Cookie Moretti
Big Fat Liar
Book 2
Note: Big Fat Liar Book 2 is the continuation of Big Fat Liar Book 1. Since Book 1 ended with Chapter Six, Book 2 will begin at Chapter Seven. If you haven’t read Book 1, please do to be able to follow along Chris and Callie’s storyline. Thank you.
-Cookie Moretti
Chapter Seven
Callie stared at the open golf course and nearly tripped over herself trying to run back to the car.
"Uh-uh," Chris caught her shoulders and stopped her before she could make it to his car. "I don't think so buddy."
"That thing will kill me!" Callie cried. "I'll die before I could even make it half way around it!"
"Don't be so dramatic," Chris tsked at her and forced her to turn right back around to face the golf course. "This is a perfect jogging site."
Callie stared miserably at the wide golf course on the hill below them. It looked like it stretched in a circle for miles upon miles. There was no way she could walk around it in a day and Chris expected her to walk around it in at least two hours!
Mouth going dry, she licked her lips and looked up at Chris. "How long is the course?"
Chris's brows furrowed as he began to stretch, bending down to touch his hand to his white Nikes. "I think it's about three miles."
"Three miles!?" Yup. She was going to die today.
Chris shot her a look. "It's not as bad as it sounds, Cal."
"I'm over one hundred pounds overweight!" Callie pointed to the field. "To me, that looks like a death valley! Look at those hills!"
Chris sighed, shaking his head at Callie's theatrics as he continued to stretch. "You just gotta get used to walking around the course, that's all. Come here everyday and you'll be a pro."
Callie's eyes went wide at the thought of having walk around the golf course everyday. "Admit it," she whined, "you hate me. This is a way to punish me."
Why? Why had she agreed to this in the first place? Oh yeah, Chris had somehow talked her into exercising this way since she refused to step foot in a gym all because she was too embarrassed to.
"I-I think I'll join the gym with you now," she said weakly. Surely the gym didn't have death courses like this.
"You'll be fine," Chris told her, straightening. He sent two girls jogging past them one of his killer smiles. Callie watched the girls duck their heads and giggle.
"That's just sick," she muttered, jealousy setting in.
"Don't be jealous," Chris grinned at her, completely clueless of whom she was really jealous of.
"Hmph!" Callie faced the golf course and sighed. The sky was beautifully blue, the morning air chilly but pleasant. Yes...it was a good day to die this fine Friday morning.
I should have agreed to meet my mother today, Callie thought with another sigh. She could have avoided going to the golf course with Chris but noooooooo, she had to refuse her mother's invitation to breakfast because she had been afraid that her mother would recognize her to be the person she had seen at the Fireman's Ball.
Her mother hadn't mentioned the ball during their conversation on the phone yesterday but she had mentioned that she and the family will be in Seattle til Sunday. Apparently Richard and Greg were looking at estates here in good ol' Seattle.
"Come on," Callie heard Chris say, "start stretching. Don't wanna pull a muscle while running, do you?"
"Abel's right," she sneered at him, "you're a tyrant."
Huffing, she tried to copy Chris's stretching routine and all about gave up five minutes into it. Geez, the guy could bend! Pretending to stretch, Callie surreptitiously ogled the man beside her, admiring his flexing muscles.
Attired in black running shorts and a sleeveless white shirt, Chris looked fit and trim and far too tempting for his own good. She loved how the soft breeze rustled against his short dark blonde hair, loved watching the look of concentration on his gorgeous face as he stretched.
"Okay." Chris straightened, rolling his shoulders. "Ready?"
"No," Callie snapped and moaned as she straightened up, hands automatically going on her back to sooth it. While drooling over him, she had stayed in a bending position way too long. "Do I have to?"
"You promised. It was one of the conditions for me forgiving you, remember?"
"You suck." Of course she remembered. Yesterday when they had argued then made up, he had made her promise to start working out to lose weight. To please him, she had eagerly agreed but regretted it ever since.
