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My smile drops immediately. I don’t even have the energy to hide my disappointment after the week I’ve had. This was a lot of work to just feed myself, but I guess it’s probably my fault for not saying anything to him first. I had shot him a text that I was home and asked if he needed anything while I was out running errands, but I had not mentioned that I was making a feast for dinner.
Reluctantly, I make my plate. After placing my food on the table, I salt a margarita glass and offer him one.
He shakes his head and waves me off without removing his eyes from the laptop. “No, thanks. I’ve got to get some more work done.”
I frown. This is already not going the way I need it to. How am I going to have a heart to heart with him if he’s too busy working to even look at me?
I carry my drink to the table and take a seat across from him. Quietly, I pick at my food while I watch him. He’s typing away at the keyboard and concentrating on the task in front of him, completely oblivious to the worries that are consuming my every thought.
He stops typing, and his eyes move to mine. I smile at him, but it’s obviously forced. This time he reads my expression.
“What’s up?” He asks, still not moving his hands from the keyboard.
“Oh, nothing. I just don’t want to interrupt you while you’re working.” I say, moving some food around on my plate. “Want to do something together tomorrow? Maybe we can go to the Farmer’s Market?”
“Sorry, I’m going to have to work tomorrow.” He says, eyes back on his screen. “But you should definitely go to the market if you want to.”
I shrug in response. My attempt to have some one-on-one time this weekend is failing miserably.
“How was Fawn Creek?” He asks while he stands from his chair and moves to retrieve a bottle of water from the fridge.
“It was good.” I say, leaning back in my chair. “I found out Sierra is getting married.”
“I don’t think I know who that is, do I?” Elliott asks, sitting back at the table, finally giving me his attention. To Elliott, Fawn Creek is like some mythical land that I tell him stories about. He doesn’t have any connections to the town, and why would he? He’s only been there twice in the three years we’ve been together.
“That’s the little girl I used to babysit when I was a teenager. I can’t believe she’s old enough to get married.” I pause, waiting for him to say something, but I’m met with silence. It’s now or never, I suppose. “Elliott, speaking of people getting married…” I start, moving my plate towards the center of the table and then downing the rest of my margarita. “Can I ask you something?”
“Uh, sure.” He responds, finally moving his computer out from between the two of us, giving me his full attention. Unfortunately, the moment is interrupted by his phone ringing loudly on the table between us. He looks at the caller screen and frowns. “Sorry, I have to take this,” He mumbles quickly before putting the phone to his ear, cutting off my febrile attempt at a confrontation.
Almost immediately, he carries his laptop to the spare bedroom to solve whatever IT Emergency has popped up at work. And of course, I’m left in the kitchen surrounded by enough tacos to feed a small army. Mindlessly, I clean up the mess and carefully pack away the leftovers while waiting for him to return. By the time I wipe the counters down, I have not only lost hope of seeing him again before bedtime, but I’ve also lost the courage to push the issue any further. With that, I down the rest of my second glass of margarita and send myself to bed alone.
Chapter 6
My eyes flutter open on Saturday morning and I slide my hand across the bed to reach for Elliott in the dark. Instead, all I find is an unmade side of the bed. It’s obvious that he never came to bed last night. Unfortunately, I am almost relieved by the revelation. The last thing I want is to wake up and have to continue our attempted conversation. I’ve lost any sense of courage I was feeling yesterday.
I roll to my other side to retrieve my phone and check the time. It’s 8 am. There’s a dull headache behind my eyes, the aftermath of the tequila I had before bed, I suppose. That’s what I get for having nothing but coffee and one taco before drinking, I guess. I put the phone back down and pull my blanket tight around my body, trying to will myself back to slumber. Just as I close my eyes once again, my phone vibrates on the table next to me, jolting me back awake.
Caroline: Hi girls. Still up for hot yoga and brunch today?
SHIT. This day keeps getting better. I totally forgot that was today.
The phone buzzes again.
Mandy: Yes, please! I feel like an absolute cow. I can not wait to get my sweat on.
I pick up the pillow next to me and press it into my face before letting out a scream. Hot yoga is the last thing I want to do today. Hanging out with Caroline and Mandy is the next-to-last. These women are both just so, for lack of a better term, plastic-y. They both walk around in expensive clothes with their fake boobs and designer purses while driving $80,000 cars and turning down their noses at everyone else around them. They are just so different from anyone else I have ever been friends with, and I clearly don’t fit in with them. In fact, they are the exact type of women I generally try to avoid. They are the girlfriend and wife of Elliott’s two best work friends, Logan and Greg, so I don’t really have a choice but to play nice. Considering the fact that I still have no friends here in the city, I have to at least try to befriend them. Working from home is nice, but it makes meeting new people nearly impossible. Especially when you are an introvert.
Elliott has been begging me to get to know them for a while now, so that we can all do things together. Therefore, when they invited me to tag along with them on a Saturday, I knew I had to accept the invitation.
Me: I’ll be there! Can’t wait!
Caroline: Yay!
Mandy: See you girls at Namaste at 9!
With a huff, I roll out of bed and stumble towards my closet. I’m not really a fan of name brands, but my mom is. Well, scratch that, she is a fan of people thinking she can afford name brands. With that being said, this year she bought me some knockoff Lululemon leggings for Christmas. I’ve never been inclined to wear them, mainly because I rarely do any type of exercise, or have a reason to put on athletic wear. I tend to live in lounge wear. However, today they are just what I need. I already feel self-conscious when I’m around these ladies. They are both so perfect and I’m just, well… me. I know I don’t fit in with them at all, but at least I can dress the part.
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