The Truth in Lies (The Truth in Lies Saga) (13 page)

Hastily, I replied back -
You’re on the phone now, and World War III hasn’t commenced so I think you’re safe. I had a blast today. Thank you for everything.

Just as I hit send, Olivia came out of her room.  She was wearing a smile that would make the Cheshire cat jealous.

“I take it that everything is okay now?” I asked, sitting my phone beside me.

“Better than okay.  Drew wants to take me out to dinner tomorrow night.  Just the
two
of us,” she emphasized.

I forced a smile on my face.  “That’s great, hon.  I knew things would work out.”

Olivia clapped and bounced in place, squealing in delight.  She ran over to the couch and hopped up on the cushions.  “I think tomorrow night is the night this dry spell will finally end.  He kept saying things like
intimate
and
quiet
.”

“I guess I need to clear out of here tomorrow then?”  My cell phone vibrated against my leg.  I squeaked at the unexpected tingle on my thigh.

Olivia shook her head casually.  “I see no reason for you to leave.”

“But if you two…you know.”  I felt my face flush at the mention of them having sex.

Olivia laughed.  “So what.  You’ve been here countless times while we’ve had sex.  It’s ridiculous for you to leave.”

“Yeah, but this is different.  You two deserve the time alone.”

“Don’t be silly.  It’ll be fine.”

“If you say so,” I grumbled, reaching for my cell phone.  Drew had replied to my message.

I promised to take her out. I figured that would make her happy. LOL. Sorry about what’s going to happen to you next.

I looked up to find Olivia perched over me, trying to read off of my phone.  “What does he mean by
what’s going to happen to me next
?” I asked.

Olivia’s lips twitched into a sly, evil grin.  “Oh, I told him I was taking you to Tampa tomorrow to help me buy a ‘Drew approved dress.’”

I backed away from her, pulling my legs against my chest, shaking my head frantically.  “Oh, no.  No! No! No!”

“C’mon,” Olivia whined.  “I need your help.  I want to look perfect for tomorrow night.”

“But I hate shopping,” I protested, which wasn’t entirely true.  I loved to shop.  I just hated shopping with Olivia.  She and I had two different styles and she thought it was her job to instruct me on how terrible my apparel was.

“But I need you,” she clasped her hands together and pleaded.

Just as I was about to tell her no again, the thought occurred to me that I needed to replace Drew’s suit.  The only way I could do that was to go shopping in Tampa.  Swallowing my pride, I conceded in my mind to go with her. 

My shoulders slumped forward.  I closed my eyes and held my fingers to my temples.  “Okay.  Fine.  I’ll go.  I need to get something in Tampa anyway.”

Olivia’s sculptured brows furrowed tight together as she eyed me askance.

“That was easier than I thought it’d be.  What do you need in Tampa?” Olivia inquired.

I squirmed against her watchful eye.  The hairs on the back of my neck prickled sending sharp chills down my spine.  The thought of admitting to Olivia what I had done unnerved me.  It’s what led to the near kiss, and the almost demise of two friendships that I held dear.  With a soft grumble, I muttered, “I kinda ruined Drew’s suit today.”

“Oh yeah.  He told me about that.”

My heart stopped.  I braced myself for the chewing out I was about to endure.  It surprised me she waited to confront me about my stupidity.  Drew had to have told her about what I nearly did if he explained about the ruined suit.

“I wondered why your hair was wet when you got home,” she continued.  “Personally, I think it serves him right after throwing you into cold water like that.  Had he done that to me, I would have killed him.”

I chuckled.

“I think it sort of pissed him off when I cheered for you.  He got all quiet,” she added.

“You should’ve seen his face.  It was priceless,” I chuckled.

“I would’ve loved to have seen that, but Kenz, do you realize how much one of his suits cost?”

I was all too aware of how much one of his suits would cost.  I’d simply have to dip into my savings account to cover the expense.    