Chris picked up the black radio beside his feet. "Listening to music should help pump you up."
"Yay," Callie grumbled unenthusiastically.
"I have a mix CD in it," Chris told her, ignoring her sour mood. "You got any preference?"
"Do you have Spice Girls?" When he shot her a funny look she shot back defensively, "What?"
"Spice Girls?" Chris shook his head. "Dude, your taste in music is just so..."
"Girly?" She offered when he trailed off.
"Yeah." He frowned. "Now that you mention it."
Callie thought about telling him the truth right then and there but decided against it. She wasn't prepared for that yet. Clicking her tongue, she lifted a brow at him. "Abel told me that you still think that I'm gay."
Chris avoided meeting her eyes, looking completely guilty. "Maybe." He glanced at her. "Are you?"
"Am I what?"
"Gay? I won't judge you," he added quickly.
"You already are," Callie snorted. "Come on and let's get this over with." Let him think that she was gay, it was probably better that way. It would let her get away with a whole hell of a lot more than a straight guy would.
Not even ten minutes into running down the hill just to get to the flat surface of the golf course she was already sweating and tired. Panting, she started to drag her feet.
"Come on Cal!" Chris shouted at her several feet down the hill. "You can do it! Almost there, buddy!"
"I hate you!" She shouted at him. Her heart was racing like mad and her chest burned. Jogging just wasn't for her. She was sweating like a hog! She should have just worn lighter clothes like Chris had suggested before coming here but instead she opted to wear one of her black sweat pants and thick grey hoodies.
"Come on slow poke," Chris said, jogging up towards her. "You're almost there. Nothing like a good jog down a hill to get your blood pumping."
Callie ignored him and continued to drag herself down the hill. Sir Mix A Lot's song "Baby Got Back" blasted on the radio Chris was carrying on his shoulder and Callie had to snort. And he had the nerve to talk about her taste in music. Ha!
"I'm dying," she moaned when she finally reached the bottom of the hill. Limbs feeling limp, she dropped down on her knees and pressed her left cheek against the cool surface of the grass. Her round butt stuck way up in the air but she didn't care. The cool grass felt soooo good.
"Come on," Chris planted his foot on her butt. "Get up."
Groaning, she rolled on her back and blinked up at him. "I think I'm seeing double! I can't go on. Just leave me here, Chris, I'm done for." Dramatically, she reached her left hand towards the sky. "I think I hear the angels calling me to join them."
Chris rolled his eyes. "You're hardly dying, Cal. You barely jogged down that hill."
"Go on," Callie insisted weakly, "I'm done for. Tell my mother that I hate her and tell my sisters I'll see them in hell."
"I thought you were hearing angels."
"Shut up, Chris. Let me rest. I'm not used to this."
"Cal, buddy," Chris said, placing the radio on the grass before laying on his back beside Callie, "we seriously need to build your stamina." He tucked his hands under his head and turned his head
to the side to look at her. "There's no way you can make it around the course with an attitude like yours."
"Lay off of me," Callie grumbled, feeling bullied. "Just give me time. What's the friggin' rush?"
Chris shrugged. "I guess nothing. I'm just excited that you decided to take charge of your life. Losing weight is the first step."
"I thought you said it's the inside that counts."
"It is...but it can't hurt trying to stay fit and healthy so you can live longer."
Callie tried to kick him but failed. "Hah, you have an answer for everything, don't you?"
Chris smiled, looking cocky again. Damn, she loved the crooked cocky smile of his.
"Oh yeah," he began, "Brenda wants to apologize of the way she acted last Friday."
Brenda? Callie looked at him. "You...you're still going out with her?"
"Yup." Feeling restless, Chris turned to his stomach and started doing push-ups.
Callie watched him, admiring his biceps but at the same time feeling a little panicky. For as long as she's known him, which is just a little over two months, he's never stayed with a girl for long. One week had always been the max and if she calculated correctly, Chris has been with Brenda going on over two weeks now.
