Between the Lies (Between the Raindrops #2)

by Susan Schussler

  “You remember how I used to fight with my mother when she would put a new picture of me on her website or up at the photography studio. I think it was the world’s way of preparing me so I would be able to deal with my life with Jon. I don’t really have a choice about it. What can I do but accept it?”

  “How very mature of you,” stated Megan, and everyone laughed.

  “So why are we really here?” asked Jessica.

  “What do you mean? I miss you guys. I just want to feel normal. I always feel like I’m just frosting.”

  Her friends looked at her confused. “Frosting?” questioned Alli.

  “Yeah, like I’m just extra, to make it sweeter.”

  “What are you talking about, girl?” asked Megan, before taking a sip of her drink.

  “See, that’s what I love about you guys. You get me.” Sarah chuckled sarcastically, and the girls all laughed. “I mean…it’s like…Jon is this god, and I’m just arm candy—no brain, not important—just there to make him a little prettier.”

  “Is that how Jon makes you feel?” asked Jessica with a scowl.

  “No, not at all! Jon treats me like a goddess. He always makes me feel special.”

  “If it’s not Jon, then why do you care?” asked Megan.

  “I don’t know…It just bugs me sometimes, and I want to be just me. I’m just me when I’m with you guys, not Jon’s fiancé.”

  “You flew us across the country so you can feel like us?” Alli summarized. “That’s sad.”

  “I just need a dose of reality…And…” Sarah paused, hesitating. “And Margala Gaunechi won’t trust anyone else’s measurements, so you guys all have to be measured tomorrow or there will be no bridesmaids dresses,” she spewed out quickly hoping to avoid her friends’ backlash.

  “You’re kidding, right? I wanted to lose ten pounds before the wedding,” said Jessica.

  “You don’t need to lose ten pounds. Besides, it’s just the initial fitting, so she can get started on the dresses. They can always be taken in. It has to be done,” stated Sarah.

  “After the dress fittings, I vote we go shopping,” declared Alli with a grin. Her wavy red hair in a ponytail high on her head swung as she spoke.

  “You always vote for shopping. I want to go to the beach…see some sites—maybe meet some celebrities,” confessed Jessica.

  “Yeah, like Jake Gorgeous-Body,” added Megan.

  “Talk about eye candy. I could lick…I mean…look at him all day.” Jessica raised her eyebrows with a smile, and the girls all laughed.

  “You know, Jake Gorboni is a friend of Jon’s. They work out together sometimes. He seems nice. Jon could call him and see if he could meet us at the club tonight. Though, I think Jon said something about him filming in Tennessee.”

  “Really? You’ve met Jake Gorgeous-Body and you didn’t tell us?” accused Megan.

  “Yes,” said Sarah, looking at them as if to say it’s no big deal. “He’s just a guy. He was here a month ago for a barbeque. I made my fajitas. It’s my fallback meal.” She smiled at them knowing that’s what they would be eating tonight. “I think he sat in the chair Alli is sitting in.”

  Alli smiled and rubbed her back against the chair, as if a part of Jake would rub off on her.

  “I guess everyone else seems like just a guy next to Jonathan,” claimed Megan.

  “You know, it’s not healthy to idolize people. They’ll never live up to your expectations when you meet them. You’ll always be disappointed,” lectured Sarah.

  “Just because you have Jon doesn’t mean the rest of us have to settle for Jeff’s.” Megan collapsed against the back of her chair as if she was giving up.

  “Hey!” Jessica shot Megan a death glare. “I’m getting tired of this.”

  Megan always seemed to make fun of Jeff. Years ago, she’d made a move on him without success and since then she never missed an opportunity to make a jab.

  “Sorry. It’s just a habit,” proclaimed Megan.

  Sarah rolled her eyes and said, “Did you even hear a word I said?”

  “Yeah, but I want someone hot, charming, and perfect like Jon, too,” admitted Megan.

  “Jon’s not perfect, believe me,” said Sarah, though he was closer than any man she had ever dated. She wondered what had changed in Megan since she had last seen her. Megan never wanted more than a superficial relationship. “So what’s going on with you and Chase? I thought you were over him.”

  “I ran into him at the coffee shop, and we just started talking. I think he’s grown up a lot since high school. He seems to be getting his act together.”