“Yeah, I know, but I really need to replace it.  It’d make me feel better.”

Olivia shrugged.  “Okay.  It’s your call, but truthfully he has a million suits.  One isn’t that big of a deal to him.”

“It is to me.”

“It’s your pocketbook, I guess.”  Olivia looked over my head at the clock.  “We have an early day ahead of us tomorrow.  It’s time to get some sleep.”

I cursed her under my breath and grabbed my phone.  “Yes, mom,” I complained.

Olivia’s hand cracked across my bottom, as I walked past her.  Laughter exploded from her chest at the sight of me jumping out of my skin.  Casting an evil glare in her direction, she shooed me away.  “Call me mom, and I’ll treat you like a kid.”

“Goodnight, Liv,” I moaned. 

“Goodnight, shopping slave,” she called out after me.

I walked into my room, closing the door behind me.  Plopping down on my bed, I bounced against the fluffy mattress.  I sprawled out over the foot of my bed, and held my cell phone over my face, tapping out a message to Drew.

You owe me!!!

My arms dropped to my side.  The ceiling fan above me spun at a slow
, steady pace, wafting particles of dust in the air through the dim light of my lamp.  The phone vibrated, alerting me to a new message.  I rolled over and plugged my phone into the charger on my nightstand, then turned off the lamp.  The light was immediately exterminated by the darkness of the night.  The only illumination was that of the red blinking light of my phone.

I reached over and turned on the phone.  Its florescent screen illuminated my hands and sheets with a bright blue glow.

Don’t be mad. What can I do to make it up to you?

A smile crept over my face.  It was impossible for me to be mad at him.

I’ll think of something. Thanks to you I now have an early day tomorrow.  Goodnight, Andy.

Seconds barely passed before my phone buzzed again. 

You better think of something really good.  Get some rest.  Goodnight, Mickie

Thinking the conversation was over I placed my phone back on the table, exterminating the light it provided.  Engulfed in darkness, I rolled over and punched my pillows before resting my head. 
The soft cotton sheets contoured my body, warming me completely.  I closed my eyes, letting my mind and body relax into the soft mattress waiting for sleep to overtake me.

When my phone vibrated against the wood, I could have sworn I was dreaming.  I rolled over, glancing at the phone.  To my amazement it was flashing an alert.  I grumbled, opening the message board with a flick of my finger.  There was yet another message from Drew.

Did I mention I had fun today?

I breathed in laughter, rolling my eyes, and then typed a quick response.

You did.  Now let me sleep. Goodnight.

I laid there in the dark anticipating the phone to vibrate.  Just as I suspected a sweet response appeared.

Goodnight, beautiful. :)

I scooted into my mattress, getting comfortable once again.  Lighthearted, I closed my eyes, anticipating sleep to take me.  Instead, my mind began to reel with an instant replay of my own stupidity.

The instant my eyes shut, I was transported back to the parking lot of Tommy Bahama.  I could smell the salt water, cologne, and mint on Drew’s skin.  My body felt electrified by how his hands rubbed the towel along my arms.  His piercing blue eyes peered into the depths of my soul. 

I shivered at the way he licked his luscious lips when his face drew closer to mine. The way his breathing increased with every passing second between us.  Then, the way his lips flattened in a straight line as confusion set in when I drove away.  My eyes opened in a flash.  A single tear trickled down my cheek.  He appeared to be so upset.  While he might have forgiven me for my idiocy, I couldn’t forgive myself. 

Drew deserved a good friend and I hadn’t been one.  I cursed myself for my actions.  I would make it up to him, even if it killed me.

I rolled over
, afraid to close my eyes.  The thought of seeing Drew disappointed in me like that again was unbearable.  Instead, I laid in the dark wishing for sleep to take me, knowing that I was in for a long night.

After countless hours of staring into the abyss of my dark bedroom, I couldn’t take the mental torture any longer.  I tossed my feet over the side of my bed, and reached for my phone on the nightstand. 