Clearing her throat, she turned to her stomach and tried to follow his lead in doing push-ups but gave up quickly. She couldn't even hold her on weight. How embarrassing! Chris had seen what she tried to do and shook his head, a little amused grin playing across his lips.
"So..." Callie started as casually as she could without trying to seem too interested. "You're still with Brenda, huh?"
Chris sent her a funny look, turning on his back to do sit-ups. "Didn't I just say that?"
"Y-yeah but...it's kind of surprising. From my experience, you have a different girl every week."
Chris stopped midway in his sit up and frowned. "Huh, guess you're right. Guess Brenda is different." He continued his sit-ups.
Different? Damn, that didn't sound good.
"Different?"
"Brenda's...smart."
"And the other girls weren't? I thought one of the other girls you dated was a brain surgeon."
Chris dropped down on his back and looked at her. "Brenda's...cool."
"Cool? And the other girls weren't?"
Chris lifted a brow at her. "Why are you so curious about my relationship with Brenda all of a sudden?"
Callie kept her face blank, shrugging her shoulders as if it didn't matter. "I'm just surprised, that's all. She must be something if you're still with her. You. Mr. Casanova."
He chuckled. "Mr. Casanova? I like the sound of that. Anyway, Brenda wants to apologize and invited you and Susan to go out to play."
Callie looked at him with horror. "Not another date!"
Chris laughed at her expression. "No, just friends getting together."
"I don't wanna go."
"Come on, Cal, it's important to her. She feels really bad for yelling at you and since she knows that you're my best friend, she feels even worse. Give her a break and go."
Callie groaned. "Is it important to you that I go?"
Chris's brows furrowed. "Yeah...yeah I think it is. I want you and Brenda to get along. You're both important to me."
Callie groaned again, wishing that she hadn't even asked and that he hadn't answered. His words melted her heart. Sure she wasn't important to him in the same way Brenda was important to him but still...she felt special for being an important person in his life.
"Where will we be going?"
Chris grinned charmingly at her. "Golf World."
Callie's eyes widened. "The new amusement park?"
"Uh huh."
She eyed him suspiciously. "You suggested that place to her, didn't you? Just to mess with me." He had probably known that after this little jog around the golf course that she would never want to see a golf course again, even a fake one.
Chris wiggled his brows. "Maybe."
"Oh you!" She tried to lift her pudgy leg to kick him but he jumped up and dodged it with a laugh.
"Come on, buddy." Chris bent down and grabbed her hands. "Get up so we can continue."
Callie moaned and leaned back. "I don't wanna!"
"Stop being a baby." He pulled harder. "Get up."
"If I say I'll go to that stupid amusement park, will you get a golf cart and pick me up?"
"Cal!"
Sighing, Callie reluctantly let him help her up. "If I die here, I'm gonna haunt you, you know that right?"
"Yeah, yeah." Chris picked up the radio. "I'll tell Brenda you said yes."
"Hey!" Callie glared at him. "I haven't agreed to it yet."
"Then catch me if you don't wanna go." Chris crooked a finger at her, a teasing closed lip smile on his face.
"That's not fair!" Callie cried when he started running away. "Come back here!" She started jogging after him but of course in the end she didn't catch up to him until she admitted defeat and grudgingly agreed to go.
***
Sunday came all too soon for Callie because it was the day where she was to go with Chris and his girlfriend to Golf World. Susan had canceled in the last minute.
"I'm gonna feel like the third wheel," she was telling Chris as they walked towards his car parked in front of their apartment.
"You're not," Chris assured her.
"Why did Susan cancel?"
Chris walked around the car to the driver's side and unlocked the doors. "Something about family." He opened his door and slid inside.
"Yeah right," Callie grumbled, opening the passenger door and wiggled in the car. "She's the smart one. She knows how to avoid a walking disaster." She slammed the door close at the same time Chris closed his.
"Cal, you're not a walking disaster." Chris sent her a look that told her that he thought that she was being absurd. He started the engine and put his seatbelt on.
