going?” Although my voice is upbeat, I feel guilty that my thoughts are still of Lilly and not my girlfriend.
“Ugh.”
“That bad, huh?” Popping another fry in my mouth, I chew my food and listen to what’s bothering her.
“You have no idea. I just wanted to call and tell you I miss you. I will be home late tonight, so I’m probably just going to head to bed.” She lets out a yawn and her voice sounds tired.
“Can I get you anything else, darling?” the waitress asks, while I’m still on the phone.
“Oh, are you out?”
“Just the check, please.” The waitress nods and I continue our conversation. “Yeah, I just stopped to grab some lunch at a diner a couple towns over.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you while you’re eating. Are you with someone? I can let you go.”
“No, I’m alone, would you like me to drop you off something to eat?” I put the fry down suddenly feeling guilty. I lost my appetite.
“That’s okay, some of the other teachers and I are going to grab something as soon as our workshop is over. But thank you for the offer. You’re always taking care of me.”
“I try.”
“No, you do. It’s just part of who you are and another reason why I love you so much. I have to go; I’m getting the evil eye from old lady A.” Kristin laughs into the phone, and it never amazes me how she can go from glum to happy in an instant. It’s one of the things that drew me to her.
“You better watch out for that one, I bet she’s one of those old ladies who likes to hit people with her broom,” I joke along with her and am rewarded with her giggling.
“I’ll talk to you later, love you.”
“Love you back,” I hang up and stare at my phone for a moment, wondering how two parts of my life collided so quickly.
Waiting for my check to arrive, I keep thinking about my answer when Kristin asked me if I was alone. Technically, I didn’t lie since I am here by myself, but had Lilly not run out, my answer would have been different. That’s twice now I find myself being deceiving. The waitress comes back with my check and I leave cash for her. Seeing Lilly’s money still sitting on the table, I take it and place it in my pocket. I invited her to lunch and there is no way she’s paying for it. Being a detective comes in handy; I’ll be able to find an address for her and mail it back. I take my phone out and shoot Lucas a quick text before leaving.
Me: Hey man, drinks later? 9 pm? Avoid the curfew issue.
Lucas: Depends asshole, you going 2 leave early 2 make a garden club meeting in the am?
Me: Very funny jackass. Do you want to meet or not?
Lucas: Whoa buddy, what crawled up your ass and died?
Me: See u at 9.
***
Sitting at the bar, waiting for Lucas to show, I’m picking at the label on my beer as the condensation drips down it. There is a game on, but I haven’t been paying much attention to it. All I can think about is Kristin and Lilly. I feel so guilty for going behind Kristin’s back when it comes to Lilly, but I can’t possibly tell her who Lilly is, especially after I pretended not to know her. Hands clamp down on my shoulders, pulling me out of my daydreaming slump.
“What’s up buddy?” Removing his hands from my shoulders, Lucas grabs a seat next to me and orders a drink.
“Not much man, just waiting on you, as usual.” My tone is sharp, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m so conflicted; I feel like my mind is in a ping-pong match. Kristin and Lilly are the paddles and I’m the ball being hit back and forth.
“Miss? Can we get two shots of whiskey please? I have a feeling I’m going to need it.” Lucas waits for the bartender to return with our drinks. “So tell me, what has got you in such a shitty mood, my friend?”
I glare at Lucas, which causes him to raise an eyebrow at me in return. Knowing he is right, I drop the attitude and decide just to go ahead and tell him. It’s not like he’s going to run to Kristin or
“Ugh.”
“That bad, huh?” Popping another fry in my mouth, I chew my food and listen to what’s bothering her.
“You have no idea. I just wanted to call and tell you I miss you. I will be home late tonight, so I’m probably just going to head to bed.” She lets out a yawn and her voice sounds tired.
“Can I get you anything else, darling?” the waitress asks, while I’m still on the phone.
“Oh, are you out?”
“Just the check, please.” The waitress nods and I continue our conversation. “Yeah, I just stopped to grab some lunch at a diner a couple towns over.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you while you’re eating. Are you with someone? I can let you go.”
“No, I’m alone, would you like me to drop you off something to eat?” I put the fry down suddenly feeling guilty. I lost my appetite.
“That’s okay, some of the other teachers and I are going to grab something as soon as our workshop is over. But thank you for the offer. You’re always taking care of me.”
“I try.”
“No, you do. It’s just part of who you are and another reason why I love you so much. I have to go; I’m getting the evil eye from old lady A.” Kristin laughs into the phone, and it never amazes me how she can go from glum to happy in an instant. It’s one of the things that drew me to her.
“You better watch out for that one, I bet she’s one of those old ladies who likes to hit people with her broom,” I joke along with her and am rewarded with her giggling.
“I’ll talk to you later, love you.”
“Love you back,” I hang up and stare at my phone for a moment, wondering how two parts of my life collided so quickly.
Waiting for my check to arrive, I keep thinking about my answer when Kristin asked me if I was alone. Technically, I didn’t lie since I am here by myself, but had Lilly not run out, my answer would have been different. That’s twice now I find myself being deceiving. The waitress comes back with my check and I leave cash for her. Seeing Lilly’s money still sitting on the table, I take it and place it in my pocket. I invited her to lunch and there is no way she’s paying for it. Being a detective comes in handy; I’ll be able to find an address for her and mail it back. I take my phone out and shoot Lucas a quick text before leaving.
Me: Hey man, drinks later? 9 pm? Avoid the curfew issue.
Lucas: Depends asshole, you going 2 leave early 2 make a garden club meeting in the am?
Me: Very funny jackass. Do you want to meet or not?
Lucas: Whoa buddy, what crawled up your ass and died?
Me: See u at 9.
***
Sitting at the bar, waiting for Lucas to show, I’m picking at the label on my beer as the condensation drips down it. There is a game on, but I haven’t been paying much attention to it. All I can think about is Kristin and Lilly. I feel so guilty for going behind Kristin’s back when it comes to Lilly, but I can’t possibly tell her who Lilly is, especially after I pretended not to know her. Hands clamp down on my shoulders, pulling me out of my daydreaming slump.
“What’s up buddy?” Removing his hands from my shoulders, Lucas grabs a seat next to me and orders a drink.
“Not much man, just waiting on you, as usual.” My tone is sharp, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m so conflicted; I feel like my mind is in a ping-pong match. Kristin and Lilly are the paddles and I’m the ball being hit back and forth.
“Miss? Can we get two shots of whiskey please? I have a feeling I’m going to need it.” Lucas waits for the bartender to return with our drinks. “So tell me, what has got you in such a shitty mood, my friend?”
I glare at Lucas, which causes him to raise an eyebrow at me in return. Knowing he is right, I drop the attitude and decide just to go ahead and tell him. It’s not like he’s going to run to Kristin or
Similar Books
