Page 122 of Maybe We Can Fake It

“No,” I respond reflexively. Then I realize that I’m actually hungry, so I amend that to, “Wait, yeah. Thanks.”

She gives me one more searching look before going to the large fridge and pulling out a few things. She sets them down on the end of the table where the prep guys are working, then says to them, “Hey, why don’t you two go get some air.”

They both give her quizzical looks, and she scowls.

“Take a hint. Scram.”

I almost laugh as they drop their knives and make a hasty escape out the swinging door.

If I had it in me, I’d suggest being nicer to the employees, but whatever.

Addison carefully sweeps some stuff aside and begins whipping something together for me. I don’t bother asking what it is.

“All right, what’s going on with you and Travis?” she asks, not looking up at me.

“Nothing,” I lie. Or maybe it’s not a lie. Thereisnothing going on with us. Not anymore.

This time she does look at me, and her face makes it clear she doesn’t believe me. “There must be something going on, because I’m pretty sure I’ve fed you every one of your meals this week.”

“Noteveryone,” I hedge.

She gives me a flat look. “Pretty damn close. So tell me why you haven’t been eating at the diner, and why Travis hasn’t been showing up here to fix things without being asked, and whyyou’re moping around like there’s a storm cloud hanging over your head.”

Wow. I’m surprised she’s even paid that much attention to me. It almost sounds like she cares.

Does this make us officially friends? The thought cheers me up, but only momentarily.

I gaze into my mug, wishing my coffee was still hot, but too lazy to get up and pour myself another one. “It’s complicated.”

Snorting a laugh, Addison says, “Honey, your whole life seems complicated.”

“No, it’s not!” I argue. But when I consider how things have been lately, I guess that’s fair. “Fine. If you really want to know, the short version is that Travis and I had started... something. Something I thought meant the same thing to him as it did to me. But then he basically said it meant nothing to him.”

“Somehow I don’t believe that.” Walking over to me, she holds out a fancy looking sandwich. “I’ve seen the way that man looks at you.”

My heart does a little flutter. “How does he look at me?”

“Like you personally put the damn sunshine in his sky. It’s a bit nauseating.”

Well. That makes my stomach flutter some more, but even if it were true, it doesn’t change the fact that he still doesn’t want his dad to know he’s queer. Or the fact that he was so quick to cast me aside, throw me under the bus with Elise and Grant. Luckily, I was able to work things out with them, but that was shitty.

Maybe he did feel something for me too.

But it wasn’t enough, was it?

I pick at the sandwich while I try to think of something to say. I’m pretty sure whatever bread she used here is homemade, and it’s probably delicious. But honestly, I could be eating cardboard for all I care. I can’t enjoy anything.

I might have put the sun in Travis’s sky, but then he let it burn out.

Addison leaves me be, dropping the conversation as she gets back to work. I can still feel her watching me though, so I make sure to take a few big bites of food so she can stop worrying about me.

Then my phone vibrates on the table, making me jump. Which is dumb, because I get work calls on my personal line all the time. I’m really off my game.

It’s not a work call though. And when I see May’s name on the screen, I hurry to accept it. She normally sticks with text messaging when I’m at work.

“Hello? Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” she replies quickly. “But Dad, it’s Grandpa. We’re on the green, and I need you to come.”

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