  “Really?” Sarah asked in a sarcastic tone.

  Megan met her eyes with sincerity and stated, “He stopped using and has been clean for two and a half years. He and a friend started their own business and it’s really taking off. They design video games.”

  “He definitely knows how to play video games,” declared Jessica.

  “No, I’m serious. You know the app Mad Moronic Monkeys? They’re the ones that designed it.”

  “No way! He’s such a liar,” proclaimed Jessica, shaking her head.

  “They did. His name is on the credits,” assured Megan.

  “I have that on my phone,” admitted Sarah, holding her phone up and waving it back and forth. She pulled up the app and clicked on the credits. Sure enough, his name was there. Sarah passed her phone to Jessica.

  “I told you…he’s turning his life around.” Megan smiled and smugly crossed her long legs in front of her.

  “Has he figured out how to treat women, though?” asked Jessica.

  “He paid for dinner the other night, and I’m not getting back together with him. I’m just happy for him,” proclaimed Megan.

  “You went out to dinner?” asked Sarah.

  “Megan, what the hell.” Jessica took a sip of her drink and continued, “You said you weren’t going to go out with him.”

  Megan sighed. “I really think he’s changed.”

  “Guys don’t change,” lectured Jessica. “If he’s trying to convince you he’s changed, he’s just playing you. Again.”

  “He was totally toxic for you. Do you remember? ’Cause we all do. You are so much healthier without him,” stated Sarah. Sarah remembered an incident when Chase had disappeared without a call or a text. After two weeks of Megan and all of her friends searching for him he showed up at the theater where Megan worked acting like he had just seen everyone that morning.

  “You’re not fooling me, Megan. I saw how you were looking at him the other day. You’re already back with him. You need to end it before you get dragged in any deeper. Toxic!” emphasized Alli, rolling her eyes.

  “We just talked,” Megan said.

  “Who else have you met and not told us about?” asked Jessica, turning to Sarah.

  Sarah knew she was trying to make Megan more comfortable. Jessica always tried to smooth over conflict.

  “I don’t know. I’ve met a lot of people. They’re just people,” she tried to convince her friends. Jessica furrowed her brow, and Sarah added, “I’m sure we’ll run into some celebrities tonight if Jon is with us…And don’t act starstruck and ask anyone for their autograph. It ends up feeling creepy and ruins the entire night.”

  “Have you done that before?” asked Alli.

  “No…but once I had to sit all night at a table with a girl who told me she sleeps with a body pillow that has Jon’s entire body silk-screened on it, and if that wasn’t bad enough, she said she had a picture of him in his underwear on her bathroom mirror. It was kind of a conversation stopper. I just didn’t know what to say to her after that. It’s best to act like it’s no big deal to be sitting next to them—trust me, otherwise it gets weird.”

  “So we treat them like any other sausage we meet at the bar?” asked Megan.

  “You are so gross. Treat them like you would treat one of your friends. It’s more comfortable that way, and they are more likely to have a conversation wit
h you. They might act all cocky and confident, but they’re the same scared little boys we have at home,” answered Sarah.

  As Sarah wrapped up her lecture, the girls glanced up to see Leslie walking into the courtyard from the main house. She stood over six feet tall with her four-inch heels and was thin, like all women in California seemed to be. She was dressed impeccably in jeans, a bright yellow blouse, and a fitted jacket. Her long, straight, blond hair was loosely tied in a fancy knot on the back of her head, and it looked both casual and elegant at the same time. When she reached the group, Sarah introduced her. They all had heard so much about each other that she effortlessly joined the conversation.

  “Leslie, Sarah says you’re not really Jonathan’s assistant; you’re her personal stylist,” said Alli.

  Sarah smiled sheepishly at Leslie. Leslie was an amazing shopper.

  “Do you think I could pick your brain tomorrow when we go shopping,” added Alli, generating a laugh from Jessica and Megan.

  “We didn’t decide on shopping for sure,” stated Megan.

  “You know we’re going to end up shopping,” added Jessica. “Don’t fight it. She will make our lives miserable if we don’t.”

  Leslie looked to Alli. “I don’t mind giving my opinion when we’re shopping.”

  “Did you see Jon? He’s not hiding from the estrogen out here, is he?” asked Sarah.

