Page 20 of Wicked Lies Grow Wildflowers
7:04 pm: I bet you did that all on purpose so Simon would want to leave me.
7:15 pm: Your father left because of you, and now you want Simon to do the same. Having you was the biggest mistake of my life.
The messages hurt as they always do, but I delete the call log and her voicemails, not bothering to listen to any of them. Tears well in my eyes at her words but I take a deep breath, exit our text thread, and call Xander. Maybe using him as a distraction is wrong, but I don’t think he’ll complain.
“Hey, if you’re not busy, would you want to come over tonight?”
I can’t believeI’m doing this. I can’t believe I’mactuallydoing this. It’s just going to be a movie night, totally casual, but my nerves are like livewires right now. I’m running around my apartment to tidy up because heaven forbid anyone knows I actually live here. I make sure to brush my teeth and fix my hair before putting on a cute loungewear set. I want to look presentable but casual, like I’m put together but not trying too hard.
I plop down on my bed and scroll through social media, seeing a news article for a newly discovered dead body. I click the link and open the full article detailing the gruesome findings of a young woman, apparently the fourth body found recently. The cause of death for all of the bodies is currently unknown, but they have all been skinned postmortem. Apparently that is the serial killer’s M.O.
A shudder runs through me as I think over such a fate. I have learned about alotof serial killers, but this might take thecake for the most macabre. I read further and learn the bodies have all been found within an hour’s drive of here and remember the bartender's warning from September. At that point I hadn’t heard of anyone missing or dead, so I didn’t give her much credit. Sage said she saw something about them briefly, but at that point it was too early for authorities to announce much. I send Sage the link before closing the article, not needing any more of a damper on the evening.
Checking the time shows Xander should be here, and a quick glance outside gives me a glimpse of him walking up, mouthwatering as always. He’s dressed in his usual casual attire of jeans and a hoodie that is fitted tight across his broad shoulders. How a man can look so sexy in something so simple is beyond me.
I open my door as his fist is raised to knock. “Hey, Xander! Come on in,” I chirp brightly.
I’m turning this night around. No more family drama, just snacks, more wine, and relaxation. Maybe some Netflix and chill—do people my age still use that term?
Xander’s form shrinks my apartment and makes it feel a lot smaller than it is. I tell him to make himself comfy while I grab the movie night necessities. When I return, he’s sprawled out on the couch and I smile, trying to act normal, but God, is it hard. He looks like he belongs here.
I fill our wine glasses and ask him what he’d like to watch. “What are you into?” At his smirk, I continue and try not to stumble over my words as I clarify, “I mean, movies: rom coms, horror, thriller, action… ?” I think I’m sweating from embarrassment right now.
“You pick, I’m good with whatever.” Of course he is zero help, so I put on a cringey vampire movie that high school me was obsessed with. It is mid-October, what better way to ring in Halloween?
“Vampires?” He looks at me with amusement and a hint of a smile.
“Hey, you said I could pick whatever, and this is a classic. Have you seen it before?”
He scoffs at that. “Of course not. Sparkly vampires aren’t my thing.”
“Whatisyour thing then? Oh no, you’re into werewolves instead, aren’t you?” My tone comes off slightly teasing with a dash of mock offense as I take a bite of popcorn..
“Do you really want to know what I’m into?” He looks up at me from his wine glass as he takes a drink.
I’m being bold. I’m saying what I mean and meaning what I say now, I remind myself. “Yes, I do.”
I’m scared of the answer but not surprised at all when he says, “You. I’m into you.”
The breath still whooshes from my lungs and I start to fidget, tucking my hair behind my ears. “Is that so?”
“Yes,” he says, staring at me with a completely serious expression while leaning in close.
“Okay,” is the only word I can manage. Not my smoothest or most suave move ever. I am such a mess and so out of practice. Get it together. It’s a casual date, not a marriage proposal.
Xander chuckles next to me and turns to face the TV as we settle into the movie. As it goes on I find myself creeping closer to him until my head is resting on his shoulder, and it feels nice. Really nice. He wraps an arm around me and I snuggle into him, reveling in the warmth and safety I feel. The movie soon fades into the background and I decide to ask him about his personal life, knowing absolutely nothing deeper than surface level information about him.
“So, your business must be very successful considering the house you just bought,” I say, internally cringing because I thinkI might have just made myself sound like a gold digger. He goes a little tense at my comment.
“Yeah, well, I work a lot and I do pretty well for myself. I have a lot of… loyal clients.” He brushes my comment off. Probably for the best, I don’t need him thinking I care about money.
“What do you do for fun? Any hobbies or friends?” I try to steer the conversation into a new direction and away from my blunder.
“I don’t really dofun. I mostly work, and I don’t have much time or need for anything else, including friends. I’m always too tied up with jobs,” he says before swallowing more of his wine.
“I don’t either. I have one really good friend, Sage, but that’s all. I’m a pretty big homebody.” I sound like a loser when I say it. He’s busy with work, I’m busy with absolutely nothing. I could be fun and adventurous, but I'm just not.
“Are you going to tell me about your family?” Not this again. I’m supposed to be asking the questions, not him, and definitely not about this.
