Living Lies (30 page)

“Hi.” She sounded raspy and breathy.

Javier sidled alongside Melanie, while Gigi quickly distanced herself from Javier.

“Javier, good to see you.” Adam offered.

“There you are.” Gigi was still blushing as she turned from Melanie’s panther.

Adam didn’t have to bend down to meet her lips and his hand automatically rested below her waist.

“Have you met Margaret?” he asked.

“I’d really rather be called Gigi.” Her smile faded and there was an edge to her voice. “And yes, we’ve made all the appropriate acquaintances.”

The circle hushed.

“I think I’m going to do a little networking,” Gigi said, pressing her two yards of body against Adam and hanging her long tentacle across his shoulders, pushing back the stray curl. “Okay, Baby?”

When she left, the little group rearranged with Melanie and Adam standing apart from the rest.

“How’s the job search?”

“It’d help if I were looking,” she said, looking past him to the gathering crowd at the bar. She’d lost track of her unfinished martini and was suddenly very thirsty.

“You look beautiful.”

“Don’t do that.” She met his emerald gaze.

“You’re still set on this not-friends business?”

“I need a drink,” Melanie twisted, hoping to catch the nearest bartender or waiter with a drink tray.

“I’ll get it for you. What would you like?” he asked.

“Two dry martinis.”

“Two?”

“Hey, are you getting drinks?” Trish asked, “I want two martinis, too, please.”

“I’ll have a wine spritzer,” Carla added.

Javier was next to put in his request for a beer, anything imported. Melanie smiled as Adam and Jason left to fill the order.

“He’s trying to be my friend. And did you see her ‘Okay, Baby?’ Ugh!” Melanie said with distaste to no one in particular.

“Why can’t you just be his friend?” Carla asked, exasperated.

Melanie exhaled, and looked at both Carla and Trish. They didn’t understand. “Because when I look at him I can’t breathe, my toes curl and my brain stops. And whenever we were together I’d be looking for any opportunity to…”

“Good reason.” Trish patted Melanie’s shoulder. “Don’t be mad at me. I feel stuck and if it bothers you this much I won’t socialize with them anymore. Just don’t be mad.” Trish had the perfect pout, jutting lips and weepy eyes.

“I’m not mad at you, either of you.”

“You hanging in there?” Javier asked. “I’m going to check on Sal and Becky, okay,
Baby
?” He said and nudge her with his elbow.

“Thanks for everything,
Baby
.”

“My pleasure,” he licked his vanilla lips. “We could irritate him one last time.”

She took a quick glance. Adam looked away when their eyes met. “No, but I do appreciate the offer.”

“You underestimate yourself. You could get him back, if that is what you truly wanted.”

“I don’t think so.”

“That is why I said you underestimate. They’re not in love, Melanie.”

Melanie paused. “You are very sweet.”

He shrugged, lifting his palms and smiled gently. “My mother likes you. What else can I do?”

She stretched and he bent, meeting her halfway.

His warm lips brushed across hers, softly at first, but this was Javier and he didn’t know how to hold back. His kiss was so intense that Melanie could feel the flush rise from Carla’s pale skin as they parted.

“Bye,” he whispered, “Call me.”

Melanie exhaled as he turned and sauntered off.

“Wow,” Trish giggled. “Are you sure you should cut him loose?”

“I’m not sure about too much these days.”

“You always get the best kisses. Ted has never kissed me like that.”

“Adam is going to go ape shit.”

“Why should he? He’s moving on with Godzilla.” Melanie looked down at the lower balcony where Adam’s Amazon was impossible to miss. Standing taller than most of the population she comically towered over the two older men she was trying to impress.

“Look at her.”

“She’s not that bad.”

Melanie rolled her eyes. “Shut up.”

“What about those clothes?” Carla asked, “Did she grow since she got dressed?”

Melanie couldn’t stop the vision of Lou Ferrigno busting out of a pair of light blue capris and three-quarter-sleeve blouse with a pair of paisley blue kitten-heel flip flops. Melanie was wiping the tears away when Jason arrived with a tray.

“Here are your drinks, ladies.”

“Where’s Adam?” Trish asked, lessening Jason’s load by one martini.

“He went to find Gigi,” Jason answered quickly, handing Carla her spritzer.

“Did he see Javier leave?” Trish took a second glass and handed it to Melanie.

“He saw.”

Trish flicked her chin up at Melanie and they raced to empty their glasses.

“Jace, did you know that Gigi was moving in with Adam?”

“I heard.”

Trish loaded the drained stemware back on the tray and replaced their empty hands with two fresh glasses.

“I hate her,” Melanie observed casually.

“Okay, I think I’m going to return this to the bar. You guys have fun.”

“I can’t believe I’m so jealous,” she said, twirling the glass between her fingers.

“Oh, there he is,” Carla said, pointing out Adam stealing Gigi away from the honorable arbitrators.

Melanie’s eyes were stuck on them, though it was like watching your own home go up in flames. “Can we please talk about something other than them?”

The sunset had turned dark, the pastels, pinks and yellows swallowed up by indigo blues and violets. Carla took the opportunity to provide the lowdown on the guests. Melanie was beginning to feel the comforts of 80-proof vodka.

She wasn’t even mildly interested in who had escaped a DUI or whose home was going to be featured in
San Diego Living
. Briefly, her eyes scanned the room from the reformed porn star who was currently a best-selling novelist to Congressman Ted Bradley.

“Ted’s here, Car. He looks really good.”

Ted was wearing his signature khakis, which looked like Dockers but were 10 times more expensive, and a long-sleeve dark blue button-down shirt. His brown hair was cut short and his smile showed off a set of dazzling white teeth.

