A couple of seconds later, my phone beeps. I look down, and I see different shark memes from Luke in my text messages, and I try not to laugh.
I look over at him. “Really?”
“I just want you to smile again.”
“I am smiling. Stop sending me shark memes. We’re at dinner.”
“You are pretending you’re fine, but I can tell you’re clearly not. I take back what I asked about Rex.”
“Let’s hope so. I’m fed up with this line of questioning, Luke.”
“Well, what if I told you I have something really exciting for you to see?”
“What’s that?” I ask him, curiosity getting the better of me.
“Do you want to see photos of the new couch that I had delivered to my apartment in New York?”
When he brings up his place in New York, I suddenly feel deflated because it’s just a reminder of the fact that he will eventually be going back, and once again, there will be distance between us.
“Sure,” I say, forcing a smile even though I don’t really want to see right now.
He grabs his phone and places it in front of us so that we’re both looking at the screen. As he’s going through his photos, a text message comes through. I don’t want to be nosy, but I can’t help but read it. I see Talia’s name at the top.
Talia
Miss you, big boy. Want to grab dinner this week? I’m headed to New York next month. Would love to chat with you about some business. I have some ideas I want to get your feedback on.
I press my lips together. Why is Talia messaging him? I look over at him, but he quickly just moves the message off the screen. He says nothing, but I can feel all my insecurities growing larger and larger. It sucks. I know Talia fits into his new world in New York a lot better than me, and it’s just a reminder of the fact that I’m part of his old life and this is just a vacation. Talia fits into his big-city dreams. She understands his world.
I suddenly feel sad.
“Hey, what is wrong?”
“Why is Talia messaging you, and why is she calling you big boy, and what the fuck is she talking about, going to visit you in New York?” I hiss.
“Hey, calm down. You’re being loud,” he says, giving me a look.
“Don’t tell me I’m being loud,” I say even louder, and everyone at the table immediately turns to look at us. “Hey, don’t mind me. Just a couple too many glasses of champagne,” I blurt.
I give everyone a smile, and everyone turns their attention back away from me. Luke just stares at me, his eyes curious.
“I don’t know why she messaged me, Mia.”
“But you know why she called you a big boy?”
“I think we both know why she called me big boy.” He gives me a wink, but I don’t smile or laugh at his stupid joke.
Instead, I feel searing jealousy coursing through me. I feel blindsided because Talia messaged him and he doesn’t care. He’s notdismissing anything. He’s not saying that there’s no way he’s going to meet up with her.
“Do you have feelings for her?” I whisper.
“What?” He stares at me in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“Do you have feelings for Talia? Is this why she’s been acting so obnoxious to me?”
“Firstly, she’s always been obnoxious, Mia, and secondly, no, I don’t have feelings for her. You know this.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about the skinny-dipping that time? Then what else do I not know about?”