Over thinking was a bad habit of mine, and usually got me into more trouble than I was worth.  This happened to be one of those times.  Everything was okay.  Drew wasn’t mad at me.  No harm was done.  Olivia was happy that things between her and Drew were seemingly back on track.  So, why was I belittling myself for something that didn’t happen?

I popped up out of the bed and flipped on the light.  My mind kept reeling with everything.  Nothing could make it stop.  Well, almost nothing.  I dug through my dresser drawer, searching for a pair of running shorts.  At times like this, I needed a good, hard run to clear my head.  After finding my favorite running gear, I dressed and set out for the beach. 

Just as I suspected, as soon as my feet hit the sand, all of my worries melted away.  Alone, with nothing but my music blaring in my ears, and the sounds of my own heavy breathing whistling through my earphones, I was able to come to terms with myself. 

The early morning run was invigorating.  And lucky for me, it was still early enough when I headed home, that the roads were devoid of any traffic or snowbirds.  So, I made it back before Olivia even realized I was gone. 

I slinked through the condo as quiet as I could be.  Olivia’s room was still dark, and the horrific sound of her snoring rattled the door as I passed.

A funny thought occurred to me as I headed toward the bathroom.  If I had a hard time listening to her snoring, how in the world did Drew survive it?  The man had to be a sound sleeper to be able to sleep through what sounded like a dying buffalo.

The bathroom was dark, except for the dull white nightlight pressed into the electrical socket by the vanity.  I’d placed my Star Wars lightsaber nightlight in the bathroom, but by some fluke accident, it was broken by Olivia’s maid service.  I wondered how much of a bonus they got for ‘accidentally’ breaking my nightlight.

Once inside, I twisted the doorknob, and closed the door as lightly as possible.  I flipped on the light, and stripped out of my sweaty clothes, tossing them in the laundry basket. 

For once, I was able to take a long, hot shower, and I savored every second of it.  Over time, I had grown accustom
ed to taking lukewarm showers.  Olivia always beat me to the shower in the morning, thus eliminating all the hot water.

After the shower, I got dressed in my usual attire of a white long-sleeved t-shirt, a pair of khaki pants, and my brown Skechers.  I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and applied some mascara and lip gloss.

Satisfied with my appearance, I walked back down the hall and noticed Olivia’s light was on.  I gently knocked on her door.

“I’m going to make coffee.  Want any?” I spoke to the door.

She opened her door looking like she had just tussled with a bear and lost.  “Coffee, good,” she grunted.  Her eyes drifted down my body and a menacing scowl contorted her already rough appearance.  “Really, Kenz, you couldn’t wear something a little classier?”

Producing the sweetest smile I could muster, I responded, “Good morning to you too, sunshine.”

“Good morning.  Now go change,” she demanded.

“We’re driving almost two hours to go to a mall.  I’m dressed fine.”

Olivia rolled her puffy eyes.  “Whatever.  I’ll be dressed in a minute.” 

A minute…not likely
, I thought. 

Her bedroom door closed, and nearly hit me in the nose.  I jumped back, glaring at my almost assailant. 

“This is going to be a fun day, isn’t it?”  I stared at the oak wood expecting a response.  When I got none, I turned around and headed down the hall toward the kitchen laughing at myself.

“I can’t believe it.  I’m talking to a door,” I said in my best Rodney Dangerfield impersonation.

Since moving in with Olivia, the kitchen had become my domain.  Without so much as a fuss from Olivia, everything had been set up to my liking.  As long as I cooked for her, she was content.  No expense was spared in Olivia’s home.  She had all of the most up-to-date appliances, but my favorite was the Keurig coffeemaker.

Knowing Olivia was going to be awhile
, I popped my favorite k-cup in the maker and started chopping up some fresh fruit to nibble on.

