The Truth in Lies (The Truth in Lies Saga) (22 page)

“You called me Drew,” he muttered, sounding heartbroken.
 He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck before loosening his tie. 

“That’s your name.”

“You always call me Andy,” he responded, forlorn.

“But you hate that name.”

“Not when it comes from you.”

I tried to release his hand, but instead he squeezed mine tighter.
 “Please don’t pull away from me,” he pleaded.  He looked up at me, a ghost of a smile forming on his lips.  “Is that my necklace?”

I placed my free hand over my chest, feeling the pendent press into my skin.  “Yes,” I whispered.

“Have you taken it off?”  He eyed me, a hint of curiosity gleaming in his crystal blue eyes.

Twisting some of my hair around my finger, I cast my glance away from his, afraid of what he might see.  “Only to bathe,” I responded.  Thunder rumbled in my chest.

“You really like it then?”

“A very dear friend gave it to me.  Of course, I love it.”

“A dear friend,” he repeated in a monotone scale.   

“Drew, I have to call a spade a spade.
 You’re my friend, and that’s all you’ll ever be.”

His eyes squinted like he had eaten something sour.
 I wondered if those words were leaving a bitter taste on his tongue as they had mine.  Drew looked down at our hands.  His shoulders sank and his breathing became heavier.

The sound of Jared’s laughter burst in from the kitchen.
 Jared was putting on a show to keep Olivia’s attention.  What I did to deserve such a good friend, I’d never know.

Suddenly, Drew’s head shot up.  He looked me square in the eye.
 His whole expression changed.  Anger had replaced agony.  “You mean like Jared
is
your friend?”

I was stunned.
 My mouth dropped open as he squeezed my hand a little tighter.  

“I beg your pardon?”

“What’s really going on between you two?” he demanded.  “You both tried to convince me there’s nothing going on and yet I find him here tending to you while you’re sick, when you won’t even answer my calls?”

“I...um...well...” I stuttered.
 

And there he was.  My Neanderthal.  Asking questions that weren’t really his business, and yet, I felt compelled to answer them.  “He stopped by just to check up on me.”

“How convenient,” Drew growled through gritted teeth.

I rubbed my thumb over his hand.
 “It’s the truth, Andy,” I whispered.  “He’s just a friend.”

Drew squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose.
 He took several deep breathes and then opened his eyes, looking deep into mine.  It felt as if he was searching for the truth in my eyes.  His expression softened and a gentle crooked smile appeared on his lips.  I knew he had found what he was looking for.

“I’m sorry, Mickie.
 Just seeing him here...in such an intimate way.”  Drew sighed.  “I’m sorry.  It’s none of my business.”

He was right and wrong about it being none of his business, but had I not reacted the exact same way in discovering Olivia at his house?  I knew exactly how he felt, and didn’t begrudge him those feelings.  It made me feel a little better to know I wasn’t the only one who had that tendency to act out.
 

“It’s okay, really.” I gulped hard, trying to prevent a cough attack.  “There’s only one man I’m interested in, and I can’t have him,” I murmured under my breath.

He smiled and my heart fluttered.  “What did you just say?”  The burn of my blush roared over my face and down my neck.  I didn’t think he could hear me. 

“Nothing,” I quickly stated.

“No, I swore I heard you say –”

“Dinner time!” Olivia sang from the kitchen.

Drew released my hand.  He sat up straight in his seat without breaking eye contact.  He knew what I said and seemed rather pleased with himself for having heard it.

“Chicken noodle, m’dear,” she simpered, placing the hot bowl in front of me.  “Eat up before it gets cold.”

Jared sat down on couch, resuming his place beside me and Olivia finally got to sit down as well.

“I almost didn’t recognize your kitchen, Kenz,” she teased.  “It’s practically bare in there
; well, by your standards at least.  You really must be sick.”

“I haven’t had the chance to shop.”  Steam rose off the bowl on the coffee table.  I leaned forward cupping my hands over the heat.  It felt so good against my clammy skin.

