Page 133 of Never Let You Go

As I reach the door, she pecks my cheek.

Once in the truck, I rub my cheek, suddenly worried about lipstick.

thirty-eight

Alexandra

After Christopher leaves, I stand from the couch. It’s still warm, from where he was sitting just now, and his scent lingers.

I can’t take it.

He looked so good tonight. He was wearing a white shirt, open collar, dress pants, sleek leather belt.

He shaved.

I like him better with a three-day stubble, but that’s not the point. He made an effort tonight. He got all dressed up to go to Emma’s. Like he was going on a date.

And that frigging hurts.

So I shake the funk, heat up a bowl of soup in the microwave. Then I sit at the cold table in the empty kitchen and eat while I finish memorizing the last chapter of my textbook.

As I’m closing the book, my phone rings. Sarah. Yay!

I pick up, shove my earbuds in, clean my bowl and tidy the kitchen while I talk to her.

“Watcha doin’?” Sarah asks.

“Getting ready to go out to the Growler.”

“Sounds fun. What are you wearing?”

“Not dressed yet,” I say as I get to my room. I strip down to my undies and start curling my hair. “I was thinking jeans, cowboy boots, and my clingy dark green top. What do you think?”

“Sounds sexy. More importantly, what does Chris think?”

My heart sinks. “He’s not coming. I’m going with Grace and some other women,” I say as I check the back of my hair in the mirror, then move the curler to the front.

“Oh. Girls Night Out? He’s on babysitting duty?”

My stomach sinks again. “He’s having dinner at someone’s. Skye’s friend’s mom.”

“Oh?… Oh.” She pauses for a beat, and I can almost hear the wheels turning in her head. “We’re cool with that? Did you ever tell me about her?”

“Yeah, Emma. The CPA who makes him homemade yogurt and has her mug and frother and other stuff at his house?”

“Oh.” Sarah’s silence is telling. “Well, at least it’s not her toothbrush.”

I take a deep breath. “I guess…” I unplug the curler, plop my hair, and spray it a little. It looks awesome, all curly and stuff. Too bad Christopher won’t be there to see it. He usually sees me with my hair pulled back, or worse, in a hair net.

I bet Emma is all dolled up for him.

I dig into my makeup pouch and start on the foundation.

“It looks like I caught you at the right time. Talk to me.”

“I know it’s not a date, but I’m not stupid. Christopher is maybe the only person who doesn’t see how Emma would be a perfect life partner for him. A perfect wife. She’s hot, a great mom, a single parent like him, she has a good relationship with her ex, meaning she’s levelheaded and has her shit together, emotionally. Something still debatable as far as I’m concerned, if I’m being honest.”

“Wow-wow Alex, back up a little. What the hell?”

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