad boy on the outside, cutie pie on the inside?”
Yeah, don’t I know it?What I can’t seem to tell Zoey is that the sex we had last night was different; there was definitely something deeper going on. Something that made me feel that this was so much more than a casual thing. But then this morning, he was gone before I woke up. And I’ve not heard from him all day.
We finish our lunch, and I head back to the office for the afternoon.
I keep my head down at work, writing up notes and organising future appointments with clients. When I glance at the clock, I realise it’s past 6pm and I pack up my office to head home.
Unlocking my door, I walk into the house, immediately noticing a key on the floor, like it was posted through the letterbox. I pick it up, frowning, wondering where it came from. And then it hits me. Grayson. This must be the spare key, from when Liam asked him to check on me and he’s given it back to me.
I pull out my phone and try to dial his number, but it goes straight to voicemail. There’s a strange staccato rhythm beating in my heart that tells me something isn’t quite right. My phone rings and I don’t check the caller, but I answer it straight away, with far too much hope in my voice.
“Hello?”
“Oh my God, babe. I know I saw you at lunch, but I need to go for a drink somewhere. My afternoon was intense, and I need to vent… my parents are actually insane. Call Jess. Tell her it’s not optional. Meet me at Bar 69 in an hour,” Zoey demands breathlessly.
I deflate. I hadn’t planned on going out tonight and now finding this key just makes me want to try and figure out what the hell happened between last night and now. “I don’t know Zo—”
“I said it’s not optional. Come on, girl. I’ll call Jess. One hour, Nora!” she hollers before hanging up on me.
I stare at my phone, feeling the weight of the key still in my other hand. My thumb hovers over the call button again, but I decide to leave it and listen to Zoey instead. Taking myself upstairs, I change into black jeans and a black sheer blouse. Easy, simple, and nothing too much. I top up my makeup, seeing as though I hadn’t put much on this morning for work it doesn’t take me long. The swipe of a lipstick and a little bronzer and I’m looking slightly more perky.
I call an Uber and whilst I’m waiting, Zoey texts me a picture of her and Jess waiting at the bar. They must’ve already been in the city because I’ve only been home for half an hour.
Twenty minutes later, I arrive at Bar 69, a tiny little hole in the wall place that we all love to come to after work. It’s not far from Jess’ hotel and Liam’s offices, so we’ve been here plenty of times. The familiar smell of fruity cocktails fills my nose as I walk towards my friends.
“Hey,” I say as I plonk myself into the booth with them. Zoey has a drink poured from the cocktail pitcher for me before my bum hits the leather. “Oh, thank you,” I say, taking a sip. “Ughh, that’s so sweet.” I shudder slightly as the vodka and orange juice mix slides down my throat.
“What’s wrong?” Jess eyes me curiously. I can’t get away with feeling anything without her picking up on it.
“Nothing. I’m fine,” I reply, my voice taking on a strange high pitched quality it doesn’t normally do, but then I don’t normally lie so easily to my sister. Zoey shifts in her seat, sipping her drink to keep her mouth shut. I feel on edge, but I’m not about to admit why to Jess. I can’t. Not yet.
“You’re such a bad liar, Nora,” Jess says flatly. “Fine, don’t tell me.” Something catches her eye over my shoulder, and she laughs sardonically. “Oh, look, it’s Grayson on the prowl for his next victim. Should we go and embarrass him?”
Her words turn my blood to ice. My breath is laced with blades on each staggered inhale. I don’t want to turn around and see. Zoey’s hand reaches under the table and squeezes my knee, whilst I try to unfreeze my whole body.
“She’s definitely his type, too. Blonde, busty. Fake everything,” Jess continues, her words causing tiny cuts on my heart without her even realising. I know that turning around is going to slice me open and I’ll bleed out all over the table, but I can’t help myself. As I turn, I see a blonde. A beautiful blonde, in a low-cut red dress, her hair perfectly styled in a curled ponytail, swept over one shoulder. Her nails lipstick co-ordinate perfectly. Nails that are currently touching a chest I know all too well. Trailing them down an arm that was wrapped around me only this morning.
Bile rises to the back of my throat, and I force it down. The noise of the bar echoes in my head so much louder than it seemed a second ago. The clink of the glass as the barman empties the dishwasher, the shrill laugh of the woman canoodling with Grayson, the conversations of happy people enjoying their evening all makes me feel like I’m being suffocated.I need to get out of here.
When he touches the woman’s hand, I physically recoil.How could I have been so stupid? How could I have thought that this man wanted a relationship with me?He told me from day one that he didn’t do relationships and here is proving himself right. Zoey and Jess begin talking behind me, but I can’t hear what they’re saying. Instead, I watch as another woman joins Grayson. Red hair, long legs, massive boobs again. His eyes trawl over her body, looking at everything I’ll never be for him.
“I’m going to use the bathroom,” I say, managing to propel myself upright.
“I’ll come too,” Zoey says. “Jess, can you order us more drinks?”
Zoey grips my hand tightly as I walk along behind our booth towards the bathroom. As soon as the door closes, Zoey has me wrapped in an embrace so tight it stops me breathing. The sting from holding back tears prickles the back of my throat as I heave in as deep a breath as I can manage.
“I know, baby. It’s okay,” she soothes me, but I’m not crying. I’m vibrating with anger, frustration, rage, and hurt. When she finally releases me, one tear rolls down my cheek.
“I’m stupid, so stupid. I went and caught feelings for the guy who was definitely going to break my heart.” I fall apart on the last word, my voice cracking because I feel like a fool.
“Want me to go out there and make out he has diseases?” Zoey offers.
I shake my head. Then nod. Then shake it again. And then another tear falls.
