“Natalie, what lady stuff?”
“Oh, I made that appointment with your waxing lady.” Truth.
“So, that makes me an infant?”
“I said, bare as an infant.”
Oh. My. God.
I’m met with what can only be described as a horrified silence before banging my earpiece against my forehead. “Can you hear me?” I ask, “My desk phone has been acting up this morning. What’s up?”
“I hope like hell I misheard you. Why are you being weird about a lady wax and honestly…fucking disturbing?”
“It’s been the longest first hour of a workday in the history of ever, Holly. I haven’t even had my first cup of coffee, and Dad’s already driving me crazy.”
Lie.
My secrets are driving me crazy.
Being in a secret relationship with my father’s ex-fiancée’s son is driving me crazy.
Being in love with a man I haven’t admitted it to is driving me crazy.
Reporting every exciting aspect of my new relationship to my horse is driving me bat shit.
The fact that I’m lying to everyone close to me—and doing it so horribly—is making things much, much worse.
“I’m j-just frazzled…and busy. Can l call you back?”
“What the hell? Can I not get five minutes? You canceled Chuy’s on us. You never miss Chuy’s, and that’s why we chose the damn restaurant because you were guaranteed to show. Even Damon is starting to feel jilted by you. He thinks we’re being replaced.”
“He said that?”
“Yeah, he did, right before he picked up our waitress,” she utters dryly.
“The one with the beauty mark?”
“That’s the one.”
“Well, she’s ugly.”
“You’re a terrible liar,” she sighs.
“Trust me, I’m aware. I’m sorry, babe.”
“Whatever. It’s just Damon being Damon. You think I would be used to it by now, right?”
“He’s an idiot.”
“An idiot who’s now shitting where we eat. Not cool.”
“Damn right it’s not,” I agree. “So if he ends up with a tainted burrito on his plate due to his whoring, that’s on him.”
“Thanks for reminding me why I keep forgiving you. Miss you.”
Her reply has me coming to a quick conclusion.
I’m now that girl.
The one who’s neglecting her friends and family due to a new relationship. A nasty habit I swore I would never participate in after my last breakup. Though I have managed to keep most of my dinner dates with my parents. Maybe it’s paranoia, but I swear I’ve felt their lingering gazes on me more than once when I do show. Every time I pull out of their driveway, the guilt becomes a little bit harder to shoulder. With Rosie’s observation this morning, it’s clear the people I’m so purposely deceiving are starting to catch on.
Even though I chastised Easton for saying so a few minutes ago, this is starting to feel like a charade.
“This coming Wednesday, I’ll be there,” I declare in a promise I refuse to break. “I’ll buy all the margaritas you can consume. Deal?”
“Deal.”
“Then we’ll ditch Damon and make it a girls’ night. No distractions, just us.”
A headache begins to build as blood furiously pumps at my temples. Despite wanting to comfort Holly, all my racing thoughts begin to collide as I make a quick excuse. “Hey, babe, Dad is flagging me down. Can I call you back after lunch?”
“Sure,” she utters. The blatant disbelief in her tone only aids in my conclusion that along with being an unworthy daughter, I’m becoming a shitty friend.
“I will call you back. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
For the next few minutes, I palm my desk and practice breathing techniques while gathering my wits and what’s left of my sanity. Flipping my cell phone face up on my desk, I prepare to properly bitch Easton out for being so careless. But as I read his texts, my anger quickly disperses.
EC: Answer the phone. I need to hear your voice.
EC: Fuck. Answer the phone, Beauty.
EC: I can feel your anger from Wyoming. That was reckless and fucking stupid. I won’t call your office again. Please don’t be mad. I’m sorry.
Kicking back in my seat, I read his texts again as my heart swells. He’s just being a boyfriend, or trying to. We’ve fallen into a surprisingly easy rhythm—even in hiding—and despite our hectic schedules. This week has been an exception with his back-to-back shows. While he’s missing me, I’m aching everywhere for him.