Sage
“Ilove you.” I grabmy phone and smile down at Mel.
“What did you do?”
She breaks into a laugh, and when she looks over at me, she still smiles innocently. “I didn’t do anything.” She looks up as she goes back to fixing something in her room. “I feel like we haven’t hung out in a while, and I miss you.”
I smile at her, although she isn’t looking at me, and finish getting dressed. “I see you every day at work, Mel, but I get what you mean. I miss you too, we need to hang out, out of work.”
While I see Mel almost every day, she isn’t a Core Eight, who I spend most of my days with, but I’m going to try to get more photo shoots and other gigs with her.
I walk back to my phone when I’m dressed and check my calendar before I leave. I won’t be back all day, so I need to take everything I need for the day. I'm on a time crunch since I wasted a bit of time coming back home after staying at Liam's place, so I grab my things a bit quicker.
When I put my watch on, all of my messages come through, but I notice one from Liam that I missed.
Lee
I had to fly out this morning for my game but a coffee is waiting for you in that weird shop you like.
Please make sure you try to eat something, beloved.
I like both messages before wishing him good luck at his game and grabbing my bag. I was a bit confused when he was gone this morning, but I’m glad he texted me instead of just disappearing, especially after whatever last night was.
When I let out a sigh, I notice Mel glance down at the screen. “I know that sigh. Don’t tell me it’s the very new boyfriend. How did he fuck up so fast?”
I laugh at her, but I love how well she knows me. “Ugh, I don’t know, it’s stupid.” I head for the elevator, and she immediately tells me it’s not stupid if I’m sighing and to just tell her, so I, of course, do.
“He said you wereexhausting!”
“No! No, he didn’t meanme. He was just tired and–”
“Wait, back up, why was he being so rude about you wanting to know about his damn life? Is he hiding a kid?”
I let out a laugh as I start my car. “A kid? Of all things, he’s hiding a kid?” I glance down at my phone, and she shrugs.
“Matt had a kid.” She brings up her ex she was just telling me about as if that proves anything.
“Matt was a pathological liar and is now in prison.”
“Maybe this Liam guy will go to prison.” She teases. “And are you sure that girl calling him was who he said she was?”
I roll my eyes at her because now she’s just fishing.
“Why lie about her being his mom’s nurse? That’s insane.” I also fully believe Liam wouldn’t lie to me since he hates it so much.
“Whatever you say.” Mel sounds like she believes otherwise, but I’m glad she doesn’t voice her thoughts. “I still think he should be making the effort to open up to you, especially since you clearly care and rightfully want to know more about him.”
“Yeah, I hate how distant he is sometimes.” I chew my lip in thought as I pull up in front of the coffee shop. I ask Mel if she wants me to get her a drink before letting her go. When I walk into the shop, Rob and Cee Cee are watching me with matching smiles.
“Hello, stranger!”
I laugh softly as I close the distance between us and pull them both in for a hug. I was just in here a few days ago, but I haven’t been coming in every day, and I can tell Cee Cee is offended that I might be getting my drinks from somewhere else.
“How’s your guys’ morning going?”
“It was great until I walked in on this one,” Rob nods towards Cee Cee, “making out with some girl in the storage closet,” he whispers, and my eyes widen as I slowly turn to Cee Cee and she rolls her eyes at Rob.
“You’re just mad because you don’t have a girlfriend,” she teases.
