Page 89 of Fake Dating Daxton Hawk
“I… ah… It was a text from Mom.”
I raise my eyebrows, not expecting that answer at all. “I heard from her a few weeks back. She said her and Dad are in rehab. I didn’t reply.”
“Yeah, they are. I received a few messages from them when my phone came into range. I called them—”
“Youwhat?” Not that I’m frustrated at him calling them. Not at all. I’m just surprised. It’s a shock that Ryan would open up the doorway with my parents when he was hurt as badly by them as I was.
“We spoke for a while and had a good conversation.” He grabs a cushion and props it behind his back. “I didn’t want to mention any of this to you yet. It’s an extra stress you don’t need.”
“I can handle it. What happened?”
“I’m not about to run off and paint my nails with them, if that’s what you’re wondering.” Ryan helps himself to Mina’s mug of kombucha. “But I can see they’re trying to change. I spoke with a doctor at the facility too because I wanted trusted information. They said Mom and Dad checked themselves into rehab and are responding well to the treatment. This is the longest they’ve ever been sober. Mom and Dad told me they want to mend their relationship with us. They also understand it won’t be a quick fix.”
“How do you feel about that?”
He chews on his bottom lip. “I’m not sure yet. Mending our relationship certainly won’t be easy. But if they continue to seek help and there is long-term improvement… maybe one day I’ll have a relationship with them.”
I nod, contemplating Ryan’s words. I don’t know if I can ever forgive or learn to trust our parents again. But he’s right, if there are big changes made in my parents’ behavior, then maybe one day.
Silence lingers in the living room with the heavy weight of our conversation. Mina takes the lead, steering the topic in a different direction. “So… Babe, what are you going to do for money?”
“I told you, I’ve got a few meetings set up with some burlesque clubs.”
“That’s great, but you won’t see an income from them for at least a few weeks, if not longer. What if these jobs don’t even come through? Don’t tell me you’re going to escort again.”
“Obviously not. I’ll go back to waitressing.” My eyes water at the mention of escorting and all the memories it brings back of Daxton. My head sinks onto the couch backrest and I stare up at the ceiling, trying not to cry.
Ryan pats my leg. “You always have me to fall back on for money.”
“I’m not upset over money. Just… thoughts of Daxton. Everything triggers thoughts of him. I still can’t wrap my head around all that happened. I feel so stupid, like I should have known Daxton and Steel were the same person.”
“How were you supposed to know?” Mina asks.
I wipe away a tear. “There were little things. Daxton and Steel both lived in LA and traveled to New York at the same time. They were both businessmen who worked in property.”
“Those things could have easily been a coincidence.”
“There’s more. A whole list. Daxton and I started getting close the moment Steel stopped talking to me. Sometimes Daxton acted surprised when learning new things about me, like he should have already known them. At the wedding… I should have known when the celebrant spoke Brad’s last name that something was wrong.”
“West is a common last name,” Mina says. “Those examples don’t mean anything. You fell in love and none of this is your fault.”
“Another time, Daxton told me he wouldn’t pursue anything with me because I still had feelings for Steel. I amsostupid.”
Ryan passes me a box of tissues. “Maybe Daxton was trying to do the right thing by you. It sounds like he loved you and was just caught in a mess. You don’t honestly think he set out to deceive you, do you?”
“Ryan,” Mina scolds, swiping her pointer finger across her throat, signaling for him to shut up. “You’re not helping right now.”
I dab my eyes with the tissues. “No, it’s okay. I’ve been reflecting a lot over these last few days. Ryan might have a point. I don’t think Daxton’s plan all along was to deceive me. It still doesn’t excuse him not revealing the truth once he knew whoIwas. The thing that upsets me the most is…” My voice breaks with the thickness of new tears. “I still love Daxton. I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving him. But the trust is broken and I don’t know if I can forgive him.”
ChapterForty-Six
Jordan
By some miracle, I manage to pull myself together for a few hours and act happy while meeting with the club owners of The Black Flamingo. They offer me a part-time contract where I’ll be one of the main acts, starting in two weeks. I accept the offer, secretly keeping my options open with my upcoming meeting at The Feather Tease. A part-time income isn’t enough to keep me afloat in this city, and while The Black Flamingo is a well-established burlesque club, it doesn’t hold the same prestige as The Feather Tease, nor is it known for creating famous dancers.
Regardless, The Black Flamingo is an amazing opportunity. A stepping stone to great opportunities. I should be smiling, but as I walk back to Mina and Zac’s apartment, I can’t help but feel exhausted. Everything is surreal. After the events of the last couple of weeks, I can’t seem to make myself excited about anything. The worst part is, when I stepped out of The Black Flamingo fresh with a job, Daxton was the first person I wanted to share my success with. I miss him and I hate that I do.
“Hey, how did the meeting go?” Ryan asks as soon as I return to the apartment. He’s standing in the kitchen with Zac, and by the look of the brown liquid in front of them, he’s teaching Zac a thing or two about brewing kombucha.
