"Sorry, but I'm going to the game with Annette and she already made plans for dinner. We're going to that new sushi place. Have you been there? I've heard it's amazing."
"Um, no. I'm not sure which place you're talking about."
"The one that just opened. Everyone's raving about it. I can't wait to try it! So anyway, what's new with you?"
"I got a job."
"A job?" She laughs, but I don't know why that's funny. "Doing what?"
"Tutoring. It's only a few nights a week but it'll give me some extra cash."
She doesn't respond.
"Jane, did you hear me?"
"Yeah. Sorry, I was texting Leesa. She was asking me what to wear. She got this new yellow blouse and just sent me a picture of it. She's still obsessed with yellow, even though it looks horrible on her. She needs to stick with bright pink or royal blue. They're the only colors that look good on her, don't you think?"
"Um, yeah, I guess. But if she really likes the yellow, she should just wear it."
"And have everyone at the cafe stare at us? I don't think so. She can wear that hideous yellow at home in her room. I refuse to be seen with her wearing that."
Wow. Was Jane always that shallow? WasI? Maybe I was and didn't even realize it.
I change topics. "So have you talked to Chad today?"
"No, but I heard he might try out for the tennis team. Apparently Tamara talked him into it. You heard she's back, right?"
That uneasy feeling returns.
"Tamara talked him into it? Are you sure?"
"Yeah. She told me. She said she's trying out for the women's team and needs someone to practice with her. She's taking lessons at the club."
Chad has a tennis lesson today. Is Tamara going to be there? She has a boyfriend. Why is she so eager to hang out with mine?
"What else did she say?" I ask. "Did she tell you anything about her boyfriend?"
"Enrique? He's not really a boyfriend. They just go to events together. You should see this guy. He's gorgeous. Too bad they're not a real couple. They'd have beautiful kids someday."
So the boyfriend is fake, which means Tamara is single.
"Jane, can I ask you something?"
"Sure. Go ahead."
"If you found out Chad was cheating on me, would you tell me?"
She laughs. "Chad wouldn't cheat on you. Why would you even say that?"
"I know Chad loves me but he's been acting strange the past few days. Like he doesn't want to see me."
"He's just stressing about school. You know how he gets the first week. He always stresses and then calms down."
"Yeah, I guess," I say, unconvincingly.
"Brook, there's no way Chad's going to cheat on you."
"I never thought my dad would cheat on my mom, but look what happened."
