23. Olivia
OLIVIA
“ O h Olivia, isn’t this just delightfully weird?”
Helen and I were in an antique mall we frequented for fun, but today we were on a mission to find items for her home. I looked across the booth to see what kind of madness she’d found. With a giant smile, she held up a taxidermied squirrel wearing a top hat.
Lucas was right, her style seemed to be all over the place.
“Uh. That’s borderline terrifying Helen.”
“Nonsense. He’s adorable.”
“How do you know it’s male?”
She hummed. “Good point. Do squirrels have testicles?”
“And I’m out. I am not discussing squirrel balls with you.”
“Fine. But you’re limiting your knowledge of the world, and that beautiful girl is never wise.”
I chuckled as I continued to browse through old treasures and junk, mostly junk. But every so often there would be a total gem and it made all the hours of searching completely worth it. Helen and I both loved the hunt. Even I could admit that sometimes her quirky finds were great.
“So, dear, how is everything going with those yummy brothers?”
Helen had never been a shy woman.
I tried to be casual. “Things are great. They’re great. Adrian. Leo. And Lucas. All great.”
“Young lady.” Helen pinned me with a glare so severe I was scared I had pictures of Lucas and I mid orgasm projecting from my eyes.
“I swear, I’d tell you if anything was going wrong.” I was reaching. Pretending like I thought she was worried about her home when, in reality, I knew. I knew she was on to me.
“Have you had sex with Lucas?”
My jaw was literally on the floor.
“Oh, my god Helen!”
“What? Are you going to try to deny it?”
There was no point. She was like a bloodhound. She’d find out eventually.
“Okay fine, yes. Lucas and I are seeing each other. But you can’t say anything to him!
He’s very worried about your opinion on the whole thing and the project and things generally going south.
I don’t want to freak him out or scare him.
And what was with the one room, single bed situation anyway? That was a real piece of work, Helen.”
She was smiling at me with sparkling eyes. Guilt nonexistent on her wrinkled face .
“Did I forget to book two rooms? How absentminded of me. Apologies dear.”
I scowled at her because she sounded so disingenuous. It was almost laughable.
“So. How is he? I always pictured Lucas to be an attentive lover. Calculated. He’s wound so tight all the time. I bet he really lets loose in the bedroom.”
She was looking at me with raised eyebrows, awaiting an answer I wouldn’t be giving. Especially because right at that moment, my phone rang.
“Oh darn. I’m going to have to take this call, Helen. Be right back.”
I hadn’t even looked at my screen to see who it was, but I would talk to a Nigerian prince if it got me out of this conversation.
Luckily, when I looked down, not only was it not a scammer, but the man who was quickly becoming an obsession. I hid my smile as I walked further away from Helen before answering.
“Hello?”
“Hi Angel. How’s your day going?”
“Um, good! I just dodged a conversation about squirrel testicles. So that’s positive.”
“Ah. And how is Helen?”
I laughed. I hadn’t told Lucas I’d be with her, so he was just making an educated guess based on subject matter.
“She’s good. Clearly in her element.”
He hummed his agreement.
“So listen, I called because I have an event coming up this weekend and I was hoping you might want to come with me. ”
“Actually, I’m not free this weekend. There’s a home show I need to go to for another client.”
“In the city?”
“Yeah, they just asked that I show my face. I don’t have to do any events or anything.”
“Well, that’s convenient. That’s where I’ll be.”
I instantly flushed with excitement. Lucas and I in the city for an entire weekend? We could go to the show together. As a couple for the first time. We’d be away from almost everyone in our day-to-day lives.
“Really? That’s incredible! Are you presenting?”
“Nope. Just showing my face. So I can hang with whatever you’ve got going on.”
A stupid blush crept up my face. “Okay.”
“Let me drive you in?”
“Oh, I was just going to take the train.”
“Sorry, I accidentally made that a question. I’m driving you in. Pick you up Saturday morning at eight.”
I bit down on my bottom lip, pulling it between my teeth. The feminist in me did not want to like that.
“Alright. Sounds good.”
“There we go. Bye Angel.”
I said goodbye. This was embarrassing. I needed help. The man made me giddy.
But he was going to make me giddy for a weekend in New York. I couldn’t wait.