  “No. I don’t think he’s hiding. He and Isaac were drinking Zander’s scotch.”

  “Isaac is here?” Sarah moaned. “Why is he here?”

  Leslie pressed her lips together, hesitating. “I’m not sure.”

  “Jon doesn’t usually drink scotch. Were they celebrating or commiserating?”

  “They were laughing when I walked in. Can I get one of those?” Leslie asked, pointing to Alli’s margarita.

  Sarah reached back and grabbed a glass off the bar. “Do you want salt?”

  Leslie shook her head, so Sarah passed her an unsalted glass before settling back in her chair. Another thirty minutes passed with conversations about dating and Leslie’s nonexistent love life, until Jon walked out to join them.

  “Hi, ladies.” Jon smiled a gorgeous smile as he approached. It was more public than the heart-stopping one he reserved just for her, but still breath-stealing. His hands grasped Sarah’s shoulders as he bent down and whispered in her ear, “Sorry I got held up, beautiful.” He kissed the shell of her ear and a shiver shot through her.

  “What did Isaac want?” she asked.

  “Nothing important.” He grabbed a chair, pulled it next to Sarah’s, and asked, “Are you all ready for a weekend in Hollywood?”

  Chapter Three

  Sarah

  WHEN JON, SAM, AND the girls stepped out of the black stretch SUV onto the sidewalk in front of the club, Sarah could feel the excitement of the photographers ignite. “Jonathan…Jonathan!” the paparazzi shouted, hoping to be the first to get a good shot. Jonathan never went clubbing, and Sarah knew his picture, at this club, would bring top dollar.

  Quickly the energy spread to the fifty or so people waiting behind the rope barrier that zigzagged in front of the club. The women in the crowd squealed as they glimpsed Jon, and he smiled, holding up a hand in a motionless wave, leading the group to the bouncer’s station by the front door. Seeing Jon the bouncer immediately opened the gold velvet rope barrier and secured a bright gold wristband to an arm of each one in the group. Then a shorter, bulky man escorted the group past the guard stationed at the bottom of the stairs and up to the VIP area on the second floor. The girls marveled at the crowd as they scaled the snaking steps, which allowed a clear view of the multilevel dance floor and the DJ’s booth. Anticipation bubbled as the girls rose on the steps, chatting wildly as they climbed.

  The bouncer led them to a sitting area in the middle of the VIP section. It overlooked the dance floor and was very visible, so all could spy Jonathan at the club. Usually Jon would asked to be moved to a more private table, but Sarah knew he would put up with it for her friends’ sake. The group slid in around the large U-shaped black leather sofa that surrounded a glass coffee table. Embedded in the center of the glass tabletop in glowing florescent pink was the word it. The word was visible as they sat down and then faded to black. With no lights the table looked like clear glass. There was no sign of any lighting mechanism. About thirty seconds elapsed and a neon blue light reappeared shining the same two-letter word. As the word slowly bounced around the tabletop, Jon chuckled, noting the table they were assigned. Sarah had even heard about the “IT Table.” Jon’s publicist, Remi, had gossiped about it. The table was given to the biggest star in the club, and Sarah knew Remi would have been pissed if he hadn’t been seated there.

  Jon explained the significance of the table assignment to the group, and they all joked it was Sarah that made their status substantial enough to warrant such prestige. They were laughing about what Sarah had to do to get such a status when a stunning, leggy brunette who Sarah loathed slithered onto the couch next to Jon.

  She bumped shoulders with him and said, “Hey, big guy.” She beamed at him with a wink, like they shared an inside joke. “I never thought I would run into you tonight. I could never get you to come here, and I thought you’d given up clubbing altogether.”

  “Well, it’s a special occasion. We have some friends in town, and we want them to get the full star treatment.”

  “Hello, Sarah,” she said with a look that indicated there was a bad taste in her mouth.

  “It’s good to see you again,” lied Sarah with a weak smile, doing her best to be friendly. “Mia, this is Jessica, Megan, and Alli. Everyone this is Mia Thompson.” Sarah looked around the table, making eye contact briefly with each one of her friends before her eyes met Jon’s. He wrapped his hand around Sarah’s and she knew he could read her mind.

