Chapter 17 Is This A Fucking Joke?
CHAPTER 17: IS THIS A FUCKING JOKE?
JACE
M y phone rings and I pull it out of my back pocket fully expecting to see Lacey’s name on the screen. I was shocked when she agreed to talk to me and part of me keeps expecting her to cancel. I swipe up and place the phone to my ear.
“Eli! How’s my favorite mentor doing? It’s been a minute.”
“Ha. As far as I know, I was the only one dumb enough to take you under my wing.”
I chuckle. “Are you back from Guatemala?”
“We are. We’re actually in Atlanta for the Nat Geo charity auction tonight and I was hoping you might be in town too?”
“Oh, yeah. I’m in town and will probably be here until at least August. What’s up?”
“Are you coming to the auction?”
“No, not really my thing.”
“How’d you manage to get out of it?”
“I’ll never tell my secrets.”
“Bastard. Could you do me a huge favor today?”
I nervously check my watch. It’s eleven. Two hours until Lacey arrives. “Depends. I have plans with an old friend. Whatcha need?”
“Well, one of the photographers who was supposed to donate something to the auction backed out at the last minute. I was wondering if I could meet up with you and maybe have you sign something?”
“The infamous Eli Miller wants my autograph. Oh, how the tables have turned,” I laugh.
“Shut it, Jace. I would autograph one of mine, but I already donated two. They don’t need a third.”
“Alright, when? I have a bunch of prints at my apartment. Want to meet me here and we can go through them. You can pick something out and I’d be happy to donate it. My friend is coming over at one.”
“Oh, I’ll be long gone before then. Drop a pin and I’ll head your way.”
We hang up and I send Eli my address. I sit down on the couch and crack my knuckles. I look at my watch again: eleven fifteen. My phone pings and I swipe up on the screen.
Eli: Says I’m only 45 minutes from you. See you soon.
I lean back and shut my eyes. My mind drifts to my meeting with Lacey and I know I have to get it right. I somehow need to convince her I’m not the man she thinks I am. My chest tightens and I don’t think I‘ve felt this nervous in a long time. When she called me all those years ago she was so cold and emotionless. I’ve replayed that conversation more times than I care to admit. I wish she would have told me the real reason she was ending things. I wish I could go back in time and assure her that I only had eyes for her, but that’s not how it happened and now I have so many questions.
Tanner walks out of his room. “You ready?” He sits down across from me putting on his shoes.
“I don’t know what to expect. I’m hoping she can clue me in on what went down that day in D.C., so I can convince her that I would never betray her trust.”
“It’s a good sign she’s coming over.”
“I hope so.” I rub my sweaty palms on my shorts.
“What are you going to do until she gets here?”
“I bought some food I need to get ready. Figured it might go better if I had snacks.”
Tanner’s face twists.
“What? You think it’s a bad idea?”
“No, it’s just interesting.”
“Care to elaborate?”
He leans back in his chair, crossing his ankle over his knee. “I think it’s funny that she has made everyone think you did this terrible thing, and you’re over here making her food.”
“We were young. I’m sure you did some dumb shit at seventeen too. Hell, you do some dumb shit now at thirty.”
“Oh, I’m not holding it against her. Trust me. I like Lacey, but you making her snacks tells me everything I need to know about you and how you feel about her.”
I don’t respond. Part of me thinks I should be angry, but I’m not, and I know that sounds insane. As much as I want to hate her for not fighting for us, for giving Alex a chance, for not being there when I needed her the most, I can’t bring myself to be mad at her. She means too much to me.
If anything, I’m hopeful that for the first time in ten years, we might have a chance to move forward, and that makes my heart swell. Over the last decade, there were so many times I wanted to call her but knew I couldn’t. If today goes well, she may be a part of my life again, and I can’t think of anything I want more.
He chuckles. “I’m going to play pickleball and then I’m going over to Donovan’s. Wanted to give y’all space.” He stands and grabs his keys. “Text me when I’m cleared to come back, lover boy.”
I open the oven and remove the pan of golden fries that just finished cooking. When we were younger, fries could fix everything when it came to Lacey, and I’m hoping that still holds true today. I sprinkle salt over them and give them a good mix.
Eli has yet to show up or text me back. I check my watch and it’s twelve forty-five. To say I’m a little annoyed is an understatement. I need today to go perfectly, and I don’t want Lacey to think meeting with her isn’t my priority. I hear a knock and I place the fries back in the oven to keep them warm before jogging towards the front door.
I’m met with short signature blue hair, brown eyes, and a big smile.
“Jacks!” Eli throws her arms around me. “It’s been too long, my friend.” I hug her back and quickly release.
“It’s about damn time,” I laugh, looking at my watch. Twelve forty-nine. Great. This is great.
“I know. I’m so sorry I’m late,” she says. “There was an issue with the rental car. I know you have plans at one. I promise to make this quick.” Eli moves past me and into my apartment.
“The photos are in my room. Come on.”
She follows me into my bedroom, where a dozen photographs of various animals I saw during my latest trip to the Amazon are laid out on my bed.
“Oh, wow, they’re spectacular.”
I nervously check my watch again while Eli peruses my photos.