“We’ve got to get you well then.  I come over here expecting to be able to gorge out.”  Olivia nudged Jared, expecting him to laugh.  Yet, no one did but her.

“God, you’re all a bunch of sour pusses,” she complained, slumping back into the couch.  “I bet we could liven this party up.  I noticed a bottle of wine chilling in the fridge.  I’m sure we could all use a drink.”  She snapped her fingers as if remembering something.  “Except Drew.  He
rarely
drinks.”

Drew’s head shot up and anger rolled off of him.  “I have my reasons,” he snarled.  The gentleness that had been on his face a second prior was gone; replaced by a stern, fierce grimace. 

“I’m not in the mood for drinks,” Jared said.  “I just want to see McKenzie get better.  That’s what I’m here for.”

“Thanks,” I whispered.  “And thank you both for the soup.”

“Yeah, it’s doing you a lot of good as a hand-warmer,” Olivia grumbled.

“I’m letting it cool off.  I promise I’ll eat it.” 

Drew stood up.  With a sideways glance, he addressed Olivia, “I think we need to let Mickie get some rest.”

“But we just got here.”

“I know, but Mickie is sick and it appears as though Jared has everything under control.  I have an early morning meeting with Gavin to go over some of the paperwork from today’s win, so I need to go home and sleep,” Drew demanded.

“So, I guess that means you won’t be staying the night?” Olivia snarled.

“Of course not.”  His eyebrows crunched together, staring at her askance.

“Fine.  I’ll have Jared take me home.  You can go get your precious sleep.”  Her head shook as she spoke.

“I’m staying the night,” Jared told her.  “I brought an overnight bag with me.”

“That’s convenient,” Drew grumbled.

Olivia’s snarl turned into a wide grin.  “Very convenient.”  That smirk meant only one thing and I couldn’t believe she would even think such a thing with as sick as I was.  “I guess I’ll call you tomorrow to check on you,” she announced.

“Sounds good to me.”  Moving my blanket, I moaned as I tried to get up off the couch.

Drew put a hand out and stopped me.  “Don’t get up, Mickie.  You’re sick.  We’ll see ourselves out.”

“I...ah...okay,” I stammered.
 Drew leaned down and kissed my cheek.  “Rest well, beautiful,” he whispered in my ear, “and no more avoiding my calls.”  I nodded, unable to find my voice.  He turned at Jared.  “Take care of our girl.”

“I will take good care of
our
girl,” Jared mimicked Drew’s tone.  I cut my eyes at him wishing I had more energy so I could slap him.

Drew placed his hand in the middle of Olivia’s back and led her out the door.
 “Goodnight,” she screamed, as Drew shut the door behind them.

No sooner did the door close that Jared fell over on the sofa laughing uncontrollably. “The idiot still thinks we’re fucking, doesn’t he?”

I mustered up every ounce of energy I could, and smacked Jared in the shoulder.  “Be nice.  He’s just worried about me.”

“Oh, he’s worried all right.
 He’s worried that I’ll get you before he does,” Jared flailed on the couch continuing to laugh.  “Priceless!”

“He’s not the only one.  Olivia thinks it too.”

“The bride of Satan’s only concern is that Drew isn’t fawning all over her.  She thinks he’s in love with you.”

His words stopped me cold.  “She doesn’t think that.”

“She’s not blind, McKenzie.  Be careful.  This thing between you and Drew isn’t as camouflaged as you two would like to believe.”

Nate’s voice rumbled in my head,
I saw the way you looked at each other.

Without another word, I lay back down on the couch, this time placing my feet in his lap.  He picked up the remote, flipping through channels again.  The bowl of soup remained on the coffee table, never to be eaten.

My healing had been almost miraculous after seeing Drew.  By the next morning, my fever had broken, and my cough had subsided. 