A soft tap at the door alerted me to the arrival of the daily newspaper.  At first I didn’t understand why Olivia even got the newspaper.  She didn’t read it.  Until one morning, I found Drew hovering over the paper before he disappeared off to work.  That clarified everything for me.  Not that I minded.  I was one of those
who enjoyed the classic feel of a newspaper in my hand to obtain my daily dose of the news.  Plus, the comics were always a great way to start my morning. 

By the time Olivia made her appearance in the kitchen, I had already eaten my breakfast, cleaned the kitchen
, and brewed a cup of coffee for her.  As usual, she was dressed to impress.  Her dark hair was piled under a red newsboy hat which matched her red skinny jeans and off the shoulder yellow top.  Her look was completed with a pair of bright yellow Jimmy Choo pumps.

“Is the coffee made?” she asked, reaching into the cabinet for a to-go coffee mug.

“Of course,” I replied.  “I brewed your favorite, just like I always do.”

“Aww! You’re the best wifey a girl could ask for,” she teased.

“Yeah, yeah,” I intoned.

She poured her coffee, and closed the lid to the cup.  How she drank it black was beyond me.  Sugar and milk were absolute requirements for my coffee. 

“You ready?” she asked, taking a sip of the hot brew.

“Ready when you are.”  I folded the comics, leaving them where I could finish them later.  I grabbed my stuff and followed Olivia out the door.

“We’ll take my car,” she announced as we headed through the parking garage.

Olivia loved her car and I had to admit it was a pretty sweet ride.  She owned a metallic blue, BMW M6 convertible.  I called it her dick-magnet; because pretty much any man that saw it wanted a ride in it.

She started the engine and pulled out onto the street.  I rested my head against the window, preparing myself for a long day.  The sun was now hanging high in the eastern sky, setting fire to the Heavens.  Gorgeous hues of red, blue, yellow, and green colored the sky.  I watched as the sun grew larger and larger with each passing minute.  It was a beautiful sight to witness.

As we travelled, Olivia yammered on and on about anything and everything.  All the while my head was back in Sarasota with Drew.  I wondered what he was up to, certain that he and Gavin were off playing golf and getting into more trouble than they were worth.

Lost in my musings, I guess I missed my mark in responding to Olivia, because I was pulled out of my own head by the back of Olivia’s hand nudging my shoulder.

“Are you even listening to me?”

I blinked my eyes and tilted my head to look at her.  “Yeah.  I heard every word.  Your mother and father are off to New York next week to visit your aunt, and want you to join them.  You should go.”

Olivia glanced over at me, staring in disbelief.  “That conversation was ages ago, Kenz.”

I scratched my head.  “Oh.  Sorry.  I guess I zoned out.”

“Hmm.  So where did you zone off to?”

“Nowhere,” I mused.

Olivia’s lips twitched into a tiny smirk.  “Really?  So, who is it?”

“Who is what?” I asked.

Olivia checked her mirror and changed lanes. 

“The guy you were just thinking about.  I know that look, McKenzie Evans.  So, tell me.  Who is he?”

I swallowed thickly.  Was I that obvious?  This had to stop.  “There’s no one, Liv.”  I rolled my eyes and leaned my head back against the window. 

“Have you talked to Nate lately?” she asked.

“Um, no, but he did try calling yesterday while I was out.  I haven’t called him back though.”

“Good for you.  I’m proud of you.  He doesn’t deserve you.  Personally, I think you should make a play for Jared.”

“Jared?” I exclaimed.  “Are you kidding me?”

“No, I’m not.”  She stared at me over her sunglasses.  “He’s got a great body, and a cute face.  He’s very much into you.  Plus you get along great.  I think he’d be a great match for you.”

“Jared’
s like a brother.”

“He doesn’t see you that way, Kenz.”  She slurped her coffee through her teeth.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I scoffed.  I waved my hand as if dismissing her, returning my gaze to the water passing us by.

“Say what you will, but I’ve seen the way he looks at you.  Jared is smitten.”

