Page 76 of Until You

Lanie tried to look amused. “You’re hilarious. There’s nothing there. Celesta was imagining things. Imagine that.”

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“Because you’re always trying to set me up. He took me home, and that was that. He had dinner plans, remember?”

“It’s just weird,” Britt mused. “He was acting strange last night, then he took you home, and then he cancelled today, which is weird because he’s been hanging out a lot with us lately. I just wondered if something happened with you two.”

Well, crap.If Britt wouldn’t accept denial, maybe she should try distraction. “When he took me home he mentioned seeing his brother today.”

Britt perked up. “His brother? Which one?”

“Um…younger. Eric?”

“That’s great,” Britt said, getting excited. “I’m surprised he didn’t tell me. What else did you guys talk about?”

“Are you trying to pair us off for real?” And why did the thought send a flutter through her gut?

Britt laughed and gave her a look that suggested she was ridiculous. “Of course not. Tyler’s a self-proclaimed life-long bachelor, and you run from anything that even hints of permanency. There’s no hooking you two up.”

That’s exactly what she wanted Britt to think, but she felt oddly insulted. And she definitely didn’t like her explanation. “What are you talking about?”

“Tyler’s made no secret that—”

“No, not Tyler,” Lanie protested, setting her bottle of water in the cup holder in her chair. “Me. What do you mean I run from any hint of permanency?”

Britt sat up, incredulous. “Are you serious?”

Lanie frowned. “I wouldn’t be asking if I weren’t.”

“Look at your life, Lanie.”

“I don’t have to look at it. I’m living it. And I’ve been with Montgomery Enterprises for ten years, and the…other division for seven. That sounds pretty long-term to me.”

“But you move from city to city every few months—”

“For my job, which I’ve held for years.”

“You don’t own a home. Hell, you don’t even own a stick of furniture or even a car. You live a nomadic life.”

“And I’ve made a lot of money. Most people would applaud me for being successful doing a damn hard job, and doing it consistently over and over again.”

“But the job’s not faithful to you, is it?”

Now Lanie was good and pissed. “If this is about Saturday night—”

“No. It’s more than Saturday night. Or Thursday at lunch. Or Tuesday at my shower. Or the times when you were with me over the last two months, but you weren’t really with me because you were too busy thinking about your job.” Britt paused. “You’ve given your everything for this job, yet it’s screwing you over, and you just keep going back for more.”

Lanie had no argument. As much as it burned her, Britt was right. “Fine. What do you want me to say? I know they’ve screwed me. Now I’m dealing with it.”

“I wish you’d learn from this, but you’re just going to run off to the next city, or if they fire you, you’ll find another job that sucks you dry. You’ll go through the same thing all over again.”

“You don’t know that, Britt. I’m trying.”

“But are you really? You’re still working for them. You haven’t turned in your notice, have you?”

Part of her wanted to tell Britt the truth, but Lanie knew she’d get the hard sell to stay. Better to figure out what she was doing before she spilled the beans. “I can’t just quit my job, Britt. I have to have another one lined up.”

“Are you even looking?”

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