The Truth in Lies (The Truth in Lies Saga) (3 page)

I dropped the now silent cell phone onto the sand beside me.  The beach was once again at peace.  My lonesome friend was there to comfort me. 
The air around me was calm, but in the distance, I could hear the sound of the ocean crashing against the shore, children laughing and playing, and the roaring engines of boats and jet skis rushing over the open water.

This was
Heaven, but it didn’t last for long.  In a matter of minutes, my cell phone was vibrating again.  I glanced down to see Olivia’s name appear on the screen.

I refused to answer it.  Olivia was the last person I wanted to speak with.  She had
recently started dating some divorce attorney that my Ob/Gyn had introduced her too.  Like most people who’ve recently acquired a new love interest, she couldn’t stop talking about him.  Not that I wasn’t happy for her, but my world was shattering around me, and all she could do was go on and on about how perfect
he
was. 

To say I avoided her like a plague was an understatement.  She knew it too.  Olivia was many things and intuitive was one of them. 

When she discovered her previous boyfriend, Tristan Wilder, was cheating on her, she waited until she knew that he and what she referred to as his ‘blonde bimbo’ were together before confronting him.

Tristan came from a very well-to-do family.  Owning a majority of the gas stations in Sarasota County produced a name and wealth for the Wilder clan.  It came as no surprise to me when Olivia started dating him, because Tristan was her usual type, so to speak.  While he was outside her pr
eference for appearance –being the lead singer for a local rock band– his sizable bank account compensated for his, in her opinion, horrible fashion sense.

They had dated for a year when she discovered his affair.  Instead of confronting him immediately, she orchestrated the moment she would catch him bed with his mistress.  From
what she told me, she threw the key to his place at his head and walked out of his apartment without so much as speaking to him.  I found that hard to believe, but went with it.  Who was I to argue semantics?

While Olivia swore that was the end of things for her, it seemed too coincidental that mere days after their breakup an article appeared in the society page of the Sarasota Herald Tribune entitled, ‘
Sex, Drugs, and Rock –n– Roll: The real life of Tristan Wilder.
’  What was even more precarious was the fact that it was written by Jeremy London, who happened to be one of Olivia’s former clients. 

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Picking up my cell phone, I swiped the sand off the cover and stuffed it back into my pocket.  It was impossible for me to ignore Olivia for long.  She had a knack for catching me off guard, but today, I was determined to be left alone.

I stood up, wiped the granular sand off of my bare skin, and cast one last glance over the water.  Then with a heavy heart, I adjusted my shirt and darted off in a fast sprint toward my car that was bound to take me back to my living prison.

The house was just as empty as I left it.  Casting a soft glow over the beige carpet, the afternoon sun blazed in through the slats of the white shades
which covered the windows.  

I kicked off my sneakers and trampled barefoot down the hall to the master suite.  After a long, relaxing shower, I changed into my comfy jeans, white t-shirt, and favorite oversized brown cardigan.  The thought of food nauseated me, but after running, I knew I needed the fuel.  Reluctantly, I made a peanut butter sandwich and forced it down my throat.

Satisfied with my accomplishment, I decided to reward myself by sneaking into Evan’s nursery.  The hinges of the door creaked as I opened it.  The room was completely devoid of anything resembling the fact that a newborn baby was meant to reside there, save the lone rocking chair that sat by the window, facing where the crib should have been.

White walls stood bare and the carpet still held the impression of the
furniture that had once been placed lovingly around the room.  I tiptoed inside and closed the door behind me.  The soft clank of the latch clicking into the frame calmed my nerves.  

The room was dark, and I had no urge to turn on a light.  Even the dank light that tried to creep into the room
, through the window, was obliterated by the sorrow this room held.  The sun sought to demolish that darkness, but the battle was a lost cause.  Treading into the room, I stretched out my hand, touching the stained wood of the rocking chair that had been placed with love near what would’ve been the baby’s crib.  Instead, all that remained was crushed carpet where the crib once stood. 

I sat down in the rocker, thrusting my toes into the carpet.  Usually, I would sit in the chair, rocking to and fro, until my sorrow overwhelmed me.  In the depths of my despair, I’d dream of the child that should be in my arms, cooing and crying, needing my attention.

But today was different.  Instead of seeing the faceless image of my unborn child resting in my arms, the moment I closed my eyes, I found myself transported back to the beach.  It was a day just like today, warm and sunny, and oddly enough, I felt happy.  A faint smile twitched across my lips, as someone took my hand.  My whole body tingled at the sensation of his imagined touch. 

I looked up into the eyes of the man, only to gasp when I realized who I had manifested in the role of my companion.  It was the nameless man that I encountered on the beach earlier.

My mind reconstructed him inch by inch; his perfect white smile, the flare of his sharp nose as he breathed, his rounded lips, striking dimples, and his toned, smooth physique.   

