I’m knocked back against the couch cushions.Love me?Something in me softens, but then I stop myself. Damage has already been done, and I’m not going to make things even worse. Why would I let myself care for someone as easily as I did Rick,just because they tell me they love me? And when it comes to Miles and Max, I already know they’re liars.
“How would you even know what love is?” I certainly don’t know myself, because before they revealed their true identities, I might have thought I was falling in love with them, too.
Max’s eyes plead with me. “Will you let us try to make things up to you?”
Suddenly, I’m more exhausted than I’ve ever been in my life. “It’s time for you to go.”
To my relief, they don’t protest. As they get up and start toward the door, I have one more question for them. “Are you actually new residents in town, or was that a lie, too?”
“We were here on assignment,” Max says.
“Okay, cool. I hope you’re leaving town soon.”
When they’re out on the porch, they turn to say something more, but I close the door.
CHAPTER 59
CALLIE
After they leave, I sob until I finally go numb. My cruel mind keeps replaying every bit of the time I spent with the men, seeing it all through a new and torturous lens.
I remember how I thought they were so kind and helpful to come with me to the wedding, and to participate in everything, even optional activities, like the whiskey tasting. I thought they were doing it for me, but it was all for their own purposes. They were sneaking around behind my back the entire time, and I was just a means to an end.
Marissa and Ana keep me company all day. They make food for me and encourage me to eat, they put funny shows on TV, and when I want to cry, they bring more tissues and let me cry.
“I appreciate you both so much. Thank you.”
“Of course,” Marissa says. “It’s what friends do.”
That triggers more tears, and the two of them stay right by my side as I let out the emotion. When the crying subsides, I say, “I never expected you to be such good friends. I thought we were just roommates.”
“Gee, thanks,” Ana says with teasing sarcasm.
“No, I don’t mean it that way.”
“I know. I’m just joking.”
“It’s just that when I was with my ex, I never thought I’d have roommates again. I thought he and I would be getting married. Then he left, and I needed to find people to help with the rent. He’d cut me off from most of my old friends.”
Ana makes a face. “Sounds like a real prize.”
“How did things go with him at the wedding?” Marissa asks. “I almost forgot about him being there.”
I’d essentially forgotten about him, too. “He was fairly horrible. He cornered me at one point, but Miles appeared and shut him down.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, and Miles said some really nice things about me …” My words trail off as I remember. “I told the men all about my ex. I told them all the things he did to me, things I never told you—though I will, if you want to hear it.”
“That’s up to you, if you feel like talking,” Marissa says gently.
“At the wedding, Max and Miles were there for me. They played the perfect boyfriends. But how could they continue to deceive me when they knew I’d been hurt so badly in the past?”
My friends are quiet for a moment, until Ana says, “Maybe they were in too far by that point? And I’m sure it’s true that there’s a lot they’re not allowed to say.”
“It doesn’t excuse anything they did, Callie, but it was clear today that they care about you. They were hurting. If they didn’t care, they wouldn’t even have had to come over here.”
I shrug. It doesn’t matter.
