Page 32 of Reckless Liar

“No way. Do you have any idea how much sugar is in chocolate syrup? So much.” She pulled out the word “so,” dramatically long for emphasis. “That’s why people are so fat, you know. Sugar, it’s the new drug of choice. That’s what people should be worried about. It’s going to kill our generation.”

Chuckling more to myself than anything, her clueless comment bit deep. “I don’t know, Sherie. I’m pretty sure actual drugs are a bigger problem.”

“It’s Shur-Ree,” she corrected. I gave her my flattest look, my annoyance still simmering. “You called me Sherry, like the drink, but it’s pronounced Shur-Ree.”

“Right.”

Sherie somehow snuggled closer to Xander. If she wanted to get closer, she’d have to sit in his lap. “So, do you have a boyfriend?” Sherie asked cheerfully.

“No. I don’t,” I answered, my tone all ice.

“You don’t date? Alex said that you were dating some guy the last time we went out. He talked about it a lot, actually.”

It had been a few weeks since I went out with Troy. He never called for a second date, and I was relieved to not have to decline.

“No. I’m not seeing anyone.”

When I didn’t elaborate, she changed the subject. “So, Alex said you guys grew up together?” Sherie asked me, her voice too cheery.

I cocked my head to the side as I considered Sherie, before shooting a glance at Xander. “Yes,Alexander and I did.”

Xander dropped his arm down from the back of the couch, placing it in his lap. He shot me a cautionary look. “Okay. Well now that you guys are acquainted, should we start dinner?”

She looked from me to Xander her face brightening. “Sure, that sounds great. Let me freshen up for a moment. Bathroom is where, again?”

Before Xander could respond, I told her, “Head into the hallway, first door to the left.”

She gave me a strained smile. It felt good to reassert power over my place. This wasmyapartment. I wasn’t going to have her come in like it belonged to her and Xander together.

Once we heard the door close, Xander leaned forward, his hands forming a steeple in front of him. “There should be enough for you, too. I figured you’d be hungry after work tonight.”

I tried not to let the kind gesture get to me. It didn’t matter if I had no right to be annoyed, I was going to relish in it. “I need to shower, and I don’t want to ruin your date by third wheeling it.”

“Of course. If you want any food, you know where to find it.”

Getting up, I made my way to the hall before turning around. “You didn’t make chicken parmesan again, did you? Because I was lying the last time I had it.” I wrinkled my nose at him. “It is not up to “impress your date” caliber yet.”

“You said it was good!” he said, panic crossing his face.

“I said it was better. It was just okay, to be honest.”

“Well, I don’t know how to make anything else.”

“Serve the spaghetti. No harm in that, impossible to mess up. It’ll be fine.”

He nodded his head several times as if he was trying to psych himself up. “Right, okay, it will be fine.”

“She obviously likes you. I’m sure you could serve her your soggy chicken parmesan and she’d still go out with you again.”

He smiled, “You think?”

My chest felt too tight as I tried to force a smile. “Totally.” I got up, making my way toward the hallway. As I passed the couch where he was sitting, he grabbed my arm.

“Hey, speaking of fine. Is this, okay? Bringing a date back here? I know before in the duplex you didn’t really care, but things are a little different now that...”

“Yeah, of course, Xan. Totally cool. Nothing’s changed.” My voice went up too high at the end, betraying me.

“Are you sure? Because we haven’t talked about it yet.”

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