Jared played hooky from work to watch over me like a hawk.  He monitored my meds, my food, and my liquids.  I felt like I was on lockdown in my own home.  By nightfall, he felt I was much better, but was still in an overprotective mode.  He decided to stay another night just in case I
needed
him. 

Throughout the day, I received text messages from Drew.  They were much lighter than they had been in a long time.  Playful Drew was back.  He had me laughing most of the day, which made me feel even better.  Joking around with Drew made me happy, and I figured if I could at least hav
e his friendship, then I’d be okay. 

During the interim of my texting with Drew, I received a message from Olivia,
requesting that I bring Jared with me to a dinner party she was hosting the following evening, in honor of Drew’s win.  There was no time like the present for me to try on my new-found acceptance, so I agreed.

After several days of my nursemaid tending to me, I finally persuaded Jared to return home.  Sleeping on my couch was comfortable enough, but not after days of doing it.  He tried to argue the fact, but I won
by promising to call him if anything happened.

I threw back the covers and tossed my feet over the side of the bed, wiggling my toes.  Joints cracked and popped, as I stretched my arms high over my head.  A deep rumble rose in my chest as I stretched.  Content that I had loosened every joint and muscle, I hopped out of bed and set out to start my day.

As I made my way to the shower, thoughts of the night before resurfaced in my mind.  Jared appeared so distraught when he left me. 

“I’m worried about you,” he whispered.  “What if you need me?”

“Jared, I’m fine,” I reiterated.  “My fever is gone, and I feel great.  You’re the best friend a girl could have.  Thank you for tending to me.”

And that’s when it happened.  His face dropped.  The smile I was so prone to seeing disappeared.  His chest popped out and his shoulders straightened under his faded green vintage t-shirt.  His caramel eyes hardened.  He conceded to leave me with no further argument.  I tried to make sense of what might be bothering him.  It wasn’t like him to be so melancholy.

In order to keep my mind busy from all of the hindering thoughts, I threw myself into cleaning my apartment.  It had been a den of sickness for far too long and a good sterilization was in order.  There was no way in Hell I was getting sick again if I could help it.

The harsh scent of the chemicals burned through the rest of my congestion.  By mid-afternoon I
could fully breathe again, but was exhausted from my rigorous activities.  Satisfied that the germs had been eliminated from my home, I decided to reward my body with a long, hot bath.

The roar of running water deafened me.  I poured sweet pea oil into the stream which saturated the steam flowing off of the water.  As the tub filled, I undressed and slid myself into the depths of the heated liquid.  I reclined against the back of the tub, letting the water cover me with its bountiful heat.  Once the tub was filled to my liking, I turned the water off with my foot and made myself as comfortable as possible.

Steam filled the room, sticking to my exposed skin.  I closed my eyes, only to see Drew standing before me.  His eyes were bright and happy and my favorite smile laced his lips.  With arms wide open, he beckoned me to come to him.   

To his right was Nate, scowling, menacing, and foreboding.  He looked upon Drew like one might look at a cockroach.  Drew was nothing more than a creature to be squashed.  I wanted to protect Drew from Nate, but something was holding on to me, preventing me from rushing to his side.

I turned around to find Jared clinging to me.  He pleaded with me to stay with him where it was safe.  All he ever wanted to do was love me and protect me, unlike the two men before me, who would always hurt me.  His motives were pure and selfless.  Yet, even with that knowledge, all I could do was pull myself away from him to get to Drew.

My eyes jolted open.  It always came back to Drew.  My heart wasn’t going to let go of him. 

The water had started to chill, so I pulled the plug out of the drain and dried off, feeling even more anxious than I had when I got in the tub. 

Time was drawing closer for Jared’s arrival, so I stepped into high gear.  I chose a white denim mini-skirt and a navy blue swing vest top.  I curled my hair and let it hang gingerly over my shoulders.  Just as I was applying my usual coat of mascara, there was a knock at the door.

“It’s unlocked,” I hollered from the bathroom.

A few minutes later, Jared called out to me, “I’m here, McKenzie.  You decent?”

