Living Lies (20 page)

“I think Daria has the hot-and-heavies for Mr. Head Chef,” Jen said.

“Can you blame her? I think I’ve got them, too,” Trish smiled devilishly. “Maybe our celibate friend has also been infected.”

Melanie wanted to say something but the waiter arrived to rattle off the specials and take their drink orders, allowing her to change the direction of the conversation. The subject of Adam did not re-surface and Melanie was grateful.

“Dee-lish,” Trish said, dropping her napkin onto the table next to a half-eaten bowl of Zesty Shrimp Salad. “Why have I never heard of this place?”

“Because there aren’t any strippers,” Jenny offered.

Melanie lifted her glass of wine. “To Testosterone Nick.”

“Testosterone Nick.”

“How many dates have you got left?” Trish asked.

“Two. Tomorrow is Don Avery and then Sunday is Jason.” Melanie looked over at Trish.

“I am really sorry about Jason,” Trish said to Melanie.

“No big deal. He was really nice on the phone. A true gentleman.”
Please make sure that Trish knows I called and that I’m not a schmuck,
Jason had said over the phone earlier that morning.

Melanie had promised.

“Still, I’m disappointed in him.” Trish continued, lowering her voice. “I’m not going to let Daria sink her claws into Mr. Chase,” she said, reaching into her bra and enhancing her cleavage. With a little jiggle she rested her breast on the edge of her low-cut blouse and then continued to even herself out.

“Jeez, Trish, are those the same ones from college?” Melanie asked, staring.

“No, I replaced those about three years ago. These are safer and bigger.” Trish’s brows raised. “What about Mr. Chase, Mel? If you don’t, I’m gonna.”

Melanie bit her lip, feeling her brow furrow.

Trish is going after Adam! You can’t compete with her. How much do you want him?
Her mind raced.
A boyfriend? You can’t do this, remember? You still have your job, it’s only a matter of a day or two.

“Melanie,” Carla said firmly, “you like this guy, I see it all over you. It doesn’t have to end like Dan.”

Melanie shot a glance at Carla. “Why would you bring him up?”

Nobody ever spoke of Danny; he’d been a closed subject for years.

“Because that’s where you’re stuck,” Jenny added, loudly. “Get over him already.”

“While you guys argue over this I’m going to have some fun,” Trish scooted out of the booth seat and adjusted her skirt, exposing more of her long legs. Smiling, she waved.

“Don’t you wish you could do that?” Jenny said. “Just be so confident.”

Carla snorted, clearly disappointed.

Melanie knew what Jenny meant but at the moment she almost hated Trish. Her head throbbed as she kept an eye on the direction Trish had gone. The light conversation continued, each woman disregarding the elephant at the table.

Five minutes passed. The waiter cleared the dishes and brought dessert.

“We didn’t order these,” Carla told him.

“Shut up, Car,” Jen scolded. “Look at this chocolate cake.”

“Mr. Chase sent them over and he’s taken care of your bill. Is there anything else I can get for you?”

“We’re good, thanks,” Melanie said, wondering what Trish was doing to get the free meal. “Jen, I thought you were on a diet.”

Melanie was agitated and her fuse short.

“Who cares about carbs?” Jenny said, putting a forkful of cake into her mouth. When her eyes rolled back into her head from pleasure Melanie reached over with her own fork.

“Get your own,” Jenny guarded her plate with a thrust of her fork.

Four dishes had been scraped clean when the waiter returned.

“I am too full,” Jen said, leaning back in her chair, having consumed two of the delicacies. “That was awesome, as RJ says. Can you believe he’s going to be 10 next month? Ryan thinks that RJ will be an amazing…”

“There they are,” Carla said, interrupting.

Melanie had already noticed. They were walking side by side until Adam stopped to speak with four elderly ladies drinking chardonnay. He leaned in to say something to Trish before giving the women his full attention. Trish strutted her way back to the table.

“Well?” Jenny asked Trish anxiously.

Melanie couldn’t look at her.

“He’s into Melanie, no big deal.”

Melanie breathed, her head dizzy from a sudden rush of oxygen. It
was
a big deal. Trish wasn’t used to rejection and it had to sting.

“Seriously?” “Really?” Both Carla and Jen asked.

“He refused my best offer,” her confusion was in her words. “He must really like you. Hey, did you guys eat cake?” She slumped back in to the seat, her arms crossed across her chest.

Melanie watched Adam interact with his guests. He looked up, catching her stare, and she read his lips as he said, “Thank you for coming back. I’ll see you next week.” He walked directly to Melanie’s table without breaking eye contact.

“How was everything?”

“Amazing. It really wasn’t necessary.” She said, feeling guilty under his gaze.

“I wanted to.”

“I think I gained five pounds,” Jenny said, in her unusual way of mixing a compliment with a snide remark.

Adam walked them out to the dim parking lot as the brisk night air blew through the small canyons of large SUVs.

“You know, your friend just hit on me,” he said, pulling her to the side when they reached Carla’s Navigator and the others piled in.

“I know, I’m sorry about that but I’m glad that…” How was she going to finish this?

Adam gave her a confused look. “Did you know she was going to … see me?”

Melanie nodded.

His eyes narrowed, “Did you think I’d like her?”

Melanie shrugged.

“I’m not looking for that.” His glance shot to Trish, sitting in the back seat, then bending to Melanie’s eye level. “I don’t sleep around and I don’t do casual.”

Now it was Melanie who was looking curious. “That’s good to know.”

“I’m picking you up early, 8 or 8:30.”

“I’ll be ready.”

He was close she could feel his breath as he said, “I can’t kiss you here.”

“I wasn’t going to let you,” she whispered back.

“Tomorrow,” he smiled.

