The Truth in Lies (The Truth in Lies Saga)

by McDonald, Jeanne

  She steps out into the wild, staring the ferocious lion head on, I amused myself.

  Olivia hadn’t budged the entire time I was gone. She flipped the page of her magazine.

  “Liv?” Guilt ridden, I approached her.

  “How was your day?” she asked. Her icy dissonance chilled me to the bone.

  I sat down on the couch next to her. She thumbed through the new edition of Vogue without so much as a glance in my direction. “It was okay. We missed you though,” I included.

  “Oh, really? You missed me?” She slapped the next page over, her teeth clenched in anger.

  “Of course we did,” I replied in defense.

  “So much that you neglected your cell phone all day?” She slammed the book closed. Her black eyes were hard and vicious. Her long thin nose snarled as she took in my appearance.

  “I left my phone in the car. I’m so sorry, Liv. You know I’d never ignore you.”

  The tension in Olivia’s body loosened up a little. “What did you and asshole do today?”

  I sighed in moderate relief. “We went to Tommy Bahama for lunch, and please don’t call him that. He means well.”

  She tossed the magazine onto the coffee table. “Are you actually siding with him? You’re my best friend, and you’re taking his side?” she bellowed, her arms flapping wildly as she spoke.

  “I’m not siding with anyone. But you’ve got to admit that was skimpy, even for you.”

  Her hands landed on her legs with a loud smack. When I reached for her hand, she snapped it back. Her chest rose and fell, and I all but expected her to slap me. It wouldn’t have been the first time she got overzealous.

  “How dare you agree with him,” she snarled.

  “Liv, you know I thought it was cute. You just needed to add something to it like a skirt or jeans to complete the outfit.”

  She stared at me in disbelief. “Seriously? It’s a dress!” she snapped.

  I raised my hands in defense. “Okay, okay! It’s a dress.” I pulled my legs to my chest, wrapping my arms around them. My head fell to rest on top of my knees.

  “Thank you,” she grumbled. She rotated to where she was slouching against the arm of the couch, facing me. “I’m not mad at you. I think it’s crappy that you take his side, but I’m not mad. I’m mad at him for being a chauvinistic pig.”

  “I’m not taking his or your side,” I huffed. “I just don’t understand the purpose of the dress, and I don’t think he meant to be chauvinistic.”

  “Whatever,” she snapped, rolling her eyes. “And yes he did. I mean he went all…all…” Olivia lifted her hands and shrugged her shoulders. Even though the word wasn’t coming to her, I knew exactly what she meant.

  “Neanderthal?” I suggested with a chuckle.

  “God, yes! That’s exactly what he did.” We laughed at my proper description of Drew’s temper. “I half expected him to drag his knuckles and clobber me with a club over a silly dress. Funny thing is, he’s never acted that way before,” she continued.

  “Who knows, but what I want to know is, why did you wear that dress to work? It looks more like something you’d wear to a club.”

  Olivia twirled a piece of her long dark hair around her finger. “Okay. Can you keep a secret?” she giggled.

  I gave her the best ‘are you serious’ look I could muster. Secrets were my specialty. If I was told something in confidence, I would carry it to my grave if need be.

  “Stupid question,” she agreed, sniggering. “I wore that dress today because I knew he was planning on asking me to lunch.”

  “How?” I questioned, remembering what Drew said at the bar.

  Olivia nibbled on her thumbnail, her eyelashes batting, and a coy smile crinkled the corners of her lips. “A little birdie told me,” she cooed.

  I quirked an eyebrow. “What birdie?”

  Her eyes flashed mischievously at me as she leaned in and whispered, “You know his secretary, Holly?”

  Oh, yeah, I knew Holly all right. While I might not have ever met her, I have heard her scream at Drew through the phone enough times to know I didn’t like her. Holly was one of those loud-mouthed women who thought the world owed her because she had a vagina. Drew complained about her frequently, but refused to fire her because she was the best at what she did.

  “Yeah, I know of her,” I stated.

  “Well, you see, I’ve sort of gotten to know her pretty well lately. I’ve taken her to lunch a couple of times; taken her shopping…you get the gist.”

  Yep, I got it loud and clear. She was buying her friendship. Common Olivia move when she wanted something.

  “Last night she phoned me and told me that Drew asked her to clear him a spot for lunch. When asked why, he told her he had plans to take us out.”

  “Us?” I asked, confused. “If he had plans to take us out, that still doesn’t explain the reason for the dress.”

