Truly Mine (23 page)

When a group of us became alarmed at how long she had spent away without so much as a call to let anyone know where she was, we went looking for her and found her at a motel where we usually took our dates. Thankfully, we got there when we did.

Marie and I both walked away from that lifestyle with no plan for how we would support ourselves. We only knew that we would never go back.

I wish that time of my life had never happened.

It wasn’t until nearly a year later, after working shit jobs for so little money that we could barely feed ourselves and pay for our one-room efficiency apartment, that we hatched the idea for InLove Coaching. Lissa was still working at the escort service. We invited her to join us and it was understood from day one that Marie would have no part of the client side. She would strictly run the business end. And she insisted on hiring security in the office, so we were never alone with our clients. It was nonnegotiable and has remained this way for twenty years now. Never once have we had an issue in the office, and only one other time has a client crossed the lines outside of the office.

Thinking quickly and more to appease Marie than anything, I offer a great idea, “I think I’ll go to Fallport for a little while.”

Marie raises her eyebrows and nods her head in approval.

“I have to pack up my mother’s house and hire a real-estate agent anyway.”

Marie lays her face in her hands and massages her temples. “That’s actually a good plan. Tyler will watch over you. He’s a good man, Truly. Don’t fuck things up with him.”

While I am sorry that I stress Marie out nearly every damn time I turn around, I don’t appreciate that last comment. “Wow. Really? That was unnecessary.”

“Well, let’s be honest. You gravitate toward assholes like Scott and run from the good ones like Tyler.” She slides her palms across the tabletop and takes my hands in hers. “Why is that, Tru?” She emphasizes her point by squeezing my hands. “It’s time for a change—inside and out. I want you to go to Fallport, and I want you to work on your relationship with Tyler. Work on your demons. I know you think it’s outside of the realm of possibility, but please, please, please, Truly, find peace with your mom. It’s holding you back whether or not you want to admit it.”

Lissa interrupts, “Have you run this by Tyler yet?”

“I talked to him this morning.” That is not a lie. I did talk to Tyler this morning.

I do not specify what it was that we talked about, nor does Lissa ask. So, I’m not lying.

At the last minute before I leave town, Lissa insists on riding with me to Fallport. She doesn’t want me to be alone for a single minute. The problem is that I’ve led the girls to believe that Tyler is aware of what happened. Only, he hasn’t the slightest clue.

“Hey, Lissa.” I find the nerve to broach the subject about halfway into our trip.

She turns toward me. “Yes?”

“I have to admit something to you.”

“Okay.” She narrows her eyes and waits for me to finish.

“Tyler doesn’t know that I’m on my way to Fallport. And I have no intentions of telling him.”

She’s understandably confused. “What? I thought you talked to him.”

“That’s true. I did. But I didn’t tell him about the attack or that I was coming to Fallport. He can’t find out either. I don’t want to burden him with this drama.”

Lissa takes in a deep breath and looks ahead. “Okay then.”

We’re silent for just a minute.

“Tru, I have to admit something to you.”

I look her way and wait for it.

“Ellis and I are not going to work out,” she says softly.

I look back at the road. This makes me sad. “Why?”

“I don’t know really. He’s great. He’s everything I would want in a man, yet I can’t get into him.” She turns her body so that she is leaning back against her door and facing me. “Truly, I’m desensitized to men and any emotion that I should be feeling when I’m with them. It’s this damn job.” She lays her head against the seat.

“Yeah, I can relate,” I mumble.

“What if I never experience the butterflies and the high of falling in love again?”

“Oh, Lissa, you will. Just relax. Everything is going to work out. When the right person comes into your life, it’ll happen.”

It’s time for a change for all of us. Lissa deserves so much more than this. She’s too young to feel hopeless.

Half an hour outside of Fallport, in the neighboring town of Cassady, we stop to stock up on food. Since I can’t run the risk of Tyler seeing me or word getting back to him that I’m in Fallport, we’ll be in hiding once we arrive, and we won’t be able to go to the store—or anywhere else, for that matter. I load the shopping cart with a case of bottled water, microwave meals, and most importantly, wine. Three bottles of strawberry zinfandel should tide us over until I figure out how to deal with this situation.

I find a checkout line that is not a mile long, and Lissa begins to load the contents of our cart onto the belt. As we wait for the woman in front of me to finish her transaction, I dig in my purse for my vibrating cell phone. Tyler and I have been talking throughout the day. While I’m preoccupied responding to a message, I feel a tap on my shoulder that nearly causes me to jump out of my skin.

“Truly?” Cory’s wife, Ali, is standing beside me, her head tipped to the side in confusion. “Oh my gosh! It is you!” She wraps her arms around me, pulling me close. She smells fabulous and looks damn good, too.

My thoughts are racing. I came so far to hide away from everyone, and before I can even make it to my retreat, I’ve been found.

“Ali. Hi. How are you? You look great!”

She really does look amazing.

“Thanks! So do you, as always.”

I turn to Lissa. “This is my friend Lissa. Lissa, this is Ali. We went to school together. She’s married to Tyler’s best friend, Cory.”

Lissa holds her hand out. “So nice to meet you.”

After the introduction, Lissa excuses herself to wait in the car, using a headache as her excuse. Once she’s gone, Ali and I continue our conversation.

“I saw Cory a while ago, and he couldn’t quit talking about you and the girls.”

