Read Online Compulsive (Liar #1) by Lia Fairchild - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lia Fairchild
Ads: Link
me.”
“Don’t be an ass about this because I’m dead serious.”
“Holy shit, Gray. Really?” His surprise seemed to turn
to delight in an instant, and his words sped up. “This is great news, actually.
I mean, I’m happy for you. For us—”
My mouth fell open; my eyes narrowed on him.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean us-us. I just meant…well it
could—”
“Nathan, stop. Please. I’m sorry.”
“What?”
“It was a total bust. A sham. Don’t you get it?”
Eddy came over to see if we wanted another round. We
both shook our heads silently, Nathan looking like he got sucker punched in the
gut. He waited for Eddy to walk away. “Yeah, I get it. I think I get it pretty
fucking clear now. Why did you even bother? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Evyn made me.” I looked down to my lap. “Some funds
were missing from an account. An account that only a few of us had access to
and since…”
“Of course, she assumed you did it.”
“Yep. And, this was sort of my last chance in her
eyes.”
“God, Gray. I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” I paused, staring at him, his expression
turning more frustrated by the minute. “Aren’t you going to ask me if I did
it?”
“Are you freaking kidding me? Of course, you didn’t do
it. Evyn should know that. Why aren’t you more pissed about this?”
I shook my head. “She’s done a lot for me, Nathan. And
she’s put up with a lot of crap from me. I don’t blame her for not believing me.”
“So, somehow you pulled it off, and everything goes
back to normal ?”
“Not exactly.”
We decided to order appetizers at the bar, mainly so
we could order more drinks without getting hammered. Nathan made comments about
the bland artichoke dip and the stale pita chips in between me filling him in
on what happened with Dr. Wallace and how I’d been on temporary leave from the
office working part-time from home. I told him everything except all the parts
that included Dr. Daniel Harrison.
“You’re really going to do this? Take it seriously
this time?”
“I’m going to try, Nathan. That’s all I can commit to
right now. And what would really make this whole thing easier is if I had a
friend…a real friend.” I wiped my hands on my napkin and then wrapped my
fingers around his hand.
“You know I’m here for you, Gray.” He took my face in
his hands. “I’ll do whatever it takes.” And then a trace of fear crossed his
face. There was always fear with change. I fought to keep from getting
emotional. He saw it coming and headed me off. “One of us has got to be sane, don’t
you think?”
I giggled, letting out a breath of relief. “Thank you.
That means everything to me.”
“But, just to make sure…that means no sex, right?” He
smiled wide, making it incredibly difficult to answer with the correct
response. But somehow, I did.
* * *
The next night I ate Chinese alone in my apartment in front of the TV,
the notorious referral list a solitary place mat on the coffee table in front
of me. Conveniently, it was too late to make calls. I had taken Alyssa to meet
Jessica and her mother at the movies. When Rita asked if I’d join them, I told
her I’d come down with that twenty-four hour stomach virus that had been going
around.
Halfway through a rerun of Jeopardy! , I grew
bored and clicked off the television. My apartment rested as quiet as a coma.
Each wall held one large piece of art; lining up multiple frames gave me a
migraine. The spacing never put me at ease. Clutter was not welcome, and
counters remained clear. I’d hope simplicity and order in my living space would
penetrate my chaotic mind through osmosis. One of the problems with that thinking
was the secret to my success in this area: out of sight out of mind. Pull a
cupboard handle or turn a closet doorknob and you might be greeted with a
collapsing mound of miscellaneous items. Nathan called it my Flintstone Closet.
I leaned over and slid the small photo album
“Don’t be an ass about this because I’m dead serious.”
“Holy shit, Gray. Really?” His surprise seemed to turn
to delight in an instant, and his words sped up. “This is great news, actually.
I mean, I’m happy for you. For us—”
My mouth fell open; my eyes narrowed on him.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean us-us. I just meant…well it
could—”
“Nathan, stop. Please. I’m sorry.”
“What?”
“It was a total bust. A sham. Don’t you get it?”
Eddy came over to see if we wanted another round. We
both shook our heads silently, Nathan looking like he got sucker punched in the
gut. He waited for Eddy to walk away. “Yeah, I get it. I think I get it pretty
fucking clear now. Why did you even bother? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Evyn made me.” I looked down to my lap. “Some funds
were missing from an account. An account that only a few of us had access to
and since…”
“Of course, she assumed you did it.”
“Yep. And, this was sort of my last chance in her
eyes.”
“God, Gray. I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” I paused, staring at him, his expression
turning more frustrated by the minute. “Aren’t you going to ask me if I did
it?”
“Are you freaking kidding me? Of course, you didn’t do
it. Evyn should know that. Why aren’t you more pissed about this?”
I shook my head. “She’s done a lot for me, Nathan. And
she’s put up with a lot of crap from me. I don’t blame her for not believing me.”
“So, somehow you pulled it off, and everything goes
back to normal ?”
“Not exactly.”
We decided to order appetizers at the bar, mainly so
we could order more drinks without getting hammered. Nathan made comments about
the bland artichoke dip and the stale pita chips in between me filling him in
on what happened with Dr. Wallace and how I’d been on temporary leave from the
office working part-time from home. I told him everything except all the parts
that included Dr. Daniel Harrison.
“You’re really going to do this? Take it seriously
this time?”
“I’m going to try, Nathan. That’s all I can commit to
right now. And what would really make this whole thing easier is if I had a
friend…a real friend.” I wiped my hands on my napkin and then wrapped my
fingers around his hand.
“You know I’m here for you, Gray.” He took my face in
his hands. “I’ll do whatever it takes.” And then a trace of fear crossed his
face. There was always fear with change. I fought to keep from getting
emotional. He saw it coming and headed me off. “One of us has got to be sane, don’t
you think?”
I giggled, letting out a breath of relief. “Thank you.
That means everything to me.”
“But, just to make sure…that means no sex, right?” He
smiled wide, making it incredibly difficult to answer with the correct
response. But somehow, I did.
* * *
The next night I ate Chinese alone in my apartment in front of the TV,
the notorious referral list a solitary place mat on the coffee table in front
of me. Conveniently, it was too late to make calls. I had taken Alyssa to meet
Jessica and her mother at the movies. When Rita asked if I’d join them, I told
her I’d come down with that twenty-four hour stomach virus that had been going
around.
Halfway through a rerun of Jeopardy! , I grew
bored and clicked off the television. My apartment rested as quiet as a coma.
Each wall held one large piece of art; lining up multiple frames gave me a
migraine. The spacing never put me at ease. Clutter was not welcome, and
counters remained clear. I’d hope simplicity and order in my living space would
penetrate my chaotic mind through osmosis. One of the problems with that thinking
was the secret to my success in this area: out of sight out of mind. Pull a
cupboard handle or turn a closet doorknob and you might be greeted with a
collapsing mound of miscellaneous items. Nathan called it my Flintstone Closet.
I leaned over and slid the small photo album
Similar Books
