Page 76 of Crossing the Line
The Aftermath
Paisley Grove
Ru rides home with me in a cab. Fortunately, she calls Lake on the way back to my apartment, telling her what happened with Lauren and that I’ll need a friend tonight. She would stay, but Rob is expecting her for dinner.
Lake is waiting for me in front of the building when the cab arrives. When we make it into the elevator, she tells me how awful it is that Hercules didn’t have the guts to say something to me before Lauren spilled the beans. And just then, Treasure calls. I swear, my cousin is intuitively dialed in to me. Whenever I’m at a particularly low point in life, she calls.
With Treasure on speakerphone, we go to Lake’s apartment, since Lake has already made dinner—wet red chili-mole beef burritos with margaritas. She had a taste for Mexican food tonight, and instead of ordering in, she tried a new recipe. Mason, who was supposed to join her, is stuck at the office. Instead of coming to her apartment when he leaves work, he’s going home to sleep. He’s been overly tired these days. So, basically, there’s plenty of food for me.
“It’s good you know now, though, Pais.” Treasure yawns. “I think you should focus your energy on a sure thing from here on out.”
“I agree,” Lake says before putting a bite of burrito into her mouth.
I hang my neck. “Me too.”
“Listen, lovelies, I have to go because the director just called me to the set. We’re shooting my last scene of the day. Yay,” she says in a weary voice.
“Are you getting enough sleep?” I ask.
“Absolutely not, but that’s show business. And by the way, I think you’re right. Max absolutely knew about Hercules marrying Lauren on Friday. He probably made a deal with Achilles to make it happen. You know it’s totally him to do that, don’t you? Okay, gotta go.” Treasure hangs up. It’s just like her to drop an atomic bomb before fleeing the scene.
Mouth open, I stare at Lake, remembering how Max showed up at my apartment, bringing me my favorite sandwich. “Oh no.” I close my eyes and whisper, “How in the hell did I miss it? The sandwich. He feels guilty.”
Lake’s eyelids get stuck for a few seconds while she blinks as if she can hardly believe what she’s being forced to process. “Wow, your brother’s a real jerk.”
My shoulders slump as I set my plate on my lap. I’ve momentarily lost my appetite. “Yeah.” I sigh.
“And you know what, Paisley? Screw it. I’m going to insist Mason find a new best man. Because Hercules doesn’t signify love. He signifies the opposite of love. And his front-stage presence at our wedding will taint us.”
I’m confused about how to respond. That’s awfully dramatic of her. Plus, I don’t think Mason will change out his best man on my behalf. I’m a Grove, LTI’s enemy.
I’m on the verge of telling Lake not to say anything to Mason when my cellphone rings. It’s sitting on the coffee table. Lake and I crane our necks to see the name and number of the caller. I inhale sharply as we look at each other in surprise.
“It could be divine intervention,” she suggests.
On the fourth ring, I answer, thinking maybe she’s right. “Hi.”
The caller is Clive. He asks if I’ll have dinner with him tonight, but I say I’m already eating dinner, and then afterward, I’m just going to go to bed. I’m wiped.
Then he asks if I will go out with him tomorrow night. Even though I’d rather stay in and sulk, I say yes. Lake claps for me.
“That’s how you get back on the horse, Pais,” Lake says. “And I know Clive. He’s a really good guy.”
I narrow an eye. “Is that all? He’s a good guy?” I remember that she described Hercules asnot boring. “Is he boring?”
“No.” She shakes her head adamantly. Then she frowns and gazes off to the side. With less vigor, she says, “I don’t think so.”
