Page 110 of Keep Me
“Just returned the favor.”
“I can’t believe you. After everything.”
“Was there something you wanted, Olana?”
“Yeah, for you to help me like you promised.”
“Sorry. I can’t do that. I’ve already paid for enough. You aren’t my problem anymore.”
The counter felt cold as I swept my hand across it and I smiled. Britt would look so good sitting on top of it. Maybe I could eat her out whilst I cooked her a steak. Actually, an oil splash might make that a little dangerous.
“So that’s it. After one crappy dinner with your dad, you’re just going to drop me? After all the years I stuck by you.”
Her tone dripped with sorrow, but I was immune to it now. That dinner made me prioritize things. Having Britt and losing her because of my past changed me. I was no longer shackled to the things that happened to me. I was ready to move forward and prove my love to Britt.
“You seem to think our past dictates our present and future. It doesn’t. Not anymore at least. You lost any chance of sympathy from me when you lied about having cancer.” My throat closed a little. That still felt like a punch in the gut. She came up with that lie, knowing it was my one weakness. Knowing that was the best way to use me. She deserved my silence.
“It wasn’t a lie. I had inflammation and didn’t know what was the root cause of it.”
I rolled my eyes and walked over to the window, looking out to the choppy seas. One of Britt’s favorite places.God, I hope she likes this place.My mind was second-guessing my decision to buy this without her input, but I didn’t want her to think I was willing to make big promises and not follow through. She deserved more than the lackluster wedding in Vegas she got. She deserved to be cherished. For everyone to know just how much I wanted her.
“You never gave me the opportunity to tell you the truth,” Olana whined down the phone.
Oh, was she still talking? I’d forgotten about her. Thinking about Britt was so much better than this conversation.
“You lied, Olana. You admitted as much at the dinner with my father and wife.”
“Wife?” She coughed out. “You’re still calling her that?”
“Of course.”
“Well, I’d be worried if I were you. She dropped you without question because of a few things I said. Imagine if she actually caught you doing something terrible. You’d be out on the street and she’d be laughing all the way to the bank.”
I took in a deep breath, ready to wrap this conversation up. I didn’t have time for her shit anymore.
“Britt dropped me after you told her you were pregnant with my child. She didn’t want to get in the way of us being a family. That’s called being a good person and backing down. You liedand manipulated your way through our entire relationship, and I’m done with it, and more importantly, I’m done with you.”
“W-what does that mean?”
“It means we’re finished in any capacity. I’m not funding anything for you anymore. Once you hang up, I’m blocking your number. This is it, so if you have something important to say, say it now.”
The only noise was the static down the phone.
“Oh, and stay away from my father.”
“Gladly. He was just a belligerent drunk anyway.”
I took a deep breath, stopping myself from going at her for that comment. Yes, my father had done bad things, but after his confession at dinner, I realized I needed to do more to help him. We were both lost in the memories of what we had because it was easier than facing our reality. Now was the time to help him come back from all that the same way Britt helped me.
“Matty, I’ve got something to tell you. I’m—”
“Goodbye, Olana. Find a new guy to hustle.”
“We’re not thro—”
“Woops,” I said as I hung up the phone and stared at the screen. “I guess I had a bad connection.”
Then I blocked her number, something I’d already done on my father’s and Britt’s phones, not that either of them knew about it. That was it. She was out of our lives. I didn’t need to feel the burden of caring for her anymore. It wasn’t my problem.
