Chapter 40 – Brent
“So. When are you going to tell her?”
It’s after dinner, and Nikki and I are walking back to my apartment. I’d known she was going to bring this up as soon as we were out of earshot, and yet I’m still not quite prepared for it.
“Thanks for covering for me back there,” is what I say.
“That’s not an answer. And you’re welcome.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to tell her, it’s just that…”
“The last time you told someone the whole relationship turned out to be a giant fire-breathing disaster that you’re still getting over?” Nikki supplies.
“More or less.” She’s not wrong. “But for the record, I’m over Kelly.”
“Just not what she did to you. The way she violated your trust and messed with your head.”
“Exactly!”
“So your solution is to violate your new girlfriend’s trust instead.”
“What?” That actually surprises me. “That’s not what I’m doing at all! And she’s not my girl—”
“Little bit.” Nikki shoots back. “Look, I get it. I’m not faulting you for keeping things closer to the vest this time around. All I’m saying is you can’t do it forever. After a while, it stops becoming ‘keeping personal things personal’ and starts becoming more like ‘misleading,’ which is an awful lot like ‘lying.’”
She’s right. I can’t keep doing this forever. That is, if I want any kind of a future with Amelia at all, I can’t keep doing this for much longer. The word “forever,” especially this early on in the relationship, is scary, even though I can see it happening— shit. Wow, that’s deep. Really deep. I can’t even believe I’m having these fucking thoughts. So, I’ll just concentrate on the here and now. Something has got to change.
Leave it to my best friend to talk sense into me, as usual.
I’m glad dinner went so well with Amelia. It was the first normal “couple” thing we’ve done together (Oh, my God, are we a couple?) I’m glad everything’s going so well. But I have to tell her soon, before that all changes.
Chapter 41 – Amelia
“This weekend can’t come fast enough.” I groan, and look at the pile of case files on my desk the way I imagine the Pharaoh looked at Moses the first time he demanded his people’s freedom. Except the files were the ones keeping me here, not the other way around. It wasn’t a perfect metaphor.
“You have no idea how jealous I am.” Rosa’s voice comes through my phone speaker. This is a habit we’d long-ago perfected: Our offices are on different sides of the floor, but we both have inter-office phone lines, so when there’s something juicy and fun to talk about (like an impending romantic getaway), we just hop on the line.
“Actually, I do, because you’ve said that roughly seventeen times a day for the last three days.”
I’m only half kidding.
“Well, it’s important that you realize what an opportunity you’ve got in front of you!” Rosa sounds almost stern. “A free weekend away? Drinking wine and eating cheese? Staying in a fancy suite? You are gonna get some. And more importantly, it’s practically a guarantee that he thinks this is more than just a fling.”
“You really think so?” It’s not that the thought hadn’t already crossed my mind, it’s just that I’d always figured things like that only worked out for women who dated Hugh Grant.
“Of course I do. And so do you! Not to mention, a weekend away will be your perfect chance to unravel the mystery of the man.”
“The mystery?”
“Don’t you play dumb with me, lady. The mystery of your new guy’s autograph seekers!”
“Rosa, that was just a silly mistake! Even if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t want to pry.”
“Sweetie, the last time you didn’t pry, your guy was sleeping in someone else’s penthouse.”
I don’t have a retort for that, and the line goes silent for a few seconds. Then:
“Too soon?”
“Little bit.”
“Fair enough. Seriously, Amelia. You know I’m happy for you, and I like this guy, but it never hurts to ask for a little honesty. Not in the long run.”
“I know, you’re right.”
“Yes I am. And I’m also right about waiting to ask for that honesty until after you get a little wine into him.…and a little him into you.”
“You should write greeting cards, you know that?”