Shit. I almost forgot I was on the phone.
“Axel’s business contact sent him a gift basket. It’s celebratory since the deal is done.”
“Cool. Okay, back to the reason you called.”
“Right. I’m in love,” I announce with my heart full of excitement.
“No shit. Did you tell him?”
Latoya gets on my nerves.
“Yes.”
“Oh my goodness! What did he say?” Keri, the hopeless romantic squealed her question.
“That he loves me too.” Their screams force me to pull the phone away from my ear but my smile remains in place.
“Only you would go from a fake girlfriend to a whole relationship!” Latoya laughs.
“I think it’s romantic,” Keri gushes.
“Right. When Axel asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend, I knew it’d be an easy assignment.”
“More than easy. Downright pleasurable,” Latoya agrees. “Not everyone has to pretend with someone that yummy.”
“Right! He was so easy.”
“And now you’re in love,” Keri sighs.
“Sure am! I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
“You’re lucky. He’s a good catch,” Latoya agrees.
“Yeah. Who would’ve thought pretending would get us this far.”
We chat a little longer before they hang up to return to work. I push the logistics aside and focus on now. Now, I’m happy and in love. The rest can wait. My desire to hum returns as I move through the house to my office. Today will be very productive.
* * *
Axel
Every feeling of betrayal I’ve ever felt in my lifetime is peanuts compared to the body numbing pain I feel right now. It’s like that time I’d accidentally scalded by hand with my extremely hot tea—there was a flash of pain before my nerves checked out and went numb.
I’m in the back of my town car struggling to read the latest news about me. The words hurt my eyes like each one is a hot poker being tossed at them.This can’t be.I will my shaky hand to cooperate while I continue to push through some of the worst news of my life.
Oh, look. A sound clip.
“No,” I tell myself not to click it but the suspense is killing me.
I drop my phone, convinced I should speak to Heaven first. The phone is back in my hand by the time Paulo gets to the next light. There’s no way Heaven could have betrayed me.
She loves me. Well, at least I thought…
The stubborn part of me refuses to believe it.
There has to be an explanation. Fuck it.
I press play before I can talk myself out of it again.
