“Yeah, but I would never ask that of you.”
“You could, you know…” she offered.
I felt embarrassment wash over me. My friends had been talking about me, expressing their worries over my mess of a life. I didn’t want to lie to them anymore. We never lied to each other, no matter how messy our lives got.
“I appreciate the offer, but no. Idohave debt to deal with. A lot of it. But I’m figuring it out.”
I felt even more vulnerable standing in front of her in my bra and underwear, so I grabbed a white linen sundress from the hanger and slid it over my head.
“I’m trying to find a new place, too. One that doesn’t cost as much,” I said assuredly as I tied the back of the dress.
“And what about this whole thing with your boss?” she asked sharply.
I did my best to avoid her eyes she narrowed at me in the mirror.
“He’s an asshole, yes. Impossible to please, yes. Except for maybe in the sheets.” I laughed softly, trying to lighten the mood. “But it’s nothing I can’t handle. I got my raise, didn’t I?”
“Yes, but after you slept with him…” said Erica cautiously.
“What are you trying to say?” I asked, turning to face her. I didn’t like where she was going with this. I earned that raise, and not by sleeping with Jeremiah. Didn’t I?
She nervously tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear before clearing her throat.
“I’m just saying that sleeping with your boss is…complicated. And now he’s paying you more money after having sex with you? I just want you to be careful.”
“I will be,” I said. I turned back toward the mirror and looked at myself in the dress. I didn’t feel as confident as I did before, like this shopping trip was tainted by Erica’s worried look in her eyes. It wasn’t her fault. She had every right to be concerned. That was what best friends did. They looked out for each other. I had been in her shoes not that long ago.
“I think I’m shopped out,” I said, slipping off the dress and hanging it on the “no” rack.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
She nodded before opening the door and calling for the attendant to come roll out the rack of clothes I had decided on.
After I paid, we stopped by a nearby diner to grab a bite to eat, my large white shopping bags in tow. We ordered cheeseburgers, fries, and strawberry milkshakes. As we indulged in our greasy meal, we didn’t talk about Jeremiah again. Even so, Erica’s warning was flickering in my mind like a neon sign.
Chapter 18
Jeremiah
“Has a Sadie Lane checked in yet?” I asked the attendant, drumming my fingers on the frosted glass counter with the airline’s logo embedded largely on the glossy surface.
I watched her eyes scan the computer lazily for the second time. I had asked ten minutes ago, wondering if I had somehow missed seeing Sadie come through the sliding doors to the lounge. It was a large enough lounge to miss her.
“No, still no Sadie Lane here,” said the attendant, giving me a weak smile.
“Thank you.” I nodded and pushed away from the countertop before finding a seat in a plush leather armchair that faced the doors of the lounge. The chair groaned as I eased into it. I crossed my ankle over my knee and picked up a newspaper fromthe table beside me. I skimmed over the business section, but my brain didn’t really absorb any of the black and white text.
Where the hell was she?
I checked my watch. She was nearly thirty minutes late. I had sent her our flight itinerary and told her what time to meet me at the airport lounge, but I hadn’t heard from her all morning. I sighed as I looked around the brightly lit lounge with its white walls and modern, glass bulbed chandeliers above. I almost chartered a private plane, but decided to book through the airline. Luxury business class would be fine. The flight was short enough to deal with it.
I was just about to shoot her a text demanding to know where she was, when I saw the frosted glass sliding doors open and Sadie walk in. She looked flushed like she had been running, a bag slung over her shoulder, as she looked at the ticket in her hands. She seemed lost. Sadie double-checked her ticket and looked around the lounge, until her eyes landed on me. She didn’t smile or wave, but just walked toward me.
I looked her up and down in confusion. She wore a pair of black leggings, a white oversized sweater, and white high-top sneakers that looked brand new. I wondered if she had used my bonus check of five thousand dollars to buy sneakers, the thought slightly pissing me off. The idea had been for her to buy business clothes. I hoped she hadn’t just spent it on sneakers.
And what was with the duffel bag? It hung on her shoulder as if it were weighing her down. A suitcase would have been muchmore practical. I wondered how she managed to pack everything she needed in the black nylon bag. Sure, it was a three-day trip, but between meetings and dinners, she would need quite a few changes of clothes and shoes.
