Page 63 of My Totally Unfair Deal

He rubs slow circles on my back.

“No one in my family talks about it,” he murmurs. “It’s like this incident we keep getting farther away from every year—like time alone will fix it. It won’t. And that’s a big part of why I can’t stand being around them.”

“Your mom never brings him up?” I ask.

“She was never the same after she had me. She had depression for five years and just…” He trails off. “I don’t know.”

He hesitates, staring out at nothing.

“I watch old family-style sitcomsjust to see what it looks like when people don’t hate their families.” He admits. “Pathetic, isn’t it?”

“No.” I shake my head and squeeze his hand. “I watch shows like that every night, too…”

THIRTY-ONE

ELIZA

Three hours later

Harrison

Be ready at 7.

I found something that I think will make you feel better.

He doesn’t say anything else.

At exactly 7:00 p.m., Harrison holds the car door open for me outside ofLe Jardin, one of the most exclusive dinner spots in Manhattan. He slips his blazer over my bare shoulders and guides me past the doorman into a room full of empty, white-linen-covered tables and soft candlelight.

There’s only one patron seated in the corner.

I hesitate as I recognize him, my heart picking up speed as I move closer, my heels suddenly too loud on the marble.

“Lance?” I whisper.

“Eliza?” He stands slowly, squinting at me like I might be a mirage. “What the… I was told you were coming, but—” He trails off, studying me with wide eyes.

“Wow.” He pulls me into a hug. “You look phenomenal.”

“Thank you… I thought you were living in L.A.” I gasp. “I could’ve sworn…”

“I am, but I come here on weekends.”

I swallow, wishing I knew that before now.

“Does Jackson know about this?” he asks as we sit down.

“This?”

“You and your new boyfriend.” He smirks.

“Where?”

“Oh, okay.” He grins, glancing toward Harrison, who’s already slipping away toward the entrance. “In that case, does he know you’re sleeping with that guy? I mean—datingthat guy?”

“No, because I’m not sleeping with him or dating him.”

“It’s obvious as hell, Eliza.”

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