Read Online Second Lies (The Second Life Series) by Jessica Cruz - Free Book Online
Authors: Jessica Cruz
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Unfortunately, the weed I smoked a while ago had worn off, so liquor was my only option. Now, I could understand why my mom was such a lush.
“Thank you,” I said while grabbing two flutes of champagne. I downed one and placed it back on the tray. As I eyed the second one, I said to the waiter, “Don’t go too far from me. I have a feeling you and I will be best friends this evening.” He nodded his head, amused, mistaking my seriousness for a joke.
I walked up to a painting and stared up at it. It was a large portrait of a naked woman done in a rainbow of colors. Her face was made up of shades of blue and red and orange. Her body painted in pinks and green. She was dancing in the black, midnight sky surrounded by a million points of white light. The concept didn’t make sense to me, but for some reason, I couldn’t stop staring up at it.
“She’s beautiful. Isn’t she? It’s called ‘Center of Attention,’” I had become so enthralled by the portrait that I didn’t even notice someone had walked up next to me. “Her eyes follow you around the room. It’s a bit eerie.”
My eyes widened at the realization; my palms became moist. I hadn’t heard his voice in months. I turned to my right. Garrett stood next to me, looking delicious in a gray, pin-striped suit and bronze colored tie. It brought out the hew of blonde colors in his hair. He was massive compared to my size, standing well over 6 feet tall and bulky, looking like he was sculpted from solid muscle. There was brown stubble around his chin and his golden hair was brushed back in waves. This wasn’t the man I remembered from his house. This man looked refined and striking. The man I remembered was uncultured and crude.
“She’s interesting to say the least,” I slung back the rest of my champagne and faced him. His forest green eyes pierced through mine. I gulped. God, they were exactly the same as his eyes. It was a struggle to try and hide my discomfort, but I pulled through. “What are you doing here, Holden?”
“Checking out beautiful women,” he clinked his glass to mine. For the briefest moment, I caught him eyeing my cleavage. He motioned to the painting. “So what do you think of this? I’m trying to figure out if I should buy it for a restaurant in North Jersey I just purchased. I can’t figure out if I really like it or not.”
“It’s outrageous, bold and unnecessary. I think it’s perfect for you,” I folded my arms, eyeing him up. He made a face that looked familiar. Shit, it was hard just looking at him. Two months later, and I was still struggling with the fact that that relationship was over. “How’ve you been?”
“I’ve been good,” he grinned. “You look beautiful tonight, Adriana. Do you have a date this evening? I can’t imagine it being very difficult for you to find one, looking as gorgeous as you always do.”
“Dating isn’t for me at the moment,” I drank the rest of the champagne, irritated that the waiter was nowhere in sight. I needed something stronger. “I’m here with my mother and her husband.” I shrugged. “Well, I came with them. Now, my mission is to become a drunk asshole by myself.”
He laughed, “That’s not fun.” He made eye contact with a waiter and motioned for him. Garrett grabbed a drink for each of us and handed me one. “We should be drunk assholes together.” He took a sip of his, and I couldn’t help but crack a smile.
“What would your wife think about this?” I lifted my drink in re sponse. “Is she home watching your daughter?”
“Shelly’s at her parents ’ in Delaware with Jade,” he shrugged. I wasn’t sure if I made up the touch of sadness in his eyes, but it instantly disappeared, “where they’ve been staying lately. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t give a shit what I do anymore.”
“Interesting,” I answered. I searched the space to change the
“Thank you,” I said while grabbing two flutes of champagne. I downed one and placed it back on the tray. As I eyed the second one, I said to the waiter, “Don’t go too far from me. I have a feeling you and I will be best friends this evening.” He nodded his head, amused, mistaking my seriousness for a joke.
I walked up to a painting and stared up at it. It was a large portrait of a naked woman done in a rainbow of colors. Her face was made up of shades of blue and red and orange. Her body painted in pinks and green. She was dancing in the black, midnight sky surrounded by a million points of white light. The concept didn’t make sense to me, but for some reason, I couldn’t stop staring up at it.
“She’s beautiful. Isn’t she? It’s called ‘Center of Attention,’” I had become so enthralled by the portrait that I didn’t even notice someone had walked up next to me. “Her eyes follow you around the room. It’s a bit eerie.”
My eyes widened at the realization; my palms became moist. I hadn’t heard his voice in months. I turned to my right. Garrett stood next to me, looking delicious in a gray, pin-striped suit and bronze colored tie. It brought out the hew of blonde colors in his hair. He was massive compared to my size, standing well over 6 feet tall and bulky, looking like he was sculpted from solid muscle. There was brown stubble around his chin and his golden hair was brushed back in waves. This wasn’t the man I remembered from his house. This man looked refined and striking. The man I remembered was uncultured and crude.
“She’s interesting to say the least,” I slung back the rest of my champagne and faced him. His forest green eyes pierced through mine. I gulped. God, they were exactly the same as his eyes. It was a struggle to try and hide my discomfort, but I pulled through. “What are you doing here, Holden?”
“Checking out beautiful women,” he clinked his glass to mine. For the briefest moment, I caught him eyeing my cleavage. He motioned to the painting. “So what do you think of this? I’m trying to figure out if I should buy it for a restaurant in North Jersey I just purchased. I can’t figure out if I really like it or not.”
“It’s outrageous, bold and unnecessary. I think it’s perfect for you,” I folded my arms, eyeing him up. He made a face that looked familiar. Shit, it was hard just looking at him. Two months later, and I was still struggling with the fact that that relationship was over. “How’ve you been?”
“I’ve been good,” he grinned. “You look beautiful tonight, Adriana. Do you have a date this evening? I can’t imagine it being very difficult for you to find one, looking as gorgeous as you always do.”
“Dating isn’t for me at the moment,” I drank the rest of the champagne, irritated that the waiter was nowhere in sight. I needed something stronger. “I’m here with my mother and her husband.” I shrugged. “Well, I came with them. Now, my mission is to become a drunk asshole by myself.”
He laughed, “That’s not fun.” He made eye contact with a waiter and motioned for him. Garrett grabbed a drink for each of us and handed me one. “We should be drunk assholes together.” He took a sip of his, and I couldn’t help but crack a smile.
“What would your wife think about this?” I lifted my drink in re sponse. “Is she home watching your daughter?”
“Shelly’s at her parents ’ in Delaware with Jade,” he shrugged. I wasn’t sure if I made up the touch of sadness in his eyes, but it instantly disappeared, “where they’ve been staying lately. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t give a shit what I do anymore.”
“Interesting,” I answered. I searched the space to change the
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