“Take whichever one you want.” Her eyes land on a photo of two scarlet macaws that have their beaks pressed against each other.
She snickers, “They look like they’re kissing.”
I nod and try to calm my fidgeting, but I know Lacey will be here any minute.
“Do you have any of the Bixito?”
“Not with me. How do you think I got out of going tonight?”
“Fuck you,” she jabs.
“This one will do. Sign it and I’ll be out of your hair.”
I grab a marker and sign my name in the corner. We make our way out of my room and as I round the corner I come to a complete halt causing Eli to run into my back. Lacey is standing in my doorway wearing cutoff shorts that show off her long legs and a black tank top that fits her hourglass shape like a glove. The locket still hangs around her neck. Her white high tops contrast against her tan skin and her black baseball cap is worn and embroidered with a purple smiley face.
“Some warning would’ve been nice,” Eli says as she pushes off my back.
“Oh, sorry, I knocked and I thought I heard someone say come in,” Lacey says. “Am I interrupting?” Her eyes land behind me and shift from Eli to the door we came from.
“Oh no, I’m the one interrupting. I’m E—” Eli steps forward and begins to offer Lacey her hand.
“I know who you are.” Lacey’s voice cracks as she turns and rushes from the apartment.
“Did I do something?” I hear Eli ask the question, but I’m already out of my apartment and following Lacey to her car.
“Lacey!”
She doesn’t stop moving. Hell, she’s almost running and I break into a jog. “Lacey, please stop!”
She whips her head around and her blonde hair moves through the air. Tears run down her face and there is so much pain in her eyes that my heart breaks.
“Is this a fucking joke to you?”
“What?”
“Do you think it’s funny to come back here and blow up all of our lives? Gosh, we were all doing fine without you. I was doing fine without you.”
“What are you talking about?” She turns and starts to move toward her car. I can hear her mumbling something, but she isn’t making any sense. With two large strides, I catch up to her and grab her hand. Her skin feels incredibly soft and for a moment I don’t want to let her go. I want to pull her into me and tell her it was all a misunderstanding. That it’s going to be okay and now that I have her back in my life, I’ll never let her go again.
“Please come back upstairs. Let’s talk.”
She flips around and shakes me off of her. “Why is she in your apartment?”
“Who? Eli?” My brain fumbles as I try to make sense of how Eli could have caused such a reaction.
“Eli?” She shakes her head and wipes away her tears. We are both quiet for a minute and I take a deep breath. My lungs fill with her tropical scent and I realize we’re standing incredibly close, so I take a step back.
“Yeah, Elizabeth Miller, but she goes by Eli.”
“You cheated on me with your photography program mentor?” Her question throws me off guard.
“Wait, what?” I ask.
She takes a deep breath and crosses her arms. “Don’t be smug. You know she’s the woman I saw you with that day. The one you were all over in that coffee shop.”
“I was all over Eli?”
“Yes, well, you two were laughing and staring at one another. Anyone could see you were into her and she was into you.”
What in the actual fuck?
“I mean, Jace, you barely had time for me. You left and said we would talk everyday and we didn’t. When we did talk, your calls got shorter and we were barely texting. I tried to convince myself you were busy. That our schedules were different and it didn’t mean anything, but then I saw you with her and it all made sense. You no longer wanted what I wanted. You wanted her and I wanted you.”
A sob escapes her throat and she swallows hard, wiping her face with her hands. She takes a few deep breaths. “And now you invited me over to talk and I walk into seeing her walk out of your bedroom. How cruel can you be?” She shakes her head.
I knew she thought I cheated, but with Eli? Is she serious? I let out a laugh and I immediately try to stifle it.
“God, you’re such an asshole. I shouldn’t have agreed to this. I was doing fine hating you.” She turns to leave and I grab her hand once more.
“No, shit, I’m sorry. Eli was my mentor in the photography program and then she became my friend. We were never anything more. I swear.”
“You really think that’s all it’s going to take for me to believe you?”
I rub my hands down my face and place them on top of my head. “Lacey, Eli is married to a woman.”
Her eyes meet mine. “A woman?”
“Yes, a woman and has been for a while. I’m not her type and she’s not mine.” I shake my head. “She stopped by today to pick up a photograph for an auction she’s going to later. The photos were in my room, so when you walked in, she had just finished choosing one.” She wipes the remaining tears from her eyes. “Don’t cry, pixie.”
“I thought I told you to stop calling me that.”
“Can we please go upstairs and talk? You can ask her yourself if you want.”
To my surprise, she nods her head and follows me back to my apartment. When we enter, Eli is sitting on the couch holding the photo of the macaws.
“Eli, this is Lacey. Lacey, this is Eli.”
Eli’s eyes flair at Lacey’s name and I give her a small nod. “It’s nice to meet you, but I’m afraid if I stay much longer I’ll be late to the auction and my wife might kill me.” I walk her toward the door and she gives me a big hug. “It was good seeing you, Jacks. Thanks again for saving my ass.”
I chuckle. “Anytime.” The door closes behind her and I turn to face Lacey who is sitting on the couch. Her brow furrows.
“Now what?” I ask.