Callie followed suit and fastened her seat belt. "It's true. I am a walking disaster."
"Cal, shut up. You're just grumpy that I'm making you go."
"Damn straight I am."
Chris shook his head as he drove away from the curve. "Look, I knew you were going to be this way when you found out that Susan canceled so I called Abel to ask him to join us."
Callie perked up at the mention of her new favorite person. "Did he say yes?"
"He said he'd meet us there."
Callie clapped her hands, instantly giddy at the thought of seeing Abel again. "Yay!"
Chris rolled his eyes. "Like my brother, do you?"
"He's awesome!"
"Hmm." Chris stopped the car on the red light. "So," he glanced at her, "you like him better than me?"
Callie felt her cheeks starting to redden so she ducked her head. "Uh...well...I...that's different. Of course I like you better."
"So I'm more awesome?"
"Yes."
"Good." Chris grinned and turned left on the green light. "I'll tell him you said that."
Callie's head shot up and she punched his arm. "You jerk."
Chris chuckled.
All too soon they reached Brenda's house. Callie grudgingly stepped out the car to climb in the back seat to let the other woman sit in the front. Of course Brenda didn't look any different from the last time she had seen her. Brenda was still exotically beautiful with her Asian features and slender frame in a purple dress with a shiny black belt around the waist. She left her long black hair down and Callie got a whiff of her perfume as she slid in the front seat.
Well someone's a fan of Britney Spears, Callie thought, recognizing the scent. Her sister, Sarah, had the same taste in perfumes.
"Hello, Cal," Brenda turned and smiled at her. "I'm sorry about last Friday. I was rude."
Callie shrugged. "It was my fault so you have nothing to apologize about."
Brenda turned back around and kissed Chris on the lips. "You're right. He's nice."
From the back seat, Callie made faces at them and pretended to gag. Chri
s caught the gagging part and sent her a "be nice" look. Callie settled back down and blushed at getting caught. She didn't know why she didn't like Brenda. Okay, maybe it's because she was jealous but there was just something fishy about the other woman. She just seemed so...fake.
Not like I'm one to talk, Callie thought solemnly. I'm the one masquerading as a guy.
It took only fifteen minutes to get to Golf World. It was eight at night but the place was still packed with noisy teens and kids with their family. There were also people around their age group on dates or just hanging around with their friends. Callie looked up at the huge pink golf ball on top of the amusement park building, hoping that her bad luck didn't cause it to fall right on top of her.
"Darling!" Abel cried as soon as he saw them walking towards the entrance. He opened his arms wide and rushed towards them. Brenda smiled and opened her arms to hug him only to stop short when he walked right past her to Callie. Abel hugged Callie and gave her air kisses. "It's been forever!"
Callie laughed and returned his air kisses. "Too long. Hi, Abel." She made sure to pronounce his name as "Uh-belle" to please him.
Abel linked their right arms together. "You're looking radiant and what's this? Did you lose some weight?"
Callie blushed and nodded. "Just a little." She had lost some weight in her little week of isolation from the world. The two day work out with Chris probably contributed as well. On Friday it had been the golf course of death and on Saturday he had coerced her into going into their apartment gym since she still wouldn't join the YMCA with him.
"Well, you look good." Abel patted her hand. "I approve."
"Hello, Abel," Brenda smiled at Chris' brother. "It's nice to see you again."
Abel waved a graceful hand. "It's always nice to see me. I'm fabulous like that."
Callie hid her smile. So Abel didn't like Brenda either, huh? What a small world.
"Did you reserve a table for us like I asked you to?" Chris asked Abel, shooting him the same "be nice" look he had sent Callie earlier.
"A table?" Abel rolled his eyes. "Honey, I reserved a whole party room. Come, come, I'll show you the way."
"I don't think he likes me," Callie heard Brenda murmuring pathetically to Chris as she and Abel passed them. Chris kissed her forehead to soothe her.
Big Fat Liar 2 (Big Fat Liar #2) Page 1
