I try to keep my voice quiet so not to draw attention to our hidden corner, but it becomes a little screechy against my best efforts. “Your girlfriend!?” All the water in my stomach drops and the room spins for a moment. Do I want an explanation for this?
“It’s complicated.” Trey’s eyes stay on the floor, but he sweeps his hands through his hair in agitation. As if I’m the issue in this hallway.
“It’s complicated?” I can’t believe this man. I seriously can't believe him. “This isn’t fucking Facebook, Trey.”
At my use of the F word, Trey’s head pops up to meet mine again. “Mari and I have an agreement.”
He has an agreement with Mari? How fucking super-duper sweet is that? My heart thumps against my chest and the need to throw up is present again. I look past him back to the party and realize for the first time I’m exhausted. The girlfriend revelation has sucked not only the oxygen from the room, but my strength as well. I can’t handle more.
I certainly don’t want to hear him give me some crap about his agreement with Mari. I’ve dealt with enough mistresses to know sometimes the wives don’t know and other times there's anagreement.I wish guys had warning labels so you wouldn’t waste any time on the ones that turn out to be assholes.
The sigh I let out isn’t voluntary, but with it I release all my dreams of having more with Trey. “Let meuncomplicateit for you. We’re done." My voice is hard as ice and I step to the side of Trey and walk past him back to the party.
With my heart dead for the night, I’ll work on building up all the walls I’ll need to get me through this event without an issue. Trey Good is dead to me. At least until this weekend when I’ll take him out of his little box and deal with him through a pint or two of ice cream.
By the time I’m back to Roger’s side, I wear my best perky smile. He’s moved on to a new couple and hands back my bottled water without introducing me again.
When there is a lull in the conversation he turns to me. “Is everything okay?” Roger actually sounds concerned.
Before I answer Trey interrupts, “Simone, we weren’t done talking.”
Roger’s eyes widen at the comment and I involuntarily flinch before we both turn to a stony faced Trey.
“Oh, Mr. Good. Meet my boss, Roger Walters. I assure you any questions you have about starting an account with Lowry, Lowry, and Fink should go through him.” I smile at Roger and make sure to avoid eye contact with Trey.
Trey’s eyes narrow at me. “So itwasabout the account then?”
I make sure to match my tone to the hard one he asked with, “It’s always about the account, Mr. Good.”