  He chose me, he chose me, Sarah repeated in her head. She wasn’t going to let Mia intimidate her tonight. With the support of her friends at her side, that was not going to happen.

  The girls exchanged niceties, before Jon’s ex asked, “How are the wedding plans coming? Am I going to get an invite?”

  Sarah couldn’t believe it. Mia actually acknowledged they were getting married. Wow. Jon must have talked to her about how she acted at the benefit. But when, and what else did they talk about? And how often did they talk? Sarah started to feel that nasty jealousy building. Why couldn’t she get past Jon’s history with Mia?

  Jon paused for a moment and then said, “I don’t know. It’s pretty exclusive. Of course you’re invited.” He chuckled as he gently squeezed Sarah’s hand, silently apologizing for his words, or maybe he was telling Sarah to let it go. She wasn’t sure.

  A server, dressed in black, suddenly appeared eager to take their drink order. “Welcome, Mr. Williams, Ms. Thompson. My name is Reanna, and I will be your server tonight. Are you ready to order?” Of course the waitress didn’t address Sarah. She wasn’t a celebrity.

  “Reanna, what’s your recommendation for these stunning women tonight?” asked Jon.

  “We have a great pomegranate martini. Our Flaming Joe is popular…and the Chameleon’s Tear is to die for,” she announced in a perky voice, doting on Jon.

  “Get the Chameleon’s Tear. It is to die for,” interjected Mia.

  “Let’s start with six of those and a Heineken.” Jon looked around the table to make sure the drink order was acceptable, and everyone nodded except Mia.

  She spoke up, “Oh…make that five…I’d like a cranberry-Seven.”

  As the server left, Jon’s eyes lit with amusement. “Wow…did you finally join AA?”

  “Very funny. Actually,” she looked around the table at the chatting group next to Jon and admitted almost proudly, “I’m pregnant.”

  Sarah watched as Jon’s face paled and then he scanned the area as if he was worried that the whole world just heard her announcement. “Wow, how’d that happen?”

  “Jon, I’m pretty sure you know how it work
s,” said Mia. She rolled her eyes at him and added, “You’re so paranoid. It’s way too loud in here for anyone to hear.”

  “Who’s the dad? Anyone I know?” Jon asked.

  Sarah acted like she was listening to Leslie at the far end of the table, but she wasn’t. She knew it had to be someone well known. Mia never dated anyone who wasn’t highly visible.

  “It’s complicated. I haven’t told him yet.”

  “He deserves to know.” Jon squeezed Sarah’s hand again. She didn’t know what it meant. Was he trying to comfort her? Did he know she was listening, or was he just nervous?

  “He’s with someone else,” Mia admitted.

  “How far along are you?” Jon’s thumb started to rub across Sarah’s wrist.

  “Far enough that it won’t be a secret much longer.” Mia looked down to the front of her dress and back up with a vulnerable expression.

  Sarah didn’t think Mia was ever vulnerable. She had never seen that side of her before.

  “Well…you should tell him soon then.” Jon put his arm around Mia’s shoulder and pulled her in for a one-armed hug. His other hand curled tighter around Sarah’s and when his eyes met Sarah’s, he smiled at her with a look of reassurance. She regarded him questioningly. Jon returned an expression of “I’ll tell you later,” and Sarah squeezed his hand gently to acknowledge what he communicated.

  The waitress came with the drinks. The Chameleon’s Tear was clear liquid with swirls of red and milky white, garnished with a long, half-inch-wide coconut shaving curled over the lip of the large martini glasses. Jon pulled his arm off Mia to sip his beer. He let go of Sarah’s hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Lovingly pulling her in next to him, he playfully pecked her cheek, and she smiled at his uncharacteristic public show of affection.

  “This is to die for, and it’s not too sweet,” admitted Jessica. “Do you know what’s in it, Mia?”

  “Vodka. Lots of vodka and some kind of designer rum. I’m not sure what the red swirl is. And be careful, because the alcohol sneaks up on you. I have to get going.” She leaned into Jon’s ear, and Sarah couldn’t hear what she said. She smiled with a nauseated look and then recomposed herself. “Kiera is going to wonder where I am. Thanks, Jon,” Mia announced, scooping up her drink and then vanishing into the crowd as quickly as she had appeared.