Saving the world.
“So you know what they do for a living?” Destiny couldn’t hide the eagerness in her voice, nor did she try.
Cora bit her lip, the panic in her eyes a tell she had said too much. “We’re not supposed to talk about it, I’m sorry.” There was real regret in her eyes for letting that slip.
Destiny sighed. Story of her life.
“He should be the one who tells you.”
“He won’t,” she grumbled, knowing she sounded like a whiny child.
Cora placed a comforting hand on her arm, but it didn’t help. She was just as frustrated as she was before and there was nothing anyone could do to help. “Please don’t be hard on him. It’s a big deal and the fewer people who know the better.”
Destiny winced. She knew she shouldn’t be upset about it like she was. “You’re right. I’m sorry. He’s told me the same. I’m just frustrated.”
“Love does that.”
Love. There was that word again. She knew she loved Mike, but she wasn’t sure he returned the sentiment. You didn’t keep the people you loved a secret from your friends. You didn’t suggest they blow off meeting said friends for the first time so you could have sex. Cora was pretty convinced otherwise though.
“You don’t look convinced.”
“Mike’s just hard to read sometimes.” Like how he had feelings for her the past few months, but she thought it was just friendship. She learned to read the signs, his actions. Those were his tells. But in this, she didn’t know.
“Do you love him?”
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation.
“Do you trust him?”
“How do you trust someone when everything about your relationship is based around lies? His job, our friendship even,” she asked instead of answering. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Mike. She did. It was herself she didn’t trust. Destiny didn’t have the greatest track record with men, and with Mike more interested in sex than introducing her to his friends flared up old insecurities.
“Can you tell Mike about anything you do at work?” Cora raised a skeptical eyebrow already knowing the answer and didn’t wait for her to respond. “You both deal with secrets for a living. You can’t hold his against him. As far as the rest, it wasn’t lies.”
“No one knew I existed until this week. What else would you call it except a lie?”
“Do you tell your friends about every person you meet?”
Destiny really didn’t have any friends so she couldn’t answer that. All she had was her grandma. “No.”
“Neither does Mike. He’s a quiet guy who keeps to his own council. Despite how close the guys are together, not everyone knows everyone else’s business. Hannah had a health scare a few months ago.”
Destiny gasped. Not Hannah. Poor Hannah had been through so much in her life. “Mike didn’t tell me that.”
“Hannah and Ben wanted to keep it private.”
“Is she okay?”
“She is. The point is, not everyone is involved in the others’ lives. It’s not lies as much as wanting some things to stay private. Mike was keeping your relationship private. It was new and scary for him. You’re his first girlfriend. He was bound to stumble a little bit. Now the question is, can you forgive Mike despite the fact secrets will have to remain between you?”
Destiny didn’t have a ready answer.
“The answer isn’t for me but for yourself. If you trust him and love him, then you already know the answer. Just know that man loves you more than anything and would move heaven and earth for you.” Cora stood up. “I’ve said my peace.”
“That’s it?” Destiny asked shocked.
Cora cocked her head. “What were you expecting?”
“I don’t know.” Destiny shrugged. “Begging and pleading for me to take him back. To listen to him.” Something more than just he loves you and leave.
