Page 33 of My Hottest Obsession

“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her in years.”

“You should keep it that way,” she tells me, and I huff out a laugh.

“I will.”

I hit ignore, sending her to voicemail, and slip the phone back into my pocket. The waiter is back with our drinks, and we all order tacos before he turns to help out another table.

“We should plan a trip soon. We could go somewhere close or just up the coast,” Quinn suggests.

She’s the travel blogger among us, and she loves seeing new places.

“I’m in,” I say, and she grins.

“Are we bringing husbands?” Aria asks.

“We’ll have to see about their schedules,” Quinn says, and the topic changes to vacation spots nearby.

“Maybe just a day trip,” I suggest, trying to pretend that I’m paying attention.

I wonder if Adrien would want to go with us. He’s met Lottie a few times over the last two years, but I’m sure the others would like him.

Would he want to meet my friends, though?

Doubt starts to creep in, and I grab my drink, swallowing a large gulp. The truth is that I’m not sure what Adrien and I even are. We haven’t talked about it, haven’t put a label on it.

In my head, we’re together, exclusive, dating, but what if, to him, we’re just hooking up? Maybe I’m just a fling, a way to relieve stress from a busy, hectic job.

I try to push those thoughts away, but I can’t.

He didn’t even try to make plans with you tonight,my subconscious points out.Maybe he’s through with you already.

My mind flashes back to my mom and how many times she told me she had finally met the one. How many times did she almost get married or almost move in with someone only to get her heart broken?

I was the one who had to pick up the pieces. I was the one who listened as she drunkenly ranted about men only letting you down. Funnily enough, she never seemed to remember that the next time she went out.

Is that what Adrien is? Is he a mistake? Is he only going to let me down and break my heart?

My heart says no, but what does it know? Can I even trust it?

“Goldie?” Lottie says, and I blink.

Everyone is staring at me, and I realize that I’m gripping the stem of my margarita glass and staring off into space.

“Are you alright?” She asks me quietly.

“Yeah, just… thinking about my mom.”

It’s not a total lie, and she gets it. She frowns, reaching down and squeezing my hand.

“Just ignore her. You don’t need anything from her,” she tells me, and I nod.

I paste a smile on my face and do my best to pay attention and have fun with my friends, but when the night is over, and I’m back in my apartment, I barely remember a thing. I couldn’t tell you how the food was, or if the movie was good, or anything that we talked about.

I get ready for bed, taking a long hot shower to try to clear my head. As I crawl into my bed, I remember the phone call. I plug my phone in and notice a voicemail from my mom. I know that I shouldn’t. I’m already all over the place tonight, but I can’t resist. I hit play and listen to my mom’s familiar voice.

“Goldie, I wish that I would have caught you! I have wonderful news, honey…”

I don’t even bother listening to the rest of the message. I know what she’s going to say. She’s getting married or moving in with her latest boyfriend and wants me to meet him. She only likes to pretend that we’re a happy family when she’s serious with someone new, and I’m not interested in that.

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