Warmth flooded my body at the memory of him looking back at me.  His piercing blue eyes burrowed into the depths of my soul.  I imagined him cocooning me in his arms, and planting the most delicious kiss on my lips. 

Lost in my daydream, I hadn’t heard the sound of a car pulling into my driveway.  A knock at the bedroom door startled me.

“Kenz, you in here?”  Olivia’s voice called out from behind the door.

I jumped up from the chair, knocking it to the floor.  “Liv?”  I caterwauled. 

Light flooded the room from the hallway.  My eyes squinted as they adjusted to the intrusion.  A tall, svelte silhouette darkened my path.  I bent over and picked up the rocking chair, placing it back on its feet.

“How the hell…” I began.

Having adjusted to the light, my eyes focused in on Olivia.  Her jet black hair hung over her left shoulder.  She looked like a model dressed in a peach fuzzy sweater, dark-wash skinny jeans, and black knee-high boots.   Leaning against the doorway, her thin lips curled into a smug smirk, as she dangled my house key from her long, bony finger.  She stood almost a foot taller than me, and with heels she could tower almost any man.  I envied her height.

“You gave this to me in case of emergencies, remember?”

I wrapped my cardigan around my chest, stomping out of the room with a tepid snarl on my face.  “Invasion of privacy doesn’t constitute as an emergency,” I sneered.

She waved her hand up and down my body, as I walked past her.  “Look at you.  Your hair is a mess, you look like death, and my God, woman, that wardrobe needs help.”

“I’m fine,” I grumbled.  “You came all this way for nothing.”

“Liar,” she countered.

That one word stopped me cold.  “I beg your pardon.”

Olivia crossed her arms over her chest.  She stood at her full height, looking down at me with a menacing scowl.  Her sculpted eyebrows furrowed tight together. 

“Look at you, Kenz.  I’ve seen you sick.  I’ve seen you drunk, but this is the worst I’ve ever seen you.  You need help.”

I threw my arms in the air.  “I’m not seeing a shrink!”

“I didn’t say…” she started.

But I wasn’t hearing it.  I was sick of everyone telling me what I needed.  “God, you sound like my mother.”

Like a statue, she stood in my hallway staring at me.  “I’m not telling you to see a doctor.  I could give a rat’s ass if you do or don’t.  What I do care about, is you getting out of this hell hole for a night.”

I turned away from her, walking back down the hall toward the living room.  “And what do you suggest?  Clubbing, no doubt.”

Olivia followed me into the living room and landed with a soft thud on my couch.  “Nope.  I want you to come over for dinner tonight.”

I plopped down beside her, hugging my sweater around me.  “Liv, no offense, but I really don’t feel like going out right now.”

She turned her body to face me, propping the heel of her boot against the edge of my coffee table.  “You need to get out of this house,” she pointed toward the hallway and continued, “and out of that room.  Why that prick of a boyfriend left you here alone again is beyond me.”

“He had to work.”

“Bullshit!” Olivia bellowed.  “He’s not man enough to say he wants out.  Instead, he’s stringing you along with the hope that things are going to change.  Wake up, Kenz.  They won’t!” 

A single tear washed down my cheek.  Olivia had just voiced the one fear I held deep down inside of me.  She brushed her thumb across my cheek, wiping the tear from my face.  “I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have said that.  Please, come over tonight.  What do you have to lose?”

I released a deep sigh, my eyes dropping to the floor.  With Nate out of town, I had no reason not to go. 

“Drew will be there,” she added gleefully.

I dropped my head back against the couch and groaned.

“I’ve told him so much about you, and I need my best friend’s approval on him.  Please come to meet him. 
Please
.”

Her dark eyes grew to the size of silver dollars as she took my hands in hers, shaking them.  It was the same look she always gave me when she wanted her way.  And like always, I gave in to her whims. 

“Okay.  Fine.  What time?”

She squealed with excitement, bouncing up and down on the sofa.  For the first time in months, I laughed.

* * *

Later that night, I found myself standing outside the door of Olivia’s high-rise condominium.  I rang the doorbell, all the while I cursed myself for having agreed to this.  I was in no frame of mind to meet her new boyfriend.

She opened the door, dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans and a shell-colored, off the shoulder sweater.  Her hair was perfectly piled up on top of her head, and her makeup was flawless as usual.  Just looking at her made my self-esteem drop a full point.

“I’m so glad you came,” she squeaked, pulling me into a tight hug. 

“I didn’t think I had a choice,” I joked.

She waved me inside and closed the door behind me.  “You’re right, you didn’t.”

She guided me through the foyer into the living room.  Olivia had put a lot of money into decorating her condo.  The walls were painted a brilliant red with gold accents which sparkled in the spacious lighting.  A plush sofa with a matching love seat and oversized chair surrounded a lavish entertainment center.  First time visitors would be clueless to her fifty-two inch plasma screen television that was shielded by the large doors of her entertainment cabinet. 

