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“I don’t understand any of this, Piper. You know about that one-night stand with him when I was nineteen. And I watched him for years in the media. He was always sporting a new woman on his arm, attending the best of the best parties, getting openly drunk and making a fool of himself. We’re in split-personality territory here, and how is that possible?”
“I don’t know, darling. I just know what I found out. And this guy is pretty much a girl’s dream come to life, if you ask me.”
“It doesn’t really matter though, does it?” I ask.
“Why would you say that? He obviously worships you, and he’s pretty much perfect. I’d think you’d be elated right now.”
“There’s a big difference between worshipping someone and enjoying sex with them, Piper. Yes, we’re having great sex, but that doesn’t change the fact that we barely know each other. There’s no way this will end with me in a wedding gown. I’m enjoying him, but it’s only until this job is done.”
“How do you know that?” Piper asks. “Maybe this is the man you’re supposed to be with for the rest of your life. If you don’t give it a real shot, you might always wonder what you could’ve done differently.”
“And if I let myself believe this is something more than it really is, I’m going to be devastated when everything goes down in flames.”
“Don’t do that. You haven’t had the best luck with men. But maybe you haven’t because Tyler’s the one you were supposed to wait for. If you’d settled with some guy who made you kind of happy instead of ecstatic, you’d never know what real passion and love feels like.”
“I think you’ve been reading way too many of your library books — from the romance section, of all places,” I tell Piper. “Real love doesn’t exist, sweetie. Good sex can happen, companionship can happen, but I’ll say it again —real love doesn’t exist. I’ve seen far more examples of bad relationships than good. Divorce rates are higher than ever before, and if you ask around, even right here on this street, everyone will have a story of a failed romance. I think what you’re looking for is a myth. We can enjoy each other for a while, but we eventually grow bored, or we discover we really don’t have anything in common after all. Or the eyes begin to stray. Sure, it’s amazing in the beginning because the hormones are running rampant, but in the end, our imperfections come to the surface and the epic romance we felt in the beginning is over in a flash.”
“You’re depressing the hell out of me, Livie. I refuse to believe that real love doesn’t exist.”
“I don’t have to try to prove it to you, darling. You’ll see it for yourself when I’m sitting at home eating ice cream because I miss this man. I have no doubt that when it ends, I’m going to get hurt. I’m simply trying to prevent total devastation.”
“I’ll bet you a hundred bucks you’re wrong,” Piper says.
“Would you be serious for five seconds?” I sigh.
“I’m deadly serious. On your wedding day to this man, you’ll hand me a hundred-dollar bill,” Piper tells me.
I smile. “And when he dumps me as soon as he grows bored, you’ll hand one to me. At least then I can get a pedicure and soak my sorrows away.”
Piper grabs my hand and shakes it. “It’s official. Now, no more lying to me. I want all of the sordid details,” Piper says. “Especially the size of his biggest tool.” I blush hard, though I really don’t know why. Of course I’m going to tell Piper everything. It’s what friends do.
“You’re definitely right. I need to tell you all. It will be good for me. But for now let’s stop talking about men.”
Piper agrees and we stroll through the market. I started a game Tyler quickly overtook. I can be depressed about it, or I can accept that I’m on one hell of a good ride.
ChapterTwenty-Nine
Olivia
Be ready at midnight.This is the text message Tyler sent me, and for several hours I’ve waffled on whether I’m going to be ready or not. I wrote back asking what we’re going to do so late.
No response.
Just that short message and then nothing. When it hits eleven thirty and I’m dressed and pacing my small apartment, I can’t fool myself any longer. I’m going because I have to see what Tyler has planned.
His driver picks me up as the clock strikes midnight and I say nothing; I just follow him to the car and climb inside. After a half hour drive the car stops at what appears to be a private flower garden. I know questioning the driver will do me no good, so I wait as he holds open my door and smiles.
“Right this way, ma’am.”
The path is marked by lanterns every few feet. Darkness still surrounds me, making the trek slightly spooky, but I know nothing bad will happen. Curiosity moves me forward, my heart thudding in the shadows. Why does this have to be at midnight, and what is the secrecy all about?
“Olivia.” His voice is a whisper in the wind, and I stop when I finally see Tyler, another shadow among the trees.
“Tyler, what’s going on?”
“I’m glad you came.” He steps up to me, and my heart begins beating at high speed for an entirely different reason now.
“I was too intrigued not to,” I admit. “But I did consider ignoring your summons.”
