Chapter 5
Erin
“Should we start by talking about why you ran out of here like your butt was on fire last time?” Monica asked, cocking her head and lifting her brow. I knew this would be coming. She wasn’t going to let that slide without adequately questioning me about it.
I shrugged, settling into the comfortable oversized chair and sighing. “I told you. It was a work thing.”
By the way she crossed her arms and pursed her lips, she didn’t believe it. Monica tapped her pencil against her open notepad. I counted fifteen taps before she exhaled loudly. “A work thing?” I nodded. “It had nothing to do with the phone call you ignored from your sister?”
My mouth dropped open, and I stared at her. So she had seen the caller ID. “No. Well, I—” I stopped and clamped my mouth shut.
“Why are you about to lie?” She sounded like a parent scolding a teenager, and I got the sickly feeling of being in trouble.
My shoulders sank forward, and I took a deep breath. It was like her cozy office was closing in on me. “Because it’s embarrassing. My sister is a disaster!”
“We’ve talked about this in depth in the last five years, Erin. That’s why I don’t understand the lie.” She shook her head. For some reason disappointing Monica was worse than disappointing my parents.
She was right. “I’m sorry. I should’ve just told you.” I crossed my legs, bouncing my foot. “I shouldn’t have even gone in the first place.”
Monica tucked her pencil behind her ear and folded her hands in her lap. “Tell me what happened.” Her voice had changed. It was no longer stern—she wasn’t mad about the lying. She was offering me support, and the walls opened again. I relaxed.
“I drove over an hour to her and Jacob’s house, and she wasn’t even there! Apparently, she cheated on him and ran off with whoever she’s fucking now.” I scoffed, rolling my eyes. Monica hummed and nodded while I told her the rest of the story. Her face remained stoic, not showing any of the shock I was certain she felt. She probably wasn’t shocked at all.
“And then he told me I could wait, and I did, and that was a mistake.” I dropped my head into my palm, pausing when I’d realized what I said, but I couldn’t hold back the grin that stretched my cheeks. I looked at Monica, and her eyebrows were lifted. The content but emotionless look on her face a moment earlier had been replaced with a clearly curious expression.
“What happened when you waited?” she asked.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek. There was no way she wanted to know every detail or about the tender spots he left on the back of my throat. I adjusted in the seat, clamping my legs together when I thought about the way he’d folded me over the counter and the way he sounded when he came. I tried and failed to swallow, my mouth suddenly going dry.
“He offered me a drink.” I giggled, remembering the attitude and the shots of whiskey. “I had a couple of shots, and then I… slept with him.”
I covered my face when Monica inhaled sharply. “You had sex with your sister’s boyfriend?”
“Ex-boyfriend.” I held my finger up to emphasize the point.
“Sorry. You had sex with your sister’s ex-boyfriend?” she corrected, and my stomach sank.
I nodded and closed my eyes. “Yes. I didn’t plan to. It just kind of… happened, but it was really good, and now it’s all I can think about.”
“So you like him?” she asked, pulling the pencil from behind her ear. She flipped it between her fingers, watching me.
I shook my head. “I don’t really know him very well. He’s sarcastic and kind of rude, but I… I know I shouldn’t have liked it. But I did.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to get involved with him.” Monica sounded concerned but hesitant. “It could cause more drama with your sister.”
It wasn’t a lie, and she wasn’t wrong. My mind had been swimming for days about fucking him though, and all I wanted was a repeat. That was why I had gone to his house last night. “I know you’re right.” We both heard the hesitance in my voice, and Monica sighed.
“Just tread carefully. Don’t do anything you can’t take back.”
It was too late. I already had.