“Maybe,” she replied.

He smiled. “Good night.”

He opened her door and helped her into the vehicle.

“What happened?” Carla asked, revving up the engine.

“I guess I’m going out with him tomorrow morning,” Melanie said, waving goodbye and pulling the seat belt across her chest. “Where are we off to?” she asked, in a happy mood.

“How about drinks at my apartment?” Trish offered.

Trish’s apartment was a fully feminine experience, decorated in pinks and floral prints. The couch was covered with pillows – lots of pillows. But like Melanie’s apartment in D.C., her refrigerator contained a variety of take-out boxes.

“I may not have food but I’ve got margarita fixins.” Trish danced around her small kitchen pulling out glasses and a blender.

“I’ll just have water,” Carla said. “A DUI for the wife of a congressman in an election year would make headlines for a week.”

Jenny found a radio station that played “oldies” and the girls were taken back to their college days. Dancing, drinking and laughing, they reminisced about old times. Later, Melanie sat on the carpet and leaned against Carla’s chair while Jenny and Trish sat on opposite ends of the florid couch.

“It’s great being here with you, guys,” Melanie said, “I’d forgotten how much fun we have.”

“Just like old times,” Carla agreed.

“When are you going to get out of this apartment and buy a house?” Jenny asked Trish.

“Probably never. Have you seen the prices of houses? Besides, I like living in an apartment, everything is taken care of with one phone call. It really is the life of luxury.” Trish leaned back on the many pillows and placed her forearm over her eyes.

“It’s a nice apartment,” Melanie said, laying flat on the floor and reminding herself never to invite Jenny to her own barren apartment.

“Of course you think so, you live in an apartment, too.” Then turning to Trish, she continued. “Getting life advice from Melanie is like asking a...”

“Easy now, Jen,” Melanie cautioned, sitting up, as Jenny paused to think of her simile.

“All I’m saying is that you don’t hold the same values that we do.”

Melanie put up her hand, stopping Carla, who was about to say something.

“Okay Jen, values?” Melanie sat up, placing her glass on the

coffee table. Her patience was worn thin and her nerves still raw

from the Trish incident.

“Jenny, stop,” Carla urged.

“No, why should I? I’m tired of having to walk on eggshells around Melanie. No one can ever say anything. She finally gets a date so stop the presses. It’s always all about Melanie even though she never calls, writes or even e-mails. Her secretary sends cards and gifts on all the appropriate dates but I doubt Melanie even knows what she sent any of us for Christmas or our birthdays. Do you?”

She didn’t.

“You swoop in on your company’s plane, flaunt your big life and as quickly as you come you jet off again, and we’re supposed to stop our lives for you?”

“You don’t know me, Jen. You know nothing about my life.” She was preparing for a girl battle not yet seen by this configuration of friends.

“Melanie, these are just my observations, they aren’t meant to make you angry. I’m sorry if you can’t accept criticism or if the name Dan sends you into a tailspin.”

“That’s it, Jen. I’ll admit I’m not perfect, but the reason why I ‘swoop’ in is because I’m embarrassed about how long I stay away. And I don’t stay long because it hurts to know how much I miss being here, and Danny, well, that hurts, too.”

“You know I did feel bad when he crushed you in college, but then you closed up and were so completely pathetic. Do you remember?”

Melanie nodded, not breathing. Her dry mouth reached down to her parched throat.

“Please, that was a decade ago. Seriously, Melanie, you need some perspective.”

“Perspective, is that what
you
had when Ryan had his affair? I didn’t judge you for staying with a cheater, I let you live your life your way. Even when you entrenched yourself in religion and started preaching morality. You can wrap yourself in the gospel, Jen, but it doesn’t give you control of any moral compass.”

“Ryan had an affair?” Carla asked, too shocked to remain hidden in her chair. “When?”

“How do you know all this? Trish?”

“I never said a word.” Trish raised her hands but leaned forward.

“I pay attention. And my radar is picking up on something now. So, is he cheating again?”

Jenny didn’t say a word – she didn’t have to, her gaping mouth and bulging eyes were enough.

It’s not like she didn’t deserve it,
Melanie thought, justifying her words.

“Jen?”

Carla and Trish moved closer, putting their arms around Jenny as she wept into her hands. Melanie stayed seated uncomfortably on the floor, soaking in a pool of her own guilt.

“It’s not Ryan,” Jen muttered, “it’s me.”

“It’s okay, Honey,” Carla comforted her and glared at Melanie.

Hypocrite
, she thought, swallowing a shot of tequila and then another.

“Are you leaving Ryan?”

“No,” she sounded terrified. “He doesn’t know and Tom, well, Tom’s married, too.”

Melanie walked out onto the balcony. Trish’s apartment was on the second floor of a two-story historic building in Point Loma. The view wasn’t much – a two-lane artery connecting Ocean Beach to the city bypassing Interstate 8. At 11 p.m. the traffic had all but ceased, allowing the rustling palm fronds to play out their symphonies. Melanie tried to absorb the serenity of the summer night, the smell of the freshly mown lawn, the rapidly moving clouds that hung low as they passed over the slumbering city.

“Mel, I’m going to drive Jenny home,” Carla said, poking her head outside.

“I guess I should go with you, then.”

Carla would pass La Jolla to take Jenny home in Oceanside, easily an hour’s drive.

“Why don’t you stay and I’ll come back for you,” Carla stepped outside, rubbing her arms against the chill. “Jenny is pretty upset and I want a chance to talk with her alone.”

“She’s mad at me.” Melanie shook her head. “You know this has nothing to do with me, I’m just a convenient rack to hang her shame.”

“I don’t blame you, but you were harsh.”

“Have a safe drive.” Melanie didn’t want to hear it.