“I’m in the bathroom putting on makeup.  Come on in.”

Jared appeared behind me, dressed in a plaid button up shirt and jeans.  His blonde hair was now combed back, hanging just above his shoulders; the dark circles under his eyes had vanished.  His golden eyes raked over me through the reflection in the mirror.

“Wow, you look fantastic.”

I smacked my lips after applying lip gloss and turned to him.  “Why
, thank you.”

I flipped my head over, running my fingers through my curls to loosen them a little.  When I tossed my hair back, I caught Jared’s eyes in the mirror again.  He was leaning against the bathroom door, watching me with such intensity that my skin developed goosebumps.  Catching my eyes, he stood up straight and cleared his throat.

“Um, sorry I’m late,” he started.  “I had to get gas on my way here.”

“No worries.  You’re right on time.”  I turned to him, smiling.  “Ya ready?” I asked.

His lips curved into a mischievous grin, as he offered me his arm in a gentlemanly fashion.  “Of course I am.  Let’s go see the wicked witch.  Maybe someone will drop a house on her.”

A half hour later, we arrived at Oli
via’s condo.  Jared parked his Mustang in my old parking space.  Failing in my appearance to be inconspicuous, I glanced around the guest level of the parking garage to see if Drew had arrived yet.  The Rover was nowhere to be seen. 

“You seem distant,” Jared pointed out during our ride in the elevator. 

I slipped my arm into his and leaned into him.  “I’m sorry.  I don’t mean to be.  Maybe I’m not completely over this cold yet.”

“Are you sure it’s not us spending the evening with the Wicked Witch of the Gulf and Drew?”

“I’m still a little weak.”

“If you say so.  Just know I’m here if you need me.”

He led me out of the elevator to Olivia’s door.  My stomach tightened as he rang the doorbell.  Within a flash, Olivia opened the door dressed in a delicate sea green silk dress that shimmered down her petite frame.  Her black hair was piled high on her head in curls.

“Jared
, you came,” she screeched at the sight of us.

“I was invited, was I not?” he snarled, shrewdly.

She ushered us into the condo.  The air was infused with my favorite scents of sweet pea and lavender.  The maid had made her appearance for the week.  Everything looked immaculate.

“Of course you were.  I just had a sneaky suspicion that Kenz would neglect to tell you.”

Jared and I followed her to the kitchen.  We each took a seat on the barstools circling the island.  Bags of groceries were scattered all over the counters.  Nothing was cooking, and I didn’t see any of her usual delivery bags.

I cleared my throat in confusion.  “Um, Liv,” – I scratched the back of my head as my eyes darted around the room – “are you having dinner delivered?” 

She cocked her head from side to side with a huge grin on her face, producing a shrill, almost fake, laugh.  “No, silly.  I bought everything so
you
could cook.  I’ve missed your cooking.” 

My jaw almost hit the ground.  “You did what?”

“I knew you wouldn’t mind.  You love to cook.”  Olivia’s grin spread wider.

“I do, but it would’ve
been nice to be given some warning.  What am I supposed to be cooking here tonight?”

“Well, I picked up the most beautiful rack of lamb.  I thought you could do that herb crusted thing you do.”  She turned to Jared.  “It’s to die for.”

“Rack of lamb?” I repeated, my tone flat and unbelieving.

Jared’s eyebrow rose.  He leaned into me chuckling.  Fury rippled from him. “Oh yes.  Didn’t you hear?  It’s to die for,” he sneered.

Olivia cut him a sideways glance.  I sighed in defeat.  “Liv, that takes time to cook properly.  You could’ve given me a heads up.  I would’ve come over sooner.”

Her dark eyes turned to charcoal.  “If you don’t want to cook, just say so.  I’ll order out.  I figured you might want to showcase your talent.  I was only thinking of you.”

“No, it’s fine.  I’ll get started on dinner.”

I slid off the barstool, catching the look in Jared’s eyes.  He was furious.

