“I can’t tell my mom the truth. I know that.” Greg ran a hand over his face in frustration. “Maybe I could say I’m working on a project.”
I laughed at him.
“And when have you ever missed family dinner for work?” I raised my eyebrows at him in question. Greg leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Margaret Moran never stood for any of her children missing family dinner. “Maybe you could stop by for dessert when we finish the session?”
“That could work!” Greg straightened himself in his chair, the enthusiasm radiating from him. “I don’t know what I’ll tell her before then or when we’ll get there, but showing up at some point is better than not at all.”
“Well, the session is at six, we should get done by seven, and thenyoucan head straight there and get in around nine if traffic isn’t too bad.” I stated my words as a matter of fact, because I knew what he was doing. He was trying to confuse me into going with him.
“Lilly.” I looked away from him, not wanting to see the puppy-dog look on his face. “I can’t do this alone. Please.”
Nope.Wasn’t going to look at him. Wasn’t going to fall for this. Not what I needed right now. I got out of my seat and headed towards the door.
“Lilly, please.” Greg’s voice wasn’t pained, but he was begging. I couldn’t even count on my hands anymore how many times Greg had begged me to go to family dinner with him, and this was the one time I wasn’t going to give in.
“Not happening, Greg. I’ll leave any forms for you on the edge of my desk. Just pick them up when you can.” I opened the door to go back to my desk and saw Alexa and Erica waiting there. I looked up at the clock on the far wall; it was already lunch time.Shit.
“Explain yourself.” Alexa had waited until we got into Bakers, ordered our food, and were seated at a small table in the back corner before she started grilling me. This was the best sandwich shop on the block and where we always had lunch, so I knew if I stuffed my face today and didn’t say anything, I would be asked the same thing tomorrow afternoon.
“Whatever do you mean?” I bit into my spicy Italian sub, the pepperoni and salami combo fueling a hunger I didn’t know I had.
“Don’t play coy with us,” Erica chimed in and I rolled my eyes. She always had a front-row view of me pining over Greg and I hadn’t even thought about her overhearing what had happened in Greg’s office today.
Erica wasn’t just my desk mate, she was also my trainer when I started at The Ink Well and one of my best friends. She was a few years older than Alexa and I, but it never showed when she was around us. She had grown up in the city and knew all the best places, unlike Alexa and I who knew all the holes-in-the-wall on the outskirts of town. The three of us were a tight-knit group, forming a bond that no one could penetrate when Alexa moved back to Atlanta a little over a year ago. No matter what happened, I had no idea what I would do without these two.
“Fuck.” I set down my sub, not ready to deal with the repercussions of what was about to come out of my mouth. “What did you hear?”
“Enough.” Erica’s response was clipped. I narrowed my eyes at her, not sure if she was bluffing or was too embarrassed to say what she thought she knew.
“Just tell us already!” Alexa was practically jumping out of the booth with excitement.
“I don’t even know where to start.” I slumped forward and planted my face in my hands. If I pressed my eyes hard enough, I could see stars and maybe, just maybe, I could leave this planet that wasn’t my own anymore.
“Start at the easiest part!” I could hear the excitement in Erica’s voice and it made me not want to look up even more. I pressed my fingers into my eyes harder until I started to get dizzy. I lifted my head to two blurry girls and a foggy mind.
“Greg and I are married.” I said the words as fast as I could. My vision became clear enough for me to see both Erica and Alexa sitting across from me with gaping mouths.
“That was the easy part?” Alexa broke the silence. She waved her hand at me as if to ask for more. Both she and Erica were leaning over the table, practically ready to jump me to get more answers.
“We’re getting a divorce.” I made sure to show no emotion on my face. I couldn’t let the girls know that I was affected by this. That even a whole week later my heart and mind were at a tug-of-war trying to fight over if I was going to let this relationship with Greg continue or not.
“Wait.” Alexa spoke up. She looked from me to Erica and then back to me. “I’m confused. Divorce?”
I picked up my iced tea and took a sip.
“It was a mistake.” I shrugged my shoulders at the comment, like it didn’t mean anything to me.
“How is getting married to the man you love a mistake?” I swatted at Erica for her comment and looked around the restaurant to make sure no one else from work was there.
“Will you shut up with the L word?” I zoned back in on Erica. She was never one to be this hot-lipped. I may have mentioned the word “love” about six months ago. It was a night full of drinks and too many romance movies. I had made an off comment on how I wished they were Greg and me, and then the girls started drilling my ass about it. But drunk nights weren’t supposed to be brought up at a later event. That was the rule, but clearly the rule didn’t matter right now.
“Well, it’s not like it’s a lie. You love him, so what’s the problem?”
“The problem is that we won’t last. As much as I want us to, we won’t.” I held up my hand before either of them could say anything. “We’ll implode, I just know it. We are too much alike and I don’t even know if he’ll stay with me.”
“What are you talking about crazy woman?!”
“Shhhh!” I slapped Alexa across the arm. “Don’t be so loud.”
