Page 52 of Pretend for Me

I threw my hands up. “Hello to you too. I know Cassie’s not working. I’m actually here to see you.”

I took a seat on the barstool directly in front of her. Wild eyes met mine. She was tired, anybody could see that. And now that I knew the truth, I saw a kindred pain in her eyes, one similar to my own.

“Me? Why?” Audrey blurted, setting down the wine glass that she had been polishing.

“Excuse me?” A well-dressed gentleman at the other end of the bar gestured to his empty scotch glass.

Audrey had to tend to her customers, so she walked away, apologizing. A few moments later, she made her way back to me.

“I might have done some digging and had my private investigator get the cemetery’s phone number and address for you,” I shared, taking out my phone.

Audrey looked at me, dumbfounded. “Matthew, I can’t do this?—“

“Hear me out,” I interjected before she could deny me the opportunity to present her my reasoning. Audrey motioned for me to continue, snacking on an olive from her station. “You need to stop putting your life on hold and start living. Or at the very least, give yourself closure. But this way at least, you rip off the Band-Aid and go once to say everything you never got to say.” Audrey’s eyes filled with tears. She shook her head at me. “Come on, Audrey. You said it yourself; mistakes happen, but you still have a chance to make things right!” I pleaded, manipulating her words so they suited the situation.

Audrey gave me a pointed look. “You’re taking it out of context and you know it. I meant you and Cassie can make things right.”

I shifted uncomfortably on the barstool. I wrapped my hand around my neck, not liking the tables now being turned on me. “Audrey, she doesn’t want me. She’s made her stance perfectly clear.”

“If making amends is so easy, why don’t I call Cassie to come here right now?” Audrey pulled out her phone for emphasis.

I jumped out of my seat, reaching for the phone. “Please, don’t!” I shouted a little too loudly.

“Point made.” Audrey put the phone away and chuckled, going back to making a mojito.

Bridget was just making her rounds, black sunglasses sheathed over her eyes, when she walked over at the tail end of my little outburst.

Audrey’s eyes widened with surprise as she observed Bridget.

“Don’t even start,” Bridget warned as she approached the bar. “Adams! This isn’t Wendy’s. Keep the volume down,” she hissed, placing her palm against her temple.

I laughed at Bridget’s appearance. It was quite obvious she was hungover. I reached out and moved Bridget’s sunglasses down to mess with her. “Oh, hello to you too.”

Audrey chuckled and Bridget gave her the finger.

“Don’t you have alcohol to serve?” Bridget barked, but there was a refreshing playfulness behind her signature snark.

“Holden got you drunk last night?” I quipped. Holden wasn’t hungover when I saw him earlier, so her tolerance must have been no match for his.

“No, smartass. Your ex had an art show last night, and I went to support her,” Bridget boasted, elbowing me and then moving away to clean a dirty spot on the shot glass next to Audrey.

I looked around solemnly, meeting Audrey’s sympathetic gaze. “Sorry,” she mouthed before returning her attention to Bridget.

Audrey and Bridget started talking, but I couldn’t process what they were saying. I heard snippets of their conversation, something about the engagement party.

Wow. Cassie finally got her big break with her art and I’d missed it. So this was what life was going to be like? Even Bridget got to support her! I was devastated and jealous of Bridget. I never thought that would cross my mind. I was happy for Cassie. Genuinely I was, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t how things were supposed to be. Maybe Audrey was right? But if she was, how the hell were we going to fix this mess?

27

CASSIE

Bridget sashayed into the restaurant like she was walking down a runway. She’d been like this all week, her energy blossoming as we got closer to the engagement party the next evening. I was folding linens and making small talk with Fatima, who was helping set up for the day ahead.

“Cassie, can I please see you in my office?” Bridget asked, getting right to the point. She turned quickly, heading down the hallway without waiting for a response.

My shoulders slumped, thinking the old Bridget was back, and I stalked behind my boss, shutting the door to the office after I was inside.

Once we were both seated, Bridget pursed her lips and gave me a smirk. “You know you don’t have to be nervous. We are friends now, right? You don’t have to be afraid of me. I don’t bite.” Bridget corrected herself, “I wouldn’t bite you.” She winked, leaning back in her chair.

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