Page 35 of Truth
Taking in a deep breath and closing my eyes, I try to drown out my nagging thoughts, but my phone buzzes, jump-starting my irritation all over again.What now?
“Ms. Matthews, you have Ms. Andrews on line one for you.”
“Put her through, Boyd,” My tone is clipped.
I hold while my assistant patches the call through, strumming my well-manicured fingernails on my desk.
“Hey, you,” my best friend’s voice singsongs from the receiver.
“Gretchen, what’s up?”
“Gretchen? So formal—and here I almost didn’t call for fear you would find a way to make me cry today.” Her sarcasm is ripe with humor.
“Oh Jesus. Kevin needs to pull his head out of his ass. If he didn’t make so many mistakes, I wouldn’t need to remind him of the long line of people that want his position. He’s too sensitive…”
Her laughter cuts off my rant. “Drew, you’re a tyrant, you know that? And furthermore…” Her words become tangled between laughs mixed with a snort or two.
“I can’t understand you through your tears of laughter. I’m so pleased my shit day is so entertaining, but I’m unamused.” Rolling my eyes, I try like hell to hold steadfast to my irritation, but her amusement finally makes me break and I join in. “You’re so irritating.” I wipe the tears that have filled my eyes from laughing so hard.
“But you love me, and I have a present for you.”
“I’m listening.”
“I heard through the grapevine your ex is unemployed.” Karma is a bitch.
“That’s not a gift. I don’t care about that douche.” I’ve moved on. Over this month I saw my mistakes, and all that reflection only deepened my resolve to own my power. Never again will I let myself become unimportant.
“That was a test. I mean the facts are true, but I wanted to check because…”
“My love is beginning to wane if this is going where I think it is.”
“Listen to what I’m going to say.” Her voice becomes more serious. “You need to either start eating all your damn feelings or…”I know exactly where this is going.
“Shut up. I know what you’re going to say, Gretch. I’m not in the mood for the one hundredth lecture on this topic.”
Ignoring me completely, she continues.
“Orrrr go and find the sexy Mr. King and put your lady parts out of their misery.” As soon as she says it, I growl out a mini scream and bang the phone down on the desk twice, hoping it hurts her ears.
Putting the receiver back to my ear, I smooth my hand over my desk and clear my throat. “Gretchen, stop bugging me about this. I told you I will take care of that little issue when I’m ready. I’m not ready.”
“When’s that?”I hate her.
“When’s what?”I can feel myself walking right into her trap.
“When are you going to be ready? When your vagina has revirginized? You had this amazing night and came back all riled up and ready to find your fucking dream man. Your words, Drew: ‘Dream man.’ And now all you do is Google search him and obsess. There aren’t enough batteries in the world.”
“I’ll kill you. I’m actually going to kill you.”
Her laughter starts again. “You’d commit a felony before facing rejection. Solid choice, friend.” I’m happy we’re on the phone because she would celebrate her victory if she could see my grin over her accuracy, but she doesn’t understand the risk.
“That ship has sailed. As much as I bought into the idea he was selling, I’ve waited too long now. I can’t just email him or call him now. I need to let it go, and you need to let me. He’s too dangerous.” Dangerous in every sense of the word. Dominic King could destroy me.
“Bullshit. You can’t push love away because it’s complicated and messy, Drew.”
Why does she have to know me so well?
“I’m not pushing it away. I’m just postponing it until a more convenient time. He’s stronger than I am. I’ll get lost in him. Completely fucking lost.” Sighing, I put my arm on my desk and rest my head on it.
