Cruel Fate
Cat’s stare heats my skin as I hang up the phone, and I nervously swallow as my eyes slide over to her. This place is packed tonight, but even my hushed tone and the noise of the bustling restaurant couldn’t keep her from eavesdropping on the conversation with my editor.
Her elbows slide across the wooden table as she leans in. “What the hell was that? Why on earth would you give the story to someone else?”
My cheeks flush, making me thankful for the low lighting. Rolling my eyes, I pick up my frozen drink and take a big sip. With this one exception, I typically tell my best friend everything. In fact, she often scolds me for oversharing. But I really wish I hadn’t taken that call in front of her. Now she’s going to expect me to explain why I passed on a front-page story, and I simply refuse to divulge that information. Mostly because doing so would mean admitting out loud I’d let a man get under my skin.
She’s still looking at me expectantly as I place my glass back on the table, sighing in frustration. “What exactly did you not understand?”
She scrunches her face. “Don’t be a bitch.”
My lips curl into a smile and I shrug a shoulder. “Sorry, that’s my natural state.”
Her features soften, and she lets out a light giggle. “True, but you’ve been a little extra for some time now.”
She isn’t wrong. I’ve been in a shitty mood for weeks. Possibly because, for the first time in my adult life, I’ve been abstaining from sex. Doing so hasn’t exactly been by choice, it’s that asshole’s fault. Fucking Officer Steven Duncan. That night at his house and the following morning royally screwed with my head. All his talk about wanting to spend time with me was nothing more than mind games, I know that, but shit if it didn’t work like a charm.
Not only did I have a momentary lapse in judgement by leaving him my number—due in part to his extremely talented mouth—but I also haven’t been able to get him out of my damn thoughts. I’ve even shamefully slept in the police academy shirt I’d stolen from him—more than once and unwashed because I don’t want to get rid of the comforting piney smell.
After that night, every time I tried to hook up with a guy, the officer would pop-up, and I found myself comparing my current conquest to him. None of them came anywhere close to the impossibly high bar he set.
Officer Asshole was persistent at first, calling me every couple days, but then it suddenly stopped. I should be relieved he’s backed off. Except, I’m letting him fuck with my career. The story I turned down tonight wasn’t the first one I’ve said no to. I’ve been avoiding any story that might involve dealing with the Smyth Police Department in fear of seeing him again.
I’ve been in a funk for weeks, not even wanting to leave my house. Cat had to practically beg me to meet her at our favorite restaurant tonight, luring me with the temptation of cheese fries dipped in ranch and a wallaby darned—the best mixed drink ever invented.
Cat’s hand waves in front of my face, forcing me to focus my gaze on her again. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you?”
“Nothing to tell. I’m sorry if I’ve been extra cranky, I’m worried about Julianna.” That isn’t a complete lie. When my baby sister came to visit last month, I could tell how unhappy she was. Lord knows she hasn’t been happy for years, even before she married that prick Christopher, but she’s usually able to at least fake it. “As for turning down the story, my best friend called me out tonight because she has some big news to share with me. That’s my priority right now. There’s always another story.” Cat’s eyes do that thing they do when she’s feeling all lovey and emotional, and I narrow mine back at her in return as she makes a cooing sound. “So, are you planning to keep me in suspense all night or what?”
A smile spreads across her face, and I notice it then: this glow about her. Cat looks happy, genuinely happy. She’s not the type of person to dwell on things, and you almost never know if something is bothering her because she always puts on a brave face. But I know the past couple years have taken their toll. After her sister’s husband died, making Lizzy a widowed mother of two, she fell apart. Cat’s been there picking up the pieces and trying to put them back together. Maybe now that her sister finally seems to be doing better, she’s allowing herself to have a life again.
“Do you remember me telling you about the really hot cop I met at the hospital the night of Xander’s accident?”
The mention of a hot cop causes my stomach to knot a little, but I ignore it and nod my head. “Yeah, you said he was the one who told Lizzy about the accident and escorted her to the hospital.”
