Page 55 of Be Your Anything
“Oh, I’m not sure,” Remmy replies, deflection shields firmly in place. “Things are in the works. Hopefully soon, but we’ll see.”
“Did I see you went to Mexico in May?” Rebecka asks, thankfully diverting the conversation away from when Remmy might move back to Hermosa.
“Colombia,” she corrects. “We went down to visit my grandfather. My mom wanted to make sure we got in a really good visit at least once more before he passes.”
Rebecka, always the tender heart, puts a hand over her chest. “Oh Remmy, I’m so sorry.”
Remmy shakes her head, smiling. “He’s an asshole. I won’t miss him.”
I swear the entire table screeches to a halt, every eye looking in her direction as she grabs a shot of tequila from the tray in the center of the table then tosses it back.
I’ve always known Remmy has issues with her mother’s family, but I’ve never heard her talk about it this way before, with a simmering layer of animosity lacing her words.
“So, I’ve been watching your life on the IG, girl,” Remmy replies. “Looks like things are going well.”
Rebecka’s eyes light up with Remmy’s interest in how her influencer business is progressing, and she launches into a detailed story about a recent partnership she made with an airline to fly internationally.
I reach out for my whiskey, catching Paige’s eyes for a brief second. She raises an eyebrow, her mouth set in clear displeasure.
I ignore her, taking a long drink before I allow myself to look back at Lennon, where she sits next to Paige, her eyes focused off in the distance as she folds and unfolds a napkin on the table.
Anyone else looking at her might not be able to tell, but I can. I’ve known Lennon for our entire lives, and that face she’s wearing right now? That’s a façade.
A sick feeling crawls through my stomach.
I can’t help but feel like I’m doing something wrong even though we all knew the score when this started. Remmy wanted the open relationship. Lennon knew about Remmy long before anything started between us.
So why do I feel so uneasy?
I feel the need to remind myself that I’m not juggling girls around. I’m not cheating on my girlfriend. I’m not lying to the girl I’m sleeping with.
That sick feeling starts to spread.
Maybe it’s the first time I’ve really considered what Lennon’s role in this is, how it makes her look, how it makes her feel.
I’m not doing anything wrong.
And when Lennon looks around, her eyes shifting to anywhere but me, I have this sinking feeling that just because something isn’t wrong doesn’t mean it’s right.
I grit my teeth and take another drink.
“Shit, I have to go.” Lennon starts to scoot out from the booth but stops when Paige grips her arm.
“Really? Youhaveto?”
Lennon and Paige share a look before Lennon pulls her arm out of Paige’s grasp.
“Yes,” she answers. “We have a meeting on Friday morning and I never prepared for it.” She stands next to the end of the booth, smoothing down her skirt. “And I don’t want to be working on it tomorrow. Itisa holiday after all.”
Her eyes flit to mine for a millisecond before they look to Remmy. “Welcome back. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around?”
Remmy nods and gives Lennon a little wave.
And then, before I can think of anything to say, she’s gone.
The awkward silence probably goes unnoticed by Remmy, but the faces of the other women at the booth confirm my suspicions that everyone here has been struggling with how to balance Remmy and Lennon in the same space.
Rebecka won’t look at me. Ji-Eun looks like she wants to get up and run after Lennon. Tabitha has her arm looped in Ji-Eun’s, a sad look on her face, and Paige is glaring in my direction like I murdered someone.
