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“Where’d he go?”
“I was so irritated with him, I didn’t ask for specifics. He left shortly after I got home.” I didn’t want to tell her we’d argued, when I could tell she was already thinking the worst of Jake.
Martina’s dark eyes bulged. “Do you believe him?”
“I don’t know.” I massaged the back of my neck.
“What timing, huh?” Martina shook her head. “Well, let’s make it a girls’ weekend. We’ll hang out and go clubbing just to piss off Jake.” She winked, but she was serious. Martina could be vengeful.
“You know I can’t do that. He has eyes everywhere. The last thing I need is for him to blow up at me.”
“We can go into Mexico. I doubt he knows anyone there, except for the Cartel.” She snorted and opened her salad container and started eating.
“You’re not funny.” In fact, my skin crawled as I thought of Jake being connected to the Mexican Cartel. Strangely, if he was, I wouldn’t be surprised.
“So, is that a yes?”
“Sorry, it’s a no. I’m staying home to figure this crap out before he returns. The next several weeks will be crazy at the museum. I need to get this settled sooner than later or I may never get to it.”
“Sounds like a plan. You know where to find me if you need me.”
“I might need to rent your guest room.”
“Rent? Girl, if you and Cade get back together, you won’t be staying in SoCal.” Her words gave me pause. “He’ll have you moved into his place in a snap.” She snapped her fingers and laughed, like it was the best thing ever.
Instead of arguing with her, I ate my lunch. Would I move back to Burntwood? What about my job?
Now wasn’t the time to think about any of this. I’d push on until the end of the day, then obsess over the choices I would have to make during the weekend.
After work, I went out onto the balcony with a glass of wine in hand and called Jake. I hadn’t heard a word from him, or gotten a text. Usually, he called or texted twice a day, every day. The silence felt weird, and I was worried something might have happened to him.
“Hey, babe. What’s up?”
“Seriously? What’s up is I haven’t heard from you and was concerned.”
“I’m shocked you still care.”
“Don’t be like that, Jake.” I sighed and took a big gulp of my wine. “I won’t keep you. Just wanted to know you’d made it to wherever you went. I’ll see you when you get back.”
“Wait!” he shouted.
“What?”
“That’s it? No, I’m sorry or I miss you?”
“I did nothing wrong, and you’ve only been gone one day.” Did he have to be so damn needy?
“Are we okay? I don’t want you to be angry with me.”
“Just worry about your business and we’ll talk when you get back.” I took another drink and stared out at the ocean.
“Do you have plans for the weekend?”
“No, I’ll be here thinking about the issues we need to talk about.”
“I don’t have issues,” he said in a defensive tone. “But if you do, it’s probably because you’ve been working a lot. Take the credit card and go shopping. Shopping always makes girls happy.”
“Not me.”
