Speaking of family, I still haven’t returned my sister's or mom's calls from this morning, and I fear it might turn into a witch hunt if I don’t do it as soon as I get the chance.
But that’s the thing. I haven’thadthe chance yet.
Cassandra is probably assuming the worst potential outcome: that Avery Jones knocked me up on a one-night stand that shedidn’t know about, and now we’re trying to do the right thing by the baby and forcing ourselves to make it work.
Ever since she found out I slept with Harley’s best friend, Robbie, she’s looked at me in a completely different light.
To her, I used to be some sort of innocent angel who had never been touched, and now, I’m…I don’t even know.
I’ll let her suffer a little while longer, though.
It’s funnier that way.
Lizzie is probably crushed that I never told her about my secret love affair with the NBA’s most talked-about player.
Both of my sisters know how much of a stretch it all is, but given my absence, they’re probably creating their own versions of events in their heads.
And Jenna is no doubt just wanting to hear all the juicy details. Hell, she and her partner, Cole, started out as a fake relationship that he wormed his way into.
The only difference is that shedidfall in love with Cole, and he fell in love with her.
I would never fall in love with Avery Jones.
"Speaking of your brother-in-law, we’ve all seen the photos of him looking comfortable in the front row of your show, next to a face we know all too well in New York City." His words linger in the air, probably for a little too long, while I figure out exactly how to combat them. How to answer his question without really answering it at all.
Meanwhile, Josie is waving her hands frantically in the air in Arj’s direction, mouthing ‘no personal questions,’but he ignores her, his eyes zeroed in on me.
"Harley makes friends wherever he goes. It’s part of his charm. He’s a big, friendly giant."
Hopefully, that did enough.
"You don’t want to touch on the person who was seated next to Harley at your concert? The one in the photograph?" He triesagain, tilting his head to the side, and I force myself to laugh, and hope like hell it sounds genuine.
I want to tell him to spit it out and ask me what he really wants.
I want to tell him that everything he’s read online is a complete lie, and total bullshit, but the way Josie’s eyes are bulging out of her head, scream ‘do not mess this up.’
"If you’re asking if that’s the first time Harley and Avery met, my answer to that would be no. They met last year at the annual Herring Family Christmas. From what Avery told me, Harley tried to convince him to coach the Grangewood Creek basketball team when he eventually retires from the game." I grin, smug and impressed with my answer on the fly, desperately hoping Avery never catches wind of this conversation.
He was furious this morning learning that he and I are supposed to be an item. I’m furious too. But when I imagine him finding out that he’s apparently met my entire family, and is in talks of coaching the basketball team that hasn’t won agamein the last ten years? It sets my world on fire.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, but I leave it until the song break, so I can pretend it’s him blowing up my phone.
It gives me time to come up with crazy scenarios in my head of every way he’s flipping out on me, panicking about making shit up that isn’t even close to being true.
I don't even have his number.
I guess my sisters and I are alike in that sense. Only, I don’t do it to make myself panic. I do it for entertainment.
"Retire from the game? But he’s only, what? Pushing thirty? Surely he still has a few years left in the tank? Is there already talk behind closed doors about Jones leaving it all behind?"
Shit, I’ve said too much.
"Firstly, he’s thirty-one."Thank you, Google."And secondly,God, no. Could you imagine? The man is at the peak of hiscareer, doing things nobody has ever done before. You really expect him to retire to coach a bunch of sixteen-year-olds?" I fire back, feeling heat rush to my cheeks, my entire body swallowed by adrenaline, numbness and complete fear.
I have a feeling everything I just said is incorrect, and I’m about to be called out on it.
Shit shit shit.