Her smile beams even brighter, and there’s a dreamy look to her eyes as she nods. “Yep, that’s the one. He stayed with her until I got there,” she says, dramatically pressing a hand over her heart. “I’ll never forget how authentic his worry and concern for her was.”
The urge to roll my eyes and groan in disgust is strong, but she seems to be in good spirits. I don’t want to rain on her parade with my bullshit tonight, so I only motion for her to go on with the story.
She bats my hand. “Anyway, I ran into him again while I was getting coffee a couple weeks ago and we ended up talking. Talking led to an exchange of numbers, which led to a couple dates.”
I hate the twist in my gut as I listen to her story. It’s not that I’m not happy for her, because I am. Cat’s a different breed entirely from me. I tend to avoid relationships and commitments, while Cat always seems to be searching for her one true love, and she’s met a lot of duds along the way. I’m glad she’s finally met a guy who seems worthy of her, but I can’t help feeling a little jealous of the normalcy of her story. Girl meets guy, guy takes girl on a date. I have a similar story of meeting a guy in a coffee shop, only mine ended with me running away.
“Did you really have me meet you here to tell me you finally got laid?” I tease.
She presses her lips into a thin line, but I can see the amusement in her eyes. She knows I’m only teasing her. It’s my version of showing someone I care.
“No, heifer,” she says, flipping me the bird. “Normal people like to get to know each other before they have sex, and we’ve only been on two dates.”
“Yeah, okay, sure. You’re the norm. Whatever,” I scoff. “Well, I’m happy for you, but couldn’t you have told me all this over the phone or somewhere we could have stayed in our pajamas?”
“Don’t get mad,” she says, giving me a grin that’s all teeth. “But I asked him to meet me here too.”
I let out a sigh and lean back in my chair as I cross my arms. “Why in the world would you do that? I don’t want to sit in on your date. That’s weird.”
“Because you’re my person, and I really like this guy. Before I take things any further, I need to know the two of you can get along.”
“It sounds to me like you’re setting us both up for failure, Cat. You know I’m not a people person. I don’t get along with anyone.”
“That’s not true. You get along with me, and I think you’ll like him. Steven and I have a lot in common. We’re a lot alike.”
My head begins to spin as I blink at her. I stopped breathing the second the name Steven came out of her mouth. It had to be a coincidence, right? There’s likely several cops named Steven in this county alone. I mean, fate is a bitch, but that would be cruel.
“Does your silence mean you’ll stay?” She gives me sad puppy dog eyes as I try not to throw up.
In lieu of attempting to speak, I nod my head and force a weak smile. She bounces in her seat and squeals with excitement.
“Thank you,” she coos. “You’re awesome and I love you.”
Waving off her words, I tell myself to breathe, but my heart is in my throat. As I pick up my drink and polish off its contents, she picks up her purse, then stands.
“I’m going to the bathroom to freshen up, he should be here any minute. I sent him a text telling him where we’re sitting. So, if you see a handsome wayward man before I get back, he’s probably mine.”
Mine. She winks at me and giggles as that one-word echoes in my head, then turns on her heel toward the ladies’ room.
“Cat, wait!” She looks over her shoulder at me, her eyebrows raised. “What did you say his name was again?”
The same warm smile lights her face, causing a heaviness on my chest.
“His name’s Steven. Steven Duncan.”
My features are schooled as she walks away with a spring in her step, but inside, I’m freaking the fuck out. There’s no way I can stay now, but Cat will be so upset if I bail, and how the heck would I explain that to her?
Without even realizing it, I grab my bag and jump to my feet, my flight instinct kicking in. My mind is still racing as I begin to walk away from the table. But I don’t make it far before I’m forced to halt to avoid colliding with someone.
My eyes lift, and my body goes rigid.
“Lori?”
She doesn’t move or speak. She merely stands there like a deer in headlights. Two months. That’s how long I spent trying to get her to give me a chance. Countless phone calls and voicemails, hours wasted hoping I’d run into her. It’s been three months since I first laid eyes on her, and I spent two chasing her.