We walked around the corner into her kitchen and I came to a screeching halt.

There
he
stood, in the middle of her kitchen, surrounded by white marble countertops and stainless steel appliances.  The man from the beach was propped against the counter, leaning back on his elbows with his feet extended out in front of him.  My jaw nearly hit the floor at the sight of this perfect specimen of a man.

Wearing a pair of tailored khaki pants, brown loafers, and a royal blue shirt with the sleeves capped at his elbows, he looked even more delicious than he had when donning his running gear.

I shook my head slightly to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.  His lips twisted into a knowing smirk.  A soft shiver ran up the length of my spine as his eyes washed over me.  Had I not known better, I would have sworn he had physically touched me.

His lips were smooth and plump, perfect for kissing or possibly biting.  His soft, clean shaven face gave him an almost boyish appeal. 

As he pushed away from the counter, my whole body began to quiver with the magnetic charge flowing through my veins.  He was as beautiful as I remembered, maybe even more so.  The moment our eyes met, I was a goner.  Those amazing aquamarine eyes danced with recognition, and I all but feared he would tell Olivia I had shamelessly ogled his ass only hours earlier.  In my defense, I had no idea who he was then. 

“Kenz, this is Andrew Wise.  Drew this is McKenzie Evans,” Olivia pointed to each of us as she spoke.

Drew closed the gap between us in a single step.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mickie,” he said as he extended his hand toward me.  The fact that he called me by my childhood nickname solicited a girlish giggle from me.  No one, but my parents called me that anymore.

“The pleasure is all mine, I’m sure,” I replied as I took his hand.  He had a nice firm handshake.  My father always told me that you could trust a man that would shake a woman’s hand properly.  And while that might be true, his handshake wasn’t
what I was paying attention to.  The attraction that I felt for him on the beach had exploded inside me the instant our hands met.  It was as if I were alive for the first time in my life.  This was unlike anything I had ever felt before. 

His cocky smirk faltered when our skin pressed together.  My heart sank into my stomach when he abruptly pulled his hand back.  For an impregnated moment, he twisted and turned his hand, examining it like a piece of evidence.  His thick eyebrows bunched together, and the expression on his face denoted confusion as well as intrigue. 

I watched him, wishing I had the ability to read his mind.  He glanced up and caught my stare.  His lips twitched, before he balled his hand in front of his mouth, clearing his throat.  “Olivia has told me so much about you,” he said.

I reached behind my neck, rubbing it nervously.  “Oh, goodness.  That must have been a boring conversation.”

“On the contrary,” he quipped.

Olivia wrapped her arm around his waist.  “You’ll get used to Kenz.  She has a tendency for self-deprecation.”

Drew shifted his weight, placing his arm around Olivia’s shoulder, patting it with a teenager’s awkwardness.  She gazed up at him, locked in a dreamlike state, but his eyes were honed in on mine.  Goosebumps exploded over my skin from the intense look in his blue eyes.  “I guess that’s something we’ll have to break her of then.”  His comment was meant as a joke, but the serious undertone made me wonder how much he was in fact teasing.   

The doorbell rang.  “Ah, that must be Morgan and Gavin,” Olivia announced. 

“You didn’t tell me anyone else would be here!” I exclaimed.  “The least you could’ve done was warn me that I’d be a fifth wheel.  I would’ve brought Jared with me.”

“Nonsense.” Olivia rolled her eyes, blowing me off.  “It’s just Drew’s brother, and you know Morgan.” 

Yeah, I knew Morgan all right, but I knew her better as Doctor Carter, my Ob/Gyn.  She was really the last person I wanted to see.  Not that she wasn’t a wonderful person, but she was the one who had to complete the D&C after my miscarriage.  You could say that put her at the top of my ‘people to avoid’ list.

“Besides, I know Jared hates me,” she added.

“He does not.”  The unintentional rise in my voice gave away my lie. 

“Right.  And I didn’t hear him call me ‘the wicked witch of the west’ the other day, either.”

I couldn’t deny that one.  Jared never called Olivia by name.  He always had some mean, snarky nickname for her.

Drew stepped toward me, placing his hand on my shoulder.  “Mickie, you’re anything but a fifth wheel here.  I, for one, am happy that you’ve joined us.” 

His sincere smile melted my fears away.  My need to run away dissipated, and I relaxed, hypnotized by his touch.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

I glanced up, catching Olivia in the corner of my eye.  Her analyzing stare put me back on edge.  Without another word, she disappeared from the kitchen.  Drew stepped back, releasing me from his hold.  My arms and legs felt jellified.  I had to get a grip on myself.  This man shouldn’t affect me like that.