“Ha … Piper …” I mumbled, and bumbled around to find some other surfaces to wipe down. “You're right. I don't know what's gotten into me.”
“Yup. Sure.” She clicked her tongue and sidled next to me. “You know how I know you're lying?”
I swallowed. “How's that?”
“Well, first of all, you're a terrible liar. But second, and most importantly?” She held the sales report from our morning shift in her hand, and took a gander at the numbers. “You're not even freaking out about our numbers anymore. Used to be your favorite hobby. And now you're just eerily calm about it all.”
She was right: business wasn'tbad,per se. But sales weren't where we wanted them yet. We were still chasing that elusive daily profit.
The difference was, I wasn't quite as high-strung or anxious about it as I was before last week.
“Hey, not that I mind,” Piper added. “Because like I've been telling you since the beginning, we weren't going to be insanely successful right out of the gate; it's going to take time. And the important thing is that we're still trending upward. But the fact that you've been strangelycoolabout it, ever since last week, sure makes me think …”
She didn't finish her thought.
“M-makes you think what?” I asked.
“Oh, I don't know,” Piper demurred. “I'd ask if you were getting laid on the regular, but then, I know thatBeau'sbeen out of town and doesn't return until …today,is it? It is today! Isn't it?”
“How'd you know that?” I asked. “I mean—oh, is he really? I er, didn't know.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ugh, you are such a terrible liar. It would be funny if it weren't so sad.”
I gave a sigh.
“Alright. So as you've probably guessed, yes, I haven't beentotallyhonest with you about Beau and I.”
I did tell her that I spent the night with Beau after our date. But what I hadn'ttold her was the part where we agreed to be exclusive for a week. But all week long, I couldtellshe knew there was more to the story.
“No,” Piper gasped sarcastically. “Really?”
“I didn't want to jinx it! I didn't want you to think that I was this pathetic girl getting my hopes up over this man-slut who doesn't give a damn about me … which hemightstill very well be, by the way.”
“He's not,by the way,because he's crazy about you, which is exactly what I've been telling you since the very beginning.” She grinned like the Cheshire cat. “But okay, proceed.”
I gave her the full story. How Beau and I hashed out our differences at dinner. The shocking surprise that he knew about the Beau Bradford Blandwagon all along (which did not surprise Piper one bit). How we'd both had crushes on each other throughout school, but convinced ourselves that we hated each other instead.
And, lastly, I told her how Beau spilled his heart and declared that he wanted to reach his potential as a hockey player. Like he was ready to become a man—to commit himself to his job and be the best person he could be. It was convincing. I got swept up in the moment.
Even if I wasn't totally sureIwas ready for him. All along I thought that Beau's commitment would be the problem—but suddenly he was saying the right things, and then it was me with the cold feet.
But Beau got me to commit to one week. One week to see how things would go—to see if I could live with the idea of dating a professional athlete, or if the jealousy and paranoia would drive me insane.
I came up with a few secret ground-rules. They were secret because I didn't want Beau to follow them just so he could keep me wrapped around his finger. Guys like Beau can't exactly be trusted, after all.
So, if my phone calls ended up suspiciously going straight to voicemail—especially around, say,party o'clockon his off days? It'd be time to cut the cord.
If he didn't answer a text within 48 hours and didn't have a good excuse? Done-zo, see ya, Beau.
If he reinstalled that MeatMarket thing for any reason, and I happened to find out about it? Oh,hell no.
“So?” Piper asked. “It's been a week! How'd things go?!”
***
How'd things go? Never before in my life had seven days felt so painfully long!
As heart-felt and promising as our goodbye was, I wasn't completely convinced that this whole situation wasreal.What if we were just experiencing the golden glow that followed some really great, mind-blowing sex? After all, two people can convince themselves ofanythingafter they've shared that part of themselves.