I pulled an apron out of the pantry, sliding it over my head, and set out to work.  In exploring all the items Olivia had sitting on the counter, I was amazed.  She did very well in her shopping expedition.  A menu formed in my head.  Parmesan risotto and steamed asparagus in hollandaise sauce would be the perfect partners with an herb-crusted rack of lamb.

As I worked, Olivia handed Jared a bottle of wine, which he gladly opened and poured each of us a glass.  I took a sip and poured the rest into my marinade for the lamb.  Olivia stared at me dumbfounded. “What the hell?”

“It makes the meat taste great,” I explained.

“Yeah, but you’re supposed to drink that,” Olivia retorted.

“I did drink it.  Besides, you know I prefer white wine.  Otherwise, just give me a beer and I’m happy.”

“Can you be anymore uncivilized?” 

“We all have different tastes.  I like beer, you like wine.  It doesn’t mean I’m uncivilized.  Now, you put me up to making this meal.  Don’t criticize how I do it,” I warned her.

She opened her mouth to argue, but clamped it back shut.  It was rare that I would stand up to her, and when I did, I meant business.  I was certain she was remembering the last time she crossed me.  She didn’t want to face that again.

I threw myself into my work, meticulously chopping vegetables and heating the oven for the lamb.  Olivia engaged Jared in conversation.  I did my best to ignore them and focused solely on my work.

The doorbell rang.  Olivia squealed with excitement.  “That’s Drew.”  The doorbell rang again.  “Coming!” she yelled, as she raced out of the kitchen.

“Now that would be interesting to see.  I bet she cackles instead of moans,” Jared joked.

I threw a wooden spoon at his head.  He tried to dodge it, but it grazed his ear.  “Don’t you dare embarrass me tonight.”

“Me?  Never.  I think it’s going to be an entertaining evening.”

“And why do you think that?”

“Isn’t it obvious?  To Olivia, this is a double date.”

“What makes you say that?”  I poured olive oil into the bottom of a hot skillet.

“Did you not listen to what she was saying to me?” I shook my head.  Jared mirrored my response, as he continued, “She said it was about time I took you out on a real date now that I was spending the night at your place all the time.”

I stepped back, stunned.  Jared gave me a triumphant grin. 

“Oh, shit,” I muttered under my breath.

“You can say that again.”

Just as I was about to ask him what we were going to do, we were silenced by the sound of Olivia and Drew’s harsh whispers.

“Drew, I swear.  You knew what tonight meant to me.  Did you really have to come dressed like that?”

“It’s Saturday night.  I see nothing wrong with wearing a t-shirt and jeans.”

“You’re deliberately trying to ruin tonight, aren’t you?” Olivia hissed. 

“I didn’t want to do this in the first place.  Remember?  Whatever angle you’re playing at, sweetheart, you can forget it.  Just because I’m here doesn’t mean anything has changed between us,” Drew sneered.

“Whatever,
Andrew
.  It would’ve been nice if you had worn something a little more suitable for the occasion though.”

“You act like we married.  News
flash, we’re not and we never will be.  For your information, I’m dressed just fine.  Now, either drop it or I leave.”

“Drew, what’s that in your hand?” Olivia hissed, ignoring his ultimatum.

“Something to get me through the evening.  That’s what.”

I covered my mouth, shocked at the anger rolling off of Drew, and startled by Olivia’s reaction to it.  Looking up at Jared, I caught an evil smirk on his face.  “I’ll get you
, my pretty,” he mouthed. Then he started humming the Wicked Witch of the West theme song. 

I glared at him.  He laughed at my expression, so I flipped him off.  Just as I did, Drew entered the kitchen.  My heart skipped a beat at the sight of him; just like it did every time I’ve seen him. 

Drew was wearing a maroon t-shirt with
Billabong
inscribed on the front in mustard yellow.  His loose fitting jeans had a hole in the left knee, and he was wearing a pair of black Converse.  To me, he looked perfect.