“He’s getting ready for campaigning,” Carla said, as her eyes drifted lovingly over her husband.

“Wow, Car, Ted
is
looking hot!” Trish said, ogling Ted purely to annoy Carla.

“Hi, Honey,” Ted said placing a small peck on Carla’s lips. “Hello, Melanie, Trish.” He placed an equally passionless kiss on each of their cheeks. “I’m a lucky man to be standing with the three most lovely ladies at the party.”

Ted was forever the politician.

“Did you see Randall Nelson and his wife are here?”

“No! Where?”

“And there’s a photographer here from
San Diego Magazine
,” Carla said, and then they left to work the party, leaving Trish and Melanie to talk about them for the few moments before the lights flickered.

“Everyone to the terrace,” Lena announced, waving her pencil-thin arms. “My annual fireworks spectacular is about to commence!”

Jason cozied up beside Trish just as the herd began its stampede to the patio.

“I’ve got to pee,” Melanie told Trish, escaping the barrage.

The gathering crowd was tightening in as Melanie pushed and struggled, weaving her way against the flow.

“Melanie.”

She stopped at the sound of her name, lost in a sea of torsos.

“Mel.” His hand reached through the horde and clutched her arm. “Come on,” he said, keeping her tightly behind him as he shouldered his way out of the masses.

Her cheek rubbed against his shoulder, he smelled of vine tomatoes and green olives. She’d missed him, missed his cooking, his strength.

The darkened living room was empty, and as he slid the glass doors closed, the whistle of the first rocket being launched from a vessel floating somewhere offshore.

Ripples of “oohs” and “aahs” filtered through the crowd of admirers. A flash of gold reflected in Adam’s green eyes. The rockets erupting in the night sky were the only source of illumination.

The force of the explosions rocked her, sending her heartbeat into an uneven palpitation. It was difficult to read his expression through the strobe of colored lights, though Adam stood close, his face hidden in darkness. He was holding both her hands and she could feel his rapid heartbeat through his palms.

“I’ve been wanting to get you alone all night,” Adam said.

She felt a calm excitement, her emotions obstructed by the alcohol pulsating through her bloodstream, pleasantly numbing the tips of her fingers and toes.

“Mel, I need to apologize for my behavior at the beach.” He stepped closer, pressing his fingers into her arms. “I am so sorry about the things I said. I never meant to hurt you.” His soft eyes pleaded for forgiveness. “I feel as though I have to explain Gigi.”

Okay,
Melanie thought, not exactly how this is supposed to start. She waited for the, “You’re beautiful, I made a horrible mistake, I want only you” dialogue to begin.

“She and I met in L.A.,
after
you and I had parted. I thought you were gone and when I met her she was so uncomplicated. You had been very clear about your intentions,” his voice was low and deep.

Melanie stared, concentrating to link the words to their meanings. Trying to make them fit, but she knew this was not right. She couldn’t think – damn vodka!

“Melanie, maybe we could go out with you and Javier. The four of us could…”

He kept speaking but she heard nothing else.

“Stop,” Melanie said, realizing his intention. “A double date?” she asked incredulously, garnished with a sarcastic laugh.

“I just want to be able to see you, somehow, as friends,” he whispered.

“No. I can’t do this.” She shook her head and walked across the room, grinding her teeth. Not wanting to lose control she blinked back the moisture forming on her eyelids. She looked up at the glistening waterfall above the fireplace.

“Melanie?” He followed, standing too close.

“You just don’t get it.” Of course she’d known she’d fallen too quickly, too irrationally but there had been small signs that he too … Melanie closed her eyes to shut out the world and came upon an understanding.

“Please.”

“You were right – I’m the one that didn’t realize,” she’d mistaken his kindness for intimacy. She’d been lonely and vulnerable and had completely lost her freaking mind.

“So, we can be friends?” he asked cautiously.

“No. Nothing changes for me.” Melanie had to let go, she felt woozy, light-headed. “I can’t socialize with you and Gigi, I can’t be around you.” She felt sick. The reverberation, the vodka and the smell of sulfur from the rockets were having an unpleasant effect.

“But, I care about you, Mel, and if we could just get over this…”

“I can’t ‘get over this.’” Her breathing shook as she turned to stare into his tender green eyes. Her voice softened, but she wanted to make herself clear.

“Please, Melanie.”

“You don’t understand. I’m not
choosing
this, it’s…us…this, right now I’ve got nothing. I keep making mistakes that I don’t know how to fix. I’m floundering for some footing in my life.”

“I can help, really, maybe. We could talk, somehow stay connected. I don’t want you out of my life.”

What he was asking was impossible. “Listen, I understand why you chose her, really, I get it, but consider my side.” He tried to interrupt but she quickly continued. Melanie’s face tightened, realizing she was going to have to spell it out. He was unaware of how entangled her feelings had become.

It was difficult to explain, she paused and he stared.

“I … I,” she stumbled, then opened up in a rush, “Adam, from that first look I’ve been falling in love with you. I know we’ve only been on one date but…” The words spilled out, flooding her usual boundaries. “I’ve tried to get over you … but I can’t, I’m overwhelmed. It’s worse when I see you, when you’re so close. I want to kiss you and I want you to hold me and make love to me. I want you to want those things, too. I can’t be your friend. I can’t sit and have dinner or stand at your wedding. I’m sorry, but I’m just not that strong.
This
is breaking my heart.” Instinctively her hand covered her chest. Her chin began to quiver, she was done.

Adam’s face was frozen in shock. He looked as sick as she felt – pale and ready to puke. Behind a wall of plate glass and a million miles away from the tiny world they occupied stood 100 people with their eyes raised to the sparkling heavens.