Page 64 of Painted Truths

Subject: RE: The Big Move

Sending movers to shift my crap to my new place doesn’t earn you any brownie points with me, Mr DeMarco.

Regards, Miss Parker

Sender: Enrico DeMarco, CEO @[email protected]

Recipient: Olivia Parker @[email protected]

Subject: RE: RE: The Big Move

Good to know. Is there anything that might dissolve the tension?

Another lunch date, perhaps?

Yours, H

Sender: Olivia Parker @[email protected]

Recipient: Enrico DeMarco, CEO @[email protected]

Subject: RE: RE: RE: The Big Move

Nope. Hope you enjoyed your little tryst with Andrea on Friday.

Was glad to help you fill the time while you waited for your first choice.

Please stop emailing me.

I’d had the entire weekend to ruminate on everything that had been said and done on Friday, particularly that conversation with Martha, who was away this week at the L.A. office, unfortunately. My head had concluded that my heart had been swayed even more than before by hearing about childhood Henry, and so going forward, my head would deal with all matters Henry-related.

Get lost, ostrich.

I’d tried calling Alex to verify what Henry claimed, what Martha had confirmed, but we couldn’t catch each other between the time difference and his schedule.

Instead, we’d texted, which can always be hit or miss when you can’t hear the inflection in the other’s tone.

ALEX: So sorry I haven’t been able to catch you, Liv. Everything okay? How did the move go?

ME: Yeah. Everything is fine. The move was good. Settled in well. I kinda wanted to talk to you about Henry.

And then radio silence for thirty-six hours, his reply coming in late last night or very early this morning. If I want to face facts, I’ve barely slept all weekend.

ALEX: Sorry, Liv. Time just moves at a different pace here. You’d love it. We have to have a holiday here.

ME: Can we discuss your brother? Please?

ALEX: How are things with big bro now that he’s taken me out of the picture?

ME: Well, he told me you exaggerated our relationship at the Gala. Is that true?

I’d rather not insinuate Martha in this, so I leave her out.

The dots blink and disappear and then blink again for a long time before…

ALEX: I did.

ALEX: I won’t lie to you, Liv. I told you that before.