  Olivia laughed and patted my hand, looking at me like I was an ignorant child.

  “Sweetheart, I figured once he saw me in that dress, he would forgo lunch and take me home. No offense.”

  “None taken,” I muttered, disgusted by her approach. “Food for thought, though, I get the vibe that he’s more a ‘leave things to the imagination’ kinda guy,” I coached, recalling what he had told me.

  “I don’t think so. He seems to enjoy the lingerie I wear to bed. Or at least he used to.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

  I rubbed my hands over my face, forcing myself to remain seated. I wanted to run, far and as fast I could. “There’s a difference,” I coached. “That’s in private. Wearing that dress in public took the privacy out of the situation.”

  Olivia shrugged. “I have to do what I have to do to get the man to notice me. I swear he’s gone all prudish.”

  “Liv, he spends the night here all the time. You can’t tell me you two don’t have sex.”

  “It’s going on three weeks since he last touched me,” she blurted out vehemently. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say there was someone else. But thanks to Holly, I pretty much have a connection to his entire life calendar.”

  “Liv!” I exclaimed. “That’s low, even for you.”

  “I had to know if he was cheating on me, Kenz. You don’t know how it feels to be lied to.”

  Drew wasn’t the type to cheat. I could have told her that without having to snoop into his life.

  “All couples go through lulls. It’ll pick back up again. You’ll see,” I said.

  Olivia slammed herself back into the couch. She crossed her arms over her chest, pouting. “This is ridiculous. We haven’t been dating long enough to go through a lull,” she sighed.

  I bumped her shoulder playfully. “You really like him, don’t you?”

  “What’s not to like? He’s rich. He’s handsome. He’s got all the right connections. He’s absolutely perfect.” She nudged me back.

  “It’s more than that, though, right?” I asked.

  “Yeah, sure. I guess,” she shrugged and turned on the television, flipping through the channels. “Is he coming over here tonight?”

  My heart seized in my chest. “No,” I said flatly. It was probable that he would steer clear of me after I practically threw myself at him.

  “Good. I don’t want to change.”

  I shook my head, recalling Drew’s comments about never being able to dress comfortably around Olivia. “Liv, have you ever considered letting Drew see you like this?” I waved my hand in front of her. “He might like knowing that you’re human.”

  Olivia turned her head, her mouth dropping like a large-mouthed bass. “You’ve got to be joking. There’s no way I’d allow any man, especially one of Drew’s caliber, to see me like this,” she huffed, rolling her eyes at me. “I swear, Kenz, there are times you can be so obtuse about men.” She chuckled and returned her attention back to the television.

  Agitated by her insinuation, I opened my mouth to tell her what I had almost done, but my mind stopped before
I said anything. Instead, I snapped it closed, and crossed my arms over my chest. Since there wasn’t a kiss, why should I get Drew in trouble? Plus, Olivia would fly off the handle if I told her, especially with their current lack of intimacy. It was better that I kept my almost mishap to myself. Olivia laughed at something she saw on T.V.. I focused my attention to the reality show she was honed in on, and allowed myself to get lost in the show with her.

  We ordered a pizza for dinner, and I tried to eat, but the mere thought of food made me ill. Thankfully, Olivia didn’t seem to notice my uneasiness. As we finished eating, Olivia’s cell phone rang. She leaned over and checked the caller ID. “It’s Drew,” she announced. “I’ll take it in my room.”

  I readjusted my position for the umpteenth time during the night, tossing her a nod of acknowledgement.

  “Hello,” she answered. She was off the couch and heading toward her room in a matter of seconds. The walls rattled when she shut the door behind her, leaving me alone with my thoughts and guilt.

  I sighed and got up from my seat, taking the pizza box to the kitchen where I bagged up the remaining pizza and tossed it into the fridge.

  After tidying up the place, I grabbed my cell phone from my purse and sat back down on the couch. I glanced over the missed calls. Olivia was right. She called me a few times. So had Jared. I was shocked to find that Nate had tried to call me as well. It had been weeks since I had spoken with him.

  Switching to my text messages, my stomach knotted to see one from Drew.

  I just wanted to say thank you again for a wonderful day. I had a great time. Now I get to ruin it by calling Olivia and getting my ass reamed. It was worth it though.

  My heart fluttered in my chest. He didn’t hate me after all. I hadn’t ruined our day together. Everything would be okay. I wouldn’t allow myself to get caught up like that again. He was too dear to me to allow my stupid hormones to jeopardize our friendship.

  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 e
arly 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.