Page 33 of Up All Night
"Not that I'm aware of, no."
"So, is this all that's bothering you?The fact that this is your first relationship since Steve?"
"No."I half lie."Rejection sucks.It sucks hard."
"I would know nothing about that, seeing as I've never experienced a rich, gorgeous man pining over me."
I give her a disapproving look."What Steve did to me was disgusting."
"I'm not denying that."
"Then what do you mean?"I ask, irritated.
She levels with me."Well, what doyoumean?What else aren't you telling me?"
My eyes go to my hands."Alright.I'm afraid.Afraid that he's going to find out and give me the boot just like Steve did.There.I admitted it.He's a handsome, rich man, and I'm stupidly developing strong feelings for him, and I'm setting myself up for another fucking heartbreak."
Her eyes are what ground me.The way that my sister looks at me.You'd swear she's ten years my senior, but we're exactly the same age, less ten minutes on her side."You're in love with him?"
"I'm headed there.I'm supposed to see him again tonight, but I'm going to cancel."
"Don't you dare!"She hisses.
"Why not?I mean, what's the point?"
"You're healing, Lark.That's the point.Think about it.You and Steve broke up, what, a year, a year and a half ago?And you wouldn't so much as look at another guy all this time.You're moving on.It's healthy, Lark.Don't break your date with him."
"What if he finds out?"
"So, what."Her tone is flat."Not every guy is going to feel the same way."
"No, but rich, handsome ones will.And believe me, Stone is all that and more."
"Look, don't be naïve.Just because Steve was a complete dick, a scumbag who deserves to die a long, painful death, that doesn’t mean that every other rich guy is going to be the same."
“But it’s like he’s too good to be true, you know?He’s gorgeous, he’s smart and rich, he’s a god in bed, and he really gets me.It’s like there are far too many things that are good about him, there has to be a flaw."
“Well, of course there's going to be a flaw, Lark.Nobody is perfect.But that doesn’t mean that his flaw is going to be the same flaw that Steve had.That’s all I’m saying."
“I just can’t go through that again.I never planned to meet Stone, and I certainly never planned to get involved with him, either.And, of course, I’ve told him that we can’t get involved because of Lucy.So, for all I know, this whole conversation is for nothing."
“Has he told you that he has feelings for you?"
“Not exactly.But he’s got that look in his eyes, Liv.I try not to look in them, in case it’s there, but it’s impossible.He has beautiful eyes.Everything about him is beautiful.I just can’t believe that I met someone that I can’t have."
“If you really feel that strongly about it, you should talk to Lucy.“
My eyes bulge.“Are you crazy?I’ll lose my job.Do you have any idea how 'by the book' that woman is?She won’t even date a man that showed up at the office that she once had one hell of a crush on.She feels like the ship has sailed.She feels like she’s too old to pursue anything anymore, and her job comes first.She won’t understand this, and even though there is no written policy stating that you can’t date another colleague's client, I just know Lucy well enough to know that she will not take this well."
Liv lifts a finger.“Wait a minute.You told me about this, remember?You told me that Lucy lectured you about losing out, about letting your life pass you by.You told me about this guy, is this the dude with the Tilley hat?"
My voice is a mutter.“I forgot I told you about that."
“Then, if she had this conversation with you already, Lark, I think she’ll be on board."
“It’s one thing to miss out on a lost love, it’s another thing entirely to sleep with a current client of hers.It's like comparing apples to oranges."
“Call a spade a spade.If you ask me, I think that as long as Stone continues to do business with Lucy, there’s no problem."