I shook my head.  “You’re crazy.  He’s my buddy.  Nothing more.”

My phone buzzed in my purse.  I leaned down to retrieve it.  Olivia glanced over at me as I looked at the message.

Hope you have a pleasant trip. And you can get that thought of replacing my suit out of that pretty, little head of yours.

I turned to Olivia.  “You told Drew I was going to replace his suit?”

Olivia shrugged.  “I had to get his measurements, didn’t I?”

I exhaled.  “Did you get them?”

“As a matter of fact, I did.  He didn’t seem very happy about my insistence.  But I told him I had other ways to get the information if he didn’t give it to me.”

“Oh, heavens, I’m sure he’s pissed.”

“And he can get over it,” Olivia informed me.

With a heavy sigh, I tapped out my reply to him. 

I’m going to shopping Hell. I wouldn’t call that pleasant. I promise it will be an awesome monkey suit. LOL. Talk soon.

I pressed send and dropped the phone back into my purse.  I knew he would have a few choice things to say, and I was determined to replace the suit, no matter the cost.

Olivia started chatting about how I needed to talk Jared into doing a double date with her and Drew.  I blanked out, half-heartedly listening to her prattle.  Only answering with grunts and noises periodically so she’d think I was listening.

We arrived at the mall, and I couldn’t exit the car fast enough.
 I felt like a sailor seeing dry land for the first time in months.  I marched beside Olivia into the mall.  She was a woman on a mission.  I would lay money that she had the entire mall and our route mapped out in her mind.

“First stop, Gucci,” she proclaimed.

Let the shopping expedition begin!

She led me through Neiman Marcus and straight up to the Gucci store on the upper level of the mall.  We entered the shop, and I stopped dead in my tracks, enamored by the beautiful array of clothes.  “This way,” she directed, grabbing my hand, leading me to the men’s section.  Without warning, Olivia began tossing suits at me.

“He loves dark colored suits.  Black and slate gray are his favorites,” she advised.

“I don’t know about these,” I snarled. 

None of the suits she chose screamed Drew to me.  They were all nice, expensive suits, but I was looking for that one suit that said, ‘Hi, I’m Andrew Wise, and I’m going to rule your ass in court today.’

“I think I’m gonna look around a bit and see what I can find,” I muttered, handing back the clothes she had given me.

“
Suit
yourself,” she giggled, wrapping the suits over her arm.

“Oh, Liv,” I groaned.

Olivia’s laugh echoed through the store as I darted off toward the back.  I thumbed through a few racks, but nothing caught my attention.  This idea seemed to be futile.  What did I know about buying a man a suit?  My father only wore them to church on Sundays, and Nate never asked me to help him when he bought his.  But then again, Nate’s never cost over a grand either.

I walked around, stopping to gaze at the different materials.  Italian silk, wool, cotton blend, they all looked the same to me. 

Grinding my teeth under my nail, I happened to look up at the wall on the opposite side of the store.  On display was a gorgeous navy blue suit, with thin lavender pin stripes.  The lavender was so light that if someone wasn’t looking closely, the stripes would almost appear to be white. 

It was single breasted with a matching vest.  The lines screamed power and success to me, yet sensitive and endearing, just like Drew.  The clincher was that vest though.  Drew was a sucker for a three piece suit, but then again, so was I.

“May I help you?” a kind older gentleman asked as he walked up behind me.

“Yes, sir,” I replied.  “I’d like to see that one, please.”  I pointed to the display.

“A very nice selection there, Miss.  You have a keen eye.”  He walked over to the wall and used a hook to extract the suit for me to further examine.

“It’s made from finest Italian silk,” he quoted.

The fabric felt smooth under my fingertips.  And the color was stunning. 

“It’s perfect.  I’ll take it.”  I couldn’t believe I had just said that price unseen, but I couldn’t help it.  It was unlike anything I’d ever seen Drew wear and yet I knew it was perfect for him.  I couldn’t walk away.