Page 57 of The Girlfriend Card
“I’m … not sure that would’ve helped,” he admitted, his eyes darting.
“Wha’? Why not?”
He drew a short breath. “The truth is, I only came here because your dad called me and suggested I come check up on you.”
I tutted. “Wow. Figures.”
“Sal seemed really distraught, too. Saying that I’d better get you under control before you did something you’d regret?” Leo stared up at me, trying to peer deep into my eyes. “Why did you bring that boy to your dad’s house?”
I stared at him, my lips sealed. I couldn’t say.
“What’s going on, Tavi?” he asked, his voice softening. “We used to tell each other everything. Remember? We always said, total honesty was the only way this would work.”
I hesitated to say. I feared if I started to speak, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself.
He saw the tears welling in my eyes. “What is it? You can tell me.”
“What if I don’twantthis to work?” I blurted out.
Leo stared blankly as if I’d blasphemed.
But it was too late to stop myself now; the truth began to spill from my lips. “Everything in my life is decided according to what’s best for everyone else. Thefamily,thebusiness,now thecampaignand thepresidency.I’m sick and tired of feeling likemywants, my desires, my life don’t matter at all. What if I just want to be a normal girl for once in my life? What if I want to have arealboyfriendwho likes me, is attracted to me, and wants to actually have sexwith me?”
Leo hung his head. “I’m sorry.”
In an instant, I knew I’d gone too far.
“Ugh.I’msorry.” My guilty heart swelled for him. “I hope I didn’t hurt you. I’m not trying to be mean when I say that.”
“No. No, it’s totally understandable you’d feel that way. And I wouldn’t want you to feel trapped in a situation where you’re unhappy.” With a grimace, he said, “You do have options, Tavi.”
“Do I? Do I really? Because my whole life is set up in such a way that I have to do everything my dad wants, and if I don’t, my whole future and everything I’m working for will be taken away from me.”
Leo sighed. “I know. I know.”
“And I’m sorry.” My voice trembled and I blotted at a tear that threatened to escape. “Because I know you’ve heard this rant a thousand times before and nothing is ever resolved.”
“That’s okay.” He squeezed my hand. “It’s a really difficult position for you to be in. You can vent as much as you’d like.”
Since Leo gave me permission to vent, I blew out an angsty exhale and went for it. “I don’t understand why our dadsneedus to be married so badly. Like, if you wanna marry into each other’s families, why not just get it over with, divorce your wives, and marry each other or something? Why does it have to beus?Ugh, it’s not fair!”
Leo burst into laughter. We took turns cracking each other up, like in the old days, bantering about our crazy parents and their insane demands. It’d been a while since Leo and I had bonded like this. It reminded me why, sometimes, I was okay with our arrangement. We might not be romantic partners, but we were certainly partners in this crazy life.
My laughter tapered off into a sigh. “Or maybe I’m just a spoiled brat.”
“Why’s that?” he asked.
“Because you’re my best friend. AndallI have to do, to be gifted the career of my dreams and secure my financial future, is marry you. And it’s not even a real marriage! We just have tolooklike we’re married. So I can still date and screw whoever the hell I want!” I rolled my eyes at myself. “You know how many kids in my program wouldleapfor that opportunity? Hell, forget the kids in my program—mostanyoneon Earth would gladly agree to that.”
Leo snickered. “Yeah, I mean, wedokinda get to have our cake and eat it, too.”
“Ugh. I know … I guess I reallyama spoiled bitch, huh … I like to pretend I’m not, yet here I am, crying about a life that a billion people would literally kill to have.”
“We grew up obscenely rich, Tavi,” he said with a laugh. “Of course we’re spoiled-ass bitches. For better or worse, we’re just not cut out for a ‘normal’ life. Becausewe’renot normal.”
I laughed again, and we hugged, the tension between us dissipating.
“So, speaking of screwing around.” Leo paused, a sly smile curling his lip. “I can totally see why Dakota’s got you all bent out of shape.” He bit his lip, his eyes rolling back into his head. “What a dreamboat that boy is.”