As she fakes a smile, she looks down at her phone. Clearly, she doesn’t want to discuss this.

For fear that she’ll text Cory or Tyler and tell them I’m here, I decide to just come clean with her. “Ali, I have to ask you for a favor.” I shift my weight to one side and hang my head. “So, Tyler doesn’t know that I’m here. I had to get away from New York in a hurry, and I haven’t had a chance to fill him in. Honestly, I’m not sure I even want to. I won’t ask you to keep anything from your own husband, but if you could make sure that Tyler doesn’t find out just yet, I would greatly appreciate it.”

“Um…okay. Tru, are you all right? You’re not in trouble, are you?”

“No, I’m not in trouble. I’m fine.” I pay the cashier for my groceries. Then, I continue to explain myself to Ali, “I’m just waiting for a situation to blow over. Oddly, Fallport is the first place I thought of that nobody would think to look for me. I’ll be at my mother’s. I plan on packing her things while I’m there. Tyler just can’t know I’m here. Not yet anyway. I don’t have the energy to deal with him, too, Ali.”

We begin the walk to my car.

“I understand. You don’t have to explain, Tru. I won’t say a word. I promise. But will you please keep in contact with me, so I’m not worried about you?” She pulls a business card out of her wallet and hands it to me.

“I didn’t know you had a studio. That’s great.”

Even when we were teenagers, Ali had a camera with her at all times. To this day, when someone needs a photo, she’s the go-to person.

“Well, the way things are looking, I might not for long.” She looks off in the distance and narrows her eyes. “Anyway, my number is on the card. Will you please text or call me?”

“Of course.” As we arrive at my car, I pull Ali into my arms. “We’re gonna be just fine, Ali.”

She lets out a sigh and relaxes as she places her hands on my back, embracing me. I know from what Tyler told me that she and Cory are going through a rough time, and it’s very obvious, even in her body language. She seems defeated. Just like me.

“You know what? Why don’t you stop by my mom’s tomorrow? I’ll text you the address. We’ll talk.”

“Okay. That sounds good. I’m glad you’re here.”

I smirk, not sure yet if I’m glad to be here or not.

Once I’ve put the groceries in the trunk of my car, I slide into the driver’s seat. Lissa has her seat reclined and is resting with her arm over her eyes.

“Hey, how’s the headache?” I ask.

She lifts her arm just enough so that she can see me. “Oh, I lied. I just wanted to give you some time with your friend.”

As she raises her seat to a sitting position, I pop her on the arm. “You dork. You didn’t have to do that.”

I nearly change my mind about staying as I pull into my mother’s driveway.

“Nice house, Truly,” Lissa remarks.

I glare at her. “It’s not my house.”

She returns a softer but a matter-of-fact look. “Actually, it is your house.”

The only reason I don’t go back to New York and hide in my apartment is because Marie has a key, and I know damn good and well she would use it. I’d rather stay in this stranger’s house than impose on Marie and Thomas.

Then, there is the business of packing this place up and selling it. I hope to be back in New York in a few weeks at most.

I’m digging in my purse for my mother’s house key as I walk up the sidewalk to her front door with Lissa following me.

The flowers that were so pretty when I was last here are now dead. The leaves have begun falling and cover the walkway and porch, and it smells like fall. The crunch of the leaves under my shoes brings a smile to my face.

I’m never prepared for the emotions that hit me every time I drive into this town. I hated it here.
Why do I get so sentimental now?

Once in the house, I find my way to the garage and press the button to open the automatic door. Walking through the garage, I get in my car again and park it next to my mom’s car in the garage, so nobody will see it outside. Then, Lissa and I bring in our luggage along with the groceries.

After I pour us each a glass of wine, we wander upstairs to scope out what beds we’ll sleep in. I decide on the couch in the living room instead of sleeping in a strange bed, and Lissa takes a spare room. Lissa, knowing that I need some quiet time, continues to check out the house. I curl up on the sofa with a book. Tyler hasn’t texted me in a few hours. It has me wondering if Ali already slipped up and told him I’m in town, and now, he’s pissed because I haven’t shared any of this with him.

I know the only way to ease my mind is to text him and see how he reacts.

Me: What’s up, sexy?

Just a few seconds pass before he responds.

Tyler: Do you want me to be honest?

I’m not sure he’s even talking dirty to me, but I want him to be. I goad him with my response.

Me: If it involves my favorite part of your anatomy, then yes, be very honest. ;)

Tyler: Of course it does. And be careful what you ask for, Tru.

Me: You don’t scare me, Burke. I can take you.

Tyler: I know you can. Every last inch.

A face-splitting smile spreads across my face, and I nearly spit my wine down the front of my shirt. I try to come up with something witty, but I’m terribly frustrated at the moment.

Me: With pleasure.

Tyler: Keep it up, woman, and I’ll be on a plane to New York.

Me: You wouldn’t.

Tyler: You’d be shocked what I would consider doing for you.

He’s so fucking sweet. Being just minutes away from him is killing me. I want to be in his bed tonight.

Me: Call me when you get time.

Immediately, my phone rings, and Tyler’s name flashes on the display.

“Hi.” My voice is small and quiet. I feel guilty for lying to him.

“Hi, babe. How was your day?”

I suck in a deep breath, thinking back to all that has happened today. “It was shitty. Really, really shitty. But it’s all good now.”

“I’m sorry. If I were there with you, I would make it all better.”

“Just talking to you makes it better.”