Page 37 of Tangled Up In You
“You don’t sound good. Is there anything I can do?”
I smiled at her offer. “Nah, I’m okay. Thanks, though.”
The media portrayed Veronica as a sexy vixen who was using me to further her own career, but that was the farthest thing from the truth. She genuinely cared about me, and I felt the same for her. We’d never slept together, no matter what the countless rumors said. I’d never come out and told her that I was gay, but I was pretty sure she’d figured it out over time.
“Well if youdoneed me, you call. Okay?”
“Okay,” I said, putting on my seatbelt and starting the car. “How was Milan?”
As she talked about the shoot and all of the sightseeing she did in Italy, I listened and drove through town.
I wasn’t sure how much longer I’d be in Willow, but I needed more groceries. Ramen noodles wouldn’t cut it anymore. The first thing I planned to do when I returned to Missouri was get back to the gym. I had a workout routine I did every morning—running, core exercises, and leg workouts like squats, wall sits, and all that—but I needed to get back to lifting weights.
“I met someone,” Veronica continued. “And before you judge me for it, just know it’s over now. But it was some of the best days I’d had in a long while. I am far from a romantic, but he made me feel something I never had before.”
“I’m not judging you, V. Love is tricky. When the heart finds what it wants, it’s only a matter of time before it wins.”
“Has your heart found what it wants?” she asked in a knowing tone.
“Yeah,” I answered, tapping the top of the steering wheel with my free hand. “But like yours, it’s over.”
“Why?”
“Because his heart doesn’t feel the same,” I said, not having the energy anymore to keep pretending to her of all people. “What about you?”
“Turns out he was married.”
“Holy fuck. We both need to get drunk together the next time we’re in the same city. Our luck is fucking awful.”
She laughed and I heard a faint popping in the background. “I am one step ahead of you. Just opened my wine and I plan to drink as much as I can before bed.”
“Right,” I said after checking the time. “It’s midnight there, huh?”
“A little after,” Veronica answered. “Tell me about this man who refuses you. Is he crazy or just stupid?”
“Neither,” I said with a laugh. “He’s just stubborn. And insecure.” After the light turned green, I drove a ways up the street before turning into the grocery store parking lot. “Are you really not fazed that I’m gay?”
“Oh, Corby,” she replied, and I could just imagine her shaking her head. “I’ve suspected you were ever since we spent the night together in Paris. You were drunk and you wanted to cuddle me, but you never tried to feel me up. Not to sound vain, but no straight guy would’ve passed up that opportunity, especially not when drunk.” She paused, probably to take a drink, before adding, “I’m just sad that you felt like you couldn’t tell me sooner.”
“It’s scary,” I said, finding an empty spot and parking. “I hate hiding who I am, but I don’t know if I’m ready to make it public. When I do, it’ll be on my terms.”
“The world is a much more accepting place now, love,” she pointed out.
“Not in football,” I countered.
“Stupid men and their balls,” Veronica said. “They slap each other on the ass all the time. I do not see the problem.”
I snorted.
“I gotta go, V. Let’s find a time to meet up soon, okay?”
“All right,” she said. “Take care of yourself.”
I got out of the car and began walking into the store. The end of January day was warmer than average, and I was thankful for it. I had on a light jacket, so it still wasn’t as warm as I wanted it to be, but it was appreciated nonetheless.
One of the first things I saw when entering the store was my face on the front cover of a magazine. It was some tabloid about me having a secret lover or some shit.
I rolled my eyes and grabbed a shopping cart.
