Page 265 of The First Time

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Chapter Ten

The bathroom is as beautiful as the rest of the hotel ballroom. The floors are marble. The mirrors are ornate. Modern art lines the walls.

I turn the shiny fixture to cold and splash my neck.

It helps.

A stall door opens behind me. Footsteps move closer.

I focus on applying another coat of lipstick. That berry color. The one that makes me feel like a sex goddess.

Fiona steps up to the mirror. She stares at the sink as she washes her hands. Her eyes are red. Puffy.

She's been crying.

She looks to me as she grabs a paper towel. "I'm surprised Blake let you off his leash."

I force myself to smile. That might be a threat or it might be sincere curiosity. Either way, I'm selling myself as madly in love. "He can't exactly join me here."

"Hmm."

"He is protective."

"Try having him as an older brother."

"I can imagine."

"Every guy at our school was afraid to date me. They thought Blake would kick their asses."

"Would he?"

"What do you think?"

"Excuse me?"

"He's your boyfriend. You don't know how he reacts to jealousy?"

"That was a long time ago."

"Mhmm." She brushes her dark hair behind her ear. "No. Blake isn't violent. Well… not usually."

I swallow the question that rises in my throat. There's something she isn't saying. Something I'm not supposed to know.

She gives me another once-over. "I have to say. I didn't expect him with someone like you."

"Like me how?"

She pulls her lipstick from her clutch. "Blake is married to his job. He's worse than my husband. I always imagined him with someone who was the same."

"I love my work too."

"Waiting tables?"

"I'm an artist. I have a lot to learn. It keeps me busy."

She nods, accepting my story. Or maybe that's anokay, whatever you tell yourselfnod. I'm not sure.

"Blake makes time for me." That's true. Sort of. "He wants to change things. He knows he won't be happy unless he does."