Then, about a month ago, while I was stalking the same coffee house where I first saw her, I met someone who enjoys my company. So, of course she would show up now, right on time to fuck up my date.
I have a good thing going with Cat. She’s smart, funny, beautiful, and most importantly, she doesn’t get skittish about the possibility of building a real relationship with someone. She didn’t run away and stop speaking to me when I asked her out on a date. Still, if Lori wanted to walk out of here with me right now, I would do it in a heartbeat.
“So, you’re refusing to speak to me in person now too?” My question comes out harsher than I intended. I try to cover it up with a laugh, but it too is short and sharp.
Lori’s expression sours and she turns to look over her shoulder. Mask back in place, her gaze returns to me. She folds her arms, her weight shifting to the right and hip popping out to the side. “People normally speak to each other when they have something to say, and you and I have nothing to talk about.”
This woman is infuriating, but I can’t help smiling at her response. She works so hard at putting up this rough exterior, but she can’t fool me, I’ve seen signs of the soft interior she’s trying to protect.
“Well, I disagree. I think we have plenty to talk about.”
“You’re right.” She gives me a crooked smile, but her eyes look almost sad. “We have plenty to talk about now.”
“Oh yeah, what’s that?”
She looks over her shoulder again, almost as if she’s searching for someone. When she gives me her attention, she seems nervous, teeth scraping over her bottom lip and posture straightening.
“Cat,” she says.
Not realizing she’s answering my question, I shake my head in confusion. She presses her lips together, her eyebrows raising, and it hits me.
“Cat?”
Fuck, Cat! I’m supposed to be meeting her, not standing here talking to Lori. Wait…what does Lori know about Cat? My eyes move past Lori to the back of the restaurant where Cat told me she was sitting, but I don’t see her.
“That’s right, Cat, as in the woman you’re seeing. Cat, as in my best friend.” My stomach drops, and I feel like I may be sick. Cat told me her best friend was going to meet us here tonight, but I guess she never mentioned her name. How is this happening right now? “Well, I was going to ask if you knew she and I were friends, but the way your face drained of all its color, I’m guessing you didn’t.”
I shake my head and run a hand through my hair, and she sighs as her gaze flickers away again, then back.
“Come on,” she says, turning and motioning for me to follow. “We need to sit before she comes back.”
My head is reeling as I try to process what’s happening, but I follow her to a table only a few steps away, then take a seat across from her. A silence falls between us, my eyes studying her while hers avoid me altogether. A thousand things are running through my mind—mostly a lot of cursing—none of it appropriate to say aloud. All that time spent holding onto faith that fate would find a way to bring Lori back into my life, I never dreamed this would be the way it would happen.
“She’s really happy.” Lori’s eyes finally focus on me, but I almost wish they hadn’t. There’s a despair in them that leaves me feeling like someone punched me in the stomach. “You’re making my best friend happy, and that makes me happy. She doesn’t need to know anything about what transpired between us before the two of you met. None of that matters now.”
“It matters to me,” I say.
There’s another glimmer of sadness in her eyes as she shakes her head. She opens her mouth as if to say something, but closes it without uttering a word when something draws her attention. She sits back in her chair, clearing her throat as she plasters a big smile on her face.
“What are you two talking about so intently over here?” I look over at Cat as she steps up to the table, then stand to greet her with a kiss on the cheek before pulling out her chair. When my gaze lands on Lori again, she’s watching us with a stoic expression on her face.
She sent a clear message when she ran from me that morning then continued to evade all my attempts to contact her. And now she’s telling me she wants me to be with Cat—to pretend as if she hadn’t rocked my world when she walked into it. So, why do I feel this unease in my gut? Probably because, given the choice, I’d choose Lori. I know that’s not fair to Cat, but it’s not my choice, it’s Lori’s. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that her decision is less about not choosing